Sleek Cheeks Creme Blush Duo ($9.49)
I've played recently with going back to powder blush after switching to creams years ago, and I had to come back again to creams. To me, they are so much easier to apply and more natural looking on the skin. I also like that they can layer over any kind of foundation - powder, liquid, compact; powder blush tends to streak over unpowdered cream foundation, my daily staple. Sleek Cheeks is creamy and light, blending effortlessly with no harsh edges or streaks. You get one large square of the main color, and a small strip of highlighter that you can layer over the blush or use alone wherever you like. It's available in six shades: SkinLight, SandStorm, Pink Light (the shade I picked), Cherry Blush, Iced Plum, Iced Mocha. Your best bet to find this is at a physical store near you; online, the selection is mediocre, with Drugstore.com carrying only Sandstorm and ULTA.com only has Iced Mocha ($8.99). This blush duo is a new favorite of mine.

Colorstay Overtime Lash Tint ($9)
As if there aren't enough mascara choices, why, oh why, did Revlon need to add another one, and such a bad one at that? This is the antithesis of what we need in mascara: overly wet, clumpy, gooey, spiky, and impossible to remove. It's not just long wearing, it's like cement on your lashes! Call me crazy, but I can't conceive of the reason you would need the benefits this mascara is selling: won't come off for 3 days! How can this be good for your eyes? For three whole days you get the pleasure of spiky spider lashes. After I tried repeatedly to get this stuff off, I resorted to picking it off with my fingers - ouch!

review: 8/02

Revlon has added some new products to the Skinlights collection of light reflective skin enhancers. Unlike their Face Illuminator products, these have a bit of color for skin that needs a bit more coverage.

Diffusing Tint
For those of us who like a smooth looking complexion without obvious looking makeup, I can't think of a better time to be a beauty consumer. There are so many great brands to choose from! I've talked about several specialty brands recently (Linda Cantello, Giorgio Armani, Skin Alison Raffaele), but now I can direct you to your local drugstore or Target for this great makeup from Revlon. Diffusing Tint is a lightweight makeup that has the coverage of a mediumweight makeup and the light diffusing properties of lotions like Revlon Skinlights Face Illuminator Lotion or Prescriptives Magic. It does a good job of concealing minor skin "flaws" like a small red mark, not-too-dark undereye circle or general unevenness in tone, plus it plays with the light that hits your face to make any "flaws" less noticeable. If you have not tried a product like this, you have to see it in action to believe that it really works. I've been choosing this makeup from my extensive arsenal of formulas when I need some coverage and a little pick-me-up - the light reflecting benefits make the skin look less tired and dull. Unless you really don't care for any kind of sheen on your skin, I think this makeup would work well for any skin type. Diffusing Tint comes in six shades ranging from ivory to caramel.

Illusion Wand
I love the packaging for this concealer - a dial-up tube with the applicator brush right on the end. Just turn it up for more color and brush it directly on the skin. Illusion Wand comes in luminous touch (for highlighting and concealing with light reflective pigments), light touch (uses light reflective pigments plus a light skintone color for more coverage) and medium touch (uses light reflective pigments plus a medium skintone color for more coverage).

Color Lighting
Revlon markets this cream color as well-suited to eyes and cheeks, but take my advice and use it for what it really is - cream blush. The color choices and shimmery texture just don't look flattering as eyeshadow. As blush, it looks terrific - sheer, glowing color that blends well and looks natural. Color Lighting is available in five shades: Rosy, Sunny, Berry, Terra, and Mocha.

You can always find Revlon products at drug and mass market stores like Target and Wal-Mart. For more details on the full Skinlights range, check out Revlon.com.

review: 1/02

Skinlights Face Illuminator Lotion
With all the high-end shimmer face products currently available (Prescriptives Magic, MAC Strobe Cream and Hyper Real makeup, Estee Lauder Spotlight, and on and on), I wasn't surprised at all to see Revlon bring it to the drugstore. Packaged in what looks like a squeeze tube but with a pump dispenser, Skinlights is the answer to more radiant looking skin, on a budget. I chose Natural Light from the selection of Natural, Rose, Bronze and Peach, and so far I like the slightly shimmery, pearl finish. I have been using it in place of foundation, and just dabbing a bit of concealer on any "problem" areas, and I am pleased with the sheer, subtly concealing coverage. Like the more expensive light-reflecting lotions, this one also seems to diffuse the light that hits the face, blurring fine lines and uneven tones. I also like that the color isn't too red, purple or shimmery. On my normal-to-dry skin, it lasts all day with minimal shine break-through on my forehead, and it's safe for acne prone skin. It also contains no animal, vegetable or mineral oil and has an SPF of 10.

The Revlon Skinlights range includes this lotion, a cheek glaze, lip lacquer palette and some shimmer powders. They are brand new, so keep checking back at stores near you until they carry them. I got mine from Longs Drugs here in Portland, Oregon.

review: 12/00

As you all know, I can never resist trying something new. I recently picked up the new Colorstay Compact Makeup (around $12) from Revlon - quite an interesting product. After the explosion of natural looking cream-to-powder foundations like Vincent Longo Water Canvas, Shiseido Liquid Compact, Lancome Cool Finish, and Prescriptives Photochrome, I'm not surprised that Revlon has come out with their own version. This one is lightweight, oil free (no animal, vegetable or mineral oil), and has sheer coverage that builds only slightly, so it's better if you don't have much to hide. Since it's Colorstay, it is transfer resistant and long wearing, but thankfully doesn't set immediately, so you actually have time to blend it (unlike the other Colorstay foundations). You also get SPF 25 sun protection from titanium dioxide, one of the preferred sunscreen ingredients. For normal to oily skin that doesn't need much coverage, this is a foundation to consider.

The one downside is the compact itself - the cream/liquid foundation is in the bottom under a mesh screen, then there is a screw-top lid, but there is no place to keep the included sponge except right on top of the foundation. This design flaw lets the sponge practically stew in the makeup, transferring any bacteria that may come from your face right onto the makeup. There is an easy solution - just store them separately - but it's a pain if you want to take the compact with you in your purse.

Personally, I won't be buying it again. The color I chose, "buff", was a great match, but the coverage is too sheer. It also looks and feels a bit too dry for my normal to dry skin.

review: 2/99

A recent foundation search led me to Revlon's new Even Out Makeup (around $10), a sheer, lightweight formula that, after trying it, makes me think "Why bother?" The coverage is so thin, I wonder what's the point of putting it on at all? This is one of those foundations that is so sheer, it really works best for someone with perfect skin, but then why do you want to bother with foundation at all if your skin is perfect?? It seems pointless to me and a complete dud that you shouldn't waste your money on.

review: 9/98

I have never been a fan of the Revlon ColorStay line of products. The foundation is too heavy for a natural look, and the lipstick, even after an overhaul, is still dry and crumbly. I was hopeful but skeptical when I discovered the new ColorStay Lite Makeup ($10) at my local drugstore. Like the original ColorStay makeup, the Lite version doesn't rub off and is relatively oil-free. With a truly lightweight feel, fairly sheer finish, and SPF12 sunscreen, I was actually starting to like this new makeup - until it made my cheeks breakout in dozens of tiny pimples and blackheads! This new makeup does have promise (breakouts like mine aren't all that common), so if you like the long-wearing benefits, be sure to buy ColorStay Lite at a store that accepts returns, in case you don't like it. That's where mine is going!

Revlon has also introduced a new ColorStay LipTint lipcolor ($8) as a more sheer version of the original lipcolor. No matter how many times Revlon reformulates this lipstick, I still find the texture too dry and crumbly to actually be comfortable. Revlon touts the LipTint as almost a lipbalm type product, "with vitamin E and aloe to help soften, smooth, and protect", but it couldn't be further from lipbalm. If you don't mind the feel of transfer-resistant lipstick, LipTint does come in some nice colors, like Petal, Toffee, Jelly, Rosewood, and Mica.

review: 1/98

Line & Shine ($8)
Revlon's clever little lipliner plus lipgloss duo made me think - why didn't anyone think of this sooner? Line & Shine comes in 6 great wearable shades (Bare, Nude, Flesh, Coffee, Berry, and Chocolate) with a liner on one side and a complementary shade of gloss on the other. After trying them all on the back of my hand, "Flesh" won out for me! I love having the complete lip color look in one little package, and the gloss gives just enough color and shine without looking messy or goopy.

review: 5/97

Several months ago, I finally got the hang of tweezing my brows without making a mistake! Now I can appreciate any product that will help me keep them nicely groomed. Revlon's new ColorStay Browcolor (around $7 at drug and discount stores; comes in blonde, auburn, brunette, and black brown) is a great find - a brow pencil on one end for filling in any sparse areas, and a matching brow gel on the other end, perfect for keeping stray hairs under control. If you aren't very adept with the pencil (like me), the colored gel works great by itself for color and control in one. For more information on Revlon ColorStay Browcolor, visit the Revlon website.

review: 10/97

I am constantly surprised at the number of email I get with questions about MAC Studio Fix. "What is it" and "How can I get it" are the most common, with "Isn't there something similar at the drugstore" as a close second. I believe I have found something that is similar, less expensive, and more widely available.

Revlon's latest foundation, New Complexion One-Step Makeup, is a real alternative to Studio Fix. It is a cream-to-powder foundation that comes in a compact and is applied with a sponge. (The compact itself is actually made by the exact same company that makes the compact for Studio Fix!) It has SPF 15 sunscreen and comes in about 10 or 12 colors. I saw it at a few stores for $11.50 but got mine on sale for $9.99. If you have normal, slightly oily, or slightly dry skin, this new foundation from Revlon is a good option.

I have to say I was really surprised that I liked this product! My favorite part is that I can use it all over, then use my finger or a corner of the sponge to dab a little extra in the corners of my eyes (for dark circles) and on any little red spots. The coverage is good, I'd say sheer-to-medium, and it wears well all day. There are even testers at the stores so you can find the best match for your skin.