Putting the Revlon Candid Foundation and concealer to the test! Should these “anti-pollution” goodies find a home in your makeup bag?
Hello there, dreamers! Who’s ready for another look at an up and coming drugstore foundation? On the clock, today? The Revlon Candid foundation and matching concealer.
After falling head over heals in love with the Maybelline Urban Cover foundation, my interest was definitely peaked when this caught my eye at Walgreens. My research tells me that the Revlon Candid foundation was actually released in late 2018, so it’s not entirely new…but relatively new enough I guess to warrant Revlon including *New* on the packaging.
Meeting the Revlon Candid Foundation
Truth be told, I don’t have the best history with Revlon foundations. While their ColorStay foundation is a cult favorite for many, I just never got on with it. I’ve tried both the oil and non-oily skin formulas and both broke apart and made me want to claw my face off after just a few hours. But with so many fantastic foundations coming out of the drugstore lately, I was very hopeful the Revlon Candid foundation would be a different story altogether. Could it actually WORK for me?
Determined to find out, I picked up both the foundation and matching concealer with plans to give them the old college try!
31 Shades Available
At the drugstore, I was impressed to see the Revlon Candid foundation has a relatively large shade selection. There are 31 shades in total available, which is pretty darn great!
With such a vast shade range to choose from, I did have a tricky time accurately coloring matching myself. The packaging is not transparent, meaning you don’t actually get to see the foundation itself when trying to find the best match. Instead, you have to rely on a replicating image of what the shade is supposed to look like…which we all know isn’t always the case in reality. In the end, I went with the shade 270 Medium Beige.
Upon applying, I thought the foundation was going to be too light for my skin tone. Then, I realized that it actually oxidizes about two shades as it sets on your skin. This is definitely something to be aware of incase you’re alarmed (like I was) by how light it is when coming out of the tube.
Natural Satin Finish
The Candid foundation has a really nice satin finish, that has a very natural “your skin but better” appearance. The formula is quite creamy and blends into the skin with minimal effort.
Comfortable and Light-Weight
Probably the biggest *flaw* of the Revlon ColorStay foundation for me was just how uncomfortable and heavy it felt on my skin. So to say that the Candid foundation is indeed lightweight is a HUGE plus as far as I’m concerned. After applying this in the morning, I literally forget I even have it on as I go about my day. A+ in that department!
Long-Lasting – With a Primer
I definitely dub the Revlon Candid Foundation to be quite long lasting…WHEN worn with a primer. On days where I mistakenly skipped the primer, I found this did slip around on the skin and start to break up a bit in my T-zone. Generally speaking, though, I think all drugstore foundations perform better with a primer so that’s not a huge deal. (I’m loving the Elf Mineral Infused Primer at the moment.)
After applying this in the morning, I’m able to get through a full work day and evening out with no trouble at all. And I’m criminal when it comes to touching up…as in I don’t, at all. So this is definitely a set it and forget it type of foundation. Hooray!
Medium Coverage
As you can see in the photos of me above, my freckles DO shine through the Candid foundation. That said, it does a pretty bang up job at covering the redness near my nose and any discoloration in my under eye area.
Personally I like when my freckles are able to shine through as that means my makeup actually looks true to my normal appearance, but if you do want heavier coverage…go ahead and add a second layer. The foundation is creamy enough that it builds nicely without getting cake-y.
The Matching Candid Concealer
To match the Revlon Candid foundation, Revlon also released a matching concealer that’s pretty darn great. It’s actually my first time EVER using a concealer from Revlon…and so far we’re off to a great start. I’ve been using the concealer both with the foundation and on its own with other foundations and find it works beautifully with whatever product I pair it with.
The Candid concealer is available in 18 shades, has great medium coverage and blends beautifully.
Anti-Pollution?
Here’s where Revlon really tried to step it up! They formulated both the Candid foundation and concealer with Vitamin E – which is great at nourishing your skin as well as protecting it. With that in mind, Revlon dubs these two as anti-pollution products. That term is a bit gimmicky for my taste, but I do appreciate the effort.
That said, I definitely wouldn’t rely on this foundation as the sole protectant of my skin. It’s still very important to adopt a great skincare routine and eat a healthy diet where that’s concerned.
Another skin benefit of the foundation and concealer? They’re both fragrance-free. Fragrances are irritants to the skin that many beauty brands unnecessarily include in a product. I definitely appreciate them going the fragrance-free route here!
Foundation Ingredients:
Aqua/Water/Eau, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysilicone-11, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ethylene Brassylate, Laureth-7, Lecithin, Magnesium Sulfate, Maris Sal/Sea Salt/Sel Marin, Methicone, Mica, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Carrageenan, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethyl Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491,77492, 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
Concealer Ingredients:
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Caffeine, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glycerin, Lecithin, Mica, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Tetrasodium Edta, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Xanthan Gum, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain [+/-: Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, 177492, 77499), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891)].
Overall, I’m impressed. The Candid foundation is rewriting the book on Revlon as far as I’m concerned!
After having such negative experiences with the ColorStay foundation, I was really skeptical this would work out for me but am left feeling mighty happy. Over the last month now, I’ve been alternating back and forth between this and the Maybelline Dream Cover foundation (which is also an all-star). With each use, I continue to be impressed with how well the foundation performs as well as carries me through a long day with minimal (aka NO) touchups.
If you’re on the hunt for the next best thing from the drugstore, I highly suggest you give Candid foundation and concealer a try. They’re both winners in my book!
Revlon Candid Foundation Rundown:
- Available in 31 shades
- Medium Coverage
- Natural, Satin Finish
- Readily available at drugstores, mass retailers (i.e. Target), Ulta and on Revlon’s website
- Long-lasting
- Contains Vitamin E
- Oil free
- Free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes
- Fragrance Free
- Nice tube packaging with pump
The Pros:
- Incredibly comfortable on the skin
- Long-lasting
- Nice shade selection
- Easy to find
- Affordable
- Easy to apply and blend
- Contains dimethicone to smooth/blur over pores and fine lines
- Contains Vitamin E to nourish and protect the skin
The Cons
- The tube packaging and oxidizing factor make it a bit tricky to best color match yourself
- Concealer has a more limited shade range
- Does not contain an SPF
Overall Grade: A
Interested in more beauty reads? Check out the Beauty Directory for makeup and skincare reviews!
Shop the Post
Revlon Photo-Ready Candid Foundation ($8.97-$10.99)
Revlon * Target * Ulta * Walmart
Revlon Photo-Ready Candid Concealer ($5.99 – $9.99)
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Kelly
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