mashimaru's Full Review: MAYBELLINE Instant Age Rewind Cream Foundation, Cl...
I bought this during a makeup emergency, of sorts. About a year ago, I had a strange red flush on my face. I don't know why it happened, but it looked like I was constantly blushing. Or hot. Or holding my breath. Or angry. Anyway, it looked weird, and it was difficult to cover with makeup. (It disappeared in about 6 weeks, and hasn't returned since. Still don't know what it was. Food allergy? Rosacea?)
At the time, I wasn't into the routine of wearing foundation, just sunscreen and pressed powder. And I didn't get into the habit of wearing makeup, because I kept thinking that the red flush would go away soon.
Then one day I saw myself in the rearview mirror, with this red flush, and I was just like - "Oh my gosh, I look like a lobster! I need to cover this up NOW!" So I went to a Target, and bought the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Cream Foundation.
Why Maybelline?
And I picked the Maybelline because it was one of the cheapest. The Revlon and L'Oreal foundations were all about $11-13. I didn't think that I would use this makeup for too long, so I wanted to buy something that was cheaper. (I think this cost about $8-9.)
I also liked this foundation because it came in a pump. Pumps are awesome! Not only is it more hygienic, it's much easier to use than an open bottle, or even a tube, any day. All liquid foundations should come in a pump. Get on it, makeup people!
Yet another reason I preferred this one because it had shrink wrap around the pump. Many other foundations didn't have any wrapping around it, including the Revlon ColorStay or the Revlon Age-Defying, so you couldn't tell if they've been opened or not. And some have been obviously opened and used by other customers. Flesh-colored fingerprints right on the bottle. Ewww. (Why do companies not package their products? I don't understand.)
Why Instant Age Rewind?
There are usually two general types of liquid foundations - the oil-free or oil-control formulas for younger skin that usually have a matte finish, and the moisturizing formulas for mature skin. I tend to gravitate towards the mature skin formulas because I find that they tend to look more natural on me. Less chalky. For example, a foundation I have come to really like is the Bourjois Repulpant Reboosting Collagen Foundation, which has a very moisturizing and plushy texture. (It's no longer sold in the U.S., though. Poopie.)
The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind line of foundations apparently comes in three types:
- this one in a pump (called "cream foundation") - a liquid foundation in a tall glass bottle with no pump (just called "foundation") - a compact ("Custom Face Perfector Cream Foundation")
Most foundations usually come in a liquid or compact version. But this "cream foundation" seems to be something in between, which makes it unique.
I've looked for this pump/cream version at my local drugstores recently, but didn't see it. I think maybe this particular product is being phased out?
Other enticing things about this product is that on the bottle, it says it moisturizes with avocado oil, and also contains caffeine to "wake up" the skin. Neat.
Color?
"Classic Ivory" is Light #2 in the Maybelline color range. It seems to be suitable for yellow skin tones. Among the lightest shades are:
I like the fact that the shades are numbered, as well as having a color name. But I don't really understand the color system here. Pink, yellow, pink, yellow ... ?
In any case, I was instantly relieved that Classic Ivory wasn't a bad match for me. As soon as I got to my car, I put it on my face immediately (remember, makeup emergency!), and saw that it blended into my natural color pretty well. Awesome.
I'm pretty bad at figuring out what color would look right on my face by looking at the bottle. So I got lucky here.
Using the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Cream Foundation
I was pleasantly surprised by this foundation. It wore well throughout the day. Didn't transfer too much, looked pretty fresh for a reasonably long time, and my skin felt velvety to the touch (I guess this is the moisturization factor?)
It is awfully thick makeup though. I guess it really is a cream in a bottle - which I think is unusual, because cream foundations usually come in jars or palettes. The thickness was perfect for me at the time, because I needed some serious coverage.
But using my fingers, I needed to work it in quite a bit to get a smooth finish. I didn't think to buy any sponges, but I think a sponge or a brush is required for best application of this product. In any case, I've put the foundation on with sponges and brushes later, and it did work much better.
This foundation did a great job for me the next several weeks of my weird, flushed face. The medium-to-heavy coverage was great, and really helped my skin look as nice as possible under the circumstances.
Conclusion:
I like this product. Even after I stopped needing it, I find myself using it whenever I want very full coverage. If I were to buy another drugstore foundation in the future, I would buy this again. But since I can't find it anymore, I think I would be up for buying the liquid version of this foundation instead. (But I'm wary, because it's just a plain glass bottle with no wrapping around it. And I would miss having a pump on it, of course.)
I thought this was a very good product, and I'm happy that I found it. I expected it to be just a quick fix for an emergency situation, but it ended up being a pretty decent long-term-use product. And the cost was fantastic. A great value.
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