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Budget Beauty Junkie

For this month's Budget Beauty Junkie, I did what might seem crazy: I shopped exclusively within one brand. But by choosing to sample many of Revlon's products, I got a brand new look at this longstanding drugstore brand.

Revlon started out in 1932 selling a new formula of nail polish to salons. The company expanded into fragrance, department store cosmetics lines, and of course, famous drugstore products such as Moon Drops lipstick. Over the past 75 years, Revlon has ventured into other markets including men's grooming, ethnic haircare, and even owned a clothing line at one point.

Up until several years ago, Revlon could be counted on to release limited edition color collections every season, as well as tied in to movies such as "Die Another Day," which happened to star Revlon spokesmodel Halle Berry. Recently, though, the Dark Pleasures and Sweet Nothings collections have been part of the main display, in stock for many months.

Since Revlon was buy one, get one free at Walgreens' at the beginning of the month, I took advantage of the sale to try out many products that were new to me, including two of the latest limited edition products. The prices noted in each review are the regular retail price, not the sale price.

FOR THE FACE

ColorStay Active Makeup, $11.99

This light makeup comes in a tube that will travel well. As the name indicates, this makeup is relatively sweatproof and contains a decent SPF 25. The texture of the creamy liquid changes to a powder upon application. It has a matte finish, and the shades are neutral and easy to match most skin tones. I would suggest wearing a liquid or gel cheekstain under the foundation. A powder blush might accentuate dryness.

New Complexion liquid makeup, $12.99

Although it's only hinted at on the packaging, the formula is oil free and aimed at those with oily and acne-prone skin. Although it shouldn't cause breakouts it definitely isn't going to cover up existing blemishes. The finish is semi-matte and sheer for a liquid foundation. The best results are when it is applied and blended well with a foundation brush instead of a sponge. There is no SPF, so be sure to wear sunscreen underneath.

Age Defying Makeup with Botafirm, $14.99

I'm very pleased to find a makeup with anti-aging properties that is also for normal or combination skin. The formula includes SPF20 and healthy ingredients like grape seed extract and Vitamin E. I expected this to be the most opaque of the three products I tried, but it was actually the sheerest, although the coverage is buildable if you desire. I have tried several foundations from Chanel and this would definitely be comparable, especially considering the price. My one gripe was that my bottle would separate each day and required shaking. Additionally, with 12 shades in the line one would expect the range to extend darker than "Rich Tan."

A Floral Affair Blush, 475 Honey Bunch, $11.99

The cute packaging and pretty colors totally suckered me in to the display featuring this blush. It features coral, bronze and pearlescent nude shades pressed into a floral design. It's quite a good shade on many skin tones. It balances the fine line as far as pigmentation goes, too: a nice hit of color, but not so strong as to look clownish. Although it's somewhat pricey for a drugstore blush, I don't hesitate to recommend it.

EYES

Soft on The Eyes loose eyeshadow quad, $9.99

This product was the item that got me so interested in Revlon again. The packaging was very attractive and showcased the colors within to optimal effect. The compact is rather ingenious and easy to use while keeping the loose shadows tightly closed. Like many makeup products released for the spring season, the mineral eyeshadows are just a veil of color. The pink shade barely showed on my lids, but I liked using a wash of the light green shade from the lashline to the crease, and highlighting under the brow bone with the lemon yellow shadow.

Brow Fantasy Gel and Pencil, $7.99

I like combination products like this. The pencil goes on fairly lightly and looks best when used to make short, feathery strokes to fill in sparse brows. Under no circumstance should the pencil be used to outline or color in the brows in one solid mass. Finish up by taming the brows into place with the gel. Although it's tinted, the gel is forgiving and doesn't stain or mark the skin. Either product could be used separately with a good effect and together they add up to a very polished look.

Luxurious Lengths Mascara, $7.99

This mascara lengthens quite well and is a great product for those relatively new to makeup. It gives a natural, easy look that is attractive on everyone. Those looking for false lashes in a tube will be disappointed, but I was very satisfied with the smudge-free wear and easy removal.

Overall, I didn't regret buying a single product that I purchased. Buying on sale stretched my budget, which makes the relatively high prices on foundation more palatable. I'm also happy to report that I received great customer service while I was shopping and checking out. I love that Walgreens has the separate cosmetics counter checkout and dedicated sales staff in the department. Although Revlon has experienced some bumps, twists and turns I hope it's around for at least another 75 years!

w LAST TIME OUT: Products under $10 .