Revlon Photoready Prime + Anti Shine Review

Revlon Photoready Prime + Anti Shine Balm is a clear, transparent mattifying balm that’s a lot like the recently introduced Covergirl Tru Magic Skin Perfector Mattifier.

Revlon Photoready Prime + Anti Shine is marketed as a product you can use alone to minimize the appearance of pores for a smooth, natural finish on skin or as a primer, applied to skin prior to makeup. Or you can use like Mally Face Defender and applied it over your makeup to blur pores, minimize shine and oil, and create a smooth, soft finish on skin.

I recently purchased this at my local Bed, Bath, and Beyond and it should start popping up at other mass drugstores soon with a bigger push for Spring 2015 I imagine.

Let’s take a look!

Revlon Photoready Prime + Anti Shine is a unique drugstore release. Covergirl is actually the only drugstore brand to offer a mattifying balm at the moment within the budget world so both they and Revlon have a very unique product on their hands! But E.L.F. isn’t too far behind as they recently released a very, very low costly balm for $6!

Before any of these balms became popular there was and still is Benefit Dr Feel Good which never particularly cared for. It was kinda acne in a pot because I always broke out using it.

Revlon Photoready Prime + Anti Shine comes in a slim line rectangle palette and opens up to reveal the balm and a rubber sponge for application just like Mally’s version. I still prefer Mally’s version but this is a very nice formula. The balm is a little thinner in consistency than Tru Magic’s formula and has a smooth, soft glide on skin. It whisks away the little bit of shine or oil I might have on my forehead or around my nose and blurs the appearance of the smaller pores on my nose as well as perfects my skin. When I use it over my makeup it really refines the finish of my blush and foundation and gives it a soft, smooth finish same as Mally’s does. If you have larger, visible pores it’ll likely make your skin look quite flawless. I does have some mattifying abilities but if you’re extra oily I don’t see it working to curb oil and shine for hours on end so you’ll likely need a touch up as the day progresses.

I like best using it over my makeup which yes, sounds weird but actually works out great! You can prep with it as you would any primer it’s just the texture and consistency is different from a liquid or cream primer. If you want a feel for the formula think of it Smashbox Photo Finish poured into a compact and solidified. I don’t do very well with silicone primers as they either pill on me or make me itchy but I had no problems with this! It applies evenly but sometimes it will cling on drier areas a little bit but the sponge helps smooths it on my skin.

It does extend the wear of both my color cosmetics and foundation by two to three hours. It kinda creates a barrier around your makeup (if you wear it as the finale step in your makeup application) and you’ll find it keeps colors and foundation from fading. When used under makeup I seem some extension but not as much as when I use it over. I also like the way my makeup looks more finished and polished when I use it over my makeup versus under. No worries, you won’t “rub off” your makeup when you apply it on top! You’ll see a little blush and foundation on the sponge after applying it but it’s very minimal!

All in all it’s a great. If you like Mally’s version this isn’t QUITE it but it’s still a very, very good option and considerably better than Covergirl’s formula in my humblest.

It’s worth trying if you come across it at your local drugstore.

Do share your thoughts if you have tried it.