I had just started doing wear tests for my mega foundation post (you can read which foundation quiz works best, as well as my mini reviews of 6 foundations, here) when I spotted the Makeup Revolution Fast Base Stick Foundation at Ulta. At only $9, it's a super affordable stick foundation. Compare to the Anastasia Beverly Hills stick foundation ($25), the Maybelline SuperStay stick foundation ($11.99), or the OG Hourglass stick foundation ($46).
$9, comparatively, is an absolute steal. But is it a good foundation? I wore this throughout my trip to Idaho, as it is wonderful to travel with, and then did several wear tests at home (since my skin is not its best when I'm on vacation). Here's my review!
The Shade Range
First things first, the current range has 18 shades (F1 to F18). There are 9 fair shades and 9 medium to dark shades. I'm not super happy with that split; it seems to be heavy on fair shades, with multiple nuanced undertones. It does go quite dark, but ultimately, there are maybe only 4-5 shades for POC compared to 9+ shades for everyone else. That's not balanced!
When testing in store, I went with shade F2 as I wasn't sure if F1 would be too light; they looked really similar, so I just went with it. However, looking at the description now, F2 is fair with yellow undertones, which is why it's not a great match for me. I think I would have been better off with F1 or F3.
The Formula
The intention of stick foundations is, of course, speed. That's the promise of this foundation as well. Here's the (meager) description from Ulta:
“Foundation just got faster! Available in multiple shades and a range of undertones, Makeup Revolution’s Fast Base Stick Foundation quickly perfects, contours and highlights your complexion.”
It doesn't make any claims about finish or anything, which sometimes is a good thing.
Here's my impression: the formula is very creamy and easy to blend. However, I found that as I blended it out, it appeared quite... powdery on my skin. It doesn't settle right on my skin and leaves the finish looking rough and spotty. It's not the ideal formula for my skin, I think, as it is almost too thick and difficult to blend out. It was also very hard to layer over setting powder, which is my preferred method of wearing foundation. The finish ultimately was very matte.
How Did It Wear?
So, how did this foundation wear throughout the day?
As a disclaimer, I have very oily skin; almost every foundation breaks down on me, even ultra mattes that those with dry skin can't wear. I'm oily. It's who I am. This is important context.
I noticed breakdown really quickly with this foundation and it started to feel quite tacky, even with setting powder, within 1-2 hours. It also became quite cake-y and mask-like throughout the day--not my ideal look!
This is one of those foundations that I realized, after wanting to love it, just doesn't work for me. However, a friend bought this foundation right around the same time as me and it looks AMAZING on her; it wears great, the finish is gorgeous. It really just depends on your skin.
For $9, it's absolutely worth a shot as it is now several people I know's holy grail foundation. It just isn't mine!
