A stick foundation is loved by many for it's portable and handy. It's also deemed good value for money since it lasts for quite a long time. Not to mention, the concentrated formula offers medium to buildable coverage which makes it a good substitute for concealer to hide spots and blemishes. There are so many options available on the market but I've only had the chance to try three of them up until now. I get of plenty of emails asking me how these stick foundations compare with one another so I decided to do this post for you today. I hope you'd find it helpful.
Kryolan TV Paint Stick
Texture: Creamy
Finish: Semi-matte/satin
Coverage: Light to full
Longevity: Good
Shades: Over 250
Price: PKR 800-850
What's good?
- TV Paint Stick, as the name implies, is basically a heavy duty foundation for photography, film, stage and TV work. It's undoubtedly an outstanding product as it serves its purpose really well. I get why it's such a popular choice among girls out here because it's pretty easy on the pocket. In fact, it was the first foundation I began with when I stepped into college.
- The formula is creamy, goes on smoothly without emphasizing any dry areas on your face but the product itself could turn a bit dry to use in winter. But the good thing is, you can achieve any amount of coverage with it starting from light to full.
- It blends in beautifully if you use a damp sponge; doesn't set into fine lines.
- It's the most saturated stick foundation among all three of them so you only need a small amount to get a good coverage; you can skip a concealer too.
- It melts into the skin and gets radiant with the passage of time. I think it looks pretty natural if it's your right match and you don't cake on too much. Always use a translucent powder to set it for better wear time.
What's bad?
- TV Paint Stick clogs pores; it's definitely not friends with oily acne-prone skin. Also, it doesn't hold up well on oily skin and could turn greasy after a few hours.
- It doesn't come off completely with a regular cleanser so you need to use cleansing milk to get rid of the last traces of it.
- Despite plenty of shade options, choosing your shade could be confusing or rather difficult probably because of inadequate swatches online or lack of testers at the store.
- It's also not very easily available everywhere. Beware of the fake TV Paint Sticks!
- It may look caked up if you do multiple layers and don't blend properly. It can also suffocate your skin if you pack on too much.
- It has a strong smell; something comparable to men perfume. It doesn't bother me much though.
If you've got a dry/normal skin type, you will absolutely love it provided that you apply it the right way. People with combination/oily skin would be happy to use it during winter season. It could be your budget-friendly full coverage foundation for evenings and special occasions however, I do not recommend this foundation for daily wear in summer if your skin is combination/oily.
Color Studio Professional Matt Foundation HD Stick
Texture: Creamy
Finish: Semi-matte
Coverage: Light to medium
Longevity: Fair
Shades: 5
Price: PKR 850
What's good?
- CSP Matt Foundation HD Stick doesn't offer a matte finish; it's semi-matte and very natural looking. It feels pretty comfortable on the skin and doesn't clog pores.
- The formula sustains its creaminess all year round unlike TV Paint Stick and Luscious Stick Foundation.
- The application is a cinch! Among all, it blends into the skin the most easily and quickly. You don't have to dread about a cakey looking face no matter how much you build it.
- The coverage looks natural but it could highlight dry spots in winter months. I'd say it camouflages small imperfections, not major pigmentation unlike TV Paint Stick.
- This one is totally fragrance-free. Good for sensitive noses!
- It's suitable for all skin types however not ideal for combination/oily skin in hot humid weather.
- It's easily available across stores nationwide with an option to try out the testers before purchasing.
What's bad?
- The limited shade range is a bummer! You may not find yourself a match.
- The formula isn't so concentrated so it requires some layering to build it up to medium coverage.
- It doesn't withstand humidity so well; it fades away within four hours around the oily areas on your face even after you set it.
- It can transfer if you don't set it.
This one is suitable for all skin types however it doesn't wear long enough on combination/oily skin in summer. Girls with dry to normal skin can enjoy an absolute skin-like finish with it if they can find a match. I do recommend this for daily usage.
Luscious Cosmetics Foundation Stick
Texture: Creamy to powder
Finish: Matte
Coverage: Light to medium
Longevity: Good
Shades: 5
Price: PKR 850
What's good?
- Girls with oily skin who find TV Paint Stick greasy should turn to this; your prayers have been heard! Since the finish is very matte, it does make dry spots look more prominent so you must moisturize.
- The finish is dead matte which is good and bad at the same time. Good because it holds well, doesn't turn your face into a grease ball or get budged by oil or heat. Bad for dry skin or if you prefer a healthy glow however, it does sink in and look more natural after the first hour of wear.
- It sets to a powdery finish so you don't need to use a translucent powder over it. You may need to touch up your T-zone by mid-day.
- It doesn't blend in that easily but damp sponge should do the job.
- In terms of coverage, it beats CSP Matt Foundation HD Stick. You can get a medium coverage fairly easily.
- It feels light on the skin and doesn't clog pores.
- This one's also available easily and you can try out the testers before you buy.
- The texture of this foundation leans a bit on the dry side if you compare it to TV Paint Stick or CSP Matt Foundation HD Stick however, it's not utterly dry that you can't apply it smoothly.
- Again, the shade range is not enough to cover the wide variety of skins and undertones we have in Pakistan.
- It can look very unnatural if you've got the wrong shade. It needs some time to adjust to your skin tone unlike TV Paint Stick and CSP Matt Foundation HD Stick.
- It could cake-up upon layering which is hard to blend too.
This is one stick foundation that I totally recommend to girls with oily skin. Even though it's not the easiest to blend but it fares best on oily skin among them all; good for daily wear too. It's definitely not meant for dry skin types.
Tip: To achieve a flawless coverage, do not use stick foundation all over your face. Instead, only apply onto the problem areas of your face and use a damp wedge sponge or a thick powder brush to spread out the concentrated spots of product to get an even natural looking finish.
Final verdict:
To sum up, I think Kryolan TV Paint Stick is good for evening wear or for occasions when you require full coverage. You can use it on daily basis provided that you've a dry to normal skin type. Another option for you could be Color Studio Professional Matt Foundation HD Stick. Both these foundations require setting/fixing. People with combination/oily skin should opt for Luscious Cosmetics Foundation Stick if they expect a matte finish and better wear time. All of them are pocket-friendly but meant for different skin types. Choose wisely!
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