Bzz, Bzzzzz: Olay & CoverGirl Vs. Jafra - How'd It Go?!

Disclaimer: I received two CoverGirl + Olay products from BzzAgent.com and the brands to sample and discuss. No monetary exchange took place. As always, all opinions are and will always be 100% my own.

 

Recently, I received my BzzKit containing these two products from CoverGirl + Olay: Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation in Shade #125 (Buff Beige, which I was able to choose myself), and also the Pressed Powder in Shade #320 (Fair/Light, which I also chose.)

Now, this campaign is a little different for me, since I am a longtime Jafra Skin Care consultant, so I decided to do a side-by-side comparison of the CG/O products with my usual Jafra products of the same sort, to see which I truly like better. What follows is my honest-to-God opinion of both, along with before/after pictures, so you can judge for yourself.

BEFORE:

(Please note that all self-portraits were taken in natural light with the Instagram app on my iPhone, so any variances in photo quality should be taken into account when evaluating my photos.)

Since I was only evaluating the foundation and powder products, these looks are and should be basically identical, except for the way in which my hair was styled at the time. I should have been more consistent, sorry! I washed my face as usual with my Jafra face wash, and then I proceeded to use my various hydrators from the Jafra PRO line to get my face ready for cosmetics.

On Day One, I used the CoverGirl + Olay products. First, the Tone Rehab. Some facts:

• One pump instantly covers discolorations, lines and wrinkles while one bottle hydrates to help improve skin tone over time
• Clinically shown to help reduce the appearance of discolorations over time by hydrating the skin
• Available at all major retailers, with a suggested retail price of $13.99
• Online at covergirl.com — visit the site to get shade matched, discover tips and looks, and learn more

A shade for all women
The COVERGIRL & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation shade palette covers skin tones from light to deep, with a balance of cool, neutral and warm undertones in 14 beautiful shades:

• Ivory
• Classic Ivory
• Creamy Natural
• Buff Beige
• Nude Beige
• Medium Beige
• Natural Beige
• Warm Beige
• Creamy Beige
• Soft Honey
• Golden Tan
• Classic Tan
• Tawny
• Soft Sable

Secondly, I used the CoverGirl + Olay Pressed Powder. Some tidbits about that:

• Gold pearls, yellow iron oxide, and silk mica work together to help provide natural looking skin with an energized appearance and a healthy radiance
• Instantly helps brighten skin tone while softening the look of imperfections
• The formula, with a built-in smooth-glide serum, provides a touch of brightness without feeling heavy or cakey

COVERGIRL & Olay Pressed Powder completes your regimen in 6 complimentary shades:

• Fair – pair with Ivory or Classic Ivory foundation
• Fair/Light – pair with Creamy Natural or Buff Beige foundation
• Light – pair with Nude Beige or Natural Beige foundation
• Light/Medium – pair with Medium Beige, Warm Beige or Creamy Beige foundation
• Medium – pair with Soft Honey or Golden Tan foundation
• Medium/Dark – pair with Classic Tan foundation

On Day Two, I stuck with my usual skin care and make-up regimen, simply substituting the two above products for Jafra's Two-in-One Powder Makeup SPF 15. (I'll just let you go to the link if you're interested in reading more about that, or you can question me in the comments, since this is mainly a CG+O post!) Side by side comparison is below:

As you can see, there is a HUGE difference in the appearance of my face between the two days.

Here's what I liked about the CoverGirl + Olay products:

- They were easy to apply, going on smoothly.

- They did not have a yucky, make-uppy smell, and instead smelled clean & fresh.

- Coverage was total. Any spots I my have had (which I don't think I did) would have been covered up by these products.

- My skin looked smooth and completely unblemished.

Now, here's what I did not like about the CoverGirl + Olay products:

- Right from the start, the felt heavy, like I was wearing a mask, or theatre makeup.

- My whole natural complexion, including all my (adorable? ;P) freckles, completely disappeared under the products.

- I developed no fewer than three pimples while wearing them throughout the da and I am not prone to getting zits. It really gobbed up my pores, apparently.

- I generally felt uncomfortable, like I could easily tell I was wearing it, and I did  feel like my face was touchable.

Contrasting that with the Jafra product, here are my thoughts:

- As you can see, my complexion still looks natural. I look like ME!, freckles and all.

- No pimples develop(ed), and I wear this product about 5x/week, even in the hot, sweaty summer.

- It feels light to touch, and when I rub the back of my hand against my cheek, it doesn't feel like I'm wearing make-up at all. Soft!

- Definitely not heavy, the Jafra pressed powder is easy to forget I'm wearing it t all.

- The rare and occasional blemish are STILL covered by this lighter, less cakey product.

So, for this girl, Jafra is still the clear winner, and I choose not to wear - or buy - the CoverGirl + Olay products again, which I definitely would have if my experience had been different.

One last side-by-side, the final picture of my face after each foundation was applied, using Jafra cosmetics:

So the bottom line for me, looking at these pictures and having tried both lines, is that: (1) If you need heavy-duty coverage and don't mind feeling like you're wearing caked-on foundation, try these CoverGirl + Olay products. (2) On the other hand, if you'd rather look and feel more natural, light and soft to touch after applying foundation and cosmetics, well, maybe it's time to try Jafra. I've been using it for 14½ years myself, and I'm sticking with it.

If you've read all this, please tell me what your thoughts are, so I can pass them along to BzzAgent! Your comments will remain anonymous!

Fin.