REVIEW: Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

Here’s the official blurb on this foundation:

  • Mattifying liquid foundation for up to 12 hours.
  • Natural shine control, for fresh matte finish.
  • With camomile to help calm, cucumber to help clarify and cotton to help control shine.
  • Talc free, oil free, paraben free, fragrance free
  • 5 shades to choose from

And these were our personal experiences with the product:

Jules:

Shade: 203 Sand
Coverage: Light-medium but I only use a very small amount and then blend it out with a buffing brush. Definitely buildable.
Look & Feel: Perfectly smooth application and it feels totally weightless (I HATE being able to feel foundation on my face), and although not 100% matte it has a very natural appearance so the product looks just like real skin. Limited shade range though so the colours won’t suit everyone.
Longevity: I wore this foundation during a heatwave where the temperature was around 35º every day and it held up really well. My t-zone, which is naturally a little oily, definitely got a bit shiny towards the afternoon but I can’t think of any foundations where that wouldn’t happen in the height of the South African summer. A quick pat-down with my blotting papers and a light dusting of powder solved the situation and extended the foundation’s wear. I also used a primer one day and that definitely improved its staying power to a full 16 hours.
Value for money: Pretty good – not the cheapest of the “drugstore” brands but still under R100 (just!) for a relatively small 30ml bottle but then a little goes a long way.
Other thoughts: The no-nasties formula is a real plus for me but it also contains no SPF so make sure you use a moisturiser with sun protection underneath.
Overall rating: 7/10

Camilla:

Shade: 203 Sand
Coverage: Medium. It covered my blemishes well so I didn’t have to go back in with concealer, which was a real bonus. You could definitely build it up to a heavier finish if needs be.
Look & Feel: Notwithstanding the level of coverage, it felt incredibly light on the skin and I couldn’t feel it at all. It is not as matte as I expected it to be, but I’m not going to grumble about it because I actually really liked the finish. My skin felt quite glowy without being shiny – a rare feat.
Longevity: It lasted well, all things considered – it was sweltering all of last week so I just was happy that it didn’t slip off of my face after half an hour. It stayed put for about 12 hours without a primer.
Value for money: Great, actually. I got it on special at Clicks for R80 – how can you have so much fun for so little money?! I am used to spending in the region of R400-R500 for foundations, so this felt like a massive saving.
Overall rating: 7/10

Price: R99.99
Availability: Major supermarkets, pharmacies, Clicks & Dis-Chem

We don’t consult each other before writing joint reviews so any similarities are purely the result of consistencies with the product experience.

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2 comments on REVIEW: Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation

  • Samantha Hobbs

    I use this and have done for years – I find it blends really well with my skin. I’ve got spot prone skin that can flare up with the wrong products – this one has served me well and I am a loyal Rimmel customer over here in the UK. I agree with Julia in that it feels weightless, I too do not like heavy products on my skin – so this is perfect.

    • Jules (author)

      Hi Samlet! We’re also big fans of Rimmel; they make such lovely products and they’re so affordable. We’re patiently waiting for them to launch the Wake Me Up foundation in SA as it’s getting rave reviews overseas – you should try it! xx

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