Since I began wearing make-up at the age of 15 I’ve been on a mission (like every other girl) to find the perfect foundation. I’ve tried pretty much every brand available, from the cheaper high-street brands at £6.99 a bottle to the premium ones at £30+. These include Maybelline, Estée Lauder, Laura Mercier, L’oreal, Clinique, MAC… the list goes on.
Each foundation had its positives but I still couldn’t find ‘the one’. Then last year I bought Rimmel’s Lasting Finish 25 Hour foundation. Ok, it’s not perfect – but it’s pretty damn close!
Lasting Finish has been out a while now and I’ve been using it about a year and a half. Since then I’ve tried numerous other brands but I always come back to my trusty Rimmel Lasting Finish. I’m in love with it!
Now, it’s important to note that everyone’s skin is different – so what may suit my skin, may not suit yours. I have normal/dry skin, yet if I use heavy moisture products it becomes very oily and I break out in spots. So I try to use oil-free products where possible. I don’t believe Lasting Finish is oil-free but it’s lightweight enough not to effect me, in fact this foundation can sometimes dry my skin out so I always use a moisturising primer beforehand.
So, why do I love this foundation so much? Well, firstly it lasts ages, well… not ”25 hours” more like 12 hours, but who needs a foundation to last 25 hours anyway?! Lasting Finish also provides amazing buildable coverage, you can apply as much or as little as you want. So, less in the day for a more natural look and more for a night out.
I’ve also found that Lasting Finish has the best range of shades to suit my skin tone, I’ve struggled with other brands to find the right colour. Rimmel however, only offer 6 shades and they are all rather pale, so although they offer the best shades for me, they may not for you. This is something Rimmel definitely need to work on! I use ‘200 Soft Beige’ which I believe to be their most popular colour as they always appear to be sold out. They also offer shades Ivory, True Ivory, True Nude, Natural Beige and Classic Beige.
I also love how long this foundation lasts – one bottle normally keeps me going for a couple of months depending on usage. And at £6.99 a bottle it’s a bargain! Boots also have a ‘2 for £10’ deal on at the moment on numerous Rimmel products including Lasting Finish foundation.
The only negative with this foundation is once it’s first applied it can feel very sticky and heavy, but after leaving it to dry for a minute or so it becomes smooth and light. Also, Rimmel claim it to be ”sweat, heat, humidity and transfer proof” – it is to a degree but I wouldn’t recommend using it on holiday in a hot climate, as the more you sweat the more oily it becomes. However, powder can always fix this. It also doesn’t have any SPF protection, which means it won’t protect you from the sun.
Wearing the foundation for a fancy dress night out!
With regards to it being ”transfer proof”, in general it is very difficult to get off. Yet, if you have a boyfriend, you know foundation can come off easily when kissing – well so does this one. I would definitely recommend putting your clothes on first before applying the foundation (but I would with any form of make-up). Again, using powder can help reduce both of these issues.
So, overall my rating is 4/5 stars.
Tip – If you gain a tan (be it real or fake) making your normal foundation lighter than your skin colour, instead of buying a new foundation, try mixing it with a tinted moisturiser until you achieve the right shade. I often use Laura Mercier’s SPF 20 tinted moisturiser in the summer as I tan very easily, but you can find cheaper brands on the net.
Talk is cheap. 