Rimmel Foundation Comparisons: Match Perfection, Wake Me Up and Lasting Finish

I recently realised that I own four Rimmel foundations/BB creams (this wasn't a conscious decision these things just happen okay?!) and thought it would be interesting to compare them against each other and give an overview of each (flashback to comparing and contrasting in GCSE English). I own the Match Perfection, Wake Me Up and Lasting Finish foundation and also the BB Cream, however, I won't be talking about the BB Cream as I just completely did not get on with it and I feel it isn't as easily comparable as the other three are to one another.

I love the classy packaging of these products and the fact they are glass makes them feel a lot more expensive than they actually are. Also I love how they are colour coordinated in that the lids match the colours used on the bottle and so look nice when being stored.

The Match Perfection Foundation is my most recent Rimmel foundation purchase but I really like it and am enjoying using it so far. It feels incredibly lightweight on the skin, unlike the Lasting Finish foundation, and applies evenly to my face without sticking to any drier areas or moving around on oilier areas. I love wearing this for an everyday base as my skin still looks like skin and is left with a nice, fresh look. I wouldn't say it gives 'an illuminated glow' as it so claims but I would not class this as a negative because I like the finish of it. I use my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder to set the foundation on my t-zone but leave the rest of my face unpowdered when using this and find it stays put regardless. It has a very similar fruity scent to the Wake Me Up foundation which I actually like but know that other people may find this off-putting, in which case, the Lasting Finish foundation may be better as it does not have much of a scent. I either use my fingers, Real Techniques Expert Face Brush or Cosmopolitan Blending Sponge to apply this depending on how I feel and the amount of time I have in the morning. This foundation comes in eleven different shades of which I chose shade 100 Ivory which isn't actually the lightest shade for once (shock, horror) and instead it being 010 Light Porcelain. I would really recommend this foundation for people with normal skin types and perhaps dry as well but possibly not for oily skins as I don't think the seemingly moisturising formula would work well.

Next is the Wake Me Up foundation, one which I adored and then hated and now cry about because I want to be able to use it but can't. When I first bought this it was amazing, it gave my face a really nice glow and was the right amount of coverage for my normal skin at the time, however, after about four months of using it my face began getting incredibly oily and so I began changing my foundation and looking for one that would last against my oiliness. After what seemed like forever my skin settled down and is now only occasionally oily and so I have retried this foundation several times but it looks awful on me! It doesn't last on my skin, it makes me look overly shiny and also the shade I have which is 100 Ivory (again) is too dark for me even though it is the lightest out of the six available. I know so many people love this foundation and so I definitely think it is my skin that does not suit it but, saying that, I own and have repurchased the matching concealer several times and really enjoy using it. I do however love the smell and packaging of this foundation and think the orange looks really appealing and summery and matches the claims of giving 'a radiant glow'. This foundation, as I'm sure most people know, has shimmer in it that isn't incredibly noticeable on the skin but could be a problem for some people if they want a matte finish in which case the Lasting Finish foundation would be much better suited.

Lastly is the Lasting Finish foundation which I can't quite make my mind up about if I like it or not. I first bought it as I wanted to try a higher coverage foundation and, upon using this, found it completely masked my skin and gave a clean base to work on. However, after using it more and more I found that it actually felt sticky on my skin which I hate as I don't want to feel like I'm wearing makeup even if you can tell that I am. My hair becomes stuck to my face and also bits of dust (how weird do I sound right now?) stick as well and don't seem to want to be removed which gets very annoying. However, since trying it again, I have found that if I use just the right amount of product then it does not give me the sticky feeling and it looks nice on the skin but, unfortunately, I do not own a laboratory where I can measure out quantities every morning before applying. I do find that this foundation tends to gather in certain places, such as around the bottom of my nose, and also wears off near my mouth and so I can't say it lives up to its claim of lasting 25 hours. I would however use this foundation for when I am going out in the evening or at night and my skin is looking particularly bad and I want to cover it, but, after trying the Match Perfection, I will not be choosing to wear this as a day time foundation any time soon. I also bought this in the shade 100 Ivory (do you see a theme here?) however there are only six shades to choose from in this particular range.

From left to right: Match Perfection, Wake Me Up and Lasting Finish

One thing that confuses me with these foundations is how all of the ones I own I have bought in the shade Ivory yet they all differ slightly even though they are made by the same company. The Wake Me Up shade definitely seems too dark for me even after being blended but the Match Perfection and Lasting Finish shades blend into my skin very well.

I love how both the Match Perfection and Wake Me Up foundations have SPF in them; Match Perfection has factor 18 and Wake Me Up has 15. Although the Lasting Finish does not this can easily be counteracted with a daily face moisturiser with SPF but is worth considering if you want a multi-functioning product.

The Wake Me Up foundation I feel everyone, apart from those with oily skin, should try at least once because it is quite a different foundation to others available in the 'drugstore' and does give a fresh glow and so also making it a good choice for younger girls wanting to wear an everyday foundation.

The Lasting Finish foundation would be perfect I feel for someone who is seeking a buildable, higher coverage foundation and doesn't mind the feeling of having foundation on their skin or those who do not feel it but probably would not be recommend for those with dry skin as I can imagine this foundation to cling to dry patches and emphasise them.

My definite favourite out of these three foundations is the Match Perfection due to its lightweight feel, easy application and quick blending time and I feel would be suitable for all skin types other than oily.

Do you have a favourite out of these three foundations or do you prefer the BB Cream or Stay Matte Foundation offered by Rimmel?