Budget Buy | Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Long Wear Foundation and Concealer

Dear friends, this post is a serious case of ‘Don’t knock it ‘til you try it’! Last week Rimmel London sent me a PR package containing their latest launch, the Lasting Finish Breathable Long Wear Foundation and Concealer. The package was sent under NO obligation to review or post about these products, always an important stipulation when working with brands. I unboxed the package in a video on my Instagram Story the evening I received it, promising to swatch the products the next day. And I did swatch them.

The foundation seemed too sheer for my liking and a bit too yellow. The concealer seemed perhaps a tad too lightweight and too dark. I immediately thought these products would not work for me and quickly dismissed them from my testing table. And then I got an outpour of messages from my UK followers where this Rimmel range had launched a few months prior. The general consensus: the formula was superb and could easily compete with high-end. I simply had to give this Rimmel range a try!

Social media may have its moments, but it also allows us to connect with, learn from and be inspired by people all over the world. Right then and there, I decided to give the Rimmel Lasting range a fair try. I would use the foundation and concealer on my face and create a makeup look that I would post on Instagram. I really didn’t know what to expect. Would I end up liking these products as much as everyone else or would I be the one standing out? Well, the title of the post gives it away. I like both of these products. In fact, these products are too good not to share. Hence this post. But since there are always pros and cons to any given situation, let me give you the rundown on the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Breathable Long Wear Foundation and Concealer.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Breathable Long Wear Foundation

This foundation comes in 16 shades and retails at a highly competitive price. It’s advertised as follows:

• Long wearing
• Breathable
• Sweat- and trasfer-resistant (so important!)
• SPF18 to protect the skin

Finish:

This foundation impressed me so much! It’s advertised as having a high definition finish, but given that it’s also medium coverage, I initially found that hard to believe. But glad I tried it on the face! The finish is not matte nor dewey. It feels and looks like flawless second skin. I’d say the finish is reminiscent to my beloved La Mer Soft Fluid Foundation reviewed in detail here and the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk mentioned here. The difference is that the La Mer and the Armani offer better coverage and some skincare benefits, but of course that’s reflected in the price as well.

Coverage:

The coverage is medium. I purposely did not edit the makeup look below, just so you can see for yourself. You will notice some hyperpigmentation and freckles on my nose and cheeks. Because of its light formula, you can build this foundation with ease to achieve a full coverage look. The foundation dries quickly, so definitely work fast to avoid streaks.

Packaging:

The Rimmel Breathable Foundation comes in a glass bottle with a built-in wand applicator. I do wish, however, it came with a pump. I’m not a fan of wand applicators in general, as they can contaminate the product by re-dipping. One way to avoid this issue is by applying the foundation on the back of your hand first and then using the brush to distribute and blend on the face.

Best way to apply:

I find that the best way to apply this foundation is using a brush. The beauty blender absorbs too much of the product and the foundation ends up looking way too sheer on the skin. I like using my Artis Oval 6 as detailed here or my Sephora Pro No. 56 Foundation Brush mentioned here.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Breathable Lightweight Concealer

The Rimmel Breathable Concealer comes in 6 shades and has an ultra-smooth formula lightweight, buildable formula. It’s sweat- and transfer-resistant, so it lasts when you need it most. It doesn’t really brighten the area, nor is it advertised to do so, but it does over medium coverage. It lasted on my under eyes for over 12 hours without the need to touch it up. What I like the most about this concealer is that it doesn’t crease, doesn’t accentuate my fine lines, nor does it look cakey. It comes with a built-in cushion applicator, making it easy to apply it on the go.

On most days I wear the Rimmel concealer on its own, but if I have an event or special occasion, I follow the concealer routine outlined in my post on How I Manage My Under-Eye Dark Circles, see here.

Below is an unedited photo taken in natural light and swatches of all the foundation shades available at my local Target store (they did not have the concealer as of the date of this post).

Final Thoughts:

This foundation is a big winner for me! I love the finish, it’s almost imperceptible to the naked eye and feels so incredibly lightweight on the skin. I don’t necessarily think the SPF factor offers adequate protection, nor have I been able to test this foundation for 25 hrs! However, I have worn this foundation for over 12 hours and used it in photos. It lasted beautifully throughout the day without oxidizing or separating. The shade range is rather limited. I have the shade Sand which is a bit too dark for me at the moment. But this foundation blends so effortlessly, that it doesn’t look unnatural. Overally, I highly recommend the Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation. In terms of finish and lasting power, you simply can’t beat the price!

What are some of your budget buys when it comes to foundation and concealer? I’ve really been enjoying the series, and thinking about trying other budget-friendly options. Please let me know in the comments below what I should try next.

This is NOT a sponsored post but it does contain referral links. Read my Disclaimer policy for more info.