June 30, 2009

Rimmel Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation Review


For the most part my skin is quite dry however Summer I do have a case of oily skin that crops up on my forehead and the sides of my nose. For those days I’m always looking for the next best thing to keep that oil in check. Last year, I quite fell in love with Urban Decay Mattifying Powder which allowed me to tote around a rather pretty purple palette with powder inside to help battle the mirror-like shine that cropped up on my forehead.

This year, taking things a step further, I decided to look for various oil controlling foundations to fight the good fight against shine, oil, and Summer humidity. My quest led me to Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation and yes I heard a few recs yelled at me about this one and see? I listened and got me some on the double.

Did it work at battling my oily forehead?

You’ll find out after the jump!

Rimmel Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation is meant to offer coverage and a mattifying finish to allow skin to remain fresh and oil free. With it’s price tag of $5.99 or so it seemed like a great budget friendly option for matte, fresh skin.

A few reasons I didn’t like it….

The formula feels quite moisturizing which is fantastic as my dry skin sucks it up. But what’s the point of purchasing a mattifying foundation that’s moisturizing? Shouldn’t it dry down to a matte finish? Hmmm. It didn’t really have a matte finish and for the most part feels and works like a tinted moisturizer as the coverage is quite sheer. As for controlling oily skin I didn’t feel much of a difference in that area either.


As with most drugstore brands I found the shade contained a heavy dose of beige which wasn’t particularly flattering on my skin. The formula and texture of the foundation is very nice and blends easily but the finish is more of a dewy, moist one rather than it’s promise matte one.

Overall, Rimmel Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation offers decent, light Summer coverage but don’t expect it to battle your oily skin, that might be asking too much.

Who might like this?

  • Anyone who likes a light, sheer foundation for Summer wear and tear.
  • Those who like a moisturizing foundation.
  • Anyone seeking a cheap, inexpensive foundation that can mimic the formula and texture of a tinted moisturizer.

Anyone a fan?

Tell the Muse!

4 Comments

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Kathy

    I have been wearing Rimmel London for a few weeks now and I have nothing negative to say about it. Everyone’s skin is different.

  • veronique

    i am hunting down all the stores to find rimmel london foundation, and i still couldn’t find it maybe its just a onetime thing?

  • sammie

    I have this foundation and I have SUPER dry, flaky skin (not oily in the least). I only bought this because CVS was having a price-cut on it, so it was 75% off and I thought, “Oh what the heck!” I have to say, I agree completely with you… it works just like a tinted moisturizer! I would personally prefer that for my skin type, but I actually found that it brought my natural oils out a bit more than usual, especially around the nose-meets-cheek area — weird! I have to say that if I had purchased this for actual mattifying purposes, I would be beyond disappointed, but when viewing it as a tinted moisturizer, it’s not too bad (minus the additional oily factor)! It works better for me when I set it with an HD powder, but that might be gauche…

  • Tina

    Which oil controlling foundation would you recommend to fight against shine, oil, and Summer humidity for someone on a very slim budget? Thank you in advance.