Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation Review 2026: Worth Buying?

Drugstore foundation shelves look crowded in 2026. Prices keep climbing. Formulas keep changing names. Yet one bottle keeps showing up in makeup bags year after year, and that bottle is the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25HR Foundation. It promises full coverage, a natural finish, and wear time that stretches past a full day.

Big promises deserve real testing. I wore this foundation for six weeks across office days, gym mornings, humid afternoons, and one very long wedding. I tracked how it looked at hour one, hour eight, and hour fifteen. I also noted every flaw, and there are a few worth knowing before you spend your money.

This review covers the texture, the coverage, the shade range, the wear test results, the ingredients, and the situations where this foundation simply falls short. You will also find three strong alternatives if this one does not match your skin type. Let us get into the details.

In A Nutshell:

• Coverage is genuinely full. One layer hides redness, dark circles, and most blemishes. Two layers cover acne marks and pigmentation without turning cakey, which is rare at this price.
• Wear time lands near 12 to 16 hours, not 25. The claim is optimistic. Oily areas break up around hour ten unless you powder. Normal and dry skin holds the finish much longer.
• The finish sits between satin and matte. It looks like skin rather than a filter. No glitter, no obvious glow, no flat chalky look. Photographs show no white cast in flash tests.
• Shade range is the biggest weakness. The United States lineup runs roughly eight to ten shades, and deep skin tones have very few options. Undertone choices skew neutral and warm.
• Value is excellent. You get one full ounce for roughly ten to thirteen dollars, which works out to a low cost per wear compared with mid range brands.
• Skip it if your skin is very dry or very textured. The formula grips dry patches and settles into deep smile lines by late afternoon without a hydrating primer.

What Is Rimmel Lasting Finish 25HR Foundation?

Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25HR Foundation is a liquid foundation built for long wear. Rimmel positions it as a full coverage formula with a natural finish. The brand calls it a foundation with comfort serum, which means the pigment sits in a base that includes hydrating ingredients rather than pure oil control powders.

The bottle holds one fluid ounce, which equals 30 millilitres. That matches the standard drugstore size. The formula is waterproof and resists transfer, so it does not rub onto collars easily. Vitamin E and hyaluronic acid appear in the ingredient list, which explains why the foundation feels less drying than many long wear rivals.

Rimmel has sold a Lasting Finish foundation for decades. The 25HR version replaced the older 25 hour formula that many longtime fans still miss. The current bottle is a reformulation, not the original, and that matters if you loved the 2018 version. It performs well, but it is a different product with a slightly thinner texture.

Unboxing And First Impressions

Last update on 2026-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!

My bottle arrived in a slim cardboard carton with the shade number printed on the side and the end flap. Nothing fancy. The box opened with one pull, and the bottle slid out with no plastic wrap and no extra filler, which I appreciate.

The bottle is clear glass with a red screw cap. The glass feels heavier than I expected for the price. There is no pump, and that is the first disappointment. You either tip the bottle onto your hand or dip a spatula. Tipping wastes product and leaves a sticky ring around the neck after two weeks.

The shade band on the label matched the liquid inside fairly well, which is helpful in store lighting. My first drop looked slightly darker and more orange than my skin. Ten minutes later it settled and matched almost perfectly, so the oxidation question needs a proper test rather than a first glance. The scent is faint and powdery. It fades within a minute of application.

Texture, Consistency, And How It Blends

The liquid pours out thin. It runs faster than Revlon ColorStay and slower than a tinted serum. Two small drops covered my whole face with room to spare, so one bottle stretches for months with daily use.

Blending is easy during the first thirty seconds. After that the formula grips fast. You get a short working window, which is normal for waterproof foundations. I learned to work in sections rather than dotting the whole face at once. Forehead first, then cheeks, then nose and chin.

A damp sponge gave the most natural finish. A dense buffing brush gave heavier coverage but left faint streaks around my nose until I pressed them out with a sponge. Fingers worked in a pinch, though the warmth of my hands sped up the drying time even more.

The texture never felt heavy on my skin. At hour three I forgot I was wearing foundation, which is a good sign. It does not feel like a mask, and it does not feel tacky once it sets.

Top 3 Alternatives For Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation

Last update on 2026-08-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!

Maybelline Fit Me Matte and Poreless Liquid Foundation

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L’Oreal Paris Infallible Pro Matte Liquid Longwear Foundation

Last update on 2026-07-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only recommend products and services that I believe will add value to my readers. Thank you for your support!

Revlon ColorStay Longwear Makeup for Combination and Oily Skin

Coverage Level And Finish Explained

Rimmel calls this full coverage, and that claim holds up. One thin layer erased the redness around my nose and covered a healing blemish on my chin. Freckles faded to a soft shadow rather than vanishing, which many people prefer.

Building is straightforward. A second layer on targeted spots covered an old acne mark completely with no visible edge. The formula did not pill or roll when I layered, which surprised me for a waterproof base. Three layers is the limit before the finish starts looking flat and heavy.

The finish reads as natural matte. It is not velvet matte like a mousse foundation, and it is not dewy. Think of it as skin after a very good night of sleep. Pores on my cheeks looked softened but still visible, which keeps the look realistic.

Under flash photography the foundation stayed true. I tested three shots at night with a phone flash and found no white cast and no grey flashback, which means the titanium dioxide level is well balanced.

Wear Test: Does It Really Last 25 Hours?

I ran three full wear tests. Here is what actually happened.

Day one was a standard office day with air conditioning. The foundation looked fresh through hour eight. At hour eleven my T zone showed shine but no patchiness. At hour fourteen the coverage around my nose had thinned slightly. The rest held.

Day two involved a humid commute and a two hour walk. Breakdown started faster. By hour seven my forehead looked shiny, and by hour nine the foundation had separated in two small areas near my nostrils. One powder touch up fixed it for another five hours.

Day three was a dry indoor day with a hydrating primer underneath. This was the best result. The foundation looked almost untouched at hour twelve and acceptable at hour sixteen.

My honest conclusion: expect 12 to 16 hours of good looking wear. The 25 hour figure comes from lab conditions, not from real faces in real weather. That is still excellent wear for the price.

Shade Range And How To Pick Yours

This is where the product stumbles. The United States lineup includes shades such as 050 Fair Porcelain, 100 Ivory, 103 True Ivory, 200 Soft Beige, 201 Classic Beige, 210 Golden Beige, 303 True Nude, and 400 Natural Beige. Some retailers carry a few extra numbers like 203 True Beige and 600 Warm Coconut.

Fair to medium skin tones have solid options. Tan and deep skin tones do not. Anyone deeper than a medium tan will likely find nothing suitable, and that is a real limitation in 2026 when competitors offer forty shades or more.

Undertones lean neutral and warm. Cool toned and olive toned buyers may find the shades slightly peachy. If you fall between two shades, size down rather than up, because the formula deepens a touch as it sets.

Test by swatching on your jaw, not your hand. Wait ten minutes before judging. The colour shifts during the first few minutes, and a wrist swatch will mislead you every time.

Performance On Oily Skin

Oily skin gets a mixed result. The good news is that the foundation does not slide off. It stays anchored through sweat, and the waterproof claim is accurate. I splashed water on my cheek at hour six and the coverage survived.

The less good news is shine. This formula does not control oil on its own. By hour six my T zone was glossy, and not in a flattering way. The coverage stayed intact underneath, so the fix is simple. A light dusting of translucent powder at hour one keeps shine away until the evening.

Blotting papers work too, and the foundation does not lift when you blot, which is a sign of a well bonded formula.

If you have very oily skin, treat this as a coverage product and let powder handle the oil. Paired that way, it easily beats several pricier matte foundations. Used alone, it will shine long before the marketing promise ends.

Performance On Dry And Mature Skin

Dry skin needs prep. Without moisturiser, the foundation clings to flaky patches around my nose and between my brows. The hyaluronic acid in the formula helps, but it does not rescue dehydrated skin on its own.

With a hydrating moisturiser applied ten minutes earlier, the result improved dramatically. The finish looked smooth and stayed comfortable for the whole day. No tightness, no itching, no chalky look.

Fine lines are the real test. On my under eye area the foundation settled into creases by hour five unless I applied a very thin layer and set it with a small amount of powder. Deeper smile lines showed the same pattern.

Mature skin will get better results with a sheer application and a luminous primer underneath. Skip the full coverage approach. One thin layer plus targeted concealer looks far more youthful than a thick even coat. Anyone with significant dryness may prefer a serum foundation instead.

Ingredients Worth Knowing

The ingredient list is straightforward for a long wear base. Water sits first, followed by dicaprylyl carbonate and dicaprylyl ether, which are lightweight emollients that help the formula spread and dry down.

Titanium dioxide provides both pigment and mild sun protection. Some regional versions list SPF, so check your bottle rather than assuming. Sun protection here is a bonus, never a replacement for real sunscreen.

Supporting ingredients include tocopheryl acetate, a form of vitamin E with antioxidant properties, sodium PCA, which helps skin hold water, and allantoin, which soothes. Hyaluronic acid appears as sodium hyaluronate in most versions.

The formula contains fragrance, so anyone with fragrance sensitivity should patch test first. It is not marketed as noncomedogenic, though I did not break out during six weeks of daily wear. People prone to congestion should still remove it thoroughly, because waterproof formulas need an oil cleanser or a dedicated remover to lift completely.

What This Foundation Does Not Do Well

Every honest review needs this section. Here is where the product falls short.

The shade range is the biggest failure. Deep skin tones are effectively excluded from the United States lineup, and that is not acceptable in 2026.

The missing pump is a daily annoyance. Product pools in the cap, the neck gets messy, and portion control is guesswork. A three dollar pump from a craft store solves it, but you should not need to buy one.

Texture is not this formula’s friend. Raised bumps, active breakouts, and rough patches all show through because the foundation dries down tight rather than blurring.

The 25 hour claim overpromises. Real wear is good but not extraordinary.

Removal takes effort. Micellar water alone left a film. An oil based cleanser followed by a gentle face wash was the only method that removed everything.

Finally, availability of the older formula has vanished. Fans of the previous version will notice a thinner texture and a slightly less luminous result.

Pros And Cons

Here is the quick balance sheet after six weeks of testing.

Pros

• Full coverage that builds cleanly. One layer handles redness, two layers cover marks, and the finish still looks like skin.
• Strong wear time for the price. Twelve to sixteen hours of good appearance beats most foundations under fifteen dollars.
• Waterproof and transfer resistant. It survives sweat, light rain, and accidental face touching without smearing onto clothes.
• Comfortable texture. You forget you are wearing it, which is rare for long wear formulas.
• No flashback in photos. Flash photography stayed true with no grey or white cast.
• Excellent value per ounce. A full 30 millilitres lasts several months with daily use.

Cons

• Very limited shade range, with almost nothing for deep skin tones.
• No pump included, which creates waste and mess.
• Does not control oil, so powder becomes mandatory for shiny skin.
• Clings to dry patches and fine lines without careful skin prep.
• Short blending window that punishes slow application.
• Requires oil based removal, adding a step to your evening routine.

Price And Value In 2026

Pricing sits in the ten to fourteen dollar range in the United States, depending on the retailer and the shade. Multipacks and subscription options often drop the cost closer to eight dollars per bottle.

Do the maths and the value becomes obvious. One ounce with two small drops per application gives roughly ninety to one hundred and twenty wears. That works out to around ten cents per face. A comparable mid range foundation costs four to six times more per wear.

Shelf life after opening is typically twelve months. Most people will finish the bottle well before then with regular use.

Is it the best foundation at this price? It competes closely with Maybelline Fit Me and L’Oreal Infallible. Rimmel wins on coverage and comfort. Maybelline wins on shade range. L’Oreal wins on oil control.

If coverage matters most to you, this bottle offers the strongest value of the three. If shade matching is your priority, look elsewhere first.

Who Should Buy It And Who Should Skip It

Buy this foundation if you have normal or combination skin, sit in the fair to medium shade range, and want full coverage that survives a long day. It suits work days, weddings, travel, and any event where touch ups are inconvenient.

It also works well for people who dislike heavy makeup. Sheer it out with a damp sponge and you get a believable everyday base with none of the mask feeling.

Skip it if your skin is deep toned, because the shades will not match. Skip it if your skin is very dry or heavily textured, because the dry down will emphasise both.

Skip it too if you want a dewy glass skin finish. This formula sits firmly on the matte side of natural, and no amount of highlighter changes that base texture.

Anyone with extremely oily skin should buy it only with a mattifying powder ready. Used that way, it delivers. Used alone, it will disappoint by mid afternoon.

Final Verdict

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25HR Foundation earns a solid recommendation with clear conditions attached. The coverage punches far above the price. The comfort level is genuinely impressive for a waterproof formula. The wear time, while shorter than advertised, still outlasts most competitors in the same price bracket.

The shade range remains the deal breaker for many shoppers, and Rimmel deserves criticism for it. The missing pump is a small but constant irritation.

My score is 4 out of 5 for fair to medium skin tones with normal or combination skin. For everyone else, the score drops sharply, mostly for reasons of shade availability rather than formula quality.

Would I repurchase? Yes, and I already have. It has become my default base for long days when I do not want to think about my makeup again until I take it off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rimmel Lasting Finish 25HR really last 25 hours?

Not in real conditions. Expect twelve to sixteen hours of good looking wear on normal skin and around nine to eleven hours on oily skin without powder. That is still strong performance for a drugstore foundation.

Is this foundation good for oily skin?

Yes, with one condition. The coverage stays put through sweat and humidity, but the formula does not absorb oil. Set your T zone with translucent powder and the finish holds beautifully all day.

Does the Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation oxidise?

It deepens slightly during the first ten minutes as it sets, then stays stable. Choose the lighter option when you sit between two shades, and always swatch on your jawline before buying.

Is there SPF in this foundation?

Some regional versions include SPF from titanium dioxide, while others list none. Check your bottle. Treat any sun protection as a small bonus and wear a separate sunscreen underneath.

Does it come with a pump?

No. The bottle has a plain screw cap. A standard 30 millilitre glass bottle pump fits most versions and makes daily use far cleaner.

How do I remove it properly?

Use an oil based cleanser or balm first, then follow with your regular face wash. Micellar water alone leaves a residue because the formula is waterproof.

Is it the same as the old 25 hour formula?

No. The current 25HR version is a reformulation with a thinner texture and a slightly different finish. Longtime fans of the original will notice the change.