Review | Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation

I recently picked up a bottle of Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation - I actually grabbed this in Asda without properly looking at it; I just bought it because I spotted the SPF 18 and thought it'd be nice to have for summer, and I have to admit I probably wouldn't have done if I'd read the bottle properly! I have very oily skin, so I tend to favour products which promise a matte finish, whilst avoiding anything with the words "dewy", "glow" or "radiance" like the plague... Thus, the following product description is pretty off-putting... "Traceless coverage foundation with Advanced Smart-Tone Technology for perfectly flawless skin under any light. Enhanced with Sapphire Radiance for an illuminating glow. Lasts all day." "Illuminating glow"..? Um...
Having bought it, however, I had to at least give it a try! The glass bottle is fitted with a pump (thank you, make-up gods!) which makes dispensing product easy and hygienic. The shade I picked up, which is 100 'Ivory', is a decent match for my pale skin; I have to say Rimmel foundations generally seem to suit my skintone pretty well. The formula is quite runny, meaning the foundation is easy to spread over the skin, and it blends in easily with either fingers or my Beauty Blender sponge.
The coverage, for me, is not enough. I have pretty blemish-prone skin and as you can see on the left below, it's been quite bad lately, so I need a base that will cover up these flaws. Unfortunately, Rimmel's Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation is quite a light coverage which is buildable to medium without getting cakey or heavy, but that's just not sufficient for me - on the right, there are plenty of blemishes still plainly visible. (Confession: I forgot to take the 'after' photo, so this one is taken the next day - a few of these blemishes had faded a lot in that time. That's also why I have my lip bar in in that photo and not the others!) If you're looking to just even out skintone and maybe hide a couple of minor blemishes, I'd have thought you'll be grand, but if you favour a more heavy-duty coverage I'd skip this. Finish-wise, the radiance claims are abundantly apparent; I hate the finish and would always, always powder it off to a matte finish. It just looks shiny, to me. I realise some people like a bit of a glow but it's not for me.
In terms of lasting power, this is pretty average. I wasn't expecting it to keep my skin matte and it doesn't; I need to blot and top up my powder after a couple of hours. The coverage lasts around eight hours but once it starts to face, I find it becomes a little patchy around my nose and forehead, where the oiliness is worst. This maybe wouldn't be such a problem for the normal/dry skintypes this is presumably designed for, but if you're with me in the oily-skin-camp, again this is a reason to skip this one.

[Taken the same day as the no-makeup photo above: Benefit The Porefessional Pro Balm;
Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation in 100 'Ivory';
Veil Concealer in 'Oyster'; Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in 001 'Transparent';
Milani Baked Powder Blush in 05 'Luminoso'; Makeup Revolution Beyond Flawless Palette;
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara; Non:U Brow Pencil in #5]

Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation is priced at £6.99 for 30ml, available at Boots here. For the price I think it's definitely worth a shot if you're after a lightweight, everyday foundation with light to medium coverage, with the added bonus of an SPF thrown in, but if you prefer a fuller coverage I'd give this one a miss. What's your favourite foundation? Have you tried this, or any other Rimmel foundations?

xo