Rimmel BB Cream Matte in 001 Light

I am a firm hater of BB creams. From Garnier and Physicians Formula to Lioele, I haven't tried a single BB cream that I can bear to wear on my face. Asian BB creams are thick and grey-toned, while their North American counterparts are like tinted moisturizers - ultra sheer and too dewy for those with oily skin. The Rimmel BB Cream Matte in 001 Light ($6.99) falls somewhere in between - matte, medium-coverage but still lightweight. 

The Rimmel BB Cream Matte is available in two shades (light and medium). It claims to be a 9-in-1 "perfecting super makeup with a natural matte finish". Yep, that's a ton of promises to be made by a single, drugstore product. As I wore this product for a week, I kept those 9 claims in the back of my mind.

Since this is an oil-free product, the formula is quite watery. This makes for a more lightweight product. The colour "Light" is a tad too light, but it's nothing that can't be fixed with a bit of bronzer or darker powder around edges of my face. I would probably go for medium once I finish my little sample tube up. 

 On the basis of the 9 claims, here's how the product performed: 

1. Pore minimizing - no, not really
2. Skin tone evening - yes, for sure! My skin is a little discoloured in certain areas and the medium-coverage of this BB cream definitely evens it out. 
3. Mattifying - yes, yes, yes! I dislike the traditionally dewy finish of BB creams. Rimmel's is definitely matte and in the best way possible. It's more of a satin, matte finish rather than a drying matte. After it sets into the skin, the product gives off a subtle healthy glow. 
4. Shine control - yes. This goes hand in hand with the "mattifying" claim. The shine control lasts around 5 hours on it's own. Apply on top of a primer and under powder, and you're golden for the entirety of a 10 hour day. 
5. Smoothing - yes
6. Soothing - not that I'm aware of... 
7. Concealing (of dark circles) - kind of... in general, the coverage is buildable to medium. My dark circles still require a brightening concealer and larger red blemishes still need a more heavy-duty product to cover them up. 
8. Blemish preventing - yes, in the sense that it hasn't broken me out. I guess I can't really tell if it "prevents", but my skin's been pretty good lately. 
9. All day coverage - see my comments under "Shine control". Yep! It lasts all-day as long as it's in conjunction with other products. 

6.5 of the 9 claims were fulfilled. By far, it's the best BB cream that I've tried and a great tangent from some of the heavier foundations that I like to wear on a daily basis. The Rimmel BB Cream Matte offers the coverage and mattifying effect of a foundation but the weightlessness and healthy glow of a BB cream that's perfect for my oily skin. 

Have you ever encountered a matte BB cream? 

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