Go for the Glow! (Rimmel Recover Foundation)

Member Name: candifloss

Product:	Rimmel Recover Foundation
Date:	11/08/08 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap, gives you a lovely dewy compexion, instantly brightens

Disadvantages: only light coverage, limited shades

The Hype
Illuminating anti-fatigue foundation. Energy boost complex energises tired skin. Brightening formula helps skin glow. Light to medium coverage. Get up and glow.

First Impressions
If you've read my other reviews, you'll know I'm a sucker for a beautifully presented product, with fabulously glamorous adverts. And this product ceratainly achieved that. As with other Rimmel products, the foundation is advertised by the impossibly beautiful Kate Moss. The ad shows Kate Moss climbing into a cab after a night out, then applying the foundation with her fingers before changing into her day clothes. The ad is designed to appeal primarily to party girls between around 18-25, suggesting that this is a new miracle 'hangover cure' that will instantly transform skin into a glowing complexion. Basically you will look like you've had 10 hours sleep not dancing into the early hours. The ad appealed to me as the emphasis was on a dewy glow and freshness; the kind of look I like. I'm not really one for mattifying moisturisers and powders; for some reason I look and feel a little better when my skin is glowing...or as my sister would say 'shining'. So, first and foremost, think about what foundation you use now. Maybe if it's powder based, this isn't the one for you...

Stockists
The foundation and indeed the entire Rimmel range is available from Boots and Superdrug. Look out for special offers; there's often a 3 for 2 on the range, or I've bought it once or twice when it's half price. If you already know that you like it, you could stock up, or for example when it was 3 for 2 I bought a mascara and the Rimmel Recover foundation, and got an entire foundation free! Not bad, eh? Just be careful with these 3 for 2's though, as sometimes you can end up buying things you don't actually want or need, as I well know! If it's a choice between Boots and Superdrug, and there's no offers on, I'll go for Boots as I have an advantage card, which is a reward care where I get 4 points on the card for every pound I spend. Each point equals one pence, so in effect you get 4% of all purchases. Moreover, recently at Superdrug if you buy something and look at the receipt, there may be a special offer where you can complete a short survey at superdrug.com and receive 10% of all purchases. So, you could save around 60p on the foundation alone. In addition to Boots and Superdrug, the range is also available at Lloyds Pharmacy, chemists and supermarkets. You may well find that cosmetics are cheaper at the supermarket.

Price
The foundation retails at £6.49 for 30g. I find that the foundtaion lasts around 3 and a half months, which is reasonable. It has a shelf life of 18 months, which is good, especially if you like to stock up like me! Obviously though, once you've broken the seal you can't leave it hanging around in a hot bedroom, as bacteria will breed and you're likely to get spots.

Packaging
I was quite surprised when I read some of the other reviews on here, as they didn't seem to like the bottle. Well, it might just be me but I think it's cute. It's a pale beige colour, with a pink lid and pink writing on the bottle. Ok, so compared to the creations from Chanel etc, it's not particularly classy, but I think it's quite fun. The bottle states that there are vitamins C and E in the foundation. I expected to find these in my food, not my foundation, but it sounded good. It made me think they'd be really nourishing and good for your skin. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, believed to slow the ageing process; but like I say, this may only apply to food! Still, it must have some benefits if you apply it to the face!

Choosing the right colour
Apparently, when shopping for the best colour to suit your skin tone, you should test on the inside of your forearm, as this is the closest colour to the neck, as it's protected from UV damage. So don't be tempted to test foundtaion on your hand, as it's unlikely to be the same shade as your face. Another tip is to apply 3 stripes of different shades of foundation on the jawline, then let the colours settle for a few minutes, step out of the shop and use a magnifying mirror in bright daylight to see which colour has disappeared. That's the colour for you! The last thing you want is those awful tidemarks. I must admit, unfortuantely there is not a great range of colours available, but perhaps this will increase? The colours are as follows; Soft Beige, Porcelain, Ivory, Classic Beige, True Nude, Amber and Bronze. Don't be put off by the names; I thought ivory would be too pale for me, but it turned out to be my perfect match.

Texture
The foundation's consistency is very much like any other liquid foundaton, however it is slightly sparkly, making me feel optimistic about the glowing effect this foundation should result in. The foundtaion has light to medium coverage.

Application
There are a number of ways to apply foundation. When I first used liquid foundation I used my fingers simply because that was the only way I really knew. Then as I began to read more beauty magazines I learnt that a foundation brush can provide a more flawless look, with improved coverage. There are loads of bushes on the market, and, if i had the money, I'd probably treat myself to one from Chanel or Bobbi Brown. However, I settled for one from the Superdrug range QVS, priced at just under £4 - you can't go wrong. For a long time I thought about upgrading but then I thought - hey, if it's doing the job well why spend another £20 to have a fancy handle? Remember that if you moisturise first, you'll need to wait a good 10 minutes before applying foundation, as otherwise it'll be greasy and sticky, and you'll probably wind up blaming the foundation.

When applying the foundation, I squeeze out a small blob on the side of my hand, then dip a little on my brush. Then, I start in the centre of the forehead and used gentle brush strokes outwards to the temples. I do the same with my cheeks and nose, always blending outwards. Also, if you blend downwards, apparently it won't show up the tiny little hairs we have on our face. Remember not to apply so much it looks like a mask. I used to apply quite a lot to try and cover my spots, but then I learnt to apply concealer first to cover the spots. Then you won't be so tempted to slap on too much foundation.

Alternatively, you could use your fingers or a damp sponge (check out Superdrug's range) though I personally prefer the brush. It's less fiddly then a little sponge and I think is more hygeinic than spreading your fingers over your face. Having said that, it's important to regularly wash brushes; there's no need to buy a product especially, just use a gentle shampoo and conditioner. Persoanlly, I just give them a wipe with baby wipes or face wipes now and then.

Smell
Again, some people don't seem to like the smell, but I don't think it's unpleasant at all. Ok, so it's not going to have you sniffing it and going mmmmmmmm, but this is a foundation, not a perfume. It doesn't really bother me.

Verdict
I love the way this foundation perks up tired, dull skin. It leaves a really lovely, natural glow, with a dewy look. It has light coverage, so you may still need concealer, but like I said, foundation is not supposed to cover spots, but even out the skin tone. It leaves you looking fresh and it's lightweight texture is great for summer. Also, it's amazing for perking up and boosting Winter skin. I wouldn't say that the foundtaion lasts all day; you may require a touch up. But then maybe this doesn't apply to everyone as I have quite oily skin. If you do need a little helping hand later in the day, why not carry around a little powder compact foundtaion (L'Oreal's True Match is good) or some oil-blotting sheets (try Superdrug or The Body Shop). There are also other products in the range. There is a Recover Concealer, which is a cream rather than a stick; 'Brightens and conceals dark shadows and imperfections. Vitamin E protects the delicate eye area. See the light.' Also, there are Recover Perfect Skin Primers, in Brightness, Anti-redness and Healthy glow. I haven't tried these yet, but knowing me I probably will!

Summary: Amazing foundation - leaves you with a fab glow Kate Moss would be proud of!