While I love my BB cream, I unfortunately do need to blot/powder after a few hours to keep it looking fresh. This meant I had to search for a good mattifying compact that I can port around with me for those times when I'm out for longer than a couple hours. I wanted something cheap and well-liked, so after extensive research on MUA, I had my list and I was ready to go. Hard Candy's Welcome Matte powder got really good reviews, but it was $8, which is way more than I want to pay for a powder compact I don't plan to use too often. Rite Aid used to carry Jane, which had a powder I wanted to try, but at least the Rite Aid near me replaced their Jane display with Rimmel (where am I supposed to get Jane now, huh?!). I'd used Rimmel's Stay Matte powder several years ago and didn't dislike it, so I decided to give it a try. It was cheaper than the Hard Candy at $5.69, but there are several problems with it that led me to conclude it was not only not worth bringing with me to DC, but that it wasn't worth keeping at all.
One thing I can say in its favor is that it is a generous size, with 0.49 oz (most pressed mattifying powders are in the 0.25-0.42 oz range). However, I don't like it. Firstly, it's not entirely matte––the one I got (from which I must draw my conclusions, though I will say I don't recall this being a problem with the one I used years ago) has sparkles in it, wtf?
So, in short: it's not matte, it doesn't control my oilies very well, it looks powdery when worn, and it's completely impractical for carrying around. It may be big and pretty cheap, but that's no excuse. Definitely cannot recommend this, though if you've had a better experience, let me know in the comments!
Overview
~$5.50 for 0.49 oz, available at drugstores
Quality: 6 (looks cheap, from the packaging to the product)
Effectiveness: 2.25 (okay, it helps keep me matte...for an hour, which no one would claim counts as "long-lasting")
Ease of Use: 4 (have to have your own brush/sponge)
Senses: 5 (I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and say it wouldn't break me out, and it has no smell)
Pigmentation: 3 (it's supposed to be translucent, but there is clearly yellow pigment there)
Duration: 2
Consistency: 3.5
Price: 4.25
Value: 2
Packaging: -1.5 (I'm sorry, I just cannot forgive a lid that won't stay on with a powder that's supposed to be portable)
Grade: F
This was an utter fail in my book, but it wasn't this bad when I used it long ago, so I wonder if maybe they changed the formula or I got a dud. Regardless, it's going back to the store.
Have you tried Rimmel Stay Matte? What's your favorite pressed mattifying powder?
Revlon Stay Matte powder
One thing I can say in its favor is that it is a generous size, with 0.49 oz (most pressed mattifying powders are in the 0.25-0.42 oz range). However, I don't like it. Firstly, it's not entirely matte––the one I got (from which I must draw my conclusions, though I will say I don't recall this being a problem with the one I used years ago) has sparkles in it, wtf?
you can see the sparkles on the right side of the picture, but they were everywhere
While I can understand the desire for a natural-looking finish, but not when it's advertised as being matte (and sparkles aren't exactly "natural", either). For another thing, it looks a bit cakey on, not smooth and flawless and translucent like it should, and that only gets worse with time. It gives a weird yellow cast to my skin that is just not flattering. It doesn't control my oil for long at all––barely more than an hour. The thing that most irritates me about it, though (yes, more than sparkles and cakiness) is the packaging. I cannot adequately express how much it sucks. There's no brush or sponge included, which is a bit irritating but manageable (brushes are usually crap, anyway), but the true problem lies in the lid. It seems like it's supposed to screw onto the powder, but the design is such that the grooves aren't deep enough to make it stay put, so you can easily just pull the lid off, or even worse, have the lid fall off in your purse. What is the point in a mattifying powder that you can't carry around with you?! Completely moronic. So, in short: it's not matte, it doesn't control my oilies very well, it looks powdery when worn, and it's completely impractical for carrying around. It may be big and pretty cheap, but that's no excuse. Definitely cannot recommend this, though if you've had a better experience, let me know in the comments!
Overview
~$5.50 for 0.49 oz, available at drugstores
Quality: 6 (looks cheap, from the packaging to the product)
Effectiveness: 2.25 (okay, it helps keep me matte...for an hour, which no one would claim counts as "long-lasting")
Ease of Use: 4 (have to have your own brush/sponge)
Senses: 5 (I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and say it wouldn't break me out, and it has no smell)
Pigmentation: 3 (it's supposed to be translucent, but there is clearly yellow pigment there)
Duration: 2
Consistency: 3.5
Price: 4.25
Value: 2
Packaging: -1.5 (I'm sorry, I just cannot forgive a lid that won't stay on with a powder that's supposed to be portable)
Grade: F
This was an utter fail in my book, but it wasn't this bad when I used it long ago, so I wonder if maybe they changed the formula or I got a dud. Regardless, it's going back to the store.
Have you tried Rimmel Stay Matte? What's your favorite pressed mattifying powder?
