March 2009

 Rimmel Lasting Finish Kiss & Stay Lipgloss ($7.99). This longwearing two-part lip gloss is Rimmel’s counterpart to Max Factor’s Max Wear Lipcolor and Cover Girl’s Outlast Double LipShine. Frankly, I found the performance of this product better than that of both Max Factor’s and Cover Girl’s! Lasting Finish Kiss & Stay Lipgloss does indeed last and stay. The dual-sided wand features a deeply pigmented (darker than they appear in the packaging) gloss on one end and a coordinating shimmery top coat on the other. Surprisingly, while the shiny top coat has the same amount of wear time as any other standard gloss and needs to be reapplied often, the base color is tenacious and lasts extraordinarily well through drinking and eating. Those who have found long-wearing lipsticks too drying will be pleasantly surprised by how comfortable this product feels on the lips. I needed to use makeup remover at day’s end to take this off. All in all, this is impressive, and it’s a great price, too!

WORST
  Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation SPF 22 ($14.99). Just when I thought I’d seen everything, Olay and Cover Girl (both owned by Proctor & Gamble) have launched a foundation with both companies’ names on the label. Wow! I wonder if Olay is positioning itself to combine the two lines under one name, sort of like the name change Olay did several years back when it went from Oil of Olay to just Olay. Other than that I have no idea what this marketing maneuver is about.

But marketing is not the reason to buy a product. This new foundation is supposed to combine the benefits of Olay Regenerist Serum in a foundation with sunscreen. The claim is that it can stay suspended above wrinkles, covering them evenly without seeping into lines and not clogging pores. Well, don’t count on it.

The only two redeeming qualities of this foundation are (1) the spokesperson is Ellen DeGeneres (though clearly she’s being paid a lot of money for this endorsement, and I doubt that she could possibly believe this product has any merit) and (2) the sponge that’s included in the packaging is good for blending. Seriously, that’s it, it’s all downhill from there. This cream foundation blended with Olay Regenerist serum is all gimmick and hype. The creamy texture is difficult to blend, even with the included sponge, feels greasy on the skin, and sets easily into lines and wrinkles, leaving your face with a heavy and cakey made-up look. If this doesn’t clog pores, I don’t know what will. Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Foundation SPF 22 isn’t recommended for any skin type.