Laura Geller Baked Balance-n-Brighten vs Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: Which Should You Buy?
A baked powder foundation against a pressed mattifying powder.
Laura Geller Beauty Laura Geller Beauty LAURA GELLER NEW YORK Award-Winning Baked Balance-n-Brighten
Rimmel Rimmel LONDON - Stay Matte Pressed Powder
Side by side
| Laura Geller Beauty LAURA GELLER NEW YORK Award-Winning | Rimmel LONDON - Stay Matte Pressed | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | See on Amazon → | See on Amazon → |
| Rating | ★★★★☆ 4.2 | ★★★★★ 4.6 |
| Review count | 72,141 | 55,660 |
| Brand | Laura Geller Beauty | Rimmel |
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Our verdict
These aren't really like-for-like. Laura Geller Baked Balance-n-Brighten is a colour-correcting powder foundation with buildable coverage, worn instead of foundation or over it. Rimmel Stay Matte is a pressed powder for absorbing oil and setting makeup. Buy Laura Geller if you want a base with a demi-matte finish, and Rimmel if you just need shine control through the day.
Which one is for you?
- Suits people who want a light, buildable powder base with a soft demi-matte finish, including over a regular foundation. Read our full look at the Laura Geller Beauty LAURA GELLER NEW YORK Award-Winning →
- Suits people with oily or shiny skin who want a basic pressed powder to set makeup and control shine. Read our full look at the Rimmel LONDON - Stay Matte Pressed →
Foundation versus powder
Laura Geller Baked Balance-n-Brighten is sold as a colour-correcting powder foundation. Cult Beauty calls it semi-matte and sheer but buildable, with colour-correcting veins in the powder. The brand's listing says it's handmade in Italy from baked pressed powders.
Rimmel Stay Matte is a pressed powder. The listing says it's lightweight and oil-absorbing, with a smooth, non-powdery texture and dermatologically tested. It's a 14 g compact, and the page we opened shows a Transparent shade.
Application and wear
Cult Beauty suggests buffing Laura Geller on clean, moisturised skin with a Kabuki brush, or dusting it lightly over base makeup to set it. The brand listing's instructions are to swirl a brush in the powder and blend outward and upward, repeating to build coverage.
Rimmel is a straightforward set-and-go compact. On wear time, its own sources disagree: the listing title says up to 5 hours and the bullets say up to 6 hours of shine control. Treat that as roughly 5 to 6 hours, and expect to touch up on oily skin.
Shades and ingredients
Laura Geller comes in a shade range (Cult Beauty lists Porcelain, Fair, Medium, Tan and Deep), and the Fair shade is what the brief listing covers, so pick your tone carefully. Cult Beauty lists talc, mica, dimethicone, centella asiatica and white tea extract, and says it's free from mineral oil and parabens. Ingredients vary by shade.
Rimmel's listing mentions natural minerals and powders and gives a single transparent option on the page we opened, which makes shade matching a non-issue.
Who should skip both
If you have dry or textured skin, a baked powder can sit on dry patches, and a mattifying pressed powder will make that worse. Look at the rest of the make-up range for cream or liquid bases.
Questions people ask
Can I use Laura Geller Balance-n-Brighten instead of foundation?
Yes. Cult Beauty says it can be used in place of foundation or dusted over your usual base to absorb excess oil.
Is Rimmel Stay Matte a foundation?
No, it's a pressed powder for oil absorption and setting makeup.
How long does Rimmel Stay Matte last?
The listing says up to 5 hours in the title and up to 6 hours of shine control in the bullets.
Which is better for oily skin?
Rimmel is aimed squarely at shine control. Laura Geller can absorb oil too but is mainly a base product.
Is Laura Geller free of parabens?
Cult Beauty says the formula is free from mineral oil and parabens, and notes ingredient lists vary by shade.
Sources
- Cult Beauty, Laura Geller Baked Balance-n-Brighten Colour Correcting Foundation
- Amazon UK listing, Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder 14g
Prices are pulled live from Amazon.
Prices move around, so always confirm on Amazon before deciding. Browse more options in Make-up or see the whole Beauty department. New to the category? Start with our buying guide.