Rimmel vs L’Oreal: Which Budget Brand is Right for You?

Walk into any Boots, Superdrug, or browse any online beauty store and you will find two brands dominating the budget beauty shelves: Rimmel London and L’Oreal Paris. Both are household names with extensive product ranges. But which one is actually better? Let us break it down category by category.

Brand Heritage

Rimmel is a proudly London-born brand, established in 1834. The brand has always positioned itself as accessible, trendy, and unapologetically bold. Their tagline Get the London Look captures their edgy, fashion-forward vibe perfectly.

L’Oreal Paris was founded in 1909 in France and has grown into the world’s largest cosmetics company. Their Because You’re Worth It messaging conveys luxury and sophistication, even at drugstore prices.

Foundation Face-Off

Rimmel’s strengths: The Stay Matte range is legendary for oily skin types. Rimmel foundations tend to be lightweight with natural-to-medium coverage, perfect for a your skin but better look. Price-wise, they are often 1-2 pounds cheaper than L’Oreal equivalents.

L’Oreal’s strengths: True Match is one of the most popular drugstore foundations in the UK. The shade range is extensive and the formula genuinely matches most skin tones. L’Oreal foundations generally offer more coverage options and often include skincare ingredients.

Winner: L’Oreal for shade range and coverage; Rimmel for lightweight formulas and value.

Mascara Showdown

Rimmel’s hits: Scandal’Eyes, Wonder’Lash, and the Kind and Free mascara. Rimmel mascaras tend to be more affordable (5-7 pound range) and offer great everyday volume.

L’Oreal’s hits: Volume Million Lashes, Lash Paradise, and Telescopic. L’Oreal mascaras (8-11 pound range) are often compared to high-end formulas. Lash Paradise is frequently cited as a dupe for the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara.

Winner: L’Oreal for dramatic mascaras; Rimmel for reliable everyday options at lower prices.

Lipstick Battle

Rimmel offers a fantastic lip range including the Lasting Finish line and Oh My Gloss Plump range. The Rimmel Oh My Gloss Plump is particularly impressive as a plumping gloss that actually works.

L’Oreal counters with Color Riche, Infallible, and Glow Paradise. L’Oreal lipsticks generally feel more luxurious with heavier packaging and creamier formulas.

Winner: L’Oreal for lipstick quality and luxury feel; Rimmel for glosses and trend-driven colours.

Eye Makeup

Rimmel’s edge: The Wonder Swipe 2-in-1 products are genuinely innovative. Their eyeliner range is excellent and very affordable, with the Scandal’Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner being a long-time bestseller.

L’Oreal’s edge: Stronger eyeshadow palettes with better colour stories. The Super Liner Perfect Slim is one of the best felt-tip eyeliners at any price point.

Winner: Draw. Rimmel for innovative eye products, L’Oreal for palettes.

Nail Polish

Rimmel wins here conclusively. The Super Gel range offers gel-effect finish without a lamp, and the Kind and Free line adds an eco-conscious option. At 2-3 pounds per polish, Rimmel nails the value equation. L’Oreal has pulled back from nail polish in recent years.

Price Comparison

On average, Rimmel products are 15-25 percent cheaper than their L’Oreal equivalents. A typical Rimmel lipstick retails for 5-7 pounds, whilst L’Oreal’s equivalent is 7-10 pounds.

The Verdict

Choose Rimmel if you: want the best value, prefer lightweight formulas, love trying trendy colours, need great nail polish, or have oily skin.

Choose L’Oreal if you: want a more luxurious feel, need extensive shade ranges, prefer richer formulas, want skincare-infused makeup, or love dramatic mascaras.

Our advice? Do not limit yourself to one brand. Mix and match the best from each. Get your nail polish and eyeliner from Rimmel, your foundation and mascara from L’Oreal, and save money by shopping at Luxe Glow UK where both brands are available at prices below the high street.