Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation Review

It would only be fitting to do our first review on Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation as it is an absolute staple item in both our make-up bags. I first bought Double Wear in the summer of 2011 in Fenwicks in Newcastle and was matched to Ivory Beige (3N2). I decided to buy it after a recommendation by my sister who worked in Jenners and had heard raving reviews about it. Kirsty has been using MAC studio sculpt for years and has even been converted! I can safely say I have never looked back. I think I've went through about 8 bottles now! It comes in 30 different shades so has a good range to cover most people’s skin colours. Double Wear claims to last for 15 hours, staying fresh and natural through heat, humidity and nonstop activity. The question is does it meet these 

claims?

 Staying Power

Granted, I was a bit sceptical at first about the staying power of the foundation as I had failed to find another foundation that I can wear all day without it sliding off my face before lunchtime, however it certainly doesn't disappoint.  I can put it on in the morning before uni/work and besides the occasional brush of power over my t-zone, (usually MAC blotting powder) to get rid of any shiny-ness, it pretty much looks the same when I get home for dinner. It doesn't rub off on clothes either. I even wore it on ridiculously hot and humid nights out Thailand and it managed to stay put, amazing!

The Foundation

Double Wear has a fairly thick consistency compared to other foundations I’ve tried. It is an oil free foundation so it is a definite no go for people with dry skin. For people with oily skin, like me, it is perfect. I apply Double Wear with my Real Techniques buffing brush (will do a review on these brushes soon!) and Kirsty uses her MAC foundation brush (107). I use a small amount on the back of my hand. Estee Lauder describes Double Wear as a medium coverage but I would definitely say that it is a maximum coverage foundation. You can build it up depending on your preference. That said, I wouldn’t recommend it to people who like the “fresh faced” look as this is definitely not the foundation for you. It covers all my blemishes and imperfections and is not the most natural looking foundation.  I always apply the Double Wear concealer before I apply the foundation (more on this later). Double Wear has an SPF of 10, it is commonly said that foundations containing SPF make you look less than flattering in photos as it can make your face look lighter than your body as it reflects light from the flash. After over 2 and a half years of wearing it, I disagree. What I would say that if you are not used to such a full coverage foundation then it may feel a little heavy on the skin but without this then it would not achieve such great results.

Pebble, Wheat and Outdoor Beige

Kirsty-mid-application

Kirsty-Double Wear Applied

Price

Double Wear retails at £27.50 for 30 ml. At first I thought this was a ridiculous price for a foundation but I’m a firm believer that if you’re going to splurge on any cosmetic item, it should be foundation. It sets my face and makes the rest of my make up look better as a result. It also lasts for a good while. I usually buy a bottle every 3 months or so but bear in mind that this is my everyday foundation so it gets used a lot. What I would suggest, if you like Double Wear obviously, is to try a variation of shades by getting samples. I’ve been using it for years and still have to find the perfect shade for me. I tend to change my shade through the seasons. I’m currently wearing Wheat (3N2) and think its a pretty good match. Kirtsy is wearing pebble (3C2).

Estee Lauder frequently has promotions where if you buy two products you get a free gift. I would definitely suggest taking advantage of these offers as they are fantastic (We will be doing a review on more Estee Lauder products soon)

Packaging

I’m not going to sit on the fence here. I hate the bottle Double Wear comes in. It is frosted so you can’t see how much you have left and there is no pump so you have to spill it on to your hand often leaving you pouring more than you want and wasting it (I recommend buying the MAC pump for £3.50 to save you a lot of hassle). I do think the bottle looks quite sophisticated but aesthetics aren’t everything. That said, I think it speaks for itself when the only real complaints I have about Double Wear is the packaging!

Overall, we both think that Double Wear is a brilliant foundation and is definitely worth the hype.

Phew...and there is our first proper blog post :)  If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment and we will get back to you.