[REVIEW] Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation

I first heard about Estee Lauder’s infamous Double Wear Foundation a few years ago from a YouTube beauty guru. She claimed it to be the one foundation she would never give up – her holy grail, fail-safe foundation. I almost bought it then but didn’t fancy something with such full coverage so I bought the “light” version. Between then and now I kind of forgot about it, but in the last six months or so there’s been a resurgence of Double Wear references within my social and professional circles. I resisted the temptation to buy, assuming it was a passing fad amongst Instagram and YouTube, or that Estee Lauder had just really beefed up their marketing.

Last week I finally caved and bought Double Wear. (What can I say? I am not a strong person when it comes to makeup.) And WOW…you guys, I am truly impressed. Straight out of the bottle it probably isn’t for everyone because it’s on the heavier, fuller coverage side of the spectrum. But in my personal opinion it’s good for everyone because you can mix some in with a tinted moisturizer when you want a thinner, lighter coverage. So it’s like two foundations in one!

It has great wear – it looks *perfect* on me for at least eight hours – but I do recommend a primer since it is heavier and will prevent it from settling in fine lines or pores. I paired it with Benefit Porefessional and Smashbox Primer Water and loved the finish. In fact, the wear is so good that the small amount of product I put on the back of my hand in the morning when applying remains until I shower at night.

Estee Lauder provides a nice range of shades that are easy to filter through. “W” shades are Warm and lean more golden tan, while the “C” shades are cool and lean more neutral/beige/pink. In-depth descriptions of available shades can be found on any site that sells Double Wear, as the name of the shade contains all the info you would need to select the right one, and as a makeup artist searching for numerous shades, I appreciate that!

My favorite way to apply is using a beauty blender because it thins it out a tiny bit and really pushes it nicely into the skin. You could use a stippling brush or whatever tool you usually use, but I image that a buffing brush would be too dense and apply too much product. But to each their own!

The real seller here is that it looks good in person – seriously, I look like a porcelain doll when I wear it – but it looks AMAZING in photos. Flash photography included. And this is important because whether you’re a blogger or Instagrammer or just a social girl who likes photos, you know you’re going to look great. That dreaded “ghost face” effect of some foundations is nowhere to be found with Estee Lauder Double Wear.

Here’s an example of a flash photo straight out of the camera – no edits, no filters. I have decent skin, but its red and ragged looking, and I also had a couple breakouts when I took this picture. Instead of looking bad, I look photoshopped… I ain’t mad about it. I thought it was a fluke, but day after day (more accurately, selfie after selfie) my skin continued to look flawless and perfected in real life and in photos.

If you have really dry skin, make sure to hydrate and use a moisturizing or luminizing primer because it is thick and may make your skin feel a bit tight otherwise. But don’t let that hold you back from trying — at the very least, go grab a sample from your nearby department store and try it out!

xx