Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation Review
Long Lasting Foundation for All Skin Types
Here's the long-awaited review Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place foundation (available here at Sephora yay!. It's been a cult product of mine for years now, at least since 2014. I have worn this foundation for the longest days I've ever had, hot days spent at festivals and throughout the cold Japanese snow in minus degree temperatures.
To start with the basics, the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation is a liquid foundation with a matte finish with heavy duty shine-control and buildable coverage, and includes SPF 10. It is claimed to have 15-hour staying power and doesn't rub off on clothes.
This foundation can create an airbrushed complexion, it's the best foundation I've used for covering all blemishes and evening out skin tone. I haven't found another foundation that can do this, all while staying on all day and minimising my shiny areas! Once you've found your perfect shade, it will look seamless all day long.
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Packaging
This long lasting goodness comes in a small, rectangular glass bottle with a plastic gold screw lid. The overall look of the bottle is quite luxurious as the glass is actually quite thick. If you're not into the screw-top lid, an Estee Lauder pump is available to purchase for $10 if you prefer. Sometimes the pump works well if you're looking to waste less foundation, although I always just use the bottle normally! I feel as though a lot of foundation can be stuck in the pump when I reach the end of the bottle.
The only downside of a glass bottle is that I've had one smash on the bathroom floor before. Only once though! Out of dozens of bottles, that's pretty good odds so I wouldn't really say it's a main factor in choosing this foundation. The bottle is also slightly heavy so I wouldn't be taking this in a small handbag for touch ups, not that you need to do touch ups anyway!
Application
I have always applied this foundation with a brush, I like to buff it into my skin to create an even coverage. For a base, I use the Ultraceuticals pore refiner and a moisturiser by The Ordinary before applying the foundation. These two products have been great for keeping my skin hydrated. A little goes a long way with this foundation. It's important to note that this foundation can be a little drying because of the heavy matte finish!
I use a kabuki buffing brush to apply the foundation all over my face and blended down to my neck. If I am going to work for a long shift, I usually will add an extra layer around my jawline, only because I rest on my hands at work and after a 12 hour shift it can rub off slightly. We'll talk about this more in the Finish and Long Lasting section!
Can I use a beauty blender?
I don't use a beauty blender with the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, mainly because the foundation dries fairly quickly. Using a beauty blender I find it hard to spread the foundation around fast enough before it dries. Using a wet beauty blender, I can only spread the foundation to create a very thin layer of coverage. I have a lot of freckles so this technique doesn't work for me, although i could just terrible at using a beauty blender, I hardly use them!
Finish and Long Lasting
Estee Lauder Double Wear shades - How do you find yours?
I switch between a few different shades depending whether I'm wearing false tan or not. I recently read this post by Adore Beauty to explain how to choose your foundation colour. I have a neutral skin tone so I always find it a bit harder to find a shade to suit. The advice is that;
Cool undertones, your skin has a rosy pink tone and probably burns in the sun.
Warm undertones, your skin has a golden, olive, or yellow tint and tans easily.
Neutral undertones, your skin sits somewhere in between and is neither too pink nor noticeably golden.
The finish is well-known to be semi-matte, medium to full coverage. I normally wear it this way while only building up in small areas (like my jawline) to create a fuller coverage. Estee Lauder Double Wear doesn't pile up or go chunky in areas with more layers so if you do feel like a refresh, a light brush won't peel off the layers underneath or go patchy.
The shades I use for Estee Lauder Double Wear are Tawny and Cool Bone 1C1.
What is the best powder to use with Estee Lauder Double Wear?
This is something I have experimented with for such a long time! I prefer to use the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder.
What happens if I have dry skin?
I have noticed that it does build up around dry areas on my skin, disrupting the smooth airbrushed look that the foundation is so well known for. It can look chunky in areas where a spot has dried up and is healing, any scabbed areas where there's scratches, healing spots or sometimes around my nose. If my skin is peeling from any sunburn, the peeling can be made more visible by the foundation too. I would say this is the only downside to the foundation! It's the trade off for the unmovable matte finish that we love.
How to avoid foundation cakiness in dry areas:
A way to get around cakiness in dry areas is to moisturise and use a primer before applying your foundation. I currently use the La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Balm each morning and night. I have no issues with skin hydration anymore or dry patches, it works so well!
If you’re using a water based foundation, use a water based primer etc. The Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation is silicone based. One of the top ingredients is Cyclopentasiloxane. Applying an oil based primer with this foundation can cause it to oxidise, going orange and patchy on the skin!
If your skin is on the dryer side and you’re worried about the matte finish, have a look at my comparison review for the Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup compared to the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation. This foundation has a 'no makeup' finish to it, refreshing and light on the skin with SPF 30.
Is Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Foundation waterproof?
I have trialled this a million times and I have found that nine times out of ten, it's waterproof! I walk out of the water with all of my makeup on. The only times it's washed off is when I have spent hours swimming, in and out of the water, wiping my face with a towel and applying sunscreen over the top. Even then, most of my foundation is still intact. I will specifically choose to wear this foundation if I am going to the beach or a pool party because it is transfer-resistant, fade-resistant and smudge-proof 99% of the time.
Pros and Cons of Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation
Pros:
Available in around 40 shades
24 Hour long wear - I have never been brave enough to wear it for 24 hours but I have worn it for at least 16+ hours some days. It always seems to look better at the end of the day than when I first apply it.
Build-able coverage
Wearable on all skin types - although dry skin needs to be moisturised and use a primer underneath.
Oil free
Fragrance free
Transfer resistant, doesn't come off on my clothes and never transfers onto other peoples clothes.
Can be mixed with serums and other foundations to create different finishes. I sometimes mix this with a dewy foundation to help it last longer.
Contains SPF
Cons:
It's not a cheap foundation but it is relatively medium range pricing. In fairness, it performs better than all drugstore foundations I’ve used and is true to it’s claims.
Can look flat once applied, it can flatten your features if applied to heavily. I often use highlighter or contouring to add dimension.
Can be drying on skin if you are not moisturising and keeping hydrated.
The bottle comes with a screw cap, I personally don't mind this but I know other prefer a pump! Pumps are available to buy separately.
Overall Review of Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In Place Makeup Foundation
This foundation is my holy grail foundation. After five years, I always go back to it because I know it’s always the same formula and it’s always reliable. It stays on my skin longer than MAC Prolong wear, L’Oreal Infallible and NARS Sheer Glow. The only other close contender would be the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation, even then, I still have to reapply the LM foundation at the end of a long day.
I am only ever sometimes slightly shiny on my T-zone at the end of the day, easily fixed with a tiny bit of powder and it’s good to go for hours more. There’s no transferring and it doesn't oxidise, I even think it looks better after a few hours of wear.
I have repurchased this for five years and worked with Estee Lauder multiple times in the last two years. I am a huge fan of this foundation and I haven’t found one that beats it yet!
If you’ve tried this, let me know what you loved or hated about it below!
As an independent blogger, I purchase and I am sent PR products to test and trial. I write about the stuff I truly love and I think you'll love it too. Izzy Wears Blog has affiliate and advertising partnerships so sometimes I may receive revenue from purchases through clicks.