Estee Lauder

Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup

August 14th, 2018 by Karen 13 Comments

estee lauder double wear stay in place honey bronze — I’m wearing your new favorite matte liquid foundation.

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! 😁

Double Wear Fan Girl Badge 🕹️👾💛 unlocked!

The original Double Wear Stay-in Place liquid foundation is an O.G. cult classic, and it’s gotten mad love in gazillions of reviews. Basically, you can’t turn a corner without someone practically warbling a ’90s love song about it.

All my life, I’ve waited for ~~someone like you~~ a foundation like Double Wear

That’s why I waited a hot second to put it through its paces and make sure I wasn’t just falling for the hype.

Now that I’ve been using it a few times per week for a couple months…ya know what?

I totally get it now. It’s really THAT good.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup ($42 for a 0.1-oz. glass bottle)

But before we even get into how perfectly it sits on different skin types (mine is a HELLA fussy combo of oily, dry and normal areas with a sprinkle of acne-prone spots along my jawline, and my skin loves it), this foundation is already a winner-winner-chicken-dinner for me. It’s oil-free, truly transfer-proof (so no makeup on your favorite Price tee, hooray!), fragrance-free, and — get this — available in a staggering 56 shades.

By comparison, Fenty has only 40.

“Only,” she says, ha! Remember when the biggest department store lines had maybe 14 at the most? How things have changed!

From the Sephora website…

What it is
A 24-hour-wear liquid makeup with a flawless, natural, matte finish that unifies uneven skin tone and covers imperfections with buildable medium to full coverage.

What it does
Double Wear makeup gives you 24-hour staying power for a flawless, natural matte finish. This foundation unifies uneven skin tone and covers imperfections with buildable medium-to-full coverage. The makeup feels lightweight and so comfortable, you won’t believe it is super long wear. The non-acnegenic formula won’t clog pores, which may help avert breakouts, and helps control shine. It’s waterproof, won’t run, rub off, or smudge and lasts in hot and humid weather.

Double Wear comes in Cool, Neutral and Warm undertones with shades that have been blended so they won’t look grey on deeper skintones.

What else you need to know
This product is fragrance-free and has been dermatologist tested. It is oil-free, mattifying, transfer-resistant, dermatologist-tested, non-acnegenic, and fragrance-free.

My shade is Honey Bronze, which is a smidgen warm for my (MAC NC42) skin at the moment, but it’s darn close, and even though it isn’t spot on, I’m OK with that because it doesn’t oxidize, which has always been my biggest issue with this type of base. It’s really hard for me to find a matte liquid foundation that doesn’t darken as the day goes on, and this one stays true to the original color.

[Continue reading…]

Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist

August 1st, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

estee lauder double wear set and refresh — Estée Lauder Set + Refresh

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! 😁

I’ve been skipping powder as of late (’cause I’m waaaaay too deep into this whole skin-that-looks-like-skin thing), so setting spray has been vitally important to me. I literally — literally, and I don’t mean figuratively instead — haven’t left home without it in weeks.

My all-time ride-or-dies are Urban Decay All Nighter (obviously) and the lesser known Make Up For Ever Mist & Fix, but, as you know, I have to try everything, and this one from Estée Lauder is a nice surprise.

Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist ($36 for a 3.9-oz. bottle with a pump)

Estée Lauder’s Set + Refresh Perfecting Makeup Mist doesn’t actually have any Double Wear branding on it, but if you hop on their site and check out the Double Wear section, it’s there among the foundations, concealers and whatnot.

I’ve asked around, and a few MUA friends have said that this particular spray is BOSS when you use it on top of the O.G. Double Wear Foundation.

I’ve yet to try that combo, but it’s at the top of my to-do list, along with 1) mourning the loss of single Nick Jonas to Priyanka Chopra (honest to god, I thought he was gonna ask ME to marry him), and 2) eating a bag of baby carrots in one sitting (because why the heck not?).

The fine, lightweight mist, which performs like it’s equal parts primer and dewy setting spray, is made for all skin types. You can use it before AND after applying your base products.

Whenever I douse myself in it, I revel in the fresh, subtle scent, which smells like spring sunshine to me — or, less metaphorically, like pears with a squeeze of lemon, brown sugar and a handful of freesia petals.

[Continue reading…]

Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup

July 27th, 2018 by Karen 15 Comments

estee lauder double wear nude cushion stick radiant makeup honey bronze — So, this applicator is a little cray.

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! 😁

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup ($42 for a 0.47-oz. bottle — on sale now for $21)

Gonna keep this short and sweet (for once! I KNOW.) because, sadly, this gorgeous sheer and satiny skin tint is being phased out, but since there are still quite a few shades left on esteelauder.com, I wanted to give it a mention in case you like minimal coverage and wanna grab one for 50% off.

“Touch on, buff and blend to your perfect nude. Polishes and evens skintone for a healthy-looking glow. Skin-loving, weightless and comfortable formula instantly hydrates. 8-hour wear. Innovative stick combines liquid makeup and applicator in one. You’ll know it’s time to replenish as the stick becomes smaller until the clear window disappears.

“This makeup is a different formula than our original Double Wear Stay-in-Place liquid foundation. It is instantly hydrating and leaves skin with a radiant glow. All day 8-hour wear. In shades for all skintones.”

— esteelauder.com

Yes, the sponge applicator’s lame. You’ll end up with too much on your face if you go there, so ignore it. The trick to this is to twist the base at the bottom ever-so-slightly, so the tiniest bit comes out, and work it your skin with your fingers. Then you’re only a few pats and swipes away from radiant, glowing spahhhhhh skin that looks preternaturally smooth all day long.

Remember the fabulous LE NARS Hydrating Glow Tints? This has a very similar barely-there “Oh, hello there, freckles!” type of look. Très Megan Markle on her wedding day.

How does Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup compare to the other Double Wear Foundations?

I’m still working my way through the collection, but here’s what I have so far…

Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30 — Cushion Stick is very sheer with a subtle glowing satin finish, while Nude Water Fresh is medium coverage with a soft matte finish. Cushion Stick works for dry skin or for those with fine lines (HELLO, MY NAME IS KAREN). Water Fresh would be a better fit for oily skin.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Light — Cushion Stick is sheerer than Double Wear Light, which has medium coverage (similar to like Water Fresh). Double Wear Light’s finish more of a velvet, so it’s compared to Cushion Stick it’s more matte, but it’s not as matte as Nude Water Fresh.

[Continue reading…]

Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30

July 24th, 2018 by Karen 5 Comments

estee lauder double wear water fresh makeup honey bronze — When you have enough oil on your face to fry meats and various potato products and then some

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! 😁

Back in the day (like, when people carried pagers and weren’t at all trying to be ironic about it, and beards on hipsters weren’t ubiquitous), my skin was Oil Slick City. Now, my face resides in a rustic hamlet called Oh So Dry It Hurts, although it’ll visit its former residence every once in a while.

Does it do this because it has nothing better to do? Or, does it do it because it thinks it’s funny (haha!) to torment me? Or, maybe it just goes there because it’s hot.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30 ($42 for a 1-oz. bottle)

A couple weeks ago, during a blisteringly hot week in Novato when my forehead produced enough grease to fry a whole chicken, it was clear to me that I needed to change my foundation game to better handle the heat. Luckily, the Double Wear Dream Team over at at Estée Lauder cooked up Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup SPF 30, an oil-free AND oil-controlling liquid foundation that’s both lightweight (it’s runny like a serum foundation) and long-lasting.

“Real-skin flawless. Real protection. 24-hour staying power. Waterlight. This fluid, long-wear makeup feels like you have nothing on. Moves comfortably with your skin. Looks fresh, natural, healthy, even-toned. With SPF 30 and anti-oxidants, it’s your invisible defense against environmental damage from UV rays and pollution. Instantly and continuously hydrates with a moisture complex of red fruit extracts, including watermelon, lychee seed and apple. In shades for all skintones.”

— esteelauder.com

Back in my oily-skinned heyday, the only real way to lock down shine was with a heavy layer of matte, caked-on makeup, but it’s a totally different story now. Now, there’s no reason why oil-prone peeps can’t get comfy coverage that feels like they aren’t wearing anything at all.

estee lauder double wear water fresh honey bronze swatch — Honey Bronze is a pretty spot-on match for MAC NC42 skin.

[Continue reading…]

Estée Lauder Double Wear Deep Dive: Stay-in-Place EyeShadow Base

July 18th, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

estee lauder double wear stay in place eyeshadow base — Double Wear
Stay-in-Place EyeShadow Base, $21

What is Deep Dive? I’m glad you asked! It’s a new series in which I’m reviewing a bunch of Estée Lauder Double Wear products from their permanent collection. Let’s find out what’s good! 😁

I’ve been deep diving…metaphorically, into the world of Estée Lauder Double Wear as of late (in a nutshell, it’s soooo good!), so, in today’s episode of “The Previous Life and Times of Karen’s Many Failed Dates,” we explore the two seconds during which I dated a wanna-be Olympic diver.

He was beautiful, tan, book-smart and drove an old Mustang, but I knew it would never go anywhere because whenever I’d tell a joke he’d just sit there and blink slowly… Like crazy slow. And it would go on for, like, a minute.

It was so awkward! 😬

At first I wondered if he had a terrible case of dry eyes, but then I realized that he just didn’t get my sense of humor. I dunno… Maybe I’d just assumed he got all of those abdominal muscles from laughing? Needless to say, it was over before it ever started, because in the immortal words of Hall and Oats, I can’t go for that. (No can do.)

OH, MY GAWD, KAREN, GET TO YOUR POINT. OK, OK! I’ve always liked Estée Lauder makeup, but it’s only been recently that I really started to love and appreciate the brand thanks to all things Double Wear, because everything I’ve tried so far has been magic.

[Continue reading…]