Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup in Cashew 3W2 (New Shade) - Review

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup SPF 10 in 3W2 Cashew - £27.50

I usually like to try out my foundations for at least a month or two to test them properly and work out if I do really like them or not and if they work for my skin. It's been just under two weeks and I am itching to write this review! So here it is, possibly the most surprising foundation I've ever tried.

I've heard so many great things about Estee Lauder Double Wear for absolutely years, and I don't know why but I had lots of negative preconceptions before I'd even tried it. I've always liked a medium or even light coverage foundation, being a lover of Mac Face and Body and Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat as well as other lighter options. I always thought that Double Wear was a heavy, cakey foundation that I didn't need as I don't have bad skin and don't like foundations feeling heavy. I couldn't have been more wrong. I also thought this foundation would be really full coverage, which it can be, but only if you build it. 

To me, Double Wear is a medium to full coverage foundation depending on how many layers you want, which is why it's so versatile. You can use more or less depending on how much you need and in which areas as it layers so well - I always work thinly to keep things natural and just build. I couldn't have been more wrong about the cakey-ness or heavy-ness. I personally can't feel it on my skin and the texture doesn't feel thick at all, it's quite liquid-y actually which means it blends like a dream (I use my Beauty Blender). I did do some research regarding the new shades and the formula (there are now a whopping 30 shades!) as a very popular shade 'Shell 1C1' has been discontinued, but is apparently being brought back after much uproar. I can't comment on the old formula as I have only tried this new one, but it doesn't seem like there is anything wrong with it at all, and lives up to it's 'Double Wear' title incredibly. As for my shade match, it's perfect. I use 'Cashew 3W2' and it's very much yellow enough for my skin which I love. It looks quite orange when poured out and when I was first applying I thought 'yikes!', but it's a really great match for me - probably the best match I own as I can even slap it on in a hurry and it blends with my own skin colour. 

'Cashew 3W2' swatched on my hand

I have always found it really hard to get a foundation to stay put on my skin, which is something that is really important to me, especially if I know I'll be having a long day or want to look flawless without having to worry about touching up or powdering. My other foundations do okay, by the end of the day they are still there but not like Double Wear, no where near. I mentioned in my review of the Dior Skin Nude Foundation (here) that it lasted well and looked pretty much the same when I got home depending on what my skin was doing that day, but that was with having set my whole face with powder and touching up during the day. After using this foundation, I've realised how much foundations change throughout the day, they wear in certain places, oxidise, disintegrate from oil production, but Double Wear doesn't seem to do any of those things.

The above photos were taken after a LONG day at work. I applied Estee Lauder Double Wear just before 9am and took these photos after 7pm that evening. A dusting of powder through my t-zone and for my concealer on application and thats it. No powdering during the day, no touch ups or re-application - nothing. You can see a slight breakthrough of shine from the flash, but after 10+ hours of wearing this foundation, I am so impressed. I've never had a foundation stay this perfect on my skin, I looked close up in the mirror numerous times that day and my skin was still matte, no redness had broken through (something I have a real problem with), no shine or fading and no patchiness.

Heres me wearing the foundation on it's own, no powder or anything else. Surprisingly, when applied in layers, this is the most natural looking foundation I own. I expected the finish to be super matte but it's not. It's more of a semi-matte finish, it definitely mattifies but just looks like natural, perfect skin. I asked my boyfriend if he thought I was wearing make-up in this photo and he said no (result!) - I can't help but agree as it looks so natural. Not mask like and not cakey.

Me with just Double Wear on 

Rest of make-up done!

As for the famous Double Wear 'ghost face' due to the SPF, it can slightly look lighter in the occasional photo like the one above, but in the other photos my face looks true to life. I wouldn't go as far as saying that I wouldn't wear this foundation if I knew I was being photographed, as it hasn't proven to be a problem yet and sometimes the flash can just wash you out anyway. I like that it has an SPF of 10 as it's great for everyday protection. This foundation doesn't accentuate pores and one of the most important qualities of this foundation is that it looks great close-up. I can shove my nose up against the mirror (not literally) and it looks just as flawless as it does from far away - this is a big thing for me as I'm quite fanatical about how make-up looks close up. It's all well and good being nicely made up, but it needs to look natural, not like you've applied bags of foundation that's just sitting on the surface - gross!

I use a dusting of Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder through my t-zone and under my eyes for my concealer but it's not essential as the foundation lasts amazingly on it's own. I've always had to set every foundation I've tried for fear of looking like an oil slick by lunchtime, but this one stays put without. 

As for the packaging, I think the bottle is beautiful, it looks and feels very expensive. It's quite weighty to hold because of the frosted glass, but it's nice and small so it's fine to travel with. The lack of pump doesn't bother me too much as it encourages me to be careful with how much I pour out. I rarely ever finish foundations as I buy so many, but I have a feeling that this may be the first one to be re-purchased. I'll keep you all updated on how I go with this and if my opinion of it changes, but as of now it is up there as my favourite foundation so far. It's just flawless. It seems I am an Estee Lauder girl at heart, and I am excited to be working on the counter in just over a months time, so I'll definitely be posting about my experience and the products I will discover!

You can get iMatched at any Estee Lauder counter (which I highly recommend) and Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup is available at any Lauder counter and online here. With 30 shades, I'm sure you'll find your perfect match!

Have you tried this foundation?