Foundation Week: Estee Lauder Double Wear Light
The Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup (P1,900) has been in my stash for over a year now, but I must confess that I haven't used it - until recently, that is! The shade I have (Intensity 4) is a bit pink and light on my skin so I haven't used it as often as I should. Shade woes aside, I love the formula of this product. It's a heavy-coverage, long-wearing foundation that girls with oily and troubled skin will love!
Coverage and finish. Intensity 4 is kinda light and pink for me but as long as I use a sheer layer only, it will eventually adjust to my natural coloring. The coverage is quite heavy so I won't recommend using a thick layer in any case. A light application can already cover my eye bags and dark blemishes! It can also cover redness from fresh pimples and allergies.
The finish is matte, but it's not the flat kind of matte. It really perfects the complexion and gives it this flawless coverage. Just be careful about the amount you apply. Too much and the DW Light will look cakey.
Texture and feel. This liquid foundation is heavily pigmented yet spreads easily enough the first few seconds. It dries quickly, however, which is why you have to work fast to blend it all over your face or on select problem areas. Using a dense foundation brush will give you an extra-smooth finish! You can also use your fingers.
It feels light on my face; not mask-like, which is something I look for in heavy-coverage foundations.
This amount should be enough for half my face. A little goes a long way with high-end foundations.
Spread out. You can see that hint of pink.
Blended and set. The pink has diminished, and you can see how the foundation looks like a sheer layer of skin. It really clings!
Staying power. The "Stay-in-Place" label was placed there in all earnestness.This is definitely one of the most long-wearing foundations I've tried so far! I can go on 4 hours without oiling up in this, and I can wear it pretty much all day with only minimal fading.
It was actually Lisa Eldridge who convinced me to give the Double Wear Light another look in her Foundations for Oily Skin video. This is one of her recommendations!
Worn and set with powder. Now that's what heavy coverage looks like! I would prefer to use a face mist just to take the solid, matte look down a notch. Personal preference!
Packaging. The packaging is simple enough and made only of plastic (versus the glass bottle of the original Doublewear). Nonetheless I think the nude tube, gold accents, and white lettering feel sufficiently luxe.
Recommendations. I highly recommend the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup to girls with oily, blemished, and acne-prone skin. It can cover up most imperfections, even eye bags. :) It can control oil for a good amount of time since it sets in a solid manner.
You just need to practice the correct application. Tips: work fast, use a dense brush or your fingers, and spritz your face with a fine mist before and after to make the foundation look more skin-like.
The Real Techniques Expert Face Brush and Blush Brush is an excellent brush for heavy, pigmented foudation like DW Light.
If you have good, normal skin, go for lighter foundations. You won't need something as heavy-duty as the DW Light. I myself prefer to wear this only when I'll be out for more than five hours. Otherwise all that blending wouldn't be worth it.
Thoughts? What's the most long-wearing foundation you've tried so far?
