Based on our Estee Lauder Double Wear review, there are a number of reasons that explain why it’s been such a cult favourite for decades.
The foundation blends incredibly well and creates a smooth, matte base. Especially for oily and combination skin types. On the skin, it doesn’t settle into the pores in the same way other full-coverage foundations tend to do, and it covers redness, pigmentation and capillaries with ease to create an even complexion without any cakiness.
What’s even better, this base and finish last for hours, even without the use of setting spray. And it has an SPF rating of 10.
Estee Lauder promises a matte finish and we’d say it’s closer to natural matte. This is because, while it reduces shine and oiliness, it doesn’t dry the skin out in the same way other matte foundations would. This results in a more natural, almost youthful finish. It also offers an impressive shade range and with 60 options, Double Wear is one of the most inclusive foundations we’ve ever tested.
It doesn’t come cheap though, and its matte, full-coverage foundation may be too heavy for dry skin types. The lack of a pump is also a pain. You can buy a pump separately, from Lookfantastic, for an extra £5.50 but that will take the total price to almost £40 which is a little galling.
That said, if you can afford it, it’s worth the investment. If you can’t, we highly recommend the Collection Lasting Perfection Matte (£5.49) and NYX Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Foundation (£15) as two strong Double Wear alternatives.
Love a bargain? Head on over to our makeup alternatives page.
| Lookfantastic | £38.50 |
| Boots | £38.50 |
| Beauty Bay | £38.50 |
For years, Double Wear has been a staple but in the face of increasing competition, does it still hold its ground? Find out in our Estée Lauder Double Wear review
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How we tested the Estee Lauder Double Wear
Estee Lauder Double Wear: Everything you need to know
Estee Lauder Double Wear review: Consistency
Estee Lauder Double Wear review: Coverage and finish
Estée Lauder’s Double Wear foundation is considered to be the Holy Grail, appearing on many best foundation lists – including ours.
It’s been a staple and an icon for years, in fact, it was the first luxury foundation we treated ourselves to when we graduated from university back in 2007…
As part of our huge foundation group test, it was one of the most requested foundations from the followers on TikTok and it didn’t disappoint.
Yet the orange and strawberry tests don’t tell the full story (if you don’t know what the hell this means, check out our how we test foundations to find out which is the best guide where it should all become clear).
So here is our real-world Estee Lauder Double Wear review.
The original Double Wear foundation first launched back in 1997 and it’s been a bestseller ever since. Even earning the title of the UK’s favourite prestige foundation as recently as 2022.
It broke ground at the time due to its huge shade range and 24-hour staying power and Estee Lauder has since released a number of spin-off products in the growing Double Wear range. All products offer a matte finish.
The full Double Wear range includes:
Estee Lauder additionally sells foundations under its Futurist range. These foundations come with added skincare benefits compared to the Double Wear range.
mamabella | mamabella Estee Lauder’s Double Wear is a medium-full coverage foundation designed to last 24 hours. It’s available in 60 shades and has SPF 10
What is Estee Lauder Double Wear? A medium-full coverage foundation designed to last 24 hours. It’s available in 60 shades and has SPF 10. If you’re not sure what shade you need, go to the Estee Lauder Shade Finder, or check out our guide on how to find your perfect foundation match online and in-store.
Estee Lauder Double Wear price: £38.50 (30ml)
How to apply Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation: Prep your skin with moisturiser and/or primer. Smooth the foundation over your face using your fingertips, a blender or a foundation brush. Start at the centre of your face and blend outward.
Who should use Estee Lauder Double Wear? Suitable for all skin types but is great for people with dark spots, pigmentation, blemishes, and uneven skin tone. This means it will suit mature, and acne-prone skin.
Is Estee Lauder Double Wear vegan and cruelty-free? Estee Lauder does sell vegan products and doesn’t directly test on animals. However, because it sells its products in China, and Chinese law requires products to be tested on animals, it can’t be classified as cruelty-free. Not can it be classed as fully vegan.
Where to buy: Estee Lauder | Lookfantastic | Sephora | Boots
Estee Lauder Double Wear alternatives: Collection Lasting Perfection Matte (£5.49); NYX Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Foundation (£15)
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For our Estēe Lauder Double Wear review, we applied the foundation to bare skin. This meant = we applied our usual SPF and moisturiser, but didn’t apply any other products, including primer.
The foundation was applied via a stippling brush before being blended using a damp Coco Cosmetics by Chloe marshmallow blender.
On day one, we let the foundation sit naturally. On day two, we set our base with the Illamasqua Setting Spray.
Buy now from Lookfantastic
Despite the high price of the Estee Lauder Double Wear, it doesn’t come with a pump applicator. Instead, you have to unscrew the lid and pour the foundation out.
It has a runny consistency, which means that you can easily use too much. This can result in wastage, which – at this price – can be painful.
Plus, where should I pour it? We always apply foundation after putting it on the back of our hand (to warm it up) and we found that when we tried this with Double Wear, it just ran off and made a mess.
We’ve also tried to pour it directly onto the brush or blender and this causes us problems when trying to distribute the product evenly.
If this is a dealbreaker for you, it is possible to buy a pump separately, from Lookfantastic, for an extra £5.50 but that will take the total price to almost £40…
Once we got over the consistency issues, this foundation is really easy to blend with a brush and blender. Although we preferred the finish we got when we used a damp beauty blender.
The fact this foundation is slightly on the runny side is definitely a plus when it comes to blending and coverage.
What’s more, Double Wear doesn’t dry down too quickly so you can take your time blending. Should it start drying, though, simply spritz it with setting spray or hydrating mist and it will make it easy to work with again.
Estee Lauder promises Medium-Full coverage with its Double Wear foundation and we’d say that its coverage sits more on the Full side. In our foundation group test, we scored it a 5 on the orange test, and a 5 on the strawberry test because it exceeded our coverage expectations for both.
On the skin, it doesn’t settle into our large pores in the same way other full-coverage foundations do and it covered all of our redness, pigmentation, and capillaries to create an even complexion.
The base of this foundation is silicone so if you’re wearing it on top of a primer, make sure the primer is also silicone-based. Otherwise, you may find the two formulations separate and this can leave your complexion looking patchy. You can read more about this in our guide: What does primer do? An expert explains the one rule you MUST follow if you want flawless makeup.
Estee Lauder promises a matte finish and we’d say it’s closer to natural matte. This is because, while it reduces shine and oiliness, it doesn’t dry the skin out in the same way other matte foundations would. This results in a more natural, almost youthful finish.
This was also proven in our foundation group test, in which Double Wear released one of the lowest amounts of oil of any product tested thus far. This lack of oil, while positive for staying power (more on that later) and for creating a flat, matte base, means it may not be suitable for people with dry or mature skin. On these skin types, it can settle in the cracks and cause a small amount of flakiness.
If you have oily or combination skin, however, this is one of the best foundations we’ve tried for keeping oil at bay. If you’re not sure what skin type you are, check out our What skin type do I have? guide.
mamabella
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear foundation covered all of our redness, pigmentation, and capillaries to create an even base
Even without the use of setting spray, our skin when wearing Estee Lauder Double Wear looked almost as good as we headed up to bed as it did when it was first applied.
We’ve also worn it to the gym before and while it doesn’t quite survive a full workout, it holds out a lot longer than many other foundations we’ve tried. It’s also transfer-proof.
@victoria_woolly_webThe one that *loads* of you asked for…Day 31: Estée Lauder Double Wear♬ Sunroof – Nicky Youre & dazy
Based on our Estee Lauder Double Wear review, there are a number of reasons that explain why it’s been such a cult favourite for decades.
The foundation blends incredibly well and creates a smooth, matte base. Especially for oily and combination skin types. On the skin, it doesn’t settle into the pores in the same way other full-coverage foundations tend to do, and it covers redness, pigmentation and capillaries with ease to create an even complexion without any cakiness.
What’s even better, this base and finish last for hours, even without the use of setting spray. And it has an SPF rating of 10.
Estee Lauder promises a matte finish and we’d say it’s closer to natural matte. This is because, while it reduces shine and oiliness, it doesn’t dry the skin out in the same way other matte foundations would. This results in a more natural, almost youthful finish. It also offers an impressive shade range and with 60 options, Double Wear is one of the most inclusive foundations we’ve ever tested.
It doesn’t come cheap though, and its matte, full-coverage foundation may be too heavy for dry skin types. The lack of a pump is also a pain. You can buy a pump separately, from Lookfantastic, for an extra £5.50 but that will take the total price to almost £40 which is a little galling.
That said, if you can afford it, it’s worth the investment. If you can’t, we highly recommend the Collection Lasting Perfection Matte (£5.49) and NYX Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Foundation (£15) as two strong Double Wear alternatives.
Love a bargain? Head on over to our makeup alternatives page.
Buy now from Lookfantastic
Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
