Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and Concealer Roundup Review + Swatches

Today I have an Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and Concealer roundup review of multiple formulas. The Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup has been raved about by so many people for so long I feel like it has cult-status in the beauty world. I’ve never been a fan of matte full coverage foundations as they don’t usually work with my skin type but I received so many requests to review. Many of you have told me I simply had to try it because it’s your holy grail. I did some research to buy some and found much to my surprise that the Estee Lauder Double Wear line is quite extensive! There are multiple formulas in foundation, concealer, primers and powders. Curiosity made me look into all of them which I admit I found it a bit overwhelming at first. After researching the different finishes I picked a handful to review. The color shades are similar across the line, but not identical. I tried the Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup with SPF 30 formula first and found my match to be 3W1 Tawny. I’m a 3 in all the other formulas I’ve tried but will note the differences in shades below as some run darker or oxidize on the skin.

Quick takeaway is that I do believe there is something for everyone in this line if you can find a color match. You may have to do some mixing especially if you’re like me and feel like you’re always in between shades. Overall thoughts on testing eight formulas is that I have 7 out of 8 thumbs up which is pretty impressive for me.

Up first is a look at the Double Wear Foundation formulas. I did not test them all but I did try five of them. Shown in order of coverage from lightest coverage to most opaque.

My thoughts on each:

• Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Makeup ($42 for 1 fl oz) has broad spectrum SPF 30, this is a natural foundation with enough coverage to even out the skin but runs on the sheer to medium side. I can build coverage easily and have it still look natural. This is my favorite formula out of all of them.
• Double Wear Light Stay-In-Place Makeup ($42 for 1 fl oz) is supposed to be lighter in texture than the Nude formula but I find it very close. Coverage is also sheer to medium and this one has an almost gel-like texture to me. It sets quickly so blend fast. It is also very long lasting and budge-proof on me.
• Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup ($42 for 1 fl oz) is the classic formula and after testing it I do see why it’s a favorite. I’ve mentioned I hate matte opaque foundations. This one has made me change my mind about them! It’s smooth coverage and streak free although it does run a bit darker than the other formulas and oxidizes a tiny bit on me. I tried two shades lighter in 2W1 and 2W2, both are too light or olive. In the non-winter months in Florida I’m quite tan so I can make 3W1 work. I’ve since been indoors more (since New Year’s Eve) since it’s been cooler and have lightened a bit. I’ve mixed 2W1 and 3W1 to make it work for me right now. Face swatch below is just with 3W1. Lasting powder is exceptional. It performs really well, gives full coverage but doesn’t look like a flat mask.
• Double Wear Cushion BB ($42 for 0.42 oz) runs dark in the 3W1 shade and currently this formula is only available in a few shades. I’m not sure if it was ever launched in more colors or not, but it does run at least 1 shade darker than the others. This is a shame because this cushion is among the best that I’ve tried for a full coverage formula. I cannot wear it because of the color right now. It’s pretty close but I’ll have to wait until summer to wear it and have it match my skin. This has full but natural coverage. It covers all my freckles and sun spots. Lasting power is good without getting oily mid-day. Skin looks radiant and fresh with this one.
• Double Wear Maximum Coverage Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body ($42 for 1 fl oz) has SPF 15 and it’s the only one I did not love. I had high hopes it would be a cheaper dupe for my holy grail Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer. It’s not. The Maximum Coverage formula runs lighter in color than other corresponding shades and gives my face a mask-like finish. Formula is thin and opaque with full coverage but sinks into fine lines and just doesn’t look good on my skin. I have found it works better as a concealer. I apply any regular natural foundation and if I need more coverage I’ll sponge this on certain areas. That being said, as a regular foundation it did not work for me.
• There is a Double Wear Makeup Pump you can buy separately for $10. It’s on the pricey side for what it is, but I 100% recommend getting it. I have 1 and plan on ordering another. It makes dispensing product so much easier and less messy! You can also re-use it for future bottles.

Swatches below. I would say the MAC equivalent is NC30 to NC35 in the MAC Studio Fix Fluid formula. I did swatch them side by side, unfortunately the colors oxidize quickly and I could not get an accurate photo fast enough. As you can see below 3.0 or 3W1 is not the same across all formulas.

Three on the face, bare skin and Double Wear Nude in 3W1 Tawny, Double Wear Light in Intensity 3.0 and the classic Double Wear in 3W1 Tawny. No powder or concealer added to show you what the formulas look like on the face, although I always set with powder when I do a full face. Since I have some red spots from a few breakouts I’d usually add concealer or a corrector to smooth out those spots. All taken with a flash so you can see there’s no flash back.

For concealers I have two formulas to review. I’ve been a long-time fan of the Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer formula in 2W Light Medium Warm for years. Since moving to Florida and being exposed to a lot of sun I’ve darkened in skin tone quite a bit and I’ve found I’m in between shades. The next shade up 3W Medium Warm is a bit too dark for me right now but I mix the two for a better match. This is one of my favorite creamy concealers for under eye that brightens the face and covers minor dark circles really well. While exploring the Double Wear line I decided to give the Double Wear Waterproof All Day Extreme Wear Concealer a try as well. It’s another super creamy concealer. I apply it around the nose or under eyes and it blends in seamlessly with foundation. Coverage is quite good but not super opaque so you can blend it to look very natural. I find it hard to pick between the two. I think both are really good if you like a creamy concealer that stays put.

Swatches and comparisons below to: Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, Tarte Shape Tape and Cle de Peau Ochre.

Overall my experience has been positive with the formulas for excellent coverage, blendability and lasting power. I’ve tested them all with the Illuminator Radiant Perfecting Primer and Finisher which has worked well to extend wear and add a bit of glow underneath. My top two formulas are the Double Wear Nude and classic Double Wear. I’m excited to put the Double Wear Light to the test once the humidity picks up. The regular Double Wear Concealer remains a favorite but I’m in between shades. If you’re in the market for a new foundation I highly recommend checking out the line up. There’s a lot to explore with a wide range of finishes and coverage to suit everyone’s needs or tastes.

I bought all mine from Nordstrom and Sephora. You can also find Estee Lauder at Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Ulta Beauty and Estee Lauder.

Have you tried the Double Wear line? What formulas and colors are your best match?