
The Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup SPF10 foundation has gained a huge cult following over the years. It was the first high-end foundation that I purchased, and I’m still using it three years on.
Despite finding many other foundations that I love, I just can’t be without double wear. Its long-wearing properties are unmatched, it has a very flattering natural finish on the skin, and when used sparingly gives a good medium coverage that isn’t too heavy for everyday wear. I apply this foundation with a damp beauty sponge and I find that it sits well on top of my dry skin as long as I use lots of emollient skincare underneath so that my skin is a little dewy/greasy beforehand. Whenever I wear this I feel like I’m having a good skin day, well… good foundation day anyway.
The shade range has been expanding and now features over 60 shades! Despite this I still don’t have a particularly good shade match and end up mixing shades throughout the year. I do find the breadth of undertones available to be very good though. Just a bit of a jump between shade depth at the fair end of the spectrum.
My closest shade match is 1N1 Ivory Nude. It is very similar to 1N0 Porcelain, however it has a slightly more yellowy undertone which I like since it cancels out some of the redness in my skin. I have been avoiding sun exposure more and more the past couple of years and I wear an SPF 50 every single day, so I have gotten a little bit too pale for these neutral shades recently. I bought 0N1 Alabaster to use as a mixer since it is almost white. 1N2 Ecru was the first shade I ever bought and is a good match whenever I have a tan.
I have swatched the four shades that I currently own below. The foundation was left to set and oxidise before taking photos.

This is my trusty foundation that I choose when I need coverage, if I’m in a hurry and want my foundation to blend and set quickly and seamlessly, or to be honest most of the time – it rarely fails me. My only critique of this is that once it sets, applying any other cream products on top can shift the foundation. For similar reasons I can never build the coverage once one layer has set as patches of foundation start to shift. Also, if I blow my nose the tissue can pick up some product, but due to the setting power I cannot smudge it back into place and it tends to leave a mottled effect where tiny spots of foundation have been removed around my nose and the rest has remained glued to the skin. For this reason I avoid wearing this foundation if I have a cold or my allergies are acting up.
Summary
Pros:
- Good medium to full coverage
- Extremely long-wearing and transfer-proof (unless rubbing skin with a tissue); 24 hour wear claim
- Natural demi-matte finish
- Huge shade range (over 60 shades)
- Sets well without using powder
Cons:
- Oxidises, so be careful when shade matching
- Pump not included with foundation bottle (but thankfully is available to buy separately, finally…)
- Not invisible on the skin so it is obvious that you are wearing foundation (only a con if you prefer your base makeup to blend into the skin and give the ‘no-makeup’ look)
- Can feel heavy on the skin if used as a full coverage foundation
The Foundation currently retails at £33.50 for 30ml, and the pump is sold separately for £5.50.
What’s your favourite long-wearing foundation? Let me know in the comments down below!
This is not a sponsored post. All products mentioned in this post have been purchased by me.
Long time supporter, and thought I’d drop a comment.
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I just launched my site –also built in wordpress like
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In case you have a minute, you can find it by searching for “royal cbd” on Google (would appreciate
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Keep up the good work– and hope you all take care of yourself during
the coronavirus scare!
Giorgio Armani Lasting UV Silk in Shade 5.5. Love the application and finish of it. On my lazy days I can get away without setting it down with powder. But it’s becoming extremely hard to rebuy. My shade is out of stock all the time. I wonder if it’s finally has been discontinued …
Author
I hope it’s not discontinued!! I got a sample of that foundation a few months back and loved it. Really want to purchase a full bottle.
I am also shade 1N1 in ED Double Wear. I love the color, but the formula doesn’t agree with my skin. Could you please tell me what other foundations work for your skin tone? I’m trying to find a replacement foundation that is very similar to 1N1
Author
Hi,
I do have some swatches on my instagram comparing the new Lisa Eldridge foundation to other foundations and shades that work for me! I have recently switched shades in Nars foundations from Mont Blanc (neutral-cool, and slightly too deep) to Siberia, which is a bit warmer and suits me better. I do have to mix 1N1 in Double Wear with their palest shade 0N1 as it is a little dark for me these days. Armani Luminous Silk in shade 2 is a great match for me currently.
Hope this helps! 🙂 Lydia x