Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Foundation Review

Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Foundation review

The Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh foundation has been my go-to for the last few weeks. I’m so excited to review the Double Wear foundation for you! It’s almost like the formula team at Estee Lauder has heard my thoughts and created the Water Fresh foundation.

You’re probably familiar with the original Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place foundation or the Light version. It’s very full-coverage and I wear it almost every day - personally, I love hiding my freckles so full-coverage is my favourite. Often I will mix the original Double Wear with other foundations to keep the staying power but to create a thinner, more natural looking coverage.

If you want to look like you drink 3L of water every day, Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh foundation will make it happen. You will look like the most hydrated and healthy version of yourself. Sign. Me. Up.

I love reviewing products but I always like to take my time to make sure I have a trial period of around two weeks so I can see how it works on different days and conditions. 

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About Estee Lauder Water Fresh Foundation:

• The foundation itself is very runny. I poured it all over the floor, to begin with. Buy the Estee Lauder pump if you plan on using this, especially if you apply foundation somewhere other than your house where there are no spare clothes. I learned that pretty quickly. It reminds me of the Giorgio Armani foundation slightly or one of the NARS liquid foundations.

• Water Fresh feels slightly tacky after application, similar to Double Wear. The feeling does change to more velvety after a short while.

Coverage:

Now, this is the important part. This foundation can create different levels of coverage, depending on how much product you want to wear. If I wear one layer of Water Fresh foundation applied with a brush, it’s like wearing a tinted moisturiser or a BB cream. 

If I apply with a Beauty Blender, the foundation is even more transparent but it does create a ‘Real Skin finish’. Using a brush I can keep more product in one place, so I will build it up a little more around my jawline and my forehead where I rest my hands during the day and less around my T-zone. 

Feels very lightweight once applied, as the day goes on I can feel that I’m wearing foundation and often need to powder it slightly. This is probably just from where I’ve rubbed it off during the day, the staying power isn’t as strong as Double Wear. I’m also one of those people that have to wash makeup off as soon as I get home from work. I can’t wear makeup if I don’t need to, it’s definitely a personal thing!

Easy to build up to a medium coverage. Be sure to apply the second layer evenly to avoid any marks or minimal coverage areas. 

How the Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh Foundation worked on my skin:

• Looks glowy/dewy without a highlighter and remains not oily for a long period of time. I find that my face will still defeat foundations on the hottest of days and be slightly oily. After a tiny bit of powder, everything is back on track though. I had to do this a few times with the Water Fresh foundation. I wasn’t surprised though.

• My skin looked healthy and had a fresh glow to it. My friends even said that they liked the less makeup look and I looked like I was glowing! I did a little fist pump inside my brain when they said this.

• After 6 hours still has a natural glow and my face looked a little dewy and needed slight touch ups with powder during the day.

• I don’t believe it’s transfer proof. Because of the dewiness, I did find it would transfer easier than Double Wear. Not onto my clothes or anything but onto my hands during the day.

• I wouldn’t say it’s a look that lasts all day even though it is the perfect no-makeup, makeup look.

For this foundation to last into the evening I needed to apply a second layer before heading out for dinner. I wasn’t too bothered by this, I felt fresher and was able to reapply coverage where I rest my hands on my face too. Layering the Water Fresh foundation was easy and smooth, it didn’t look cakey and remained skin-like all evening.

Although I did notice that it didn’t settle into any fine lines, it didn’t separate on my face very much on the hotter days and my pores or sebaceous filaments were still concealed under the foundation at the end of a day. 

My skin didn’t dry out from wearing this foundation. I have read that it has moisturising aspects of it. My skin creates excess oil when it’s dry and can be disastrous in summer and for any foundation. The hydrating side of this foundation should be great for controlling oil production even more by keeping skin moisturised.

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Comparison of the Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh foundation VS Double Wear Stay-in-Place foundation:

Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh foundation

• Lightweight

• 24 Hour long wear - I would say 8 hours long wear

• Hydrating on the skin

• Thin consistency

• Light/sheer to medium coverage - Can be layered easily

• Real skin look with a satin finish. I think it’s great for creating highlighted/dewy looks and I’d love to mix it with a liquid highlighter

• Oil Free and oil controlling

• Fragrance-Free - No smells at all!

• 12 Shades

• SPF25 (in Australia)

The original Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place foundation

• 24 Hour long wear - I can vouch for this! It looks better at the end of the day.

• Can be drying on the skin I have to wear a thick moisturiser and primer underneath to keep skin moisturised. It sometimes clings to dry areas

• Thick consistency, one layer is more than enough

• Medium to full coverage - Can be continuously layered without cakiness

• Matte finish always

• Often have to add some dimension to my face using other products

• Oil Free and oil controlling

• Fragrance-Free - No smells at all!

• 38 Shades

• SPF15 (in Australia)

Final Verdict:

Would I use it again? Yes. Perfect for days where I don’t need my makeup to be matte.

Recommend to a friend? Yes.

Best occasion: A day running errands, a morning at the beach, lunch or informal events.

Favourite finish: I loved making this a matte look with setting powder but I do adore the dewy skin-like finish. 

Cons: 

• Would be amazing with a pump bottle or a lighter bottle. The glass bottle can be heavy and hard to take in a bag.

• Very liquid, thin and runny formula so I have to be careful when pouring the foundation out.

• -Slightly oxidises on my skin

You Need To Know:

Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Water Fresh foundation is oil-free and oil-controlling, ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested, non-acnegenic, and fragrance-free.

Formulated without:

• Parabens

• Sulfates

• Phthalates

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*Products have been sent to me in exchange for a review or payment. All products are used and tested over a 2 week period at a minimum. All opinions and reviews are honest and my own. Brands understand and acknowledge that I will always express my true, honest opinion and experience when agreeing to send products for review.

I am not a trained professional, please test the products or ask for professional advice in store.

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