Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup 4W1 Honey Bronze Review

I managed to get hold of a sample coupon of the latest Estee Lauder foundation the Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Foundation through their website, I was prompted to take the voucher to my nearest Estee Lauder counter to get colour matched and was given a 7 day sample. So I went to my nearest counter and gave them the coupon, they used a hand held matching device and placed it on several parts of my face, I was matched to the Nude shade Honey Bronze 4W1. I've been using this for a while and am ready to share my thoughts. 

What the website says:

Touch on, buff and blend to your perfect nude. Polishes and evens skintone for a healthy-looking glow. Skin-loving, weightless and comfortable formula instantly hydrates. 8-hour wear. Innovative stick combines liquid makeup and applicator in one. You'll know it's time to replenish as the stick becomes smaller until the clear window disappears. In shades for all skin tones.

BENEFITS

Liquid Makeup + Pro Tool In One. 8-Hour Wear.

COVERAGE

Sheer-To-Medium Coverage, Buildable

FINISH

Radiant

FORMULA FACTS

Dermatologist-Tested

Ophthalmologist-Tested

Oil Free

Packaging

Now I don't have the full product but I've seen it in action and hmmm I'm not too keen on it, I don't really like sponge applicators, I don't like the fact that product can get wasted and 'lost' in the sponge. Estee Lauder have done a smart thing by making the applicator removable and washable, they've also designed the stick so that you can re-twist product back into the tube which is excellent but I'm still not sure about it. I know that this product was made to be used on the go and I suppose that yes it's actually a very functional and practical type of packaging and dispensing, so I guess I could possibly warm to it if I needed to keep it in my handbag, it probably would be helpful. But one thing that really annoys me is how little product you get in the tube, 14ml of product! That's less than half your typical bottle of foundation and it's rather pricey at £28! I would consider purchasing this but the price is quite a put off. Yes the 14ml size is again ideal for travel but then they should've made the price a little lower. Okay fine I'll admit it, the packaging isn't too bad, it's quite cool.

Shade & Oxidisation

I was matched by the hand held device to the shade Honey Bronze 4W1, I would describe it as a warm neutral beige tone, there isn't quite enough olive in it to match my skin perfectly but surprisingly this undertone actually works quite well for me, I don't look too peachy or too orange or too beige, it just looks like a warm golden beige on me which I can deal with. Surprisingly it works a ton better than the original Double Wear in Cashew (review HERE) which I would find a bit too rich and golden.

I think the shades in the Nude range definitely run lighter than the original so I suggest you rematch yourself with this new range. Because I was so surprised at how well it worked for me I went back to the store a couple of times and done some swatch comparisons of the shades in the two ranges and had some interesting finds. First off Nude Honey Bronze 4W1 was lighter than the Original Cashew 3W2. Secondly Original Honey Bronze 4W1 is lighter than Original Cashew 3W2! Odd isn't it? (INCORRECT - SEE UPDATE BELOW) Here are the swatches:

*UPDATE* 26/02/17 : I went in store to swatch the Double Wear Light Foundation in 3.5 and wanted to compare it to some shades to see how it differs and found that there's been a mistake with the 'discovery' I mentioned about Honey Bronze 4W1 being lighter than Cashew 3W2, it's not lighter, it's actually darker and Cashew remains the yellowest from the two. Basically what I think happened last time was that the lady at the counter was the one applying the swatches to my hand, I wasn't doing it myself, so I think she made a mistake with the shades and told me the wrong shade, hence the mix up. Good thing I done my own swatches this time as I've probably misled a lot people! I also swatched the Double Wear Liquid Concealer in Warm Medium and Double Wear in Rattan,  I've also come to believe that I may be a mix of Rattan and Cashew, I actually love the longevity of Double Wear so will have to get samples and try the two out together, also my skin has improved so much Alhamdulillah and I feel like it will definitely sit better on my skin now. Anyway I hope this was helpful and so sorry for any confusions that I caused with the shades. Xx

With regards to oxidising I do find it oxidises a teeny bit, I'm curious to try the Nude Cashew 3W2 and see what the oxidisation colour looks on me. I love how this shade doesn't make me look ashy or grey, especially on my hyper pigmentation areas, it seems to work really well over the top of a colour corrector and doesn't look too awful even if I don't. The swatch below isn't picking it up but it sort of oxidises into a more pinky peach shade rather than orange, my neck does scream olive/yellow but overall it doesn't look terrible.

You can see traces of the Original Double Wear still on my hand, I was scrubbing and scrubbing but it just wouldn't come off haha!

Texture

I think the texture is what I've fallen in love with. This has a very similar texture to the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation (review here) and the Urban Decay One & Done (review here). It has that thick yet lightweight creamy gel texture that seems to work really well with my fussy skin. It won't run down the back of your hand. I've used brushes and sponges and both work well, it blends in effortlessly though the sponge does sheer it out a bit, but I love how smoothly it applies with the sponge. I'd recommend this texture for those with combination / dry skin as the radiant and hydrating feel may be a bit too much for those with oily skin. It's a very skin like, skin mimicking texture where it coats the skin with a layer of product that just imitates natural healthy skin. I also suggest you make sure you haven't got any flakeys, even though this is hydrating it will sit around and emphasise flakes like the One & Done so prep well. I'd say it's slightly more denser than the One & Done and slightly more unforgiving but nonetheless I really like the formula.

Feel

The Double Wear Nude goes by its name and is nice and lightweight on the skin, you can't really feel much product on the skin, but because there is some emollience in the formula, that might be the only giveaway especially if you have oily skin. Once applied it gently sets, if you touch your skin it does feel a bit tacky which is why I would recommend you set it with powder because it isn't transfer proof. I think this is a good in-between tinted moisturiser / foundation mix. It's hydrating but offers coverage.

Finish

It's classed as a hydrating radiant formula and I agree, I think this is why I really like the formula, it's beautiful on the skin, it really looks so skin like and gives me that much yearned for smooth, polished, radiant, plump finish. It is radiant and dewy but not overly, I set it with some powder to take down the radiance a notch and it's perfect, I'd say its a natural radiant satin finish. Like the Urban Decay One & Done I love how it fills in pores and gives the skin a smooth appearance, I reckon very similar technology was used with the Double Wear Nude, the One & Done and the Magic Foundation. These formulas seem to work really well with the uneven texture on my skin and smoothens out the surface and doesn't exaggerate any lines or bumps. Just make sure to set it into place with a powder as this can look greasy after a while if not set.

Coverage

It's a sheer to buildable medium coverage, on myself it's solid medium and a little more, I use a small pea size and the coverage is just right for me. It covers any redness on my face and conceals the light scars that I have, I don't need a ton of coverage so this formula is perfect for me, it covers just enough without masking and lets my skin peek through slightly. I use a light layer of colour corrector under my eyes and around my mouth and it's just enough coverage and doesn't make those areas too grey or ashy. If you have problem skin you might want to go in with a concealer on your problem areas. I would personally go in with a concealer for under my eyes and around my mouth if I wanted a more flawless coverage.

Build-ability

This blends in really nicely and effortlessly, this does have a light setting factor where the film former starts to set on the skin, if you want to build I suggest you do it in sections as like the One & Done it gets a bit patchy or cakey as it dries down especially if you're using a brush. It builds and blends better with a sponge. I like to treat this as a tinted moisturiser so I wouldn't use more than a pea size for the finish and look that I want.

Longevity

On myself I have to set this if I want it to last, I actually couldn't go without setting it as it's quite creamy and I get quite oily without setting within half an hour. I find this type of formula works well for me as it keeps my skin hydrated and I'm reassured that my skin won't get dehydrated which causes the foundation to sink into lines and looks patchy and parched. Once it's set I get the longevity I need and only need to powder my t-zone after a few hours. Like I mentioned earlier this seems to have some sort of film former which sets it slightly so it's not too slippy slidey considering it's quite a hydrating creamy formula.

Overall Thoughts

Compared to my last foundation review I'm glad this one's a lot more positive. It's not often that I find formulas that work with my skin type, so when I do find one I get excited and attached to it. I obviously have a type haha. I might even consider getting the full size because I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it. Yes the product is overpriced but sometimes a happy result is worth it. If you have combination dry skin with not a lot to hide I suggest you look into this foundation, it's definitely a good addition to their line and I definitely get along with it better than the Original Double Wear formula. As usual I hope this was useful.

Pros

- Skin like / second skin finish

- Smoothens my skin and fills in pores

- Radiant satin finish

- Hydrating

- Lightweight

- Solid medium coverage

- Ideal for combination skin
- Travel convenient packaging

Cons

- Overpriced for the amount of product you get

- Only 14ml of product

- Can look greasy after a while if not set with powder

- Not suitable for really oily skin