Doing the double on double wear: A comparison

When you come across someone’s list of all time favourite foundations, no doubt you’ll find the classic Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation popping up in them. It’s a cult classic, much-loved among many for being a high coverage and super long-lasting base.

But it seems that there are multiple variations of the classic Double Wear which are less known. These come in different packaging styles and even different formulas but still fall under the ‘Double Wear’ umbrella. But how do these live up to the name of the OG Double Wear?

One of these variations is the Double Wear ‘Makeup To Go’ compact. I bought this while I was in Vegas earlier this year and I’ve become obsessed with it ever since! I hadn’t seen this before in Australia, so I was eager to try this. But it turns out you can actually purchase it in Australia; I just never noticed it before. So, I thought it would be good to do a comparison between this compact and the classic Double Wear to see how it equates.

From the Estee Lauder website, the Double Wear ‘Makeup To Go’ is described as:

 “8-hour wear at the push of a button. Skin Looks immediately luminous and stays hydrated all day. Innovative compact keeps liquid makeup fresh and spill-free. Press the button for your custom look – once for a light touch, or more for full coverage. Enriched with a tri-moisture complex for all day hydration and comfort. Skin looks smooth, natural and luminous”

The website than explains the classic Double Wear as:

“15 hour staying power. Flawless all day. This worry-free, long-wearing makeup stays fresh and looks natural through heat, humidity, nonstop activity. Won’t change colour, smudge or come off on clothes. Feels lightweight and comfortable.”

You can already see there are slight differences in their descriptions, but I don’t feel like it explains enough. So, I will be comparing both of these based on:

• Packaging & Application
• Formula & Finish
• Longevity
• Price

Packaging & Application

The Makeup To Go is packed in a sleek, dark blue plastic compact, which comes with a sponge and mirror. Probably the most interesting feature of this packaging is the clickable ‘button’ that you press which dispenses a small amount of product out of a hole in the centre of the compact.

The awesome thing about this innovative packaging is that it is completely spill-proof. Too many times I’ve seen and heard horror stories of people dropping and smashing their glass bottles filled with expensive foundations, or bottles exploding during flight travel. This compact takes away all those worries for me. There is really no way that the product can come out unless you push the button to dispense it, and I’ve tested this because it came back with me on my flight back from the US, and there were no spills!

However, one big downside I see with this packaging is that you get less product than the original Double Wear. Furthermore, you can’t get a gauge for how much product you have left because you can’t actually see it so you can’t be sure when its time to replace it.

While the sponge supplied can come in handy, its mostly pointless because I like applying this foundation with my Real Techniques buffing brush. It is super easy to apply and blends flawlessly on application. It works well with silicone, water or oil based primers equally.

In contrast, the original Double Wear is packaged in a frosted glass bottle with a gold screw cap lid. Some people are a little put off when it comes to the texture of frosted glass, but it’s fine with me. While the packaging looks and feels luxurious, I can’t help but be picky and say this product would have benefited from a pump or spatula applicator. I say this because being a thicker foundation; it’s quite slow to pour out of the bottle. Plus, I find I can’t control the amount of product that comes out as well as I could with a pump, so the risk for wastage is higher.

With this foundation, it applies well with a buffing brush or stippling brush, but I prefer to apply this foundation with a damp beauty sponge because it is a thicker foundation. I also find there is a tendency for streaks when applying with a brush so a sponge is the way to go.

This foundation seems to work well with all primers I’ve used with it, however a hydrating primer is my choice when wearing it due to it’s thicker consistency and slightly drying formula.

Formula/Finish

The Makeup To Go is actually not quite what I was expecting from the Double Wear range, because it’s actually a lot thinner in consistency then the classic, and it has a more dewy finish than its counterpart. It’s been described as a more lighter, hydrating formula than the original but in doing this, the coverage is definitely not on par with the classic. It’s not a full coverage foundation like I find the original to be. It’s more of a light coverage buildable up to medium and maybe even full coverage if you layer certain pressed powders. But, I find I am a more frequent user of light-medium coverage foundations, and I’ll only really use a full coverage for a special occasion or night out on the town when I boogie too hard. Because of this, the Makeup To Go is a better daily use foundation for me. Some people even go so far as to say it’s a good touch up foundation on the go. It’s a more luminous, natural coverage whilst still blurring imperfections, and it’s definitely a more hydrating product than the classic.

The original double wear however has been fabled for its heavy coverage, matte finish that literally does not budge. It is quite a thick consistency and definitely feels heavier on the skin that the compact, but it’s not a cakey foundation. I’ve also noticed it’s a slightly drying formula due to it’s matte properties. It does claim to be non-comedogenic but I can’t help but feel slightly congested after prolonged use. And the smell really reminds me of paint! It’s quite strong but doesn’t linger once applied. It’s also not as easy to cleanse off as the Makeup To Go. While this is a super full coverage, thick foundation, I don’t get as much use out of it than the Makeup To Go, so I generally only use it for a good reason and when I need the coverage to really last which is does.

Longevity

Estee Lauder claims that the Makeup To Go foundation lasts for 8 hours, but I don’t find it lives up to the claims but nor did I expect it to once I used it for the first time because of its formula. Because of its luminous, hydrating formula, I find it doesn’t last 8 hours on me because of my oily skin. I do find I need to touch up with powder if I wear it from morning to after I finish work. This formula would be great for those with drier skin types because it is light and moisturising. It doesn’t break down or slide on my skin after a while, but I do notice my complexion is shinier after a few hours so a powder is necessary for me.

The classic double wear however, never lets me down in terms of longevity. While I don’t think it would last a whole 15 hours (I’ve actually never tested this), I definitely don’t need to touch up while wearing it, at all. It keeps my oil at bay, it doesn’t break down or lose any coverage, it doesn’t go cakey and stays flawless for the duration of its wear. I know I can rely on it for any special occasion or a long day out (like the Spring Racing Carnival coming up).

Price

So any Estee Lauder foundation can cost you upwards of $50, so they can be quite pricey for some people. However, for $52, the original Double Wear is in my opinion a great purchase and because it’s a thicker, full coverage foundation, a little goes a long way so it really lasts. For $52, you get 30ml, which is pretty standard. On the other hand, Makeup To Go is $68, but you only get 12ml, so its less value for money by far.

Verdict

I personally like the comfort, coverage and ease of wearing the Makeup To Go more than wearing the classic Double Wear, and as a result I get a lot more wear with the compact. But, the original never fails me in times of need, I know I can depend on it for long wear. For the price I can think of many other cheaper alternatives that give the same comfort and finish as the Makeup To Go, so I probably wouldn’t re-purchase this one, whereas I would definitely consider re-purchasing the original Double Wear because I find its a unique foundation and pretty good value. Those who expect the Makeup To Go to be the classic double wear repackaged may be disappointed – they are completely different formulas with different finishes and longevity, and so are fit for different purposes.

Have you tried any other variations of the original Double Wear? Let me know what you thought in the comments!

In the meantime, you can check me out on Instagram at @thebeautyandthegeekau or on my Facebook page!

Love,

Fel x

 

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