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“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is how the adage goes, and for many longtime fans of the original Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation, the full-coverage formula wasn’t broken. That includes our editor in chief, Jessica Cruel. “It's my top pick when I have to be onstage, whether that be at a speaking engagement or on live television. The original formula was fail-safe for flawless, full coverage that could stand up to HD and 4K cameras.”
One of my best friends, Emy, has worn Double Wear for nearly eight years. “It’s long-lasting, it doesn’t transfer onto my clothes, and it’s full coverage without looking cake-y,” she says. But the reality is that Double Wear launched in 1997. Cosmetic chemistry has improved exponentially since then, and very few formulas have remained unchanged for this long. For Estée Lauder, it was time for an update.
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Estée Lauder
Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation
Estée Lauder
The brand had a long checklist when developing Double Wear 2.0: a more fluid, spreadable, and layerable texture; a more dimensional, skin-like finish; and more stable and true-to-skin shades. Ultimately, the goal was to create a new formula that would attract people who weren’t Double Wear fans in the past. My friend Emy loves the full-coverage formula and instant matte finish, but there’s a cohort of people who found it to be too much (myself included). “Double Wear is not my everyday pick; it's best when you need a formula that will last,” adds Cruel. “This reformulation is an attempt to bring more makeup wearers into the Double Wear family, including those who left the product when they felt it settled into fine lines and wrinkles.”
At the Los Angeles-based launch party for the new foundation, the brand shared that the update has been in the works for a while. And while, according to a spokesperson, the reformulation wasn’t due to changes in EU ingredient regulations, it’s interesting to note that the new foundation no longer contains cyclopentasiloxane, an ingredient now banned in Europe, and the reason other major brands have had to reformulate recently.
I asked cosmetic chemist Amanda Lam to review the ingredient list of both the original and reformulated Double Wear versions. “You are right, they did get rid of the cyclopentasiloxane formula and replaced it with a blend of other silicones (dimethicone, methyl trimethicone),” she says. “I also noticed they removed their water thickeners (xanthan gum and cellulose gum), and this may be due to the addition of sodium hyaluronate, which not only hydrates the skin, but also thickens in water and may be able to replace the previous thickeners.”
The brand also made other changes to the formula: First, there’s the “polymer mesh matrix technology,” which Estée Lauder describes as a “breathable polymer system that acts like an invisible net,” allowing the foundation to move with the skin. The second is a complex they call “AlgaNiacin,” which Lam describes as “a proprietary blend that combines brown algae and niacinamide to decrease sebum production for a more matte and oily-skin-friendly story.”
Sophia Panych wearing no foundation.
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Panych after applying Double Wear in natural light.
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Panych wearing Double Wear in strong, direct sunlight.
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Unlike my friend Emy, I haven't worn Double Wear regularly. I think the last time I wore it was more than 10 years ago, so I can only tell you what I think about the new formula. (I'm 2N1 Desert Beige.) For my everyday makeup, I prefer dewy skin tints, and this new version is still very much the opposite of that. One layer gives me all-over, medium-to-full coverage, with a few additional dots added to my cheeks and chin to cover the annoying splotchiness that's shown up on my skin recently. At first, I disliked how matte it made my face because I felt it made me look older, but I've come to appreciate that it doesn't budge (my beloved skin tints tend to disappear quickly) and, shockingly, that it doesn't settle into fine lines and pores. I initially thought I'd give my bottle to a friend, but after a few days of testing, I've decided it's a great formula to have in my makeup kit for big events and long days.
Emy got serious when it came to her testing, conducting a side-by-side analysis— applying the original to one side of her face and the new formula to the other. (She wears shade 2W0 Warm Vanilla.) “The new one is runnier,” she texted me. “The color seemed a tad lighter than the old formula, and I felt like I had to apply a bit more to get the coverage I desired as compared to the original. But the new one definitely feels lighter and more breathable on your skin. The difference is really noticeable when you’ve got both on.” Emy also brought up a valid concern: Because you have to use more product to get the same amount of coverage as the original, you’ll ultimately go through the bottle more quickly.
Keep reading for more reviews of the new Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place foundation from editor in chief Cruel and other Allure editors, a group that includes both newbies and long-time fans.
Jessica Cruel wearing the new Double Wear formula.
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…and another angle of Cruel in Double Wear.
Jessica Cruel, editor in chief
"You can feel the difference in the new formula instantly. It's more liquid-y and loose than the original. Where one drop does the job with the OG formula, it takes two or three to get the same level of coverage. This allows the wearer to customize. The original had one speed—full coverage or bust. This version can be light, medium, or full. One note: You have to let each layer dry down a bit before adding more to get the best results. For those Double Wear lovers, you can still get the finish you love; it just takes a little longer. It still has staying power and a matte finish—the proof was evident after I spent hours sweating and taking selfies at the launch party in LA. It was in the same condition from the first photo to the last.
"The pigments in this new formula have also been updated, which makes for a bit of confusion when looking for your shade. I have always been 6W1 Sandalwood. In this new version, I went from 6W2 to 6C1, and I'm still not quite sure which one is the best fit. There's a 50% chance you'll have to change shades, so I definitely recommend going to get matched before committing to the new Double Wear."
Kassidy Silva without makeup. …
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Silva wearing just Double Wear foundation.
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Silva in Double Wear with a full face of makeup.
Courtesy of subjectKassidy Silva, social director
"After a year postpartum, and one look at myself in the closing doors of the New Jersey PATH train, I was eager to find a foundation that would cover not only my exhaustion, but also my fine lines…without settling into them like cement. I have always liked Double Wear, as I prefer a more full-coverage look, but I’m constantly testing new things, so it’s fallen by the wayside. The news of an updated formula gave me the perfect excuse to try something ‘new’ and potentially bring it back into my routine.
"The new formula is more lightweight and buildable than the original (I’m shade 2C0 Cool Vanilla), although you still get the medium-to-full coverage depending on how you want to layer. The first time I used it, however, I way overdid it since I’m used to using about two pumps of my other foundation. After some trial and error, I finally figured out the perfect amount I need, which is a dot applied to my forehead, cheeks, and chin that I then blend in with the Rose and Ben Beauty D2 Complexion Brush. I apply a first coat, wait around two minutes before buffing a little more along my hairline, any areas with more redness (like my outer cheeks), and along my jawline to really blend it in. Once it’s dry, I lightly dust powder along my T-zone and chin.
“I can go a full eight hours without needing a touch-up, but I’m makeup-free after 8 p.m., so I’ve never tested it longer than 12 hours. My only other knock is the twist-off cap, which can result in dumping out too much product. But you have that with the original, too.”
Elizabeth Gulino without makeup.
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Gulino wearing the new Double Wear foundation.
Courtesy of subjectElizabeth Gulino, senior staff writer
"Honesty hour: I’ve never used the original Estée Lauder Double Wear, so the new formula is my first introduction. Luckily, I was shade-matched by a makeup artist who came to the Allure office (1N1 Ivory Nude, which is described as light with neutral peach undertones). The makeup artist recommended I cover the opening of the bottle with a finger, shake, and then dot the product straight onto my face before blending. I’m light-handed when it comes to my foundation. I like to first apply it with a brush, then go over it with a damp sponge. I loved the way my skin looked when the makeup artist applied it, but when I tried it myself, I did not have the same results.
“The first time I pressed it into my skin, my face looked good—great, even!—with just some separation around my forehead. It lasted all day and prevented my face from becoming oily as the day wore on. But the second day I applied the foundation, it separated all over my face, so much so that I had to take it off before applying the rest of my makeup. Looking back, I may have put too much on for the second test run, but the formula may not be for me. Still, thinking about how great the makeup artist made my skin look has inspired me to keep trying.”
Bianca Richards without makeup.
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Richards wearing only the new Double Wear foundation.
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Richards wearing Double Wear and a full face of makeup.
Courtesy of subjectBianca Richards, social media manager
"My mom lives by the Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation, and I honestly never gave it a chance until my colleague signed me up to test the reformulation. I must admit, I get the hype.
My relationship with foundation has always leaned toward skin tints and lightweight formulas that create that natural, luminous, everyday finish. Even for special occasions, I typically reach for the Tom Ford Matte Foundation when I want a true matte look, or stick with my go-to skin tint for something dewy and effortless. This new Estée Lauder foundation, however, strikes the perfect balance. It delivers the full coverage of a matte formula with the subtle, natural finish of a skin tint. I wear shade 3W2 Cashew, and after a full day of filming backstage at Fashion Week, my makeup didn’t budge."
Jesa Marie Calaor without makeup.
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Calaor in the new Double Wear foundation.
Courtesy of subjectJesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
“The new Estée Lauder Double Wear is reliable in every way you’d want a foundation formula to be: It glides on smoothly, doesn’t catch on the dry patches around my lips and along my jawline, and lasts through an entire workday (which, during Fashion Week, stretches well beyond midnight). I wore 4N2 Spiced Sand, a neutral medium shade, and it’s a spot-on match for my winter skin tone. (I'm floored, because many of my winter foundations skew a little too warm, and I definitely don't have cool undertones.) It covers redness and discoloration beautifully, but I do wish it were more lightweight, so it wouldn’t conceal the beauty marks I love so much.”
The Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lightweight Matte Foundation retails for $52 and is now available at esteelauder.com. It will be available at Amazon, Nordstrom, and Ulta Beauty starting February 23, 2026.
