Reinvention of an icon: we put the new Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation through its paces
We wore it to our weddings and graduations, now, after 29 years, the original long-wear foundation has had a major glow-up. How does it fare on our own faces in 2026?
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They say that you can’t improve on perfection, but there may be an exception to the rule: meet the newly-reformulated Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup, £39.50, which, for the first time in its 29-year existence, has had a major glow-up – pun very much intended.
This iconic long-wear base, which launched in 1997 and is the UK’s best-selling prestige foundation, has been a makeup bag staple for many and a reliable ally on major occasions (I wore it on my wedding day!).
Known for its serious staying power, impressive shade range and ‘matte, but not flat,’ finish, it has truly earned cult status. If you loved it then, you will love it even more now, because – after seven years of tweaking and perfecting – it has been reformulated and we’ve tried it.
It retains all of its original star qualities of serious durability and shine control, but as consumers’ needs, skincare science and makeup formulations have evolved, it has stepped up to the plate. Estée Lauder has upgraded the already high-performance foundation in a bid to introduce Double Wear to a new generation; Get The Gloss’ content coordinator, Isla, is a Gen Z who wasn’t born when it first launched – was she won over?
You can read her review and the rest of the team’s below.
Meanwhile, if you can’t wait to try Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup for yourself, head in-store now to be colour-matched and to receive a FREE 10-day sample*.
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Deep dive: what’s different about the new Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup?
- Buildable and breathable
It has a more dimensional matte formula, which moves and breathes with the skin, without sitting in fine lines or pores. It offers medium to full coverage, and the consistency is more fluid, making it easier to blend, layer and customise the coverage level. - Even more long-wearing
The original formula offered 24 hours of wear; the new one has 36 hours. What that really means is that the pigment absolutely won’t fade as the day wears on. This is thanks to a new ‘polymer mesh matrix’ that allows the formula to move with the skin and stay the same from morning to night. In fact, it is transfer-proof, waterproof, as well as sweat-, heat- and humidity-resistant. - Skin-balancing formula
Expect hard-working skincare ingredients: hydrating glycerin and hyaluronic acid, as well as oil-balancing niacinamide and brown algae extract. - Even more inclusive
Double Wear already has an impressive 60 shades, with 10 shade intensities (from very fair to very deep) and three undertones (cool, neutral and warm) and all the previous shade names and numbers have stayed the same. But now Estée Lauder’s colour capture technology, which has pulled together skin tone data, has been deployed to tweak and elevate every shade. The result is that pigments are more multifaceted; rather than being one flat colour, they’re crafted from a blend of tones to mimic the natural variances that all skin has.
How does the new formulation look and feel in real life? The Get the Gloss team put it through its paces.
Victoria Woodhall wears shade 1W0, Warm Porcelain
Editorial director Victoria would normally steer clear of full coverage foundations for her dry mature, skin. Was she won over?
“If you’d have asked me last week, I’d have said that a long-wear matte foundation and dry, mature skin simply don’t mix – that’s experience talking. Usually, by the end of the day, my dry skin has sucked the life out of any full coverage, leaving just the cakey bits in my lines – lovely!
“But I’m delighted to say that there’s nothing ageist about this reinvention of a classic, which goes the extra mile to include all skin types and tones. I make sure my skin is well moisturised, give the bottle one shake, pour out a pea-size amount and build it up in layers, one sweep for every day with an extra coat under the eyes and around the nose if I’m going out or filming. It’s matte, but not flat with a modern, breathable finish.”
Sarah-Jane Corfield-Smith wears shade 2C2, Pale Almond
Image: @paulwhitephoto
Beauty Director SJ wore Double Wear on her wedding day 14 years ago and wanted to see if the new formula would work on her oily combination skin as an everyday base
“When it comes to foundations that don’t budge, Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation has always worn the crown – and it was for that reason I wore it on my big day, and it remained a special occasion base. I favour a low-key, low-maintenance look, and the original version was a little too heavy for everyday. But now that it has an oil-free and lighter formula that’s easy to sheer out, it has earned its place in my daily routine.”
“I do think this one bottle serves all your foundation needs; on days you want a lighter look, apply dots to the places that need coverage and buff into the skin with a brush to hide any imperfections. For fuller coverage moments, you can easily apply another layer without it looking weighty. I have enlarged pores, and I love that this foundation doesn’t gather in them. In fact, over time, it improves their appearance because of the actives that have now been added, notably oil-balancing niacinamide and algae extract. No mid-afternoon powder touch-ups are needed. This new formulation retains all the brilliance of the original but with contemporary add-ons that make it more versatile for everyday.”
Jemma Thompson wears shade 3W2, Cashew
Jemma wore Double Wear as a student prone to acne, and at her graduation in 2016
“This foundation holds real sentimental value for me. I wore it throughout my time at uni. I even graduated wearing it. In my early 20s, I struggled with acne, and it was exactly what I needed to keep my skin looking flawless, delivering incredible coverage while lasting through very long nights out in town.
“At the time, my shade wasn’t quite right for me – I was a little orange! – but I’ve noticed that’s changed now with the new formulation and improved pigments. I’m still wearing the same shade now as I was 10 years ago, but it’s a much more natural fit for my skin.
“As a busy mum, I wasn’t able to get to a store to be colour-matched, so I used the foundation finder on the Estée Lauder website to check I was still the same shade, and it was really quick and easy. I’m loving the lighter texture; it’s easy to blend and helps balance my oily skin with the great coverage that it’s known for.”
Isla Huffadine wears shade 2W2, Rattan
Content co-ordinator and GenZ-er Isla is completely new to Estée Lauder Double Wear. Could it match her for staying power on a night out?
“As someone who loves a good night out, I’m always on the lookout for a foundation that can go the distance without sliding off and leaving me looking like a sweaty mess. I wasn’t born when Double Wear launched, and it hasn’t really been on my radar until now – I always thought it was more for my mum. But when I heard that it acts like an invisible net over the skin, that it was breathable and truly stayed put for hours, I had plenty of chances to put its claims to the test. At a hot and sweaty gig in London, it felt really comfortable, not cakey at all, didn’t transfer onto my clothes and did not budge.
“The biggest win came when three people asked me what foundation I was wearing, including a stranger on Instagram who told me my base looked ‘flawless’. I’m already thinking ahead to festivals and hot sunny days out, as I know it will match me for stamina.”
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup is available now online and in stores nationwide. Try your free 10-day sample in-store now*.
*Subject to availability
