FOTD: Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation Review

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place claims to be a 15-hour staying power foundation that has a natural, semi-matte finish. The coverage is medium and is buildable, but I usually just do one layer. It is oil-free, dermatologist tested, non-acnegenic, and fragrance free. The foundation comes in a frosted glass 1.0 oz bottle, and is $36.00. 

***(This review is about the older formula.)***

The foundation I have lasts all day, has SPF 10, and is a medium coverage. I have not tested it out to see if the 15-hour is accurate, because I wash my face once I get home. Even if I was to go out again, I would redo my face with a new application of foundation. I have normal to oily skin, and my oil does start to break through as the hours go by. The foundation blends nicely and takes a little bit to set. 

The shade Ecru, is a drop too dark for me, but I bought this foundation at a time when my face was a lot darker from the summer months. So when I wear it, I have to wear some bronzer on my neck to match up the color. (I cannot STAND having my face a different color then my neck, even if it is just a drop different. It bothers me too much!)

Estee Lauder recently reformulated the foundation and added new shades, and since then, they have received lots of negative reception. People have complained that the formula changed, that the SPF was taken away, and so on. But others still find it to be a terrific foundation. I have used a mini sample of the new formulation, and found it to be okay. I personally like the older formula better. 

No makeup

EL foundation on left half of face

Face

-Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in Ecru

-Maybelline Loose Powder

-Benefit Hoola

-Nars Lovejoy

Eyes

-CoverGirl Eye Enhancers Brown Smolder (for my eyebrows)

-Maybelline Great Lash Clear gel

-Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara

Lips

-Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Charmed

-Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Sex Pot

Finished look

Pros

-Blends nicely

-Nice coverage

-Stays in place the hours I wear it

Cons

-A tad to dark

-Pricey

Would I repurchase? Maybe, because I want to find a cheaper foundation that still looks nice on my skin. However, if I don't find anything else I like, I would come back to this foundation.

FOTD - Valentine's Day: Sweet or Sexy

Hey everyone!

I had a crazy week due to having 4 exams in a period of two days, but that is the life of a bio major! Due to barely sleeping, trying to study for those exams, I got very sick and right now am recuperating. So since I was bored at home, I decided to do my Valentine's FOTD!

I bring to you two different looks. One is sweet and the other is a more sexy version. The main difference of the two looks is the cheeks, lips, and eyeshadow. Everything else is the same! The sweet seems to be more of a day look, whereas the sexy seems more of a night look.

Sweet                                           or                            sexy?

Sweet Look

• Face
• Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
• Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian clay waterproof concealer
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles concealer
• Maybelline Shine Free Loose Powder
• Too Faced Chocolate Soleil matte bronzer
• Tarte Amazonian clay Blissful blush
• Eyes
• Covergirl Eye Enhancers Brown Smolder (for eyebrows)
• Maybelline Great Lash clear mascara (for eyebrows)
• Too Faced Romantic Eye Shadow Palette
• Kiss the Bride
• Cut the Cake
• First Dance
• Revlon Colorstay liquid eyeliner
• Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara
• Lips
• Clinique Chubby Stick - Mighty Mimosa
• Korres Cherry Full Color Gloss - Buff

Sexy Look 
*everything is the same as above except what is noted below

• Face
• Nars blush - Lovejoy
• Eyes
• Too Faced Romantic Eye Shadow Palette - *applied more heavily
• Kiss the Bride
• Cut the Cake
• First Dance
• Un-Veil 
• Lips
• L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick - Fairest Nude 

 What would you wear for Valentine's Day? Sweet or Sexy?

"Nude" Blush Swatches + Sephora Haul

I have been doing some research about what "nude" blush to buy. When I say nude, I mean a blush that is a cross between a blush and a bronzer. This kind of product can eliminate a step of a makeup routine from applying a blush and a bronzer separately. This is ideal on days were you may be short on time and in a hurry. That being said, I was looking at swatches that look similar to Tarte Exposed. I love Tarte blushes, but I wanted to see what else is in the market, and find a good shade for me.  

I wanted to buy one of these blushes so I decided to get myself to Sephora and swatch for myself blushes that look more similar then ones I saw online. I took these pictures when I got home. The top one is indoors, and the bottom is outdoors. 

 

L-R: Lancome Rouge Glow, Nars Lovejoy, Tarte Exposed, Laura Mercier Spiced Cider

Rouge Glow and Lovejoy look similar, but Lovejoy is more plumy. Spiced Cider is more on the yellow brown side. Exposed is more on the rosy side out of all of them. 

And the one I ended up buying was.........Nars Lovejoy!!!!!

I also bought Tarte LipSurgence Tint in Joy, Buxom Lip Cream in Cherry Flip, and a mini Urban Decay All-Nighter Makeup Setting Spray.

I usually ask for samples at the checkout, and here is what they gave me:

I thought that was great! Usually they give very tiny samples, but this is a deluxe sized sample! Unfortunately, the Bare Minerals original foundation is a very dark shade, so I might just use it as a contour color until I finish it. It also came with a mini brush and the Active Cell Renewal Night Serum. 

Nars Lovejoy looks more reddish brown here, but you can see in the swatches that it does not come out that dark.

FOTD #1

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Here is my Face of the Day numero uno! This look is typically what I wear to work. Enjoy!

Face:

• Estee Lauder "Double Wear" Stay-in-Place Liquid Foundation in 1N1 Ecru (old formulation)
• Maybelline Shine Free Loose Powder in Light - focusing on areas that tend to get oily
• Nars Laguna bronzer - underneath my cheekbones and up to frame my face by my forehead
• Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Splendor

Eyes:

• Cover Girl Perfect Point Plus Eye Pencil in Black Onyx - on upper lash line
• Too Faced Romantic Eye Shadow Palette
• Soulmates
• I Do 
• Un-Veil 
• Maybelline Lash Stiletto Mascara in Very Black
• Cover Girl Eye Enhancers in Brown Smolder - fill in eyebrows

Lips:

• Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Balm in Mighty Mimosa
• C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint in Pink Mint

2012 Sephora Buys!!!

I know it is a little late to write this, but I thought I would show you what I bought in 2012. As I bought things throughout 2012, I kept the boxes that the beauty products came in. All of these products were bought at Sephora.

Here is a close up of each product:

Benefit Coral My World included a mini CORALista blush and mini Sunbeam

 Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Sex Pot and This is Pretty!

 Korres Cherry Lip Gloss in Buff and Pink

Clinique Chubby Stick in Mighty Mimosa

Korres Lip Butter Collection Set in Pomegranate, Wild Rose, and Jasmine

Tarte 12-hr Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful and Blushing Bride

Fresh Sugar Kisses Mini Lip Duo: This was the Sephora Beauty Insider birthday gift of 2012

Too Faced Romantic Eye Eye Shadow

Too Faced Naked Eye Eye Shadow

Origins Starting Over Eye Cream

Clinique Almost Lipstick Lipgloss/Lipstick Duo in Black Honey

Sephora Favorites: In the Glow Value Set. It included samples of blush, bronzer, and luminizer from brands like Bare Escentuals, Benefit, Laura Mercier, Lorac, Nars, Stila, Tarte, and Too Faced.