Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup

Estée Lauder takes it's popular Double Wear Makeup To Go Liquid Compact to the next level with their Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup, an innovative stick that combines liquid makeup with a pro tool applicator. This all in one product which is like a cushion compact in stick form comes filled with a version of the brand's high performance, long wearing Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup which has been reformulated to provide instant hydration and a luminous finish.

As someone who jumped on the cushion foundation trend a few years ago and never looked back, this packaging is quite exciting to me. I've always liked the convenience of stick foundation but the formulations generally aren't that friendly for dry skin and I strayed away from liquid foundations because they can require more effort to apply. I'll just say it, I'm lazy when it comes to makeup. This cushion stick makes application quick, easy and effortless.

Key Ingredients
Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup is a dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested, alcohol and oil-free formulation made with an exclusive SkinSync Complex, a potent blend of highly emollient lipids and butters including nourishing Brazilian Muru-Muru butter and Linoleic Acid that meld with skin to create an ultra-natural look and comfortable feel, an enriching Quench Complex with Sodium Hyaluronate and naturally derived plant and fruit extracts help skin to attract and hold onto moisture both instantly and all day,  Glow Enhancing Optics derived from Gold and South Sea Pearl work to energize the look of skin, revealing a fresh and radiant complexion.

Application
To dispense the product, lightly swivel the base in a counterclockwise direction until the foundation comes out of the top of the sponge tip. If too much product comes out, you can actually just twist the base clockwise to pull it back into the tube which is pretty cool if you ask me. Touch the product across forehead, nose, cheeks and chin and gently buff on using the sponge and then blend with the sponge or your fingers until you achieve your desired coverage. The sponge applicator can be used to simultaneously buff and blend which is my preferred method.  The sponge tip also allows you to easily target application on areas that require additional coverage. And if you're worried about the hygiene factor of the sponge, Estée Lauder has you covered because it can be easily removed for washing. They suggest washing it with mild soap and warm water which I did and it was like new afterwards. Since the cushion applicator can be removed you can also forgo the use of it should you choose. This is useful if you want to blend several shades together or just prefer to use a different type of applicator entirely.

Finish, Coverage & Wear
Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup offers light to medium coverage with a satin slightly dewy finish. The product has a luscious creamy texture and I couldn't discern any fragrance which is always a win. I would say the coverage is variable since you can apply it with a very light hand for a natural, no makeup makeup look and or build it up for fuller coverage. The formula evens out my skin and diffuses the look of my pores while feeling lightweight and comfortable to wear. It provides that natural almost imperceptible look like your skin but polished and better. The product claims a wear time of 8 hours and I would say that it holds up pretty well to that. My face would maintain a fresh and smooth appearance after up to 10 hours of wear without the use of any powder, primer or any touchups. For the record, I don't wear powder and I rarely touch up my makeup. I have tried it with primer and I didn't see a huge difference to when I went without. The hydration effects are immediately noticeable upon application and last through the day. The winter weather has been making some of my base products pill up and emphasize the dry patches on my skin lately and I haven't had any such issues with this foundation. I'm not sure how it would fare for oilier skin types but I would say this product is fantastic if you have dry to normal skin though the latter might require a setting powder.

Shade Range
Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup is available in 20 color true shades ranging from fair to dark with cool, warm and neutral undertones to accomodate a spectrum of skintones. I usually favor Asian base products because Western ones tend to be too pink for my skin so I was thrilled to see some shades with yellow undertones among the samples I received. After some testing, I found that 1W2 Sand is my perfect shade match for the moment and I think  3W1 Tawny could possibly be my summer shade. I actually mixed the two together and it gives the appearance of a lovely glow.

My Impressions
I think the Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup is a game changer. The packaging is about as close as you can get to making foundation application both effortless and foolproof and the portable stick is as convenient for everyday use as it is for travel or touch ups on the go. And it gets points for a varied range of shades. I really like the lightweight feel and luminous, fresh faced glow it imparts. This product is suitable whether you prefer sheer natural coverage or full yet natural looking coverage. And it works well enough for spot coverage that I can forgo concealer when using it. In testing this foundation over a span of a few weeks, I didn't experience any reactions or breakouts but I did get a few compliments on how my skin didn't look like I was wearing any makeup. It delivers on it's claims for wear and did not dry out my skin at any point. The above photo was taken after about 7 hours of wear, worn over VDL Lumilayer Primer (review to come). My face is still dewy, the color has stayed true and it hasn't settled into lines or caked up at all.

Estée Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup is priced at $39.50 and is available for sale through Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta as well as Estée Lauder's own site.

Have you tried this or any other Estée Lauder foundations? What's your favorite foundation?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Estée Lauder and features complimentary products received for review. All words and opinions are my own. It may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to the Policies page of this blog.

Application Image via Estée Lauder