As soon as I
road tested Estée Lauder's Double Wear foundation, I pretty much was obsessed! The 10 day sample from my local Boots counter was swiftly used up and a chunky, full sized bottle now stands pride of place in my make up collection.
I was therefore over the moon when Jaymi, from Lauder, offered to send me some concealers to compliment my new found gem of a foundation. As a night owl with a tendency to be nocturnal, an efficient concealer is my best friend in masking how tired I really am. But which one won out?!
Disappear Smoothing Creme Concealer
£17.00 - 15ml
Consistency: A light to medium weight creme - as the name suggests. A little goes a very long way!
Coverage: Medium but potentially not buildable as can look thick and obvious. I have fairly dark circles and one thin layer went a long way in covering them; but if you have very dark circles, you may need something heavier.
Application: A tube applicator that can be squeezed directly onto the desired area or onto the back of the hand. As mentioned, a little really does go such a long way and you therefore need to be very light handed with this. Too much, and it can cake and collect in fine line as it is a creme consistency.
Lasting Power: I always set any under eye concealer with powder as I want it to last as long as possible. With a light application of this, powder did not cake over it and it kept my eye area looking bright for a normal eight hour day.
Overall: The aspect that overwhelmed me so much about this product is the sheer value for money. At £17.00, it will last for what I expect at least a year, probably much longer. The product goes such a long way but can look overloaded if you accidentally use too much.
I did also try it out on redness and blemishes and although it had good coverage, it unfortunately did not last as long as expected on these areas.
Double Wear Stay In Place Concealer
£18.50 - 7ml
Consistency: A standard light weight concealer - think MAC Moisture Cover or GOSH Touch Up!
Coverage: As expected from the double wear range, a great medium and buildable finish. Went a long way in covering my dark circles and covered redness in a flash - very impressed with this!
Application: A classic sponge tipped wand that can be placed directly onto the desired area but this could cause contamination... The thin consistency allows for controlled application both on blemishes and on the delicate under eye area.
Lasting Power: Like its foundation counterpart, this lasts and lasts. Unlike the creme which left my redness showing through after a few hours, I felt confident with this that it would be under control all day.
Overall: Although coming in at a lower value for money than the creme concealer, I feel that this is a harder working product as not only does it cover under eye circles fantastically, but it also covers redness and blemishes with an instant effect that lasts all day.
Its thinner consistency also allows for a more natural look under the eyes - less creasing and dragging which leads to a much more polished and subtle finish.
The verdict?!
The Double Wear has to win in my humble opinion..! If you have fantastic skin and a very smooth under eye area, the Smoothing Creme will be your best friend and a great investment that will work out at pennies per use.
However if, like me, you need a heavy duty concealer that can deal with extremely thin and delicate under eye skin and work hard at covering any blemishes, the Double Wear is for you. And when teamed with the foundation, you may get that flawless face you're looking for!
As for me, I'm hitting the hay - safe in the knowledge that if I wake up looking exhausted, I've got my trusty concealers to brighten me up!
Do you have any other concealers to recommend to a base junkie like me?!
