Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup Review & Swatches

I decided to purchase Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup ($39) because I need another foundation like I need a hole in my head. You totally get it right?

But Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup was pretty tempting with the promise of eight hours of wear and available in beautiful creamy nude shades that provide a healthy glow. Plus let’s not forget the cushion packaging. I love swipe and go foundations! You can even say I’m obsessed with them. I’m one for swiping a bit of foundation down the sides of my nose and blending outward and down around my jawline. That’s my foundation application method, nothing more, nothing less. I don’t apply any on my forehead and I’m not one for applying layers and layers of coverage as I simply don’t need it since my skin is quite clear. My method of madness when it comes to foundation is I want something to brighten up my complexion and ease my dullness. Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup seemed like exactly what I needed plus it had a hydrating formula for my drier skin.

So, I hopped on a stool and had the Estee Lauder Makeup Artist do her magic with an IQ reader. Yup! Estee Lauder has a new IQ reader much like the one Sephora has. If you head to your nearest Lauder counter they’ll happy sit you down and place the reader against your neck, jawline, forehead, and cheek and potentially find a perfect match for your skin tone. Considering she choose 3N1 for me which is an Ivory Beige I felt for sure their IQ system was spot on! I consider myself a a creamy beige in foundations so, Ivory Beige sounded about right. I was impressed, well, I was impressed until I wore the foundation!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup comes in a twist barrel with an attached sponge application that foundation flows in when the base is twisted. You can proceed to dab, apply, and buff foundation into your skin with the sponge cushion. As I mentioned above I love this! It’s easy to travel with, mess-free to apply, and perfect for super fast swipe and go application. Although it is a make or break situation as some people will love it where as others will fear it’s a breeding ground for bacteria. Of course, this packaging means you get a lot less foundation as the barrel holds 0.47 oz versus the 1 oz most Double Wear products come with.

The formula is a creamy gel-like consistency that absorbs into skin easily. It’s very slick and hydrating and won’t adhere to drier areas or accentuate larger pores. I actually didn’t like it. Gasp! Shock! I know right? I have drier skin so, you’d think I’d be all over it like white on rice. I wasn’t. It’s a bit to slick for my liking and feels almost oily. It also creates a good deal of shine throughout the day. The finish is dewy so, technically speaking that shine is Estee Lauder’s translation of dewiness. I actually should have avoided it for not only the dewy finish (which I tend to dislike) but also because it’s apparently a nude glow finish. I didn’t get the nude glow but what I did get was a yellow-beige oxidation which again basically translates as Estee Lauder’s idea of a “nude glow”. The shade literally made me look brown which really emphasized my already dull skin. I looked like I had stayed out in the sun all day without SPF! I had a nutty brown complexion that I didn’t find terribly flattering. It was pretty obviously too because my next was a creamier shade than my face. I felt like Magda in Something About Mary!

Now, 8 hours of wear is stretching it. I got about 3 hours without setting with power. Power is essential here as this is very slick and it disappears quite quickly because it transfers everywhere. For example, it ended up on my Iphone, my office phone, etc….! I imagine if I was wearing a coat or scarf it would transfer all over the collar.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup sadly didn’t cut it for me. It might be a success for those who like nude glow-y foundations but personally I felt it made my drier, duller skin look awful. I’d advise trying it on counter before deciding to take it home!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Cushion Stick Radiant Makeup is available now on counters and at Sephora.com and Nordstrom.com.