First Impressions : Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup

Have you ever stayed in an upscale hotel or driven in a luxury car and felt that from now on you can't settle for anything less than this experience? This is how I feel about the Estée Lauder Double Wear, Stay-In-Place Makeup. I truly believe I have found the Maserati of all foundations! Double Wear exudes glamour and luxury and I desperately need it in my life from now on!

Double Wear is long wearing, 15 hours to be exact, has a fluid texture, provides medium coverage, very lightweight and gives a semi-matte natural finish. This foundation comes in 3 tones (C) cool, (N) neutral, and (W) warm and has over 30 shades to choose from. 

Maha Matar

//Wearing Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Makeup in Ivory Beige. Soft lighting and NO editing//

I was introduced to the Double Wear Makeup on one of my lunch break visits to Nordstrom. I really wasn't shopping for a new foundation, but sometimes god has plans for you and you must accept it ( I'm being a bit dramatic I know). The overly exuberant sales lady insisted I test it out and promised me I would be pleased. I had a hard time saying no, so I reluctantly propped myself onto her mini stool and waited while she matched me to a shade. I convinced her to let me take the lead and I applied the makeup the best way I knew how to apply foundation. I warmed the foundation on the back of my hand in circular motions and applied it to one side of my face with a flat brush. I stepped into the light she had setup beside her counter and was pleasantly surprised at the overall natural finish + semi sheen I saw to my skin after one coat. I liked how silky and soft it felt on my skin and how even my complexion looked. I was impressed but wasn't blown away. I did the other side of my face and told the sales lady, " I would think about it, I like it but I don't love it". Back to office I went with a fresh foundation application. As a coincidence, Ottawa that day hit temperatures of 30 degrees and to my surprise my foundation stayed in place. It didn't separate, oxidize or become patchy. Actually , it looked better 4 hours after the initial application. I was a bit perplexed as I had never experienced this with a foundation. How is it that it looked better now than when I applied it at noon?  I researched this magic of a foundation online and it seems that Double Wear was formulated to provide built in long lasting wear. The longer you wear the foundation, it starts to look better on the skin. My skin looked airbrushed 4 hours after I applied it!I have worn the foundation almost every day  since I first purchased it 3 weeks ago and it hasn't let me down.

Final Impressions: I like how soft it feels on my skin and doesn't dry out my already dry skin.I love the fluid rich texture and I'm very pleased with the variety of shades available. I appreciate how it evens out my complexion and provides great medium coverage. I did have to use concealer on a few areas but this is expected with any medium coverage foundation. At $53 it's very comparable cost-wise with other brand name foundations, but I believe Double Wear is best value for your money because not once did I have to "freshen up" my face while wearing this foundation. So I never used any powder to prolong the life of my foundation. The only setback I have with Double Wear is that it doesn't have a pump to extract the foundation. I don't like having to dig into the foundation to get the product. Overall, I can say I have found my HG of foundations! It works so well on my olive toned skin and gives me that perfect fresh, natural and even complexion that I lust after. I truly enjoy wearing this foundation as it does add a bit of luxe into my life and who doesn't want that!

DISCLAMIER: I bought this product with my own funds. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not affiliated with Estée Lauder

First Impressions: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion

I first heard about the True Match Lumi Cushion from my favourite youtube guru, Jaclyn Hill. I don't usually watch Youtube videos as I don't have the time , however, on my downtime I enjoy watching her spunky videos. She talked about how much she loved the Lumi Cushion and how it's actually replaced one of her high end foundations. Of course, I had to try it out for myself!                                  

                                          

                                                             L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion

The Lumi Cushion packaging is rose gold and super glamorous. You know how I love me some good packaging! I have it displayed on my glass vanity and it adds that pop of glam! 

For a drugstore foundation I found the $20 price tag a bit steep for the .51 oz product, but I bought it anyway.Lumi Cushion comes in 8 shades. I had a hard time finding the perfect match for my skin tone. I ended up buying Perfect Beige which wasn't my exact colour but was the closest to my skin tone.

The foundation comes with it's own "puff" for easy application. I wasn't too crazy about it at first sight but it's probably the only tool that will work with this foundation. I tried to use my beauty blender but I felt it absorbed too much of the product. I used my real technique stippling brush but the application looked patchy. I reverted back to the "puff" as it made more sense.I used dabbing motions to apply the foundation. I don't recommend you swipe the foundation onto your skin as you will see the strip of foundation along your face. The foundation is very buildable. I applied one coat of foundation and loved the dewy finish it gave. I could have stopped there but I decided to add another coat of foundation. Two coats of Lumi Cushion foundation and you are a glowing dewy goddess! I love it! I didn't feel it left my skin shiny in a way that looked greasy.It added a nice glow to my skin. At first, I didn't add any setting powder but after a half hour of wear I decided it was best to set the foundation. Even after applying the Laura Mercier setting powder I still noticed my skin had a glow to it. You don't have to use any setting powder, but I decided it was best because I was going out in the freezing cold :)

My final thoughts on the True Match Lumi Cushion Foundation: I still find the $20 price tag a bit high for the .51 oz product. I'm not too thrilled that the best way to apply the foundation is using the "puff" it comes with for sanitary reasons( how do you wash it after a few uses?). The best way to apply the product is by using the "puff" as well as dabbing motions. I hope L'Oreal comes out with more shade ranges.With all that to say, I will be repurchasing the True Match Lumi Cushion foundation as I've been wearing it everyday since purchase and have received so many compliments on how luminous my skin looks. Even in the dead of winter, I was able to achieve a glowy complexion from a foundation! L'Oreal, thank you for such a great product :)

MY MAKE UP FOR EVER ESSENTALS!

Make Up For Ever (MUFE)is a PRO makeup line aimed at attracting artists in fields such as cinema, cabaret, TV , fashion and dance, but you don't have to be a professional artist to use and appreciate this iconic brand. Trust me when I say that every make up artist, staring out or a veteran in the industry has a MUFE product in their kit. For my professional kit, I started off buying all MUFE products because I was told, if you wanted to be respected in the industry, you better start working with the right tools right away. Every artist I asked at that time recommended MUFE for their versatile  product options and wide colour ranges in foundations and concealers.I not only picked up a few items for my kit, but I also added many items to my everyday makeup bag. I call these products my essentials because they make makeup application so much easier for me. I've become dependant on them and even though some of the products have been around for a while I still ❤ them.

Can you tell I use these palettes a lot!I think I'm on my 2 palette of each.I use them on almost everyone.I have the dark complexion in my personal makeup bag as well as I am obsessed with the orange for correcting my under eyes.

// 5 Dark Camouflage Cream Concealer Palette//

// 5 Very Light Camouflage Cream Concealer Palette//

The sculpting blush is a fave of mine! The pigmentation is so strong that you only need to lightly dab the tip of your brush in the compact to pick up a good amount of colour. I'm impressed by the colour range in these sculpting blushes. The colours are very soft almost pastel like and would flatter just about any skin tone.

//Sculpting Blush,Matte Raspberry Brown//

I've been using the Glossy Full Gloss since I was first introduced to it 2 years ago. I like the shine it gives off and it doesnt' feel sticky on. I don't say this about a lot of glosses, but this particular one is long wearing. I love to pair nude lipsticks on top of this gloss, it looks really good! Anytime I wear it I get asked "what's that gloss?". I don't know what the technology is behind this gloss, but it's a great product and a little goes a long way so you definitely get you monies worth.

The original HD foundation was a dream to use and very iconic in the beauty industry. When MUFE announced they were reformulating this product I really didn't believe it could get better than the original, but it did! This foundation comes in 40 shades, yes you read that correctly,40! You are bound to find your perfect match with such a wide range. I still like the fluidity of this product. I still blend it out with my damp beauty blender as I like the sheer look on me and I find the beauty blender is great in achieving this. I ONLY use 1 pump and that is enough product to cover your whole face. 2 pumps would be ideal if you want a full coverage look. This foundation dries to a satin finish and definitely feels and looks natural on the face. I use the HD foundation in my personal makeup bag and professional kit. I use it on clients with normal to slightly dry skin. I don't use this on oily or very dry skin as I find it further dries the skin.


The SENS' EYES cleanser is the ONLY product I use to remove waterproof makeup. I don't have to tug at my skin to remove the makeup as this works quickly and efficiently. I dab a bit of the liquid on to a cotton pad and with one swipe my eye and lip makeup is gone!. Again, like so many other MUFE products, a little goes a long way. The bottle I have is only 30ML and it's lasted me about 6 months.

The HD face Primer pictured is my favourite high end primer. I have so many of these tubes in my kit as I use it on everyone ! When I like a product, I LIKE a product :).This HD primer has a lightweight  yet silky texture, almost comparable to Benefits Porefessional face primer. This primer adds a nice glow to dull complexion and I feel on some people it corrects uneven skin tone. Sometimes I love wearing it alone, after moisturizing just because it adds a nice shine. MUFE doesn't produce this specific primer any longer as it's been replaced by STEP 1 SKIN EQUALIZER line. Stay tuned for a dedicated post on the STEP 1 line!

//Glossy Full Lip Gloss//
//Ultra HD Foundation//
//SENS Eyes Cleanser//
// HD MicroPerfecting Face Primer//


I have so many MUFE products on my list to buy and try out including the STEP 1 Primers , HD Face Sculpting kit,PRO Sculpting Duo,and the Ultra HD Concealer! Of course, you will be able to read my full review on these products soon :)

REVIEW - M.A.C STUDIO WATERWEIGHT SPF 30 FOUNDATION

// STUDIO WATERWEIGHT SPF 30 FOUNDATION //

Last month I was searching for a light to medium coverage foundation that can be worn everyday. I don't usually wear foundation everyday but when I decide to its the MAC Pro LongWear. Lately I'm finding it too heavy and the effort it takes to properly blend this foundation out is too much work for a busy woman on the go,go,go,....you get the idea! I popped into a MAC store one afternoon and the MAC girl raved about the Studio Waterweight foundation.I had never heard of it before so I was curious to try it out and see for myself what the hype was about.I purchased it in the shades NC40 and NC42, just in case.I've been wearing it for 3 weeks (almost) everyday now and I've fallen in love with this foundation.

The foundation is encapsulated in a glass bottle with a dropper to easily dispense the right amount of product right onto my Sigma flat kabuki brush. Genius! It has an ultra-fluid, thin, serum-like consistency. Upon application it felt very silky on my face, not cakey at all. I noticed right away that it blurred out my "freckles" ( OK sunspots) on my temple. This impressed me as I was really considering getting these spots lasered off! The finish is neither matte nor dewy. After one application it has a very natural finish, almost satin/sheen like. At two applications it's a full medium coverage foundation. I've only been applying one even coat and I'm really happy with the amount of coverage I'm getting. As I've mentioned before, I have very dry skin in the winter and I felt this foundation didn't dry up my skin.I can't say it hydrated it either, but it does a good job of not drying it up further.I love the idea that the watertight foundation has SPF 30 in the formula. As well the MAC girl gushed over the fact that it's full of antioxidants(to help repair damaged skin). This can be used on all skin types including acne prone skin. It's water based and should not cause irritation to the skin. 

Overall, I'm giving the Studio Waterweight foundation a thumbs up. If you're in the market for a light - medium foundation, definitely try it out and let me know what you think :)

What's In My EveryDay Makeup Bag ?

I tend to stick to the basics when it comes to my everyday makeup. If I know I'll be heading out to a function after work and not heading home first, then I'll include my Urban Decay naked 2 palette and Urban Decay all nighter setting spray in my bag to glam up my day look to a night look.I didn't include any liquid foundation and eyeshadow in this post as it would be deceiving to include them because 90% of the time in the Fall/Winter I don't wear liquid foundation and eyeshadow on a daily basis. I'll wear them on the weekend or if I'm going out to an event. I'll do an updated "What's in my makeup bag " post in the Spring as the items in my bag will change from season to season.

Tyler Dawson for Clinique

I love this makeup bag. It was a free gift with purchase from Clinique.I love the pattern and it's a really good size and fits all my makeup.

1.Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion +

2. Oil free City Block Face Protector 

( not shown but I use this sunscreen before apply moisturizer)

1.MAC Studio Fix, shade NC35

2.NYX Butter Lipstick, shade Pops Explosiv

3.Smashbox Photofinish Primer

4.Maybelline Pumped Up! Colossal Mascara, shade Blackest Black

5.NARS Creamy Concealer, shade Ginger

6.NYX Blush, shade Mauve

7.Body Shop, White Musk (old packaging)

8.MAC 168 Large Angled Contour Brush

9.MAC 129SH Brush

Before I forget,I wanted to include a picture of my handbag. As you know, I was on the hunt for an everyday handbag for months. I finally found something practical, stylish and reasonably priced. Funny story about this particular handbag; I found the brand Tutilo online and I really liked the style, practicality and affordability of their handbags but of course never found the time to actually purchase the bag online. A few weeks later I walk into Marshall's and what do you know...the bag is staring me in the face. I was so excited! Marshall's and Winners now carry a few of the Tutilo product line. I absolutely love the bag and highly recommend it. It's faux pebbled leather,includes a take-away clutch,very roomy, and super stylish. I have received so many compliments on this bag. My next purchase will be this Tutilo handbag. 

P.S. To my readers who look forward to my monthly favourites, I'm sorry but I skipped it for October. I didn't do a lot of purchasing this month and the items I did buy I didn't feel were really that great to write about, so I'll be combining my October and November favourites. I already started working on this post so you know it' gonna be good!!!

Maha :)

//Please Note that this is not sponsored posts//