Battle Of The Long Wear Foundations

 

Thanks to my oily skin type, long wear foundations are an absolute must for me. I’ve tried numerous amounts of different bases over the years, and if they’re not of the long lasting or matifying variety, they tend to melt off by midday. My skin is also acne prone, and I have areas of redness which take quite a bit of concealing, so I also need a base which delivers on the coverage front, too. 

I’m currently using four different foundations which claim to be long lasting/wearing, so I thought it might be helpful to do a comparison post. All of the foundations below are always applied over the same moisturiser (Peter Thomas Roth), and set with my usual Nars loose powder.

 Clarins Everlasting

Clarins claim Everlasting will minimize the appearance of imperfections, provide a perfectly even complexion and offer 15 hours of impeccable, comfortable coverage. It’s aimed at all skin types, contains an SPF 15, and costs £24.00 for a 30ml bottle.

Packaging: A nice, sleek and rather heavy glass bottle with a pump applicator.

Coverage: Medium to full. A small amount covers imperfections and redness nicely and builds well without looking cake-y.

Finish: Matte, but not overly so. It definitely doesn’t give skin that ‘flat’ unnatural look/finish that some mattifying foundations do.

Lasting Power: Definitely not the 15 hours Clarins promise, but still pretty good. I’d say I get a good 5-6 hours wear before I need to blot.

Out of the four different bases, Clarins is the one I’ve used for the longest. I love the coverage it offers, really like how it feels, and I’ve managed to find a pretty decent colour match, too. I do have one small complaint with Everlasting, though. While it normally applies and blends brilliantly, it does like to cling to the occasional dry spots I get, so I suppose that’s worth keeping in mind if you have drier skin.

Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet +

MUFE say Mat Velvet will conceal imperfections, even out skin tone with a non-oily powdery finish, and create a long-lasting, flawless base. It’s oil free, non comedogenic, and water resistant, but doesn’t contain an SPF. It’s available from gurumakeupemporium.com, and costs £28.95 for a 30ml bottle.

Packaging: A plastic, squeezy tube. It’s not particularly pretty, but it’s hygienic and makes dispensing product an easy task.

Coverage: Medium. It covers minor blemishes and redness well, but I need to add a touch of concealer to more difficult to cover areas. MUFE recommend using several layers to cover blemishes, but I find it starts to look a little bit caked on if I apply too much.

Finish: As the name suggests, you get a matte finish with Mat Velvet. Again it’s not a ‘flat’ finish, but it’s definitely not as natural looking at the Clarins Everlasting. The velvety texture takes a little bit of getting used to as well. It feels light-weight and comfortable, but I’m not really a big fan of the powdery feel.

Lasting Power: Not bad. I’d say I get around 4-5 hours wear before I need to blot my oily areas. I do find that Mat Velvet wears slightly unevenly on me though and it does like to cling to dry areas/patches.

Overall, it’s not a bad foundation. I feel it would probably be better suited to those who need less coverage and have fewer blemishes to camouflage, though, as it seems to apply and wears better if only a small amount is applied. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear

Like Clarins, Estee Lauder claim Double Wear will stay in place for a full 15 hours. They also promise DW won’t smudge, change colour or come off on clothes. It’s oil free, non acnegenic, and also contains an SPF 10. It costs £26.50 for a 30ml bottle.

Packaging: A slightly clumsy glass bottle, which doesn’t have a pump.

Coverage: Medium to full. It is buildable, but I find I have to blend quickly to get a completely even finish.

Finish: Semi-matte. This one’s a bit of a strange one. Some days I apply it and it looks absolutely fine, and others, it looks really heavy and mask like.

Lasting powder: Excellent! I really don’t have to worry about blotting and touch ups with Double Wear. I do still have to blot my T-zone, but I really only get a minimal amount of shine. Also, as Estee Lauder promise, I get no smudging, no colour change/oxidation, and my make-up really doesn’t budge all day.

While Double Wear certainly delivers on the wear/long lasting front, I do have issues with other areas, such as the slightly difficult application and finish, which I mentioned above. I’ve also had problems finding a good colour match, too. I’ve purchased quite a few different colours from the shade range now, and all of them seem to be slightly ‘off’, which only adds to the somewhat unnatural finish on me. 

Armani Lasting Silk UV

 

Armani promise 14-hour satin matte coverage without the coverage feel. Lasting Silk is aimed at normal to oily skin types, provides medium coverage, and has an SPF 20. It costs £34.00 for a 30ml bottle.

Packaging: A simple, sleek glass bottle with a pump applicator.

Coverage: Medium, but this is the most build-able out of the four.

Finish: Semi matte. Lasting Silk applies and blends beautifully. It feels really light-weight, and blends effortlessly.

Lasting Power: Roughly the same as Mat Velvet. Around 4-5 hours wear before shine starts to peek through and I’m reaching for my pressed powder. Unlike MUFE, though, Lasting Silk wears really well, and looks as good as new with a quick touch-up.

Lasting Silk is the most recent buy out of the four, and I’m really impressed so far with how well this applies and also how natural it looks. It doesn’t emphasize pores or dry patches and it feels light-weight and comfortable. Lasting power isn’t great, but the finish and feel certainly make up for the average staying power for me.

Estee Lauder Ecru, Lasting Silk 4, Everlasting 105 & MUFE 20

So, which one do I like best out of the four? I feel like each base has something slightly different to offer. Double Wear is definitely the most long-lasting of the bunch, and might be worth checking out if you’re after a foundation which really won’t budge. MUFE might be a nice option for those who need less coverage than me, and want a really matte finish. Lasting Silk is definitely the winner in the finish and feel department, and the most natural looking, too. And Everlasting offers excellent, natural looking coverage, which stays put.

If you're still with me after that little lot, I'd love to know if you've tried any of these and what your thoughts are.  And I'd also love to know what your favourite long wear foundations are.