Review of Estee Lauder Double Wear, Mineral Rich Loose Powder Makeup SPF 12, in Intensity 5.0

Estee Lauder's Double Wear collection is by far my favorite cosmetic collection on the market. I had been a regular purchaser of their original foundation due to how flawlessly it left my skin, and how natural it felt on my face. While doing my routine stock up, the sales rep recommended I give their new Maximum Coverage a try. I ended up purchasing that, and loving it.

I also went home with their Estee Lauder Double Wear, Mineral Rich Loose Powder Makeup SPF 12, in Intensity 5.0, which is a rich deep bronze color, that actually looks deeper in color in the plastic tub, than it does when it is actually on.

It comes with 2 separate chambers, which I have never been a fan of. In the top click up chamber you will find a useless pad applicator which you ma as well just throw away. Applying the powder with a brush is actually easier, less messy, and looks better on the skin.

In the bottom chamber is where you find the powder, which gets sifted through small holes when you shake it up while the jug is closed.

The reason I picked this one up was because it is in the Double ear collection, which anyone knows means that it has staying power. I also got to test this one in the store, and loved how it left my face feeling soft and satin like without feeling heavy or making my skin look pasty or dusty like most powders do.

I also figured I could use it to cover up my more shiny areas on my face like my forehead which tends to shine up mid-day.

Application:

I decided to apply this one on top of the maximum cover concealer I purchased that day to really allow that flawless look to go an extra mile, and sure enough it did when I applied a light top coat of Estee Lauder Double Wear, Mineral Rich Loose Powder Makeup to it.

It truly gave my skin such a perfect flawless finish, and I loved the results.

Last:

The powder, unlike their foundations does not have quite as long a staying power as you would hope for. The last is decent, but by mid-afternoon I had to touch up with a little of it onto my forehead to keep shine at

bay. However this was not a big deal, but I have gotten longer last with much cheaper loose powders before, so for me, this one just turned out to be mediocre in the lasting department.

Overall:

Estee Lauder Double Wear, Mineral Rich Loose Powder Makeup in my opinion is decent, it covers up a lot more powerfully than most loose powders, but it does not last as long as your simple, cheap run of the mill powders. The cover however, is much more flawless. So truly it is a toss up on whether or not you should buy this one. All in all though, I would suppose it would depend mostly on your budget.

This loose powder will run you $34.00, it offers full and flawless coverage, but only for a few hours.

MAC Blot Powder Loose, Medium

I've been in love with nearly everything I have ever purchased from MAC Cosmetics...once a blue rare moon though I will come across a product that just downright sucks...and unfortunately my latest $21.00 MAC purchase downright sucks.

The Product:

MAC Blot Powder Loose, Medium.

It is meant to allow you to do fast touch ups on your makeup. It is light, airy, and easy to wear... however I bought it in a medium shade, so while expecting this blotter powder to not only cover up shine... I also expected it to give my skin a slight tint of color. Nearly every other blotter powder I have used easily has the power to do so... so why not MAC? Besides, what would be the point in calling the shade medium, if in fact the shade is frigging translucent.

Yep, MAC Blot Powder Loose, Medium, is in fact translucent. Which sucks; however it would not of been so awful if MAC Blot Powder Loose, Medium would have at LEAST covered any shine that my face were to give off during the day.

I applied a blot here and there to my forehead, and the shine was still VERY MUCH present. MAC Blot Powder Loose, Medium, did not a damn thing.

My list of aggravation's goes on though, the above is not all.

Packaging:

The new blotting powder comes in a much smaller sifter pot that the loose powder once came in. It now comes in a small plastic pot, but attached to the pot is a screw off lid, with a sponger blotter attached to it.

I was convinced by the sales girl that buying the powder in this pot was better, because it was mess free.

Stupid me, I buy it thinking convenience.

The sifter pot where the sponge lies is too big to even allow any of the powder to really make it's way onto it. So constantly I had to dip the sponge, screw on the lid, shake like a mofo, and hope that SOME powder stuck to the sponge. Repeating this over and over again is bothersome.

Overall:

This will be the very first MAC product I have ever returned. It does nothing, the container is very annoying, and it was way too much money for what it did...which was nothing...it did however give me a headache.

Maybelline Shine Free Loose Powder

I've been using Maybelline's Shine Free Loose Powder for almost 2 years now. I have had the original, and also recently just purchased the new and improved version.

Honestly the new version is way better than the old one. Shine control now lasts much longer than the original formula had once done, but regardless, I loved it then, and the love has grown.

I have oily skin. Its meant for me. I've used products promising shine control in the past, from -I swear to you tracing paper pieces that swore oil control, only after purchasing it discovered it was nothing more than what tracing paper blots or a napkin blots couldn't do.

I first picked it up unconvinced, like I am with most beauty products. Most promise this, and swear that, and deliver nothing more than lies on a pretty bottle.

The Maybelline shine control is far from a pretty bottle. I fact its wrapped in plastic, so you can't even test it. Some people may not like that, but I personally do. The thought of someone else using my product before I buy it some how makes it not new, but used, and nasty. To put it short, it just irks me.

I was also a bit sad to see that maybelline had improved it. Usually when beauty products improve something, its made worse. Cheaper. Companies figure they've got the consumer, so they cheapen up the product, and people still buy it. I thought maybelline had done the same thing. Gave it a new look and made the product less effective. However they didn't, so I was very pleased.


Lets get into how it works. It comes with a face blotter. I don't know the technical term for it, but that's what I've been calling it for years. Applicator pad, what have you.

I personally am not fond of these in any way, shape, or form. They hold bacteria which will cause acne, a big no- no for anyone with oily skin to begin with.
You also have to clean them weekly, and wait for them to dry. It never drys right making it a hard round face scraper. If you are to buy this, make sure you buy yourself a big blush brush for application of the shine control powder. It comes out more smoothly, and evenly when you apply using a blush brush. Using the round applicator pad only makes your face look cakey.

The reason I purchase Maybelline's shine control time, and time again, is simply because it delivers just what the bottle states. Shine Control. It's not like the usual garbage where you have to re-apply, and re-apply, if its humid out. You put it on, and it stays on. I'd say for about 9 hours. That's usually when I wipe my face off, I'm sure it'd last longer, but I clean my face too often to know if it lasts past 9 hours.
Its weightless, so you don't feel anything on your face, or any stickiness like some products do. Your face will not shine under the hottest of suns.

I recommend applying it in problem areas, such as the nose, forehead and brow line. I also recommend applying your favorite foundation before applying the loose powder. Then applying blush over the shine control powder. It gives your face a natural glow without looking too "put on".
It will not overpower the color of your foundation at all. Even if you happen to buy the light one by accident. They re both relatively transparent.

The only downfall I'd have to say is how a lot of powder ends up on your table or counter when you close the lid, a lot of unused powder not in the chamber flies up into the air. Also I would like to see it in a darker color. I the summer time I tan too well, and applying even the medium tends to give me a dusty ghost-like hue.

Woman of color should of also been considered before making this available. Everyone suffers from oily skin, not just light and medium tones. So I would love to see a dark shade added to this wonderful line.