I’ve been on a lookout for a “special occasions foundation” lately. My requirements were: good coverage and lasting power, and fresh finish (not matte, and not dewy). I couldn’t decide between Estee Lauder Double Wear, Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place and Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H, but ended up buying the latter.
They’ve been producing this foundation for more than 15 years and even though they renew it from time to time, I have a feeling that it’s a bit outdated.
Let’s take a look at it:
I have no complaints about the design and appearance of this foundation. It’s made of heavy frosted glass and is equipped with a perfectly working pump and a black cap with the brand logo. It’s a real embellishment of any makeup table!
Here are a few swatches of some shades from the line:
I bought the fairest shade 10. As you can see, it doesn’t adapt to the natural skin color. Shades should be chosen very carefully. Keep in mind, that this foundation tends to darken on your skin after 10 minutes, and it’s getting even worse throughout the day.
The 010 Beige Porcelaine has a yellowish undertone, but I see a bit of pink to it. In general, it looks absolutely fine on me in summer, but when winter comes, even the fairest shade seems completely unnatural!
The formula is medium-thick, not too oily and not too runny. You can vary the coverage from medium to full. By the way, the fragrance is extremely nice!
It’s hard to apply, though, because the foundation dries on the skin very quickly and it takes a lot of effort to blend the foundation seamlessly.
For a flawless coverage, a beauty blender is required.
The foundation does really even my skin tone out, hides acne marks and little pimples, covers blackheads and makes enlarged pores less visible. There is one BUT, though: it makes dry spots stand out.
This is more suitable for oily skin types, and those with dry skin shouldn’t waste their money on it.
Finish: powdery, like I expected.
Lasts up to 12 hours. The face shine appears after 3-4 hours, after 5 hours the coverage begins to thin and darken. Teint Idole Ultra doesn’t dry out my skin or clog my pores (when removed thoroughly) .
My skin looks healthy and flawless! I honestly like the results, but the downsides are significant for my skin.
Summary: my opinion is, as always, a bit controversial. On the one hand, I’m satisfied with the coverage the foundation delivers, on the other hand, even the lightest shade in the range tends to oxidize in my face, and it’s impossible to ignore it.
I can’t decide between 3 and 4 stars. Let it be 4. Do I recommend this foundation? Nope, ‘cause there are better foundations for this price.
