Estee Lauder Double Wear & Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - true love!

I know, I'm so late to the game when it comes to Estee Lauder Double Wear and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge!  I hate when I feel like a dingbat for only getting around to trying them properly and falling in love.  Hard love.  Deep love.  And now I want to let you know that if you've got these knocking around in your stash and haven't used them together, then do it.

I bought my Double Wear (€37) a couple of years ago (it still smells fine and hasn't broken me out yet!) and when I tried it then, it looked cakey, flakey, gockedy and basically made me not want to try it ever again.  And yet I kept it in my collection, no doubt for my audition for Hoarders Anonymous...  So when doing a clear out of my stash recently, I thought right, time to give it one last chance.  And I also came across my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge (€5.89) and said I'd give that one last chance too.  Lots of ladies on Youtube use sponges to apply their foundation so I gave 'em a whirl.

Holy moly lads, if you're looking for a medium to high coverage base that doesn't look caked on, then use these two together.  They're a match made in makeup heaven and make me look like I've got flawless skin when I've anything but!  I've got the shade Ecru which is a great match for me and I think I've got a new favourite foundation people.  I don't even want to bother trying to use it with my fingers or a brush because the finish I get with the sponge is perfect.  Absolutely perfect.

Estee Lauder Double Wear - Ecru

Now a lot of you might think this is a lot for every day use and I'd be inclined to agree, but still, if I want something that's going to stay in place all day, then Double Wear will be high rotation over the coming months.  And in winter, I do like to have a more matte, full coverage finish as my eye makeup  usually takes over and a lighter base can't compete with it.  So for the foreseeable future, this will be my going out foundation, the foundation I reach for when I want to look perfect, or am heading out right after work and won't have time to apply any more makeup.

To prove how well it sits on the skin, here's an aul close up shot.

I've been looking after my skin recently and don't have any dry or flaky patches, so I can't say how it would hold up on drier skin.  On my oily combination skin, without a primer, it doesn't budge apart from on my nose, but with a primer, usually my Hourglass Mineral Veil one, after a day of work, I look the same as I did first thing in the morning.  Can't ask for much more than that.

This is love people.  Now all they need to do is develop a sponge that self cleans because it takes ages to get it spotless!  And yes, over the weekend I went and bought a second sponge so I'll always have one on the go!

Have you tried either of these, either apart or together?