Estee Lauder • Maximum Coverage Foundation • Liquid

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Charlin on 4/26/2013 3:35:00 AM more reviews by Charlin

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I always have this in my kit as it is the best foundation I have found for covering most imperfections. I have acne scars and redness and this erases them and looks fairly natural as long as I don't put too much on. I literally squeeze out a tiny dot of this on the back of my hand and I apply with either a foundation brush or concealer brush depending on how large an area I want to cover. If I use this as a concealer I don't have to use foundation as well.
For those of you who have scars to cover, it will cover small scars and thread veins, but if you have a very large raised and shiny scar, the formula won't quite cling to it. I have a keloid on my chest and this will cover it somewhat but will disappear after a couple of hours.
My only niggle is that the range of colours isn't good, a bit too pink in tone. Since I use so little it doesn't really show but I wouldn't want to plaster this on.
This is a lot better than Double Wear for durability and coverage.
The other bonus is this lasts forever if you use the amount I do!

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BlueW on 4/14/2013 2:02:00 AM more reviews by BlueW

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I have mild acne, blemishes and sensitive skin. I bought this because of the great reviews i found here on MUA, and because my previous foundation (Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Cream Compact) ran out after just 3 months of (daily) use (although i liked it very much i didnt like the fact that it didnt last long for my everyday use). Anyways, I was excited with the EL maximum coverage and started to use it the next day i bought it.

It covered my acne and blemishes with just a little bit of amount (it is really maximum coverage, so it does what it says, and a little goes a long way like the other reviewers says). The finish is very matte and the color was actually too fair for my skin color, it looked a bit cakey (and i just applied one light layer!), and i normally use foundations that looks natural and dewy, so this looks dull and unnatural to me (however, if you are okay with it, you can use bronzer and highlighter to make it look better).

Despite the fact that it looks dull and unnatural (i dont use bronzer or highlighter), i liked it at first because it made me save time by skipping all the concealing steps. At the end of the day, the foundation was intact, it kept my oily Tzone at bay, BUT my skin felt dry (i moisturized and applied BB cream before the foundation). After i removed my makeup i noticed tiny bumps formed in some parts of my face. I thought it could be hormonal or something so i kept using it for 2 more days, but the tiny bumps got a little bigger by day, i realized although only a small amount of foundation was applied, the coverage is so strong it doesnt allow my skin to breathe properly. I returned it after that for the EL Double Wear light, it is more natural looking for my age, but it has light-medium coverage so you probably need a concealer if you have blemishes, acne or dark circles.

I dont think this is a bad foundation, it just didnt work for me. I think it is recommended for people with oily but non-acne prone skin, who needs a long wear foundation (and knows how to contour/ bronze or highlight their face!).

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kryquinn on 4/13/2013 3:24:00 PM more reviews by kryquinn

Age: 25-29   Skin: Very Oily, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Let me start off by saying I have extremely oily skin. So unless your skin is super oily like mine, this review probably wont be too helpful in terms of what I have to say about "staying power." This foundation is comparable to Kat Von D lock it tattoo foundation (foundation I was using prior to this) in that it has equally as good of coverage but it's not nearly as heavy feeling and for this reason I bought it. I love a full coverage matte look but, like most full coverage foundations, I tend to get extra oily by the end of the day. This foundation isn't any different in that department and for that reason I couldn't give this foundation 5 stars. I love the finish (very soft almost powder soft matte finish), I love love love the coverage (it leaves your skin looking like a porcelain doll), I like that it's cheaper than regular doublewear and I love the packaging. I have found it can settle into any lines or pores so you definitely need to use a primer prior to using this foundation but honestly it will give you the most amazing finished look. I have tried hundreds of foundations and NOTHING compares to the amazing, beautiful, flawless finish this has. For this reason I will continue to repurchase this foundation!

Now for the downside: I can't wear this foundation longer than about 6 hours (like all full coverage foundations for me) without the oil from my skin breaking down the formula and causing it to separate. So unfortunately, as much as I love this foundation, it isn't my day to day foundation because it just doesn't last on my skin for those long work days. I can say though, in comparison to other full coverage foundations (with the exception of Revlon Colorstay), this foundation has the exact same staying power on my skin as MAC Studio Fix Fluid, Kat Von D Lock it Tattoo Foundation, or regular Estee Lauder Doublewear. So if any of those foundations last a long time on your skin this will more than likely last equally as long. Other than that one little negative note I have to say this is by far my favorite foundation and I feel absolutely flawless when I wear this, which is always a huge plus! =)

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kookielovins on 1/19/2013 5:25:00 PM more reviews by kookielovins

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Olive, Neutral   Hair: Other   Eyes: Black    

My new HG foundation!! Stays put, conceals, not greasy, dries to a power consistency without looking cakey, and is not heavy feeling. It is pricey but I've paid double for foundations that don't even come close to performance. Won't come off until I take it off.

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tanaddict21 on 1/2/2013 2:23:00 PM more reviews by tanaddict21

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Tan   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

When i first bought this foundation I couldn't wait to go home and slap it on, i like a full coverage to hide my freckles and redness on my normal-combination skin so thought this would be perfect.
I put a little on as a little goes a long way and i was amazed, wow i look flawless so i finished it off with my usual clinique pressed powder and nars bronzer and off I strutted to work with my beautiful new face.
4 hours later I returned from work, looked in the mirror and was horrified at what i saw. Jesus Christ on a pushbike I looked like I'd escaped from Willy Wonkas chocolate factory. My beautiful airbrushed face had melted into a ronseal coloured mudslide, Holy Crap I was so embarrassed to think I had been at work like that and hadn't a clue I looked like a mahogany oil slick. I couldnt wait to wash my face eww i felt so greasy and disgusting just had to get it off.
I did give it another chance this time applying the teeny tiniest amount of foundation and the same thing happened again, what a waste of £25 unless your an oopma lumpa (even they would question whether they was too orange or not) stay well clear of this shizzle, Im off back to Mac pro longwear ASAP!!!!

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

jennyjee on 12/17/2012 12:55:00 AM more reviews by jennyjee

Age: 36-43   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Very good coverage, don't know about tattoo coverage though. I've got very oily skin and this is good at keeping my shiny face at bay, however it gets flaky around my lips and it tends to accentuate my large pores. For that reason, I wouldn't buy it again. Still on the lookout for HG foundation for uber oily skin like myself.

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tbastas on 11/9/2012 12:50:00 AM more reviews by tbastas

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Truly maximum coverage, extremely long lasting, very matte finish, transfer proof and water proof. Very good for extremely oily skin but even most very oily skintypes have got some dry patches which this will emphasise like crazy. Even the best moisturiser will not help. I would not use this as a foundation on anyone because it is so drying even on extremely oily skin and a bit mask like but would be good as a concealer even though it does not work for me because my blemishes are on the dry part of my skin and this will cover the redness very well but will seem like a very dry patch on my face. This foundation is perfect for imperfections on the body though and because it is transfer proof and waterproof it does not come off on clothes. You only need a TINY bit and this will cover anything. One tube will last you ages.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

KTElizabeth12 on 10/29/2012 4:18:00 PM more reviews by KTElizabeth12

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

My skin = Combination, Oily t-zone and cheeks, some dry patches. VERY sensitive.



Ok so first of all I went to get a Double Wear tester and I ended up with this so I might as well write a review!



ANYWAY... at first I loved this. Although I may not need such high coverage it looked like my skin was airbrushed... so perfect! A bit hard to blend but I found using it right after moisturizer works best. After two or three days I noticed myself looking more and more oily. The last day I wore this it looked like I had been deep fried...DISGUSTING to say the least. I also began getting bumps here and there on my skin. I believe this was just WAY too heavy for my skin. If you have severe scarring/other blemishes you want to cover I would suggest this foundation. Otherwise... stay away!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Rivoli on 10/27/2012 2:47:00 PM more reviews by Rivoli

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I got a 10-day sample of this after watching a Lisa Eldridge video who had a guest artist on board. According to the artist, she used 3 of the colors from this line on everyone, mixed and matched as a concealer. I found this is just a bit too dead-looking--I looked like Robin William's skin in Mrs. Doubtfire. Emphasized pores. No signs of life beneath the color. To be fair, the foundation is labelled "maximum coverage," from a line that already has "double wear" which is pretty strong coverage. But this just aged me. I'd look at Shiseido Sun Protection foundation, or MAC Pro Longwear, as possible alternatives. Or Guerlain Parure Gold. This Estee Lauder Maximum might work as a concealer, but I'd just get the Vichy Dermablend fluid at the drugstore ($10) which is a a great concealer and less heavy-looking.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

JullaA on 10/21/2012 10:25:00 PM more reviews by JullaA

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Well, I have had this foundation for about a month now. At first, I was fanatic about this product. I had never had a foundation before that was able to cover up my awful acne scars and melasma. Now that I am out of my puppy love phase, I have come to notice and accept its negative qualities. First off, this foundation oxidizes like crazy. It looks lovely in the morning right before i leave to school, but 8 hours later when i check in the front seat car mirror, I feel like I've eaten too many carrots. My face looks orange! It does not match my neck even in the slightest, and the slim outer rim of my lips are my normal skin color (since my boyfriend just loves kissing it all off -_-) while the bright orange of my face contrasts it ridiculously. Also, this foundation, on multiple occasions, has transferred onto a person's clothing that I have hugged. Once, a boy asked me "How much makeup do you use!?" after noticing the orange smear on his white shirt. Not a good feeling guys :( I am very sad this did not work out :( I am almost certain that people who do not have oily skin problems will like this much better than I, so don't think my experience is a future depiction of yours! I am on to trying Kat Von D's Lock-It foundation, which I just bought today at Sephora. I am very eager to try it!

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NicoIcon999 on 10/8/2012 1:49:00 PM more reviews by NicoIcon999

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I have acne. Not horribly bad skin. The problem I run into mostly is covering the scars from picking my skin. After reading so many reviews on the amazing coverage I decided to pick this up. Spending nearly $40 on foundation isn't something I typically splurge on, but it would be worth it if it worked. I almost bought it about a year ago and the woman at the EL counter even told me "oh, you don't need this! This is for people who need a lot of coverage!" So that's what I expected. I have to say, the shade very light was perfect. The coverage however was comparable to revlon colorstay mineral mousse, which is now discontinued I think. The problem I have with both is upon applying, all dry patches show up. After about an hour, all my scars start showing up. I have better luck with maybelline super stay which costs a third of the price and looks way better.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

prettywoman46 on 9/17/2012 12:45:00 PM more reviews by prettywoman46

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Dark   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Overall, this a good concealer EXCEPT for the colors. I purchased this in dark expecting a color suitable for African-American. I wear a NC 45 in MAC. The darkest person that can wear this foundation is probably in the NC or NW 30ish range. Shame on EL for not including the entire customer base in this foundation.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

amyyy77 on 8/11/2012 10:49:00 AM more reviews by amyyy77

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

this product it AMAZING ! i had it on and my brother saw me that first day i had it on and told me my face looks like celebs flawless that's the nicest thing he has ever said :) my skin is dry so i use moisturizer under it but it looks so great on altho you cant really put it under your eyes you might need a concealer for that part because its a bit to thick and also you only need to apply a tiny tiny tiny bit and it'll look amazinggg trust me even if you have dry skin like me

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capemonique on 7/30/2012 9:30:00 PM more reviews by capemonique

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Other    

it is heavy, but a small amount is needed. I have been using this product since I was 18...they keep changing colors and formulas, but basically it is the same. Great coverage if you want a flawless look

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jella22 on 7/13/2012 2:11:00 AM more reviews by jella22

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST FOUNDATION I HAVE EVER USED !!!! an overall rating of 0 is best suited for this foundation. It literally felt like i was putting sludge on my face and the worst part is that 2 days after starting to use it i began breaking out badly !!!! this makeup is so thick and heavy that your poor skin cannot possible breath ..unfortunately clogged pores equals zits !!! as soon as i switched back to my HG foundation my skin improved drastically ! i will never use this product again and would not recommend this if you have acne prone skin

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

soniya123 on 6/6/2012 4:45:00 PM more reviews by soniya123

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

it gives crazy coverage and doesnt look caky even in daylight. but finding the right color is tricky, i got one shade darker than my color and am using it with bb creme it really stays longer and once fixed with mineral powder it stays at place.
the only issue for me is that its super matt and looks dull without mineral powder above it plus a little wrong shade can turn chalky or greyish with time. the only way to get full benefit is excelling the technique to apply it according to your requirement.

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*TOP REVIEWER* decoydream on 6/6/2012 4:24:00 AM more reviews by decoydream

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Black, Relaxed, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

My skin is: super oily yet dry in patches (its winter), large pores just about everywhere, pitted acne scars and a bit of redness here and there.

This foundation doesn't lie when it says maximum coverage! It covers all those problems listed above without the need for any additional concealer! When used in the right amount (which is very little - about a small pea size), it looks really lovely on the skin. Even the oil control isn't that bad - i don't need to use MAC's blot powder when i wear this, i just dust some Laura Mercier's translucent powder on. The only slight con i have is that it looks a bit patchy on the bridge of my nose.. it may be because the foundation seperates a little because i'm just so oily... But it's really not a big deal unless someone comes up and inspects your face :P

The packaging is simple and sanitary - simply squeeze out the amount of product you need. The price is a little high at $68 in Australia, but for such good pigment, it's worth it!

For reference, i'm Asian and i wear NC20 (MAC), 52-53 (Bourjois Healthy Mix) and in Estee Lauder's max coverage, i wear 03 Creamy Vanilla :)

EDIT: As i'm a little less pale now it's spring, i need to mix a bit of Bourjois's healthy mix in 53 in with the foundation to darken it and make the finish a little bit more dewy!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

AgentMakeup007 on 6/2/2012 8:22:00 PM more reviews by AgentMakeup007

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I LOVE THIS FOUNDATION! I swear by this product. I have combination skin, large pores, redness around the cheeks, ocassional acne spots, very visible veins around my eyes and scars... Yeah, very bad skin that makes me self-concious. Nothing had really covered my imperfections or dried right after moisturizer so I had lost hope when I saw this product at my mom's makeup bag and tried it out. I was so surprised with the results I bought one for myself. It covers amazingly with just a tiny amount, it glides on smoothly and it dries quickly (which is great for me because I don't have much time getting ready in the mornings). I was using Dermablend's cover cream before this, and believe me, this is SO much better at coverage and for your skin overall. It lasts all day and it won 't rub off like Dermablend products do. Oh, one tip : Make sure to exfoliate weekly and always moisturize your skin when using this product. It adheres to the skin and dries so well that it can accentuate dry spots on the face. Don 't recommend this to people with really dry skin.

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veebee2407 on 2/21/2012 1:13:00 AM more reviews by veebee2407

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I have extremely dry and acne prone skin. I have hyper pigmentation that I am extremely self-conscious of and I literally tried almost every foundation brand you can think of. I tried drug store to high end, and I saw the great reviews online and decided to go in and try it. I use a green tinted primer before I apply this and this foundation covers EVERY acne scar I have. I use a tiny bit of it and apply it with a flat top brush. I do not use a setting powder, just a finishing spray and it lasts me all day. I go to school and I work and before I would be so embarrassed to see how my foundation would fade away when I would come home. Now I don't even think about it. Yes it is a heavy coverage, but a lot isn't needed. My skin does not feel as if I have a full coverage foundation on and it matches my skin tone so I do not have worries about my skin not looking natural. It's a bit pricey cost a little over $30, but it's worth it. One bottle for me last's me 6 months and I'm on my THIRD bottle! This is my holy grail. I am in the process of trying to get rid of my acne scars, but even after it's gone I would still use this. If you have a lot of acne scars, invest in a good green tinted primer (I use makeup forever) you won't need concealer (I hate them they never work for me, I have too many scars). If you have dry skin, you won't need a blotting powder with this. This foundation does transfer, so just be a little cautious when touching your face. Overall, great product! I even got my mother to use this product.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

GreenEyedBlondie on 2/13/2012 11:53:00 AM more reviews by GreenEyedBlondie

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Skin Type:
VERY oily around nose, cheeks, chin and forehead. Large pores around cheeks. Very dry and patchy around eye area and around mouth. Lots of acne, acne scaring and blackheads.

What I'm Looking For:
A full coverage, matte foundation that controlls oil and looks natural.

Right, I have a love/hate relationship with this product. I bought this about 4 months ago. In the shop the woman applying it to my face was struggling to make it look good on my terrible skin, complaining that I needed to find a good moisturizer, cleanser and toner (i already have these things, its just I was on a pill for my acne back then so my skin was at its worst). The finished result looked average, I guess. It was cracked around the nose and had settled into the fine lines in the eye area, so as you can imagine I wasnt that impressed. Still, I had run out of my normal foundation and was desperate, so I bought it. I rushed home, did lots of cleansing and toning and then applied it using a foundation brush. It looked nice and natural around my cheeks, but made any dry patches stand out horribly and around my larger pore areas it gave me a 'pixelated' look - not attractive! It also gave me dry patches around the cheeks after I took it off. Because it was so expensive though I decided to try it again in a couple of months when some of my acne had cleared up.
After about 4 months there was no acne left, just lots of scarring and a few spots around the forehead. Most of the dryness had disappeared. I decided to try it again. I experimented with different techniques and found that blending it in with my fingers worked best. This time it looked better, but it still wasnt the 'flawless' look i wanted, and I found that when I took it off there was still an awful lot of product stuck in my pores. It also made me go shiny very quickly. So i decided to mix it up with different creams/moisterizers/foundations. I eventually found that it looked lovely mixed with L'oreal Paris matte magique foundation. The only problem I had with this though is that it made my skin oily after just 30 mins! Arrgh. I have returned to my normal foundation and I will go on a search to find a good primer or powder for this foundation that will keep my oilyness at bay. I will edit when I have found one! All in all, this is a good foundation. One of the best I've used as long as you use it correctly.
Thanks for reading!

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