Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, my review

“Is it magic or is it foundation?” Charlotte Tilbury doesn’t go in for half-measures to brag about her latest foundation, the Magic Foundation.

But Charlotte is like the hawker of the makeup world, really.
You know, these streets merchants who are selling improbable stuff by auction, “Folks, don’t hesitate! There won’t be enough for everyone! This product is outstanding, it’s a bargain! ” And that’s how we end up with either a masher/ a cherry pit remover/ a yogurt maker that once purchased, will probably end up in the basement very quickly…
Well, of course, the difference here is that the products she’s selling are actually great.

But still, Charlotte is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and talk about her eponymous label herself in many videos or even on her own counters when she can.
And the least we can say is that she has no doubt and no complex. Her products are the best in the world and she firmly believes it!

Anyway, even if she’s not super subtle, her power of persuasion is very strong and effective:

I challenge you to watch 2-3 Charlotte Tilbury’s videos in a row and not feel the urge to buy all the products she’s talking about! I’ve never heard so many “amazing”, “gorgeous”, “wonderful” and “woooow” in such a short amount of time! (I know, I’ve never watched teleshopping, thats probably why lol).

Well I’m joking here but the fact that Charlotte Tilbury products are actually very good in general and also literally adored by the entire beauty addicts community doesn’t exactly help us resisting them.

Anyway, I wasn’t able to… I needed it!

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, presentation:

What Charlotte Tilbury says about it:

My Magic Foundation is a miracle in a bottle that transforms skin for all ages, skin tones and skin types.
I have worked with laboratories for five years to create a “hyper-intelligent” formula that gives full-coverage yet feels completely weightless, with all the anti-ageing and protective benefits of a luxury skin cream. It conceals imperfections, glides on like a dream, and literally feels like a second skin.
Whether your skin needs just a bit of perfecting, or you struggle with a frustrating issue like acne, melasma or rosacea, my Magic Foundation will give you a perfect looking skin day, every day!

So it’s a high coverage liquid foundation which still feels very light on the skin (unlike a lot of high coverage foundations I’ve tried like the Estée Lauder Double Wear for example). It’s supposed to cover all skin flaws like pimples, blackheads, enlarged pores, redness, age spots and even dark circles (not mine unfortunately sad ).

The finish is semi-matte to matte but not flat at all; it’s very luminous on the skin. It’s also long-lasting, which is perfect for the hot and sweaty Dubai climate. We had a lot of crazy humidity days here these last few months, so it was easy to crash-test this foundation! wink

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, my test and thoughts:

– Innovation and formula: The brand boasts a formula infused with anti-aging ingredients (moisturizing hyaluronic acid, firming Laricyl and antioxidant vitamin C). But I’m not sure about this, really. For me, a foundation can’t have a real treating action on the skin as it’s supposed to stay on the surface of the skin. Now if it doesn’t dry the skin out and protects it against pollution, it’s always good. smile
It also contains an SPF 15 (which is not super useful in Dubai because it’s too low but this could be interesting if you live in a temperate climate).
For me, the innovation here is more in the light feeling on the skin even though it’s a rather high-coverage product. You can barely feel it, it doesn’t feel like a mask. When you live in a hot country, it’s a real bonus!

– Color Range: 15 shades from very light to very dark, which is really not bad at all! I have the shade #3, a neutral beige not too pink or too yellow, perfect for my skin tone.

– Packaging: the 30ml bottle is very pretty but not practical at all, especially at first. The cap has to be raised to be opened and I almost let it fall on the floor because I didn’t understand how it worked (yes, I’m a little dumb sometimes :P). And because it’s a glass bottle, it would have been a disaster! sad
It also contains a pump which let’s be clear, distributes way too much product! You need to be careful with it if you don’t want to waste too much product.

– Application: I tried many ways to apply it and once again, the Beauty Blender is a winner. This egg-shape neon pink makeup sponge has no equal for blending foundation onto the skin. And when it comes to high coverage formula like this one, the finish is way more natural when you apply with a Beauty Blender!
I also really like using a makeup brush-especially a short, dense brush like the Smith Cosmetics (on my photo) which is great but I would love if it didn’t cover my face with hairs every time I’m using it! uneasy At this rate, it will be bald in less than two months! (nice, especially considering the price…). So, I rather use my beloved 104 Zoeva brush and the result is perfect! smile
In quantity, I generally use 1/2 pump, that’s more than enough!

– Pigmentation and coverage: I just want to clarify a little the Charlotte Tilbury claim here because it’s not necessarily the most covering foundation I’ve tried. I would say it’s between a medium and a high coverage.
However, it doesn’t completely cover the imperfections in my case, I have to layer (1 pump of product). It’s rather buildable and doesn’t leave a cakey finish. But in my case, I prefer to use a concealer for the areas that I want to hide and to cover only where I need. wink

– Finish: it’s a little noticeable on the skin but the result remains pretty and natural. It doesn’t emphasize the pores or the dry patches too much. I would say it’s a semi-matte finish. I personally use powder to set it but normal or dry skin could easily skip that step.

– Lasting Power: the lasting power is very good and I’ve tried it in quite extreme conditions: there was some days in the last few weeks, where it was 99% humidity in Dubai, and I was spending my days outside house hunting. Little to no AC involved of course. A real joy as you can imagine…
Well, I wouldn’t say that my foundation remained exactly the same after a few hours in the heat, but the result was more than acceptable. It was always there, a little more greasy of course, but it hadn’t disappeared! Good job, Charlotte! Maybe it is magic, after all! wink

– Value For Money: like all the Charlotte Tilbury products, it’s not cheap ($45). However, I think it’s a great product so the value for money ratio is not that bad.

Finally, here’s the swatch:

As you can see in the photo, it’s quite creamy, but it blends into the skin very easily, I promise you! wink

And on me:

I used the shade #3 (1/2 pump) and I applied it with my Beauty Blender.
And in case you’re wondering, my lip combo is the MAC Boldly Bare lip pencil with the beautiful lip-gloss Kirsten by Anastasia Beverly Hills. wink

So, in summary:

[wprs-pros][wprs-cons]

This is a good foundation, especially if you fancy something more covering but still natural and very comfortable to wear.
I’m not sure I would call it “magic” like Charlotte but hey, now we know it, she always exaggerates a little! wink

The Magic Foundation is available on net-a-porter (but not the US site unfortunately) or on Charlotte Tilbury website for 29.50 £ ($45). The release date is not known yet for the US.

And you, have you tried the Magic Foundation by Charlotte Tilbury? If not, what is your favorite high coverage foundation?

Crédits photos: bonnie-garner.com