- A beauty writer reviewed multiple viral Charlotte Tilbury makeup products, wearing them for at least 12 hours to test their performance.
- Charlotte Tilbury products excel for red carpet-style glam looks and drier skin types, but can feel pricey and less ideal for oily skin.
- With Charlotte Tilbury now on Amazon (and on sale), cult favorites and new launches are easier to shop than ever.
From viral tutorials to the most exclusive red carpet events, Charlotte Tilbury's makeup is absolutely everywhere. Since its 2013 launch, the celebrity MUA's eponymous line has graced Cosmo's Holy Grail Beauty Awards, as well as the faces of A-listers like Bella Hadid (a brand ambassador), Kate Moss, and Drew Barrymore. So, in honor of its Amazon storefront launch and everything being on sale (!!!!), I refreshed my Charlotte Tilbury stash to see which products are *actually* worth the hype.
As a beauty-obsessed editor who's tried pretty much every popular makeup brand on the market, I've had Charlotte Tilbury's Flawless Filter and Pillow Talk lip liner in my rotation for years—but I've been curious about some of the brand's newer launches, like the Airbrush Flawless Matte Foundation that's all over my FYP. To achieve the full ~Hollywood glam~ look, I tested five of the brand's best-sellers for at least 12 hours and gave my honest thoughts on each one.
Darlings—without further ado, here's my unfiltered review of Charlotte Tilbury's most viral makeup products.
Hollywood Flawless Filter
Let's kick things off with Charlotte Tilbury's most viral product: Hollywood Flawless Filter. Designed to blur pores and imperfections while giving skin a dewy, lit-from-within glow, it claims to work like an IRL filter for your face. It comes in 11 sheer shades, and I went with 2.5 Fair.
There are a handful of different ways to use this product: you can wear it on its own for a "no-makeup-makeup" effect, mix it into your foundation for a boost of radiance, or use it as a highlighter on the high points of your face. I prefer applying it before foundation as an illuminating primer.
Flawless Filter has been a staple in my makeup collection for more than two years now, and I reach for it any time I have a special event where I want to look extra ~luminous~. As someone with combination skin, it's my secret weapon for preventing patchy spots from forming beneath my foundation. The formula is definitely dewy, so I avoid placing it on oilier areas like the sides of my nose—and people with oily skin types may want to skip it altogether.
Airbrush Flawless Matte Foundation and Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
One of the newest additions to Charlotte Tilbury's lineup, Airbrush Flawless Foundation has created quite the buzz among beauty editors and influencers for its weightless feel and matte, full-coverage finish—and I'm here to put those claims to the test. It comes in 44 shades, and I tried out 3 Neutral.
Honestly, after coming of age during the ultra-matte era of 2014, I've stuck to dewier formulas in fear of looking like Flashback Mary (IYKYK). BUT! This foundation might make me a convert. The texture is medium-thin and was an absolute dream to blend; I tested it with both my fingers and a brush, and I was genuinely shocked by how little effort I had to use to cover my face evenly. I usually have to go back in with concealer to hide the broken capillaries on my cheeks, but this foundation covered e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g with just one pump.
If you're skeptical about matte foundations emphasizing dryness, I'm happy to report that this formula felt creamy, comfortable, and hydrating—especially after priming with Flawless Filter. I pretty much always develop dry spots around my mouth after a few hours of wearing foundation, and I was kinda shocked that I didn't notice that with this one. It creased beneath my eyes around the 4-hour mark, but nothing that a little powder top-up couldn't fix.
As the final touch to my base, I swiped on some Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder, which gave my skin a soft, diffused look without going cakey in the slightest. My one complaint? My base transferred onto my phone and sunglasses, even after using said powder—so I recommend locking everything in with a setting spray (like Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, our editors' favorite splurge pick).
Beauty Light Wand
TikTok convinced me that I had to try Charlotte Tilbury's Beauty Light Wand, which combines the radiant shimmer of a highlighter with the rosy flush of a blush—who doesn't love a multitasker? It comes in seven different shades, and I went with Pinkgasm, a rose pink.
Let's start with the pros: the formula is gorgeous. It's sheer yet buildable and blends easily (I'm noting a theme here), so it won't intimidate blush newbies. Since it's a cream formula, it's super hydrating and doesn't emphasize dryness or texture. I also adore how the non-chunky shimmer catches the light—it made my cheekbones look like they'd been dusted with rose gold foil.
The downside? I'm not a fan of the packaging. It's a flexible tube with a cushion-tip applicator, which you have to twist and squeeze to dispense the product. I personally like using a brush, and the cushion tip makes it challenging to get enough product onto the brush. Instead, I ended up swiping it onto my hand and then picking it up with a brush. Sure, it looks beautiful once applied, but the application required a few extra steps for someone who's always doing her makeup in a rush.
Plus, at $42 for .41 fl oz, it's not a lot of product for the price (and it's not *the* most pigmented blush in the world, so you will go through it fairly quickly).
Lip Cheat
If I had to pick only one lip liner to use for the rest of my life, it would be Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk. It truly deserves all the hype: The plush, velvety texture glides without tugging, and the mauvey-pink shade is the perfect "my lips but better" hue for my light, neutral-toned complexion. There are four different Pillow Talk variations to suit your skin tone, and Lip Cheat comes in a total of 20 shades.
I've been a fan of the OG Pillow Talk shade for years, and it's still my go-to for defining my pout—I actually have three of them stashed in different purses. Why, you ask? Because the formula manages to be hydrating yet long-lasting, and it actually stays put on my lips after six hours of eating, drinking, and yapping. And since the color is so versatile, it's the ideal base layer for my expansive lip gloss collection—though it looks just as pretty on its own.
Final Thoughts + Shopping
TL;DR: If you want to achieve an airbrushed, camera-ready look without hiring a makeup artist, Charlotte Tilbury is 100 percent worth the splurge, in my opinion. (Plus, it's on rare sale to celebrate the Amazon launch!) Is it expensive? Sure, but the quality of the formulas is unmatched—after all, there's a reason why it's a staple for bridal and red carpet makeup. I also noticed that the formulas are on the creamier side, making them a great pick for drier and mature skin types. That said, if your skin is oily, the brand's complexion products might make you look greasy.
Personally, I'll be reaching for Charlotte Tilbury on dressier occasions when I want my makeup to look more "makeup-y" than my everyday 10-minute routine (save for Lip Cheat—I want to be buried in that lip liner). But if you adore a full-coverage glam moment, Charlotte Tilbury deserves a spot in your rotation—especially the Airbrush Flawless Foundation, which is a new favorite of mine.
My Favorite Charlotte Tilbury Products
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Setting Powder
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat
Lauren Gruber is an associate commerce editor at Hearst Magazines, where she writes for publications like Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Prevention, Country Living, House Beautiful, and more. She has over four years of professional experience covering a variety of lifestyle topics from home to fashion, with an advanced background in beauty and fragrance. When she’s not researching the most worthy Prime Day deals or hands-on testing all the latest perfume launches, Lauren is probably hanging out with her cat Serafina or flexing her AMC A-List membership at the movie theater.
You can find her previous work at Entertainment Tonight, Shop TODAY, USA Today, Self Magazine, L’Officiel USA, V Magazine, and Modern Luxury Media.
