Press Sample/Affiliate Links
The beauty world has been abuzz with talk of the recently released Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation ($44.00 // Nordstrom). Originally, last year, this was released in the UK only (with a lot of us in talks to make a group order to get our hands on it early and save on shipping – which didn’t end up happening because no one knew what their shade would be in the formula) and was getting stellar reviews from bloggers overseas. On the Charlotte Tilbury Instagram page the before and afters were just stunning and amped us all up even more. Who doesn’t want an easy to apply foundation that hides all of the facial imperfections of life such as large pores, acne, melasma, rosacea.. you get me.
I do have pores (wahhh), some left-over acne scarring spots and some melasma under my eyes/upper cheek area. Cover all the things, Magic Foundation.
For how to use it just says to “apply with a complexion brush for flawless, poreless, weightless coverage”.
Application & Wear.
I’ve tried to apply this foundation a few different ways. (1) The first was with a brush, since Charlotte Tilbury has released the Magic Complexion Brush which has been shown used in conjunction with the Magic Foundation. I didn’t buy that particular brush but I do have a few that are similar from IT Cosmetics (I used this one). I applied a few dots of the foundation on my face and buffed it out. The foundation buffed out nicely and helped my complexion a bit. On this attempt I didn’t find it to be full coverage but more of a medium demi-matte. TBH at this point I wasn’t super impressed. But, in the spirit of a full review, I tried again… twice.
On the second attempt (2) I decided to just go ham and full coverage myself and apply a ball of this foundation with my hands. Okay, a ball probably seems like a lot but it wasn’t a ton. Applying this product with my fingers did give a fuller coverage and it still blended out well and evenly. I still wasn’t over the moon, probably because it was a little too much coverage at this point (which I fixed with a damp beautyblender).
On my (3) third attempt I took a dollop of product off of the applicator and swiped it on the back of my hand. I then took the IT Cosmetics brush (the one similar to the Charlotte Tilbury IMO – might not be IRL) and dabbed it into the product and then dabbed the product all over my face using the brush. I blended it out with that same brush and then added a bit more of the product left over to areas that needed more coverage. THIS was the best way, for me, to apply this foundation. I loved the end result. It was the perfect combination of coverage, matte finish but not too matte, not heavy… wonderful!
Wear time wasn’t too bad. I’m incredibly oily so I did get shiny within about 2 hours or so, which isn’t the worst result for my skin but it’s not the best. To fix the oil resurfacing I dusted on a bit more of Loose Setting Powder and that obviously helped.
I don’t recommend using a beautyblender as your only application method with this foundation unless you’re looking for a sheerer coverage of the light to light-medium level. If you’re into a lot of steps you could apply the foundation first with the beautyblender and then use the brush method I used in step 1, but that’s just going to give you the results that I got in step 3.
I have oily skin and I do think this is a good product, it covered well and I’m happy with how my makeup looked on top of it. If you have dry skin check out my girl Mallory’s YouTube video on how she’s applying & wearing this foundation on her dry skin – her amazing before and after included!!
Are you going to check out the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation? Tell me what you think about it in the comments!
You can pick up Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation at Nordstrom, Beautylish, Bergdorf Goodman and charlottetilbury.com.
*Press Sample/Affiliate Links
Oh it looks like it looks so flawless on!!
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I need to try this – I’m always looking for ways to hide my giant pores
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I love a good foundation! Even though it seems like it’s a little tricky to apply, I want to try out! It sounds awesome!
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sounds like a great product!!
xo,
Sandy
Sandy a la Mode
This definitley sounds like a magical foundation! I’ll have to give it a try!
I’m glad to read your different application methods with this foundation. I’ve tried a Beauty Blender (agree it was MEH.) and a brush that was probably too dense. I’m feeling this might be a little too thick and heavy coverage, but I’ll try a few more times. I’m also irritated because I had Beautylish help me pick out my shade (3) and it seems really light. Lighter than the shade in your pics. So weird. I’ll keep trying. 😉 Thanks for the review Brooke!
Hi Amber! Mallory said Beautylish told her shade 3 also and she’s MUCH lighter than I am which is how I knew to request shade 3. That IT Cosmetics brush was perfect for application and if you pull the applicator out of the bottle rather than use the pump it gives the perfect amount (for me anyway lol).
I am always on the hunt for a good foundation, I might give this one a try.
I love that you tried it so many ways!
I’ve heard some pretty good things about this though. I really need to give it a try.
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OMG I totally need this. I am glad that it works well for oily skin since I am normal to oily usually. I am totally grabbing this, because I have been lusting for this foundation forever!!!! I NEED IT!!!
I’ve tried this. I wasn’t impressed. I found it exaggerated a few acne scars i have. Which was majorly disappointing as i don’t normally have this problem with most foundations – especially not high ones. I’ve also heard this is difficult to blend, I didn’t have this problem though xx
I definitely didn’t have the blending problem, but if people with the issue are using a brush that isn’t dense enough (or even too dense, for that matter) I could see where they’d run into the issue. For leftover acne marks or scars I do use a bit of Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in conjunction with this.
This is a great post. Sometimes it is all in how you apply something. It’s a good reminder that if a product you like isn’t working for you, it might be time to try a different tool.
Wait. I just have to say this bc I am not sure if you know.. this foundation has a pump. It’s that rose gold cap.. pull off and it’s a white pump. I DID read some people said the pump wasn’t working for them, but I saw your pics and just wanted to make sure you knew!
Anyways! So I am in between shade 6 and 7 (6 is just a tad too light and 7 is fine if I’m self tanned). I like the creamy consistency, but you’re totally right… it’s surprisingly not full coverage with one application even though the consistency is thicker. I found it builds very well and about 2.5 pumps gives me full coverage for my old acne scars. It lasts well on my skin, but there’s just something about the texture on my skin that makes me a little ambivalent about the formula. It sort of reminds me of a less drying, more natural Estee Lauder Double Wear.
So excited to read more US bloggers talking about this foundation now 🙂
Imma be honest, I totally didn’t know at first (when I took the pics which was before I used it) and then on my initial attempt I unscrewed it thinking how weird it was with no pump. bahahah then I remembered the YouTube videos and had my duh moment. I couldn’t get product to come out of the pump at first, the way it was releasing was bizarre and I figured I broke it with how I originally opened it. Good to know at least that part isn’t just me! I get just about the right amount of product opening it the wrong way so at least it wasn’t for nothing LMAO
Did you say which shade you got?
And for your preferred application, sometimes I use a contact lens case. Squirt, pump, or drop into the lens case then apply with the brush from there. I’m accident prone and this keeps me from getting foundation down my arm or shirt.
It’s in 03! That’s a good idea about the contacts case, I have more of those than I know what to do with!
I have yet to try it but I really want to!
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Well it certainly sounds like a promising product, especially since you tried it in a variety of ways & found out which works best for you. :]
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