Five years ago, I would have never opted for a foundation stick. I was team liquid foundation all the way. However, they say the pandemic forever changed our beauty routines, and they (whoever they are) aren’t wrong. All those months at home gave me more time to experiment with new products and stray from my norm: liquid foundation or the occasional tinted moisturizer. I discovered my love for foundation sticks and their ease of use. I grew to love the “less is more” approach and how breathable they feel on my skin. The latest one to come across my desk is Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick, and let’s just say, it’s unlike any other.
What I Love About This Foundation Stick
Of course the makeup queen herself, Charlotte Tilbury, couldn’t launch just any ol’ foundation stick. She had to imbue her glitz and glam into the formula for the ultimate glow, and that’s exactly what you’ll get. The glow is next-level and celestial, but not in a glittery or greasy way. True to Tilbury’s ethos, it smooths, blurs and gives you that supermodel-skin effect.
The stick glides on seamlessly, though you do want to moisturize before using it. I’d recommend that with any foundation product, however. And if you use primer, apply that beforehand as well. The non-comedogenic formula blends multi-molecular weight hyaluronic acid with light-mapping micro-fine pearlescent filters to “cascade light across the face.” Tilbury likens it to “a ring light in a hydrating foundation stick.” I have to agree. There are also long-term skin-care benefits from Collageneer, a patented, plant-based ingredient that helps improve skin’s firmness over time. In a clinical trial, skin immediately looked 97-percent smoother and 67-percent plumper. It also stayed hydrated for up to 24 hours.
There are 20 “stretchable shades,” and after swatching a few, I chose 6 Medium. I’ve never been a true “medium” in my life, but this formula is different than anything else I’ve tried. I probably could have gone a shade lighter, but I loved the “just spent a week in St. Barths” look I was able to achieve. Tilbury actually recommends going one shade deeper if you want “a bronzed soft glow.” For me, I’d almost compare the effect on my skin to the combination of a foundation, a bronzer and a highlighter.
BUY ON CHARLOTTE TILBURY – $46
How to Use It
This foundation stick is very creamy, almost like a balm-cream, so you can easily apply it with your fingers. I tried this method and it worked well because the heat from my fingertips helped it melt into my skin. However, my personal preference is to use a foundation brush. Tilbury recommends both options, and says it’s so easy, you could apply this stick in the dark. She also recommends applying the stick from the center of your face outward, which is what I like to do as well.
