Once upon a time, I couldn't have cared less about foundation. I didn't have perfect skin, but it was fiiiine. Then life happened, and I was introduced to a whole new slew of skin problems I'd never had before—adult acne is real, kids.
So when beauty editors and bloggers started eulogizing Charlotte Tilbury's five-years-in-the-making Magic Foundation this past fall, I had to get my hands on it. The problem was it wasn't available in the U.S....until now 🙏.
Just two months into 2016, it's already being deemed the best foundation of the year—and having finally tried it for myself, I can attest to its poreless powers. It's straight-up magic.
For one, when you wear it you can totally get by without concealer or color correction. I'm telling you—enough tactful layering of this velvety formula and you can cover anything: redness (my personal issue), cystic acne, pigmentation. Often times this level of coverage can skew cakey, but because it blends so well, it yields a dewy, melts-into-your-skin finish that lasts. all. day. No primer necessary. Plus, its 15 shades present a wide spectrum that caters to all skin tones.
And if you're skeptical, you can literally witness the transformation firsthand as Tilbury has created a video mini-series that showcases her Magic Foundation in action, correcting a multitude of skin problems including severe acne and birthmarks.
As if the coverage alone isn't enough of a draw, there are also the hidden benefits. You'd never know it from the final result, or even the consistency of the emulsion, but it actually has SPF 15 baked into it. I've found that sunscreen, both when it's included (too ghostly) and when it's not (sun damage really scares me), to be the downfall of many a foundation formula. So this execution was thoroughly impressive to me.
Then, there are the active ingredients, which include:
- Laricyl: A French-beloved concentrated mushroom extract that improves firmness while moisturizing.
- Hyaluronic Acid: A super-moisturizing ingredient (in sphere form) that provides deep hydration while smoothing and plumping up the skin.
- Supercharged Vitamin C AKA VC-IP: A breakthrough foundation ingredient made from super-charged Vitamin C that feeds skin cells energy while reducing the overproduction of melanocytes, which causes uneven skin tone.
Okay, so I know it sounds like I'm totally drinking the Kool-Aid because I am, but this foundation really is that good. Like, I never-want-to-take-it-off good. $44 may be steep, but in my mind, if your makeup doesn't have the right canvas, all is lost.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, $44; charlottetilbury.com.
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