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The Charlotte Tilbury line was easily the most exciting launch in recent years. I love the makeup and have written about it on numerous occasions, but what of the skincare?
There’s an eye makeup remover, a cleanser and the most talked about of all – the Magic Cream.
Is it capable of magic?
Well, yes. But only for a certain, very specific group of people.
What is it?
The story of the cream is that Charlotte made it herself and used it backstage on the models and it came to be known as ‘the Magic Cream’. Well I think we can politely dismiss this as excessive marketing. If CT made this particular cream herself, I’ll eat a tub of it in a video. I do wish they’d said ‘this is inspired by my backstage work when I would mix creams together because I could never find anything good enough’ – or some such – but what do I know?
The claims underneath the ‘product information’ on the website are so far reaching that if this were ever to air on QVC, they would have to re-write the entire description, so extreme are they.
What’s in it?
All the ingredients are listed on the website – score!
‘Water (Aqua), Homosalate , Glyceryl Stearate SE, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Octocrylene, Cetyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Steareth-21, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Disodium Edta, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed
Oil, Michelia Alba Leaf Oil, Sodium Lactate, Coco-Glucoside, PEG-8, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Nicotiana Sylvestris Leaf Cell Culture, Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, plus a little bit of top secret magic…’
Ok well for starters it shouldn’t/doesn’t have a ‘little bit of top secret magic’ because
that would be illegal, but brilliant marketing is an integral part of Charlotte’s success…so carrying on…
Possible Allergy/acne triggers?
Sunscreens, Shea Butter, Essential oils
What’s not in it?
Mineral oil, Parabens
Anything else?
Peptides
Who is it for?
What they say:
‘Everyone I come across, from models to my mother, has dehydrated, stressed-out, fragile skin. You may have an oily T-zone, but all skin types benefit from a rich, oily cream.’ *spits tea all over keyboard*
No. This is where I saddle up my horse and move to the next rodeo.
What’s good /not so good about it?
This cream is amazing for people with really dry, devitalised skin. Even better, ageing, dry, devitalised skin.
It is, in my humble opinion. entirely inappropriate for those of you (us) with combination, oily and god forbid – acne skins. It is designed to make your skin look fabulous quickly – and I can completely see it working backstage on models who are on their 40th show at the end of fashion week and need to look fabulous and glowing for 10 minutes on the catwalk. To that end, if you need to look BOOM AMAZING for an evening out, you will get the same result – worth bearing in mind.
But: for the average consumer struggling with skin issues outside of dryness such as combination, spots, redness, acne – basically everyone else, it’s a no from me.
Which is fine, I’m sure as the brand grows there will be additions to the range and we may see ‘Magic Lotion’ or some such more appropriate for the rest of us. The range is crying out for a serum – and then we can all join in the fun.
How do you use it?
As you would any thicker moisturiser – spread between your fingertips briefly, apply straight to the face and massage in.
Although touted as the only moisturiser you need, do not sleep in this.
Sleeping in SPF is a: pointless and b: a waste of your hard-earned money and c: comedogenic.
If dryness is an issue for you, or you skin has been looking dull and devitalised, by all means check this out. My Mum loves it.
I would err on the side of caution and not buy without sampling if you have any of the other skin types/conditions.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream is £70 and available on her website www.charlottetilbury.com/charlottes-magic-cream and at all CT stockists.
