We’re all on the hunt for the best foundation. But if you’ve ever felt that your skin is far too oily to get away with a glowy foundation in the summer, I can relate. Well, fellow oily girls assemble, because I’ve just discovered the perfect dewy foundation for oily skin: the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint.
When it comes to summer make-up, Charlotte Tilbury’s products do not disappoint – and this new product is no exception. Despite being a stick foundation (the first of its kind for the brand, in fact) it still somehow manages to leave the glowy filter-like finish that Charlotte Tilbury’s products are famous for.
How so? Firstly, it’s infused with super hydrating and skin-plumping ingredients like hyaluronic acid and plant-powered Collageneer™, supposedly keeping hydration locked in for 24 hours. It’s also packed with micro-fine pearlescent filters to provide an extra luminous finish. Lovely.
If you’re after one of the best foundations for dry skin, foundations for acne-prone skin, dewy foundations and even tinted moisturisers, we have some in-depth guides for those too, but I’m here to talk about the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint.
Now that it’s officially summer, I really want my skin to have a lustrous finish, so how did my oily skin get on with this dew-inducing foundation stick – especially in the current heatwave we’re having? Shop it for yourself below, and read on for my honest review
My review of the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint
Firstly, I think it’s important you know a little bit about my skin. It’s oily, acne-prone and sensitive, with enlarged pores and texture to boot – definitely not the easiest skin type to find a glowy foundation for.
I’ll be entirely honest here: I wasn’t sure how I would get on with this foundation at first. Upon immediate application, I adored the radiant finish it gave my skin, but historically, dew-inducing foundations don’t tend to last on me so I was sceptical as to how it would hold up throughout the day.
To apply, I swiped a few lines around my forehead, cheeks, nose and chin and blended in with my fingers as I would a moisturiser. I was a huge fan of how quick and easy it was to apply, and it blended in like a dream.
When it came to the finish, this foundation had a sheer/light coverage, which you could probably build to a light/medium coverage at best – enough to blur pores and redness. I was a fan of how it let my natural skin shine through. However, this is definitely not a full-coverage foundation by any means, so if that’s what you typically go for, then I would steer clear.
Valeza after a few hours of wearing the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint
(Image credit: Valeza Bakolli)
I’m currently experiencing more skin texture issues than normal, and was expecting this foundation to exaggerate them, but it works similar to the brand’s iconic Flawless Filter in that it smoothes over pores and texture, rather than exaggerating them like some foundations can do. Full disclosure: it won’t cover spots, which I’d recommend going over with your favourite concealer, and a dusting of powder is still a good idea if your skin falls on the oilier side. I set the areas around my nose and chin with powder before getting on with my day (the dewiness still shone through).
This is probably not something I’d wear on its own or on minimal make-up days, like I would a tinted moisturiser. Despite its lightweight coverage, this is the type of foundation I feel really shines with a full face of make-up, complete with the glowiest of skin. But that’s just my personal preference – if you don’t have any texture issues, this would probably make a sensational minimal make-up base.
So, how did it hold up? Throughout the day, I got multiple compliments on how radiant my skin looked, and most importantly, my foundation didn’t slip and slide around my face or cake up in certain areas. I had a full day of events from 11am to 10pm on the day I first wore it, so I really put it through its paces.
Overall, the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint did what it promised and gave my skin an unreal glow. It’s summer skin in convenient stick packaging, and has now taken up permanent residence in my make-up bag.