I'm Picky About Foundation, but This Filter-Like Option Gives Me a Dewy Glow

Cathy Nelson

July 12, 2024 at 3:00 PM·3 min read

Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

The lightweight formula is from a Drew Barrymore-used brand.

<p>Instagram @charlottetilbury</p> — Instagram @charlottetilbury

I’ll admit that when it comes to foundation, I’m picky. Although the product is a must in my makeup bag, any foundation that lands there has to check a lot of boxes; it has to even out my skin tone, smooth my complexion, cover fine lines, and give me a refreshed glow without caking.

My latest quest to find a lightweight foundation happened to coincide with the launch of Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Skin Foundation Stick, a skin tint-meets-foundation in a tube with lightweight coverage that delivers a filter-like glow, with anti-aging skin care benefits to boot.

<p>Charlotte Tilbury</p> — Charlotte Tilbury

If you aren’t familiar with Charlotte Tilbury, the British makeup artist’s eponymous brand is a celeb fave, gracing many famous faces on and off the red carpet. Fans include Drew Barrymore, Amal Clooney, Emma Stone, Sofia Vergara—and me (what can I say, I like to keep good company). While the brand’s innovation and oh-so-glam packaging was initially what drew me in—looking at you Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand and Pillowtalk Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur—it’s the fact that products work like a charm that has kept me reaching for more.

With the Unreal Skin Foundation Stick already on the radar of celebs like Tyla, who achieved her glowing 2024 BET Awards look using it, I was ready to give it a try. The foundation comes in 20 shades, packaged in an eye-catching rose gold and white tube sure to stand out on any vanity. If you don’t like to spend a lot of time applying foundation, this stick will be your new best friend. A few swipes of the creamy balm across my chin, cheeks, forehead, and nose, followed by a quick outwards blend with my fingers, and in less than 10 seconds, I was finished.

But what thrilled me more than the ease of application was how glowing and smooth the foundation made my skin look and feel. My fine lines were smoothed out but coverage wasn’t heavy thanks to the promised sheer tint; it was like having my own personal blurring filter.

The Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Foundation Stick has a non-comedogenic formula that also contains hydrating hyaluronic acid, plant collagen to lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and vitamin E to draw in moisture and help strengthen the skin barrier. All these anti-aging heroes work to improve skin appearance both instantly and over time. After wearing the foundation for hours, my skin still felt soft and hydrated, but never greasy—even in 90-degree heat.

I also love that the coverage is buildable, so you can customize your application to the season and occasion. Shoppers agree, raving about how the foundation “melts into the skin for a flawless look” and is a “fabulous multi-tasker in super gorgeous packaging.”

Shop the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Foundation Stick if you’re ready to blend and glow, plus more fan- and celeb-favorite products from the brand, below.