We Put Charlotte Tilbury's New Unreal Blush To The Test

Niamh’s Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush review

• My skin tone: Light/medium skin tone with olive undertones

• The shade I reviewed: in Pretty Glow

Right away, I was struck by how pigmented this blush stick is, you barely need to swipe it on before the colour shows up. The texture instantly reminded me of the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Foundation: creamy, glowy, and almost weightless. It blends beautifully into skin, melting in without sitting on top, and gives that lit-from-within kind of radiance.

The shade Pretty Glow is a cool-toned, blue-pink that gives the cheeks a fresh, doll-like flush. It’s the kind of pink that instantly lifts your complexion without looking overdone.

I applied the blush using a fluffy complexion brush from my temples, along my cheek bones and across my nose for a real flushed look. I always use whatever is left on my brush and lightly tap across the centre of my forehead and my chin, I find it really ties everything together and makes me feel as though I've spent the day in the sun.

I was incredibly impressed with how the formula lasted, I have tried many blushes, and I find it is the one part of my face that tends to fade first. I road tested this blush on an office day and upon my return home my cheeks were still pink and flushed, with no reapplication!

Olivia’s Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick review

• My skin tone: Neutral with olive undertones

• The shade I reviewed: in Cherry Glow

The formula is gorgeous. It is almost like a pigmented balm, so you can apply a small amount for a more natural finish, but it is also buildable to a strong pigment. I think the finish is really smooth and doesn’t look cakey. It blends out really well and a little goes a long way.

I tried the shade Cherry Glow, a gorgeous cherry red colour and really liked it. I usually opt for a more peachy-pink colour, but the colour really popped yet still looked natural when applied and blended. I also think this shade would be better suited to a deep skin tone for a more everyday blush.

With the shade being a deeper red than I would normally go for, I applied the blush across the bridge of my nose to give a natural, sun kissed look as this is where I usually catch the sun. I also added some lightly on my cheekbones and blended it all out with a brush.

Impressively, the blush lasted, and although the pigment did fade slightly, it was still rosy at the end of the day. I’ll definitely use Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Blush again, especially when I have a tan.

Julie’s Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush Review

• My skin tone: Fair

• The shade I reviewed: in Pinky Glow

As a big fan of the Unreal Foundation, I knew I would get on well with this blush. I love anything that is stick format and glides on for a two minute on the go coverage. Also, I’m a big fan of the packaging as I can easily grab it from the bottom of my handbag with one hand.

The formula is very heavily pigmented, so I was surprised at how lightweight it felt. I tried the Pinky Glow shade, which is very pink but extremely buildable. I would caution that a little goes a long way! The finish was quite light with a buttery in feel and finish.

I watched the Charlotte Tilbury Pro Artists use this (I had a sneak peek a while ago!) and they used their fingers to blend out, which makes it really easy to apply (and reapply). I followed to suit to blend along my cheekbones and reapplied with my Beauty Blender. I probably wouldn’t use a brush just based on the ease of the stick format.

Stephanie’s Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick Review

• My skin tone: Pale with freckles

• The shade I reviewed: in Rosey Glow

Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Blush is very pigmented, however it’s also easy to blend if you prefer a softer finish. You only need a small amount, so I think the stick will last a long time too. I really liked the glowy, dewy finish, it really does give you that post-holiday radiance.

The packaging and stick format made it really easy to apply and blend out. I applied it directly along my cheekbones and used a makeup brush to blend, but your fingers would also work.

In terms of longevity, this cream blush lasted well without requiring a top up throughout the day. I’d also say it’s good for travelling because it doesn’t count as liquid which is a winner for me!

Vanessa’s Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush review

• My skin tone: Olive

• The shade I reviewed: in Berry Glow

I love blush in every shape and form, and since Charlotte Tilbury takes up a significant amount of space in my makeup collection, I was so excited to try to this new blush stick. I went for the shade Berry Glow, which as the name suggests is a lovely berry shade that looks very punchy upon first sight!

I applied it straight onto my cheeks and blended it out with a brush – this is how I usually apply cream and liquid blushes; I don’t feel the result is as good when I use my fingers. The formula is super creamy, a lot creamier than other stick blushes I own.

I didn’t find the finish too radiant – I think it was a nice balance between silky and matte. But what surprised me the most was that, in contrast to how it looks, the colour came out quite sheer. This isn’t a bad thing as I definitely have blush blindness and go overboard sometimes! Plus, it was super easy to build up for a punchier look.

Because I have oily skin and love a pop of colour on my cheeks, I normally always go over a cream or liquid formula with a powder formula – it helps with excess shine and my makeup look last longer. This is how I chose to wear it most times, but for the sake of this review, I of course wore it on its own to see how it would last on oily skin. I wore it on office days and I was surprised that there was still colour by the end of the day (I don’t think it lasted right up until the late evening though). However, I felt like my face was looking excessively shiny, and my pores a bit more emphasised.

I also tried it with the Unreal Sheer Glow Tint, which I actually love despite having an oily complexion. To be honest, I felt like the combination of the two was just too creamy, and powder was essential for me to balance it all out.

I’ll most likely keep using it as it’s a lovely shade and a surprisingly long-lasting formula that works well under powder formulas. Plus, even though my pores may have looked prominent towards the end of the day, I did feel like, for a good few hours at least, it sat really nicely on my skin and even made it look healthy.

Ruby’s Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Blush review

• My skin tone: Fair

• The shade I reviewed: in Pinky Glow

As everyone else has said, Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Skin Blush is super pigmented, but it blends really nicely. What I liked the most about the finish was that it gave a gorgeous glow without being too glittery.

I swiped the blush directly onto my skin and blended with a small brush along my cheekbones and across the bridge of my nose. The texture is very soft and lightweight, however I’m not sure my skin felt particularly hydrated as a result of using the cream blush.

Every time I used Unreal Skin Blush Healthy Glow Stick it lasted very well – even after taking a couple of sweaty Tube rides. I would definitely keep using it again as it leaves your skin looking healthy and glowy.

Our Verdict On Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Blush Healthy Glow Stick

Unlike a lot of products, had no bad reviews. All six of our reviewers liked the shade they’d chosen, the texture and the finish, and everyone was impressed by how long it stayed in place which is no mean feat for a cream blush.

PROS: The six shades cater to a range of skin tones. Olivia felt that the rich tones in Cherry Glow would suit darker skin tones too, as would Vanessa’s Berry Glow shade. “What I really loved was how buildable it is. You can keep it soft and sheer for a natural flush, or layer it up for that bold, statement cheek,” Niamh adds.

CONS: Those with an oily skin type might find it too creamy. “I don’t think I would use it in the height of summer or take it with me on holiday – it would just be a bit too much for my oily skin,” Vanessa told us. “I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to someone with balanced or dry skin though.” Julie used a primer and setting spray to keep her Unreal Skin Blush in place.

More From Charlotte Tilbury

It’s one of the biggest beauty brands in the world, so of course there is a Charlotte Tilbury product for just about every preference an occasion. For us, the brand’s base products really are some of the greatest available. Whether you’re looking for full coverage foundation (try Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation, € 44,85) or more of a tinted moisturiser with buildable coverage (hello, Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation, € 44,85), Charlotte Tilbury has it covered.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter, € 44,85 is one of our all-time bestselling makeup products and can be layered on top of your base or worn alone depending on your vibe. Most importantly, all Charlotte Tilbury foundations and base products cater to different skin tones with a huge range of shades.