Will Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Foundation Work For Your Skin Type?

I’m a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Foundation which gives a natural, medium coverage, so I was intrigued to try the Airbrush Flawless Foundation which bills itself as full coverage. It definitely is. Any imperfections, redness, pores and unevenness disappeared, and it gave a matte effect as promised. A pretty thick texture, on the first try I attempted applying it with my fingers, but it didn’t blend well and I needed to reach for my stippling brush to blur any streaks and give it the ‘flawless’ effect I was hoping for.

By the second and third time I applied it, I’d perfected buffing it in with a foundation brush and realised a little goes a long way. Just a dot on the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin was enough to blend out and give a full face of coverage.

It does say that this foundation has hydrating skincare benefits and is lightweight, but I wouldn’t apply it without at least my serum underneath. It did however glide over any products underneath without pilling and it didn’t migrate into creases or fine lines around my eyes which can sometimes be a side effect of heavier foundations.

The smooth, full coverage it gives is ideal for nights out, weddings, big events – basically, the occasions when you need a long-lasting finish and zero shine. It’s the worst when your foundation disappears halfway through the day, and this certainly won’t fade. If your skin is on the drier side, I would advise layering up some hydrating skin products underneath and if you have problem skin, this is great for covering blemishes, scars and open pores – just make sure you thoroughly cleanse and remove all traces before bedtime.

I’d say price-wise it’s what you’d expect to pay for a premium foundation and because you only need a small amount, it will last you a while. It won’t be replacing my everyday foundation; it was just a bit too dense – not uncomfortable but I prefer an end result that still allows your natural radiance to peek through rather than be masked.

As autumn approaches each year, I tend to swap out my summer skin tints and glow-giving BB creams for a foundation that offers a bit more coverage to conceal any pigmentation, yet still feels breathable. Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Foundation caught my eye, promising the best of both worlds: smoothing imperfections with a flawless, blurred finish while feeling almost weightless on the skin. Like Becci, I initially found it challenging to blend the velvety, somewhat thick texture seamlessly into my skin, as the formula sets quickly. My top tip: use a slightly damp sponge and work in small sections. While this method is a bit more time-consuming, you’ll achieve the high-coverage, soft-focus and even base that is so distinctive of Charlotte Tilbury.

Although this foundation is packed with a host of peptides and super-hydrating ingredients, I would highly recommend you prime your skin with a light layer of moisturiser or SPF before application. Without skin prep, this foundation did cling to some texture around my nose and settled into the fine lines I have around my eyes. That said, it’s extremely long-lasting; through my crammed commute, time in an air-conditioned office and evening activities, my pores remained minimised and no shine broke through as promised.

I find the formula a little too concentrated and rich for everyday use. Similar to Becci, I prefer a foundation that has a more radiant finish and allows your skin to still look like skin, rather than a mask in some sense. It’s the perfect choice for special occasions, however – you could generously build up the coverage for a wedding or late events without any worries the foundation will require touch-ups or disappear from your complexion as the night unfolds.

If you struggle to find a foundation that’s opaque enough to cover blemishes, redness or any unevenness, this might just be your magic in a bottle. Likewise, I would also recommend it if you have oil-prone skin – this base will set down swiftly to secure greater longevity, have less slip and mattify any unwanted shine.