February 24, 2016

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream Review & Swatches

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream 2

At this point in your skincare life I’m sure you’ve heard about Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream ($100) because, well, everyone is talking about how incredible and life changing Magic Cream is.

With a name like Magic Cream one would expect all sorts of wonders from it right? Especially with all the raving and hype that surrounds it!

Magic Cream supposedly contains a “secret mix” of patented anti-aging that hydrate skin while lifting and transforming dullness so skin is flooded with moisture which in turns leaves the user with a glowing complexion. This moisturizer apparently fights aging by stimulating collagen product and cell energy while fighting free radicals and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It promises to restore hydration and elasticity so skin looks smoother. But wait there’s more….!

It also promotes healthy cell renewal so lackluster, duller, tired looking skin is refreshed and revitalized!

It’s also a whooping $100 for a 1.7 oz jar.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream

I feel that Charlotte’s collection was built upon Magic Cream. It’s such a staple product that instantly comes to mind when you think Charlotte Tilbury. Or at least that’s how I feel. This is a cult favorite product that gained super notoriety thanks to ravings from beauty editors, bloggers, and many, many fans. I’m just surprised more people aren’t ranting the fact that they are getting $100 worth of product in a jar packaging….hmmmm!

I got Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream when I purchased the Magic Skin Trilogy back in December for $285. I was skeptical about this trio but I don’t regret the purchase in the least as I ended up loving the new Magic Night Rescue Cream and Magic Eye Rescue.

This comes in an elegant faceted jar with a rose gold lid. It’s very pretty but unfortunately jar packaging means that the formula is rendered useless each time you twist open that cap! I must admit to being disappointed they didn’t give you a spatula for scooping product out of the jar. This is a $100 jar of moisturizer, I mean, really, a spatula would be a nice feature!

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream 5

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream 6

I’ve heard people describe the cream as having a subtle pearlescent finish which is where that promised “glow” comes from. This worried me as I dislike anything with a glow-y finish. Thankfully I failed to notice anything glow-y about the finish on my skin. I think the formula relies on moisture most to ease dullness and a lackluster complexion. I personally know my own dry skin becomes duller when it is drier and more moisture makes it look much, much better. Magic Cream provides intense moisture thus my skin looks better using it.

This is promoted to provide a smooth canvas when applied under foundation but I have to say at first I was skeptical about using this as a day cream as it is very rich. The base of the cream is shea butter plus it also contains rosehip oil it also has a very strong rose fragrance. I like rose but I actually felt the fragrance was a bit too much and it might prove irritating to sensitive users. I think the cream relies mostly on these two ingredients for the moisture it provides but the real star here is sodium hyaluronate/Hyaluronic Acid which helps retain moisture. It also contains some decent anti-aging ingredients but with the jar packaging, well, those won’t really be beneficial for very long. It also contains two forms of peptides but these are very far down on the list of ingredients.

I expressed my doubts above about using it as a day cream due to the fact that it is so rich. Turns out it worked fine for me as a day cream under my foundation but take into consideration I have dry skin. I would not recommend it for oily skin as a daily treatment as it may create unnecessary shine or oil. You only need a pea size amount or less as it is very, very moisturizing. Don’t overdo things during application. I didn’t have any issues with unnecessary shine or oil and it set to a very smooth, soft finish. The scent does linger a bit though.

I admit I was surprised. Considering how thick it is (it resembles a body cream!), it did absorb quickly and it did wear well under foundation. My face felt incredibly smooth and well hydrated but not dewy or oily after use. I’m thinking it might be too rich during the warmer weather but if I cut that pea size amount in half I might just be able to get away with it. It wore well under my makeup without causing it to slip or slide away. If anything at all it felt like my foundation wore longer with this used under it.

I’ve been using it for about two months now and I can’t say how beneficial it is in regards to aging, only time will tell but given the jar packaging it likely won’t matter much! I will say it is a powerhouse of a moisturizer and provides intense hydration which in turn results in smoother, softer skin that’s a lot less dull and lackluster. Does it lift my skin? Is it improving elasticity? I have my doubts about those benefits. I do wish it was available in a tube. Would I buy it again? Yes, if it was cheaper! Does it live up to the hype? Absolutely not. There’s a lot of reviews on this product that promote it as a miracle, I can’t say I experienced any miracles when using it aside from the fact that it does an excellent job at moisturizing skin but hey, for $100, I bet you can find a cart full of products that will do the same thing!

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream is available now at Nordstrom.com.

Tried it?

Do share your thoughts on it!

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Heidi

    FYI: Rosehip oil does not smell like rose at all. It’s great for the skin, though.

  • amy

    The biggest issue I have with this product, and the main reason I haven’t tried the brand at all, is the “secret blend” of ingredients. When it comes to skincare & food, I really believe *everything* needs to be disclosed; not being open about a product makes me wonder if it’s just some cheap, overpriced blend, or it could potentially be harmful. Either way, the brand comes off as dishonest…

    • Thea

      I’m with you on that! It makes me so suspicious when companies won’t list their ingredients. I have insanely sensitive skin as well, which means if I don’t know what’s in a product I don’t buy it.

      • Eric

        The ingredient list is on their UK website…
        http://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/charlottes-magic-cream.html

        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…

        Nothing exciting here as almost all the beneficial ingredients are way after the primary preservative (even the shea butter) ! For $100, you get mostly : water, chemical sunscreens, glycerin, thickeners, silicones…

        • Fran Ambrose

          It’s the best cream that I have ever used. I live in Colorado where it’s lovely, but a killer for one’s skin. I can’t imagine anything any better.

    • bj

      They do disclose all of the ingredients, at least for the US version. The list wasn’t on their site when it first was offered; but it was added at some point later, after it was listed elsewhere. That said, the list is really disappointing – it’s loaded with multiple kinds of inexpensive silicones, which give the illusion of the product being effective skincare (and for a lot of us can cause little bumps under the skin and/or outright breakouts). Here are the ingredients: 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…

      • bj

        (p.s. I think the “top secret magic” part at the end is just a bit of silliness.)

    • k sayre

      She is such a pretentious overrated person, I really hate her, other pro makeup artists actually give tips in their online tutorials, she just use it to promote her overpriced products.

  • Claire L

    I do think the cream is overrated, there have been some well respected reviewers saying that it isn’t all that and to take it with a pinch of salt! As you have as well. I wouldn’t buy it myself, it’s expensive for what it is and it’d most likely break me out.

  • Dee

    Lol! Agreed overrated! I swear it’s just good old fashioned cold cream, like my grandma used!! (Smells like it too!)

    • bj

      Seriously, what I’ve thought from the start, since the story goes that Charlotte created her own concoction backstage at runway shows and the like, is that she put together a few standard products. Seeing the ingredients in her own product only cemented that for me – based on them, it wouldn’t surprise me if it was cold cream and, like, an Oil of Olay product, and maybe something with more natural ingredients to give the illusion there’s something special included.

      I was actually a little shocked when I first saw the price, and then the ingredients added to that. Not as bad as, say, La Mer creams, which are also loaded with inexpensive ingredients but come at an even crazier high cost; but still, ugh. For someone to create their own line and go that way is an extra big bummer.

  • Nikole

    I know that I’m late to this party, but thank you to Eric and bj for getting and printing the ingredient list. And frankly, I cannot believe that she puts linalool, citranellol and geraniol in the product – those are known skin irritants. For $100, this is a definite pass.

  • Teresa

    I used to be a cosmetic formulater and can tell you there is plenty wrong with this formula. The main problem is that it contains peptides plus moisturizers. Most cosmetic ingredients are fairly inexpensive except for peptides. This product lists two peptides. In order for the peptides to be effective, they have to be able to penetrate the skin. If peptides are included in a product that contains oils and other moisturizers that form a film on the skin, the peptides will do nothing except increase the price of the product. Even hyaluronic acid will prevent absorption of peptides if the HA is high molecule. However, if the HA is low molecule, the peptide should be able to penetrate the skin. High molecule is moisturizing and low molecule is firming. Since you can’t tell which HA is included unless it is stated, it is best not to waste money on a serum or cream with HA and peptides. The best formula for peptides is a water based serum that you apply to clean skin. After the peptides are absorbed into the skin, moisturizer can be applied. Isomers is a good example of proper use of peptides. So is Clinique Laser Repair Serum., although I don’t think the Clinique product contains much peptide. If I was going to spend $100 on a single product, it sure wouldn’t be this stuff! It is obvious to me that the person who formulated this Magic Cream did not bother to research the use of peptides in products. If they didn’t want to read the product information, all they would have to do is ask the distributor’s technical advisor how to use the peptide. How hard is that?

  • Teresa

    I just want to add something to this review. I bought a 1/2 oz jar of Magic Cream to see what all the hype is about. After trying it for two weeks, and after seeing the ingredients listed in these reviews, my opinion is that the ‘magic’ ingredient is shea butter. Yep, that’s what makes it so moisturizing. I have a shea butter concoction on my bathroom counter that I made for myself. I get the same result from my formula as I do the Magic Cream. My formula does not contain hualuronic acid, but it has oils and vitamin E. I could easily add some HA to my shea butter cream and have just as good a formula as the Magic Cream. Looking at the ingredient list on the Magic Cream, this product should retail for no more than $30, and that’s on the high side. But Charlotte threw in a couple of peptides to increase the price even though they will provide no benefit whatsoever. This formula is ridiculously overpriced!!!