Charlotte Tilbury Fair (1) Hollywood Flawless Filter Review, Photos, Swatches
Fair (1)
Charlotte Tilbury Fair (1) Hollywood Flawless Filter ($44.00 for 1.00 fl. oz.) is a soft, very light peach with a fine, pearlescent sheen and lightly dewy finish. My favorite way to use it as a highlighter on top of foundation or mixed in with foundation, though it also worked well fully layered under my foundation or as a standalone highlighter on bare skin.
The texture was smooth and lightweight, like a thin gel-based primer in feel, so the product easily spread across my skin for an all-over application (worn as primer, per the brand), and it made my skin look radiant. I can see one person finding that finish to look “oily,” and another person to feel like it looks beautifully glowing–it’s definitely very radiant on its own, so I’d recommend strategically applying it over bare skin, like a very diffused highlighter, or mixing it in with moisturizer if you’re someone who wants glow but not full-on dewiness.
I also liked to gently swiped the product on using the included doe-foot applicator on the high planes of my face, diffused and blended (over a greater area than I would have if using it specificially to highlight my cheekbones) and gently dabbed foundation over it. I recommend using a sheer to medium coverage over something full coverage, because full coverage will work better when it’s mixed in otherwise the coverage level will tamp down the luminosity quite a bit.
As a standalone highlighter, it gave me a lit-from-within-glow that was luminous but not tacky or truly glossy, just looked dewy on my skin. It worked as well over bare skin as it did blended on top of foundation for me. On its own, it lasted well for nine hours with minimal fading and no migration as a cheek highlighter. As a primer, it seemed to help my makeup go on more smoothly but didn’t notice any extension of wear (but no shortening either); though the brand made no claim about it extending longevity, only that it would improve the finish and give skin a glow (so I didn’t rate it down for not extending the wear).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Auric Morganite 2.0 (P, $45.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- elf 1 (Fair Neutral Peach) (P, $14.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Pink Moon (P, $38.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Auric Morganite (DC, $45.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Auric Selenite (P, $45.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Burberry Nude Radiance No. 01 (P, $48.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Becca Moonstone (P, $41.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- LORAC Destined (LE, $23.00) is more shimmery, more pigmented (85% similar).
- Cle de Peau Bal Masque (LE, $120.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Laura Mercier Highlight 01 (P, ) is more shimmery, darker, more pigmented (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$44.00/1 oz. - $44.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "customizable complexion booster" that can be used as a primer, highlighter, or mixed with base products. The line includes seven shades, like a more typical foundation or concealer range, but they have sheerer coverage and fine pearl, so there is some flexibility, though for added luminosity (but not altering color) all-over, one would want to choose a shade closer to their actual skin tone.
It has a jumbo-sized, doe-foot applicator, which I preferred for spot highlighting and priming but isn't as functional for mixing in with base products (compared to a pump). I find that the lighter shades look very similar when mixed with foundation or layered under it, so the shade range is more flexible than it might seem (for some skin tones).
The texture was smooth and lightweight, like a thin gel-based primer in feel, so the product easily spread across my skin for an all-over application (worn as primer, per the brand), and it made my skin look radiant. I can see one person finding that finish to look "oily," and another person to feel like it looks beautifully glowing--it's definitely very radiant on its own, so I'd recommend strategically applying it over bare skin, like a very diffused highlighter, or mixing it in with moisturizer if you're someone who wants glow but not full-on dewiness.
I also liked to gently swiped the product on using the included doe-foot applicator on the high planes of my face, diffused and blended (over a greater area than I would have if using it specifically to highlight my cheekbones) and gently dabbed foundation over it. I recommend using a sheer to medium coverage foundation over something full coverage, because full coverage will work better when it's mixed in otherwise the coverage level will tamp down the luminosity quite a bit.
As a standalone highlighter, it gave me a lit-from-within-glow that was luminous but not tacky or truly glossy, just looked dewy on my skin. It worked as well over bare skin as it did blended on top of foundation for me. On its own, it lasted well for nine hours with minimal fading and no migration as a cheek highlighter. As a primer, it seemed to help my makeup go on more smoothly but I didn't notice any extension of wear (but no shortening either); though the brand made no claim about it extending longevity, only that it would improve the finish and give skin a glow (so I didn't rate it down for not extending the wear).
Browse all of our Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter swatches.
Ingredients
Aqua/Water/Eau, Hydrogenated Didecene, Mica, Glycerin, Propanediol, Squalane, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Isoamyl Laurate, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Glycosaminoglycans, Hoya Lacunosa Flower Extract, [May Contain/Peut Contenir (+/-): Iron Oxides (Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499), Bismuth Oxychloride (Ci 77163), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891).
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Looks Using this Product
(Please excuse this probably stupid question.)
If I use this product strategically on top of a full coverage foundation like EL Double Wear to accent my cheekbones, can I still use setting powder, and if so, how will it affect it, and is there a difference in which setting powder works best? I don’t like looking dewy, so I always set my foundation with RCMA or Laura Mercier Translucent, but I do like a little highlight on my (virtually non-existent) cheekbones.
It’s going to depend on just how much and how you set – like if you pack on the powder, then you are absolutely going to mattify and lose a lot of luminosity regardless. If you did it strategically, I’d consider powdering first, then laying down this product and using a setting spray afterward.
Hmm. Sounds like this might not work well for me. I’ll stick to powder highlighter. Money saved!
I had already ordered Shade 2 since it’ a CT shade match for her foundation I use. I’ve been thinking about picking up this shade as a highlighter. Thanks for the reveiw!
No problem!
Hi,
Not sure which shade would look most natural for me. I have the same skintone as you Christine, which shade do you prefer on your skin?
I’m hesitating between shade 2 and 3…
Thanks!
The jump between two and three is greater than one and two. For brightening/highlighting, I prefer Fair or Light. I just got Medium (4) today, and I’d say that’s actually more in line with my-skintone-but-better (much less warm).
I picked this up in fair and used it twice and frankly have lost it. I have searched high and low and am wondering if I may have left it in the hotel when I was in Spokane which is where I purchased it. I don’t remember loving it as it didn’t seem to impart much of a glow to my skin but I think I may have applied all over my face before foundation rather than tapping on after foundation. In either event, I am not sure if I will purchase again but will check it out again when I am in Seattle this weekend.
Oh no!! I hope you can find yours, Deborah 🙁
This product has a beautiful finish and the shade is delicate. Love it.
Hi Christine.. on applying this mixed in with foundation, do you think the effect would be similar or different to if I mixed and applied foundation mixed with mac strobe cream?
Christine, could you please swatch all shades you have side by side?
You can view all swatches in the Swatch Gallery.