Charlotte Tilbury Magic Star Highlighter Review & Swatches
Magic Star
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Star Magic Star Highlighter ($45.00 for 0.35 oz.) is a rich, medium-dark gold with strong, warm undertones and a lightly sparkling, metallic finish. It had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, while the texture was smooth to the touch, dense without being too firmly-pressed in the pan but had no powderiness at all.
It had more of the gel-powder, almost baked-like feel to it, so it played best with moderately dense brushes (over something like a fan brush, which is very feathery). It could be picked up with a lighter hand or diffused in a soft, buffing motion for sheerer coverage if preferred. The powder applied evenly and blended out nicely along the edges and didn’t emphasize my skin’s natural texture. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading visibly on me.
Top Dupes
- MAC Whisper of Gilt (P, $42.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Becca Topaz Flashes Gilt (LE, $34.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Oh, Darling! (P, $42.00) is less shimmery, brighter (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever #02 (P, $39.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Anastasia Dripping in Gold (LE, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Estee Lauder Heat Wave (LE, $47.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- The Estee Edit 14K Glow (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Dior Midnight Wish (LE, $45.00) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Gilty (LE, $49.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Golden Flower Crown (P, $4.99) is darker (90% similar).
Ingredients
MICA, CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE, HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER, SQUALANE, OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE, GLYCERIN, POLYSORBATE 20, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CHONDRUS CRISPUS (CARRAGEENAN), XANTHAN GUM, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, SILICA, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, [+/- TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499)].
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.
Totally gorgeous, but Lord help me, I have 3 dupes! I’m swimming in gold highlighters! ?
SHOCKING! Dupes for a medium gold highlighter?? No way 😉
I’m kinda dying to know which other gold highlighters you have now!! (…addict here! As a mixed-race NC25 with a notably golden undertone, so I’m always happy ( and sorta greedy) when I discover a new (or new-to-me) warm, not neutral, undertoned-gold highlighter 🙂 )
I literally have 7 dupes ???♀️ I clearly don’t need it ! At least I do love my gold highlighters !
The highlighter is beautiful but it’s exclusive to the Charlotte Tilbury website ??
What a gorgeous gold shade that is! Just beautiful.
I kinda want to get this although I have several dupes already. Love the embossing and packaging.
Good lawd help me, I love it. I just bought EL heat wave and both of the new MAC face palettes that just came out. Im tryin not to love this but I have yet to buy anything from CT. This might be it??
I had my eye on this since it launched. But I am, for example NARS ‘Mont Blanc’ & MAC ‘NC15’.
Do you think it is too dark for us fair women to be an actual highlight?
It looks gorgeous on you though!!
Hi Odielle,
Really depends on your application, what your expectations are of a highlighter, etc. I wear highlighters that are darker than my skin tone but still consider them effectively highlighting since they have shimmer and add shine/reflection to particular areas. I’m a little lighter than NC20 presently.
Okay thank you Christine, I will definitely consider picking this up sometime.
I just loooove the look of this one!
*sigh* the color is gorgeous and that packaging! But I have the CT Goldgasm liquid highlight, so I’ll pass on this. Too pricey for something I won’t get so much use out of.
Hi, I’m considering getting this but I have Ofra Rodeo Drive. Do you know if they are pretty similar?? Or is the CT Magic Star formula way better.
I have a medium skin tone so I can wear this – but I have to say I’m surprised how deep this is.
I’m a sucker for a beautifully packaged highlighter – luckily this shade is waaay too dark for my fair skin as a “highlighter.”
Lovely! Very just right color too! I could use this in a smaller size.