Charlotte Tilbury

 Airbrush Flawless Finish Blurring & Setting Powder

Most Helpful Positive Review

Beautiful blurring effect,a little too matte for my dry skin

[I received this product complimentary in exchange for my honest review.] Beautiful blurring effect, but a little too matte for my dry skin I was really excited to try the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in Fair 1, especially because enlarged/visible pores and texture are some of... the main things I look to minimize when setting my makeup. I've actually used the original Charlotte Tilbury powder in the past and remember absolutely loving it. At the time, though, my skin leaned much more combination. As I've gotten older, my skin has become significantly drier, and I think that really changed how this type of formula performs on me. I still see the beautiful blurring effect I remember, but I'm now much more aware of how a matte powder can emphasize dryness and settle into fine lines. For this application, I used a fluffy brush after all of my cream products, including foundation, concealer, cream bronzer and cream blush. I concentrated the powder under my eyes, through my T-zone, around my nose and over my laugh lines rather than heavily powdering my entire face. For reference, I have dry skin and did use a pore-filling primer as well as a hydrating setting mist with my makeup. My immediate first impression was that the blurring effect is REAL. It noticeably softened the appearance of the pores on my cheeks and around my nose and gave my complexion a smoother, more diffused appearance. I would consider the coverage light to medium depending on how much you apply. What surprised me most was how weightless it felt. Even after setting my makeup, I never had that heavy "I can feel powder sitting on my face" sensation. The finish, however, is definitely very matte on me. With my dry skin, there were areas where I could visually see the powder sitting over my base, which made those areas look slightly cakey rather than completely seamless. It also settled into some of the fine lines underneath my eyes and into the lines between my brows. That was probably my biggest disappointment because of how beautifully it blurred the appearance of the pores on my cheeks. That being said, I don't necessarily think this is a bad formula for dry skin—I think skin prep, your base products and application technique are going to matter a LOT. Next time I would pair it with heavier skin prep, a more hydrating foundation and primer combination, and use an even lighter hand around areas where I have fine lines. I could absolutely see someone with normal, combination or oily skin loving this finish, especially if oil control and a matte, blurred complexion are what they're looking for. Overall, I can understand why I loved this powder so much when my skin was more combination, and I still think its blurring ability is beautiful. Now that my skin is considerably drier, though, I have to be much more intentional about how I use it. For me, this is probably less of an all-over setting powder now and more of a targeted product I'd use sparingly in areas where I specifically want pore blurring or additional oil control. The pore-blurring effect and weightless feel are definitely the stars of the formula for me, while the ultra-matte finish and tendency to settle into my fine lines keep it from being completely flawless on my current skin type. I'm impressed enough with the blurring that I'll continue experimenting with my skin prep and base products rather than writing it off completely. My experience with this powder years ago versus now is also a good reminder that sometimes a product hasn't necessarily stopped working—your skin and what it needs can change.