Charlotte Tilbury Fair (2.5) Hollywood Flawless Filter Review & Swatches

Fair (2.5)

Charlotte Tilbury Fair (2.5) Hollywood Flawless Filter Charlotte Tilbury Fair (2.5) Hollywood Flawless Filter ($44.00 for 1 oz.) is a light-medium, peachy gold with warmer, more golden undertones and a luminous, pearl-like sheen. The shimmer was very, very fine, so it had a lit-from-within effect rather than appearing overtly shimmery, even when applied as a standalone highlighter.

The consistency was lightweight, fluid, and more gel-like, as it spread readily across bare skin and over foundation without lifting it up. It can be used as a highlighter on the high points of the face or mixed in with various base products (moisturizer, foundation, etc.). It worn well for nine hours as a highlighter and did not impede the wear of my complexion products when mixed in, though it did help everything apply a little nicer.

The coverage was flexible; it was more noticeable and pigmented when patted onto the tops of cheek bones but was readily sheered out for all-over glow if desired. You’ll want to get closer to your actual skin tone if you plan to wear it all-over (especially alone), but I find that when mixed with foundation or tinted moisturizer, the shades lose their depth and retain mostly their tone.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Charlotte Tilbury Light/Medium (3) (P, $44.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Frosty (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Medium (4) (P, $44.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Reflects Gilt (LE, $50.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Tarte Exposed (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Algenist Champagne (PiP, $38.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Original (P, $38.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Giorgio Armani No. 02 (P, $62.00) is more shimmery (85% similar).
Marc Jacobs Beauty Sunlit (P, $32.00) is lighter, cooler (85% similar).
NYX Moonbeam (P, $6.99) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).

View Swatches

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, [+/- 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.

Fair (2.5)

PPermanent. $44.00.

9.5

Product

Pigmentation

9.5

Texture

9.5

Longevity

Application

97%

Total

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