As the summer weather heats up, most of us are swapping out our full-coverage complexion products in favor of lightweight makeup options. Or, if you’re anything like me, you ditch the foundation completely from June to September. Over the years, I’ve tried a variety of skin tints, tinted serums and barely there foundations to wear specifically through the humid NYC summers, yet none have come close in weightlessness, longevity or glow-enhancing prowess to Charlotte Tilbury’s new Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick.
As someone who tends to shy away from complexion products — especially in the summer — I’m amazed at how this has leveled up my makeup routine for the better. The weightless foundation acts like a blurring filter to enhance glow and even out lines in seconds. “You’ll look fresh the moment you apply it,” Charlotte Tilbury says. “It instantly gives you energized, radiant skin.”
At a time where stick complexion products are booming, Tilbury’s latest innovation strays from the heavy, matte textures that rule the category. Instead, this “AI filter in a stick” — as she likes to call it — seamlessly blurs, fills in fine lines, imparts the most natural radiance and feels like nothing on the skin. “For me, it wasn’t about the stick format, it was always about the results,” Tilbury tells us. “I wanted to create a one-and-done foundation that takes seconds to use. Really, all you have to do is scribble it all over your face and rub it in,” she says with a laugh.
That ease of use is one thing — it has seriously simplified my makeup routine — but it’s the featherlight texture and the natural lit-from-within glow I’m left with that have made me reconsider my stance on summertime foundation. As I tell Tilbury this over Zoom, she’s not the least bit surprised. “It’s like a second skin that provides an instant smoothing and blurring effect,” she says. “You see it immediately and then over time as it improves the skin.” The stick not only boasts weightless pigment, but also provides skin benefits with hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and daikon radish seed oil (a hydrating ingredient).
This new foundation is just one way Tilbury recommends creating an effortlessly radiant summer makeup look, though. In true queen of glow fashion, Tilbury shared endless tips for boosting your skin’s luster. Keep reading to get the lowdown on how to achieve (and maintain) a natural brilliance this summer and beyond.
Charlotte Tilbury’s tips for glowy summer makeup
You won’t be able to glow if you’re burnt! Tilbury stresses the importance of using sunscreen, and she makes it easy in this multitasking SPF 50 primer. “I created this primer with Korean scientists," she shares. "It leaves no white cast, filters your skin and provides SPF 50+ UV protection. You can use it as a moisturizer, primer and sunscreen all in one!”
“If you aren’t able to go on holiday but want to cheat the glow, you can with this,” says Tilbury. The tanning drops give you a subtle sun-kissed look that builds over time while also infusing skin with nourishment from hyaluronic acid and a special skin barrier booster that smooths out texture.
Inspired by dreamy island sunsets on Ibiza, these new creamy lip and cheek pots perk up your complexion and help you achieve a cohesive look in a flash. “It replicates that golden-hour glow when the light hits your face and everyone looks so beautiful,” Tilbury says. Dab a tiny bit across your cheeks, nose and lips for a healthy, beachy sheen.
Tilbury’s secret for extending her glow from head to toe? This body highlighter. “I’m a pale girl, and I use it all the time,” she says. “It really defines, smoothes out and elongates my legs.” Plus, she also recommends applying it on your arms and collarbones to feel like a supermodel anytime you step outside.
To add a bit of sparkle to your eyes Tilbury suggests these long-lasting eyeshadow pencils. Available in nine hues, there’s a shade designed to enhance every eye color so they’ll dazzle in the summer sun. “Plus, once they’re set, they don't budge for 16 hours. You can even go swimming!” she says.
The key to preventing a makeup meltdown in the summer heat is this setting spray, but Tilbury has a “Met Ball Special” trick to keep you looking fresh for longer. “As the spray is drying down, pat the Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder over top,” she explains. “The result is poreless and flawless — J.Lo goes nuts for this.”