After 13 years as one of the best-selling face creams on the market, Charlotte Tilbury's much-loved Magic Cream has been revamped. But is the new formula as good as the original? For the past six weeks, the beauty team have been testing the new formula and comparing it to the OG - and we have thoughts.
Loved by celebrities, models and customers alike, Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream has been an iconic beauty buy for years. With one pot sold every minute globally, this stuff literally flies off the shelves. Have you ever wondered what Sienna Miller's glowing skin secret is? You guessed it - Magic Cream.
So why change the formula of one of the best Charlotte Tilbury products? It's a good question, and one we united as a beauty team to answer.
How the new Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream differs from the old formula
Long hailed as one of the best face moisturiser options on the market, the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream is a global award-winning cream that has been loved for over a decade. So it's a very bold move to reformulate.
So, what's new? The new Magic Cream has been boosted with a first-to-market Recoverstrem Peptide complex, which contains 100 multi-action peptides which are extracted from the stem cells of the Eternal Jasmine Youth Plant (known for its ability to constantly renew). This complex has the incredible ability to transform and recover the look of skin both instantly and over time, which makes it a win-win for skin that's already showing signs of ageing, such as collagen loss and lines.
RRP: From £54 for 30ml
If you're looking for a moisturiser that actually makes a difference to your skin, then you may wish to give this new formula a go. It's packed with so many powerful skincare ingredients, namely peptides, that are shown to not only prevent skin damage but actually reverse it - so is particularly well suited to a more mature skin type.
As a team, we were surprised to see such an iconic product being changed, but the revamped formula does come with some seriously impressive claims, so we immediately got to testing. Here's exactly what we thought.
1. Beauty Director, Sarah Cooper-White
I've always been a big fan of Magic Cream. I loved the buttery, rich texture that left my dry skin smooth and supple. I wasn't convinced it could be improved, until that is I tried the newly reformulated version. All I can say is wow! My complexion has never looked better - it's juicy and plumped. I really feel like there's some kind of magic that happens, literally, when you apply the cream. It's like an Instagram filter for your face. It gives the appearance of lines and wrinkles being blurred, a bit like a primer might do before you apply foundation. I've already used up one whole pot and am about to start on a second! Believe the hype - it's a wonder!
2. Senior beauty editor Rhiannon's review
I'll admit that I was quite hesitant to try this - I'm not the biggest fan of the original formula. I found it too heavy on my skin; it never felt like it sank in properly, staying on the surface with a slight waxiness. When I heard about the reformulation, I was, firstly, scandalised, and secondly, intrigued. The clinical trial results sounded almost too good to be true, as did the before-and-after pictures. Well, one use and I was totally hooked. I love the texture of it - it manages to be nourishing while staying really lightweight and silky. My skin has an immediate glow without looking too shiny, and it sinks in quickly enough for me to follow on with SPF quite soon after. I'm halfway through my first tub, and I'm already panicking about running out. It's a brilliant, beautiful moisturiser that makes a noticeable difference to the smoothness of my skin. The risky reformulation absolutely has paid off.
3. Beauty Editor, Jessica's review
I would say I've always loved the original and used it interchangeably for day and night, although sometimes it would feel a bit too heavy, and my makeup would slip and slide a bit over the top. The newer version made my skin feel just as plump and hydrated as the original, and it seems smoother too. I love that it's lighter than the original, which means it sits much better under makeup, and I did get a couple of compliments on my skin the first day I wore it. Clearly, it's got all the same benefits as last time, with an improved formula.
4. Beauty Writer, Annie's review
I'll admit it, I really didn't get on with the original and always reached for the Water Gel version as it was lighter and absorbed into my skin better. I'm really not a fan of heavy creams, so I couldn't get the original to work for me. To my surprise, the new lighter cream melted into my skin straight away and left it looking immediately plump, fresh and radiant. I'm glad that I can now wear it under makeup (I wouldn't have dared before), and I love that it not only makes my skin look instantly better but that over time it's working to improve firmness, dullness and hydration. I've fallen completely in love with the new Magic Cream and plan to continue to use it religiously ahead of my upcoming wedding, so hopefully I'll be glowing down the aisle.
To cut a long story short, we all adore this new formula. It's a risky move to reformulate something so well-loved, but it's absolutely paid off.
It's a very rare occurrence when the entire beauty team agrees on something to this extent - the new Magic Cream just really is that good. Thank you, Charlotte, for your service to glowing skin.
