Charlotte Tilbury's Award-Winning Magic Cream Is Worth Every Bit of the Hype

After years and years of religiously reading everything and anything that pertains to beauty, one starts to pick up on certain patterns—primarily, the products that keep popping up again and again. These are the holy grails. The ones that reviewers, beauty editors, and makeup artists alike vow are the real deal. They're not necessarily new and trendy, and they can come in all persuasions, from drugstore to the highest of high-end. In this category that sees the likes of classic Clinique and spurge-worthy Chanel, you'll also find Charlotte Tilbury. Above all, beyond even her cult-favorite Pillow Talk lipstick shade, you'll find her Magic Cream.

I've come across dozens of editors and makeup artists who all say the same thing: Magic Cream is seriously magical. So, how does a makeup-focused brand end up with an award-winning skin-care product? Simple. It's because makeup is only as good as the base it's applied on, and this heavy-duty face cream claims to give you the most hydrated, plumped, and smooth canvas ever. Upon testing, I definitely get the hype. As someone who cannot often shop ultra-rich moisturizers due to having skin prone to clogged pores, I was surprised to find the relatively sensitive ingredients in Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream made it something I could actually test. Cue actual fireworks popping off in my beauty-crazed head.

Courtesy Charlotte Tilbury

Using a combination of collagen-stimulating peptides, plumping hyaluronic acid, and the dynamic duo that is vitamins C and E, the Magic Cream hits the antiaging trifecta not only for long-term wrinkle-busting effects—100 percent of testers reported reduced wrinkles, according to the brand's website—but also for instant gratification perks like smoothed texture and plumped skin, which is why it is heralded by many makeup artists as the best base cream to apply before foundation. After a week of use, I noticed that my skin looked more awake and hydrated when left bare and then quite literally glowed in ways it never has after applying makeup. (I will also live and die using Charlotte Tilbury's highlighter-primer hybrid Hollywood Flawless Filter.)

So if you're looking for a super hydrating moisturizer that improves your overall skin while reducing signs of aging in real time, fancy this antiaging cream the ultimate fighter to have on your side.

Shop It: $64; nordstrom.com

This magical cream has me feeling more confident than ever, makeup or no makeup. Snag a jar and get the glow.