There are few beauty products that have remained in my make-up kit since they first launched but Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray is one. Hitting shelves in the summer of 2020, the setting spray was greeted by swarms of beauty buffs reemerging from the depths of the first Coronavirus lockdown when pubs, restaurants, and hairdressers opened up again, meaning make-up and our social calendars were back in session.
Months of having forgone a full beat for make-up-free WFH days left me in a serious make-up rut, but Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray injected some much-needed excitement back into my routine – the finish, the glow, the longevity! But Charlotte Tilbury isn't done perfecting our base just yet. Five years on, the brand welcomes the next generation of setting sprays: the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray Matte, £32.
What is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray Matte?
Charlotte Tilbury's newest innovation is a reimagined version of its first-ever setting spray, which wasn't just a viral success but a red carpet secret for a flurry of A-listers. Much like the OG, it imparts a micro- fine, ultra-light veil over the skin, which works hard to prevent make-up from fading, melting or creasing, meaning it stays locked in for up to 16 hours.
As the name suggests, it goes big on lending the brand's signature 'airbrush' finish, which Charlotte Tilbury MBE describes as, 'It looks like you have the most flattering digital blur filter on your skin, as though all your flaws and pores have been retouched in real time. No pro techniques, camera tricks or professional lighting needed.'
The new spray takes its inspiration from another Charlotte Tilbury product I can't live without (I mean it), the Airbrush Flawless Finish Compact Powder, £39, which smooths, blurs and lifts for a soft-focus finish, while tackling shine all-day. Much like the powder, the new spray is great for oily and combination skin types who crave a natural-looking soft-matte finish – one that controls shine but keeps the skin looking like skin.
It's something that is achieved with the inclusion of the brand's Powder Blur Technology™, which contains suspended light-diffusing powders that are released on application to deliver a blurred and smoothed soft-focus natural matte airbrushed effect. Also inspired by the powder is the inclusion of the brand's Dual-Action Oil + Shine Control Complex, which blends algae biotech extract, to mimic the blurring effects of silica and absorb oil, as well as lemon myrtle leaf extract, to protect against external environmental aggressors and control shine throughout the day. Together they supports sebum absorption for matte, soft, cushioning effect.
Similar to the OG spray, it also features PoreAway™ Technology, which is infused with aromatic resin derived from tree bark grown on the Greek island of Chios and does much to tighten and refine the look of pores, while Flawless Film Formers create that featherweight, waterproof, second-skin veil that is unique to Charlotte Tilbury's setting spray offerings.
'As a makeup artist to the stars, I have been creating iconic matte make-up looks for years, delivering flawless, poreless-looking skin with a natural soft-matte finish that doesn’t look flat,' explains Tilbury, 'but not everyone finds it easy to mimic this look, so I have decoded my artistry and bottled my secrets so that everyone, everywhere can achieve that expert finish in seconds.'
Shop: The new Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray Matte
www.charlottetilbury.com
The next generation of Charlotte Tilbury's setting sprays promises to be just as good as the first. With a melt, fade and crease-proof formula, it locks make-up in place for up to 16 hours, while blurring, smoothing and mattifying for a signature Charlotte Tilbury airbrush, flawless finish.
Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'As someone who is wedded to the brand's original setting spray, I was keen to see how the next-generation iteration would perform. For context, I have acne-prone, combination skin that is prone to shine as the day wears on, so just call me the ideal candidate to put this product through its paces. While the new setting spray is geared towards those of us who have oily to combination skin, enlarged pores, and love a matte, full-coverage make-up moment, on first use I couldn't notice any stark differences between the OG and the modern formula – the familiar scent, the fine mist and the way it felt on my skin were all near identical. It also manages to retain some glow (not as much as the OG of course), so the soft-matte, second-skin claims are true. So far, so good. But the real test came a couple of hours into wearing the setting spray. While I usually tend to get oily by lunchtime, I was surprised to find that after applying the spray in the morning, my make-up held up far longer than usual. The usual shine spots around my nose and chin were muted and I didn't have an urge to reach for my trusty Airbrush Flawless Finish Compact Powder. In my world, that's pretty revolutionary.'
Pros
- Best for oil and combination skin types
- Soft-matte airbrush finish
Cons
- High price point compared to others
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, covering all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).