I Reviewed Charlotte Tilbury's Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer, And It’s Dreamy

Charlotte Tilbury knows glow and, as of Thursday, May 19, she is officially throwing her hat into the bronzer ring with her new Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer, a mega-sized cream bronzer for face and body. Considering that it’s Tilbury’s first foray into the bronzer game, I really couldn't be more impressed. It’s an incredibly blendable, creamy product that blurs, smooths, and melts into skin. It doesn’t feel heavy and it doesn’t look chalky or flat, even when you apply lots of layers. It’s also — and I’m hesitant to say this — very close to universally flattering, but don’t just take my word for it.

According to the brand, a number of stars were wearing Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer the night of the 2022. The crew all bronzed up by Tilbury included the MUA legend herself, Lizzo, MJ Rodriguez, Phoebe Dynevor, and Blake Lively, among others. Seeing that many people with such different skin tones all glowing and all wearing the same product made me really excited to test it out for myself. I’m happy to report that I was not disappointed. Ahead, you’ll find my honest review of Charlotte Tilbury’s new bronzer.

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Fast Facts:

• Price: $56
• Clean/Cruelty-Free? No
• Best for: This bronzer comes in four shades and seems to be a good consistency for all skin types.
• What I like: I am obsessed with the amount of product you get in this XXL compact. The size of the mirror is exceptional, the bronzer is creamy, and it blurs your skin like you would not believe.
• What I don't like: The price point is higher than you’d pay at a drugstore, but much better than other luxury brands given the sheer amount of product you receive.
• My rating: 4 out of 5

My Skin:

I’ve got dry skin, which can make blending bronzer difficult. Personally, I’ve found that my bronzer often can get patchy throughout the day. And, if my skin isn’t prepped with tons of moisturizer and a substantial layer of primer, I can forget about it looking anything but flat and ashy. For these reasons, I need an incredibly creamy bronzer if I’m going to use one at all.

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer:

This new bronzer promises to create a beachy version of the diffused glow Tilbury is so famous for. I found that it does live up to that promise, as well as completely blurs out blemishes and texture. It does this so well, that I legitimately forgot about a gnarly pimple on my face because it was hidden under the bronzer. I even believed myself to have perfect skin until I washed my face and remembered, “Oh, I’m human.”

The formula is silky, creamy, and incredibly blendable, making it ideal for beginners or folks in a hurry. If you make an error, you can buff it away like magic. It can also be used all over the body and on the face.

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The Science:

A blend of resin, hyaluronic acid, and polymers make this bronzer equal parts makeup and real-life Instagram filter. The hyaluronic acid keeps your skin hydrated, not greasy like bronzing drops might, or dry and chalky like you might see with a bronzing powder or stick. The polymers and resin create a kind of film — don’t freak out, it doesn’t pill and it genuinely feels weightless — over the skin, which blurs out texture, blemishes, and fine lines. Finely milled pearls add a level of opalescence to this bronzer, but it doesn’t make you shimmer; it makes you glow.

The Packaging:

Aside from a giant Tom Ford bronzer I once held in the Glamour magazine beauty closet years ago, this is the biggest compact I’ve ever seen. You can actually see your entire face in the mirror. Normally, I’d never bronze on the go — imagine not being able to see both your cheekbones and walking around all day looking entirely unblended — but the size of the mirror on this product makes it easy to see what I’m doing.

The pan is nice and deep and the mirrored surface of the compact looks very luxe, but the mirror is the real standout when it comes to how Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer is packaged.

First Impression:

My honest-to-God first impression was, “Oh, this packaging is so pretty,” followed quickly by, “Dang, this mirror is gigantic!” In terms of the actual product, I continued to be pleasantly surprised. The bronzer is creamyand deposits color without much pressure needed. I softly pressed a finger into it and it came away with a good amount of color. Application was also easy. I was especially impressed with how nicely this bronzer buffs out. It leaves a pretty seamless glow wherever it’s been, even if you basically smear it off and start over.

How To Apply The Bronzer:

Tilbury, like most MUAs, recommends applying bronzer to the points on your face where the sun naturally hits, so that’s how I started. Before applying the bronzer, I cleansed and moisturized my face. In the photo below, I’m wearing a thin layer of a tinted foundation balm and no other makeup.

I applied the bronzer in Shade 2 (Medium) to the high points of my cheeks, on my temples, and across the bridge of my nose. In terms of process, I dabbed the bronzer on with my hands and then buffed it out with Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Bronzing Brush ($40, Charlotte Tilbury).

Because I cannot help myself, I went in afterwards with Shade 3 (Tan) and used it the way I’d use a contour stick or cream, on my cheekbones, jawline, and along my hairline, to add definition to my features. I used a multipurpose stick on my lips and lids to add a little rosiness and a bit of mascara to finish off the look.

The Results:

This bronzer blurred out my face unbelievably. (This is a good thing.) I was particularly thrilled to see the lines I constantly notice in my forehead had been entirely diffused. This bronzer also creates a full-service glow, meaning you don’t really need blush or highlighter to round out your look.

Ingredients:

As mentioned above, there are some standout ingredients in this bronzer, although it isn’t classified as clean or cruelty-free. It includes hyaluronic acid — an important ingredient for dry skin — and polymers, which, along with silica, create a smooth texture and a soft-focus look like you’re walking around wearing an IRL filter.

Similar Products:

The good news is that I’ve got you covered when it comes to similar products because, as I mentioned, I can really only use ultra-creamy bronzers because of my dry skin. The bad thing is that you’re not going to get exactly the same quality of glow with any of the bronzers that are technically similar to Charlotte Tilbury's Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer. Because of its unique formula, the Tilbury bronzer creates a shimmer-free glow that isn’t matte, but can’t really be classified as shiny either.

Tower28 Beauty’s Bronzino Illuminating Cream Bronzer ($20, Sephora) includes Mica to create glow, just like the Tilbury bronzer. It includes hydrating ingredients like mango butter, a win for dry-skinned bronzer-enthusiasts, and is clean and vegan — a win for everyone — but it is significantly more shimmery that the Tilbury bronzer and doesn’t blur or smooth skin as effectively.

MILK Makeup’s Matte Cream Bronzer Stick ($21, Sephora) is another option that *almost* accomplishes the same thing as Tilbury’s new bronzer in that it leaves behind a sheer, buildable, shimmer-free glow. However, it only comes in two shades and doesn’t include as much product as the giant Tilbury compact. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez’s Warm Wishes Effortless Bronzer Stick ($23, Sephora) offers clean ingredients, blends nicely, and doesn’t shimmer at all, but also doesn’t create much by way of that famous Tilbury glow.

Worth It?

Given the amount of product you get — the pan would last even a Kardashian all summer — the results, and the fact that this is a luxury brand, the price point is reasonable.

Final Verdict:

This bronzer works as face and body makeup and delivers an insanely luminous glow. It’s formula is hydrating, it’s easy to apply, and it made me look photoshopped AF. My final verdict is that Charlotte Tilbury’s Beautiful Skin Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer is the best luxury bronzer I’ve ever tried.

About Me:

I’m Elite Daily’s beauty editor and I’ve been testing and reviewing beauty products for the past seven years. I’m also not great at applying bronzer, which means if this product can give me an airbrushed finish, it can give anyone a bronzed and airbrushed finish.