I had a Zoom call with Charlotte Tilbury to talk about her new serum

The serum had a 10k waitlist

A couple of weeks ago, in lockdown, I attended my first virtual beauty launch. Myself and 300 other beauty editors around the globe had been gathered on a Zoom call for a launch so good it couldn’t wait for normal life to resume — the launch of Charlotte Tilbury’s first-ever serum.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir, €72, is a new member of the Magic family alongside Magic Cream, her number one best-selling product globally (one is sold every two minutes) and iconic skin-perfector that Charlotte Tilbury was famous for hand-mixing backstage at fashion shows before she ever sold a beauty product.

“Darlings!” she exclaims. “I’ve been accused of having Fraxel and major treatments on my face! Salma Hayek, Amber Valetta and Kate Moss were like, ‘come on Charlotte, what work have you had done? Where have your pores gone?”‘

The studies for Magic Serum Crystal Elixir are incredible. It’s clinically proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles by 34% after eight weeks, moisture levels are boosted by 172%, skin water loss is reduced by 43% and skin appears 49% firmer, 122% more elastic and pores are reduced by 39%. Over 90% of users saw improvements including firmer skin, tighter pores, reduced wrinkles, a more even skin tone, reduced redness and glowier skin overall.

Well, it is called magic for a reason. The secrets to this magic come down to a blend of over 22% concentration supercharged skincare ingredients. There are plant extracts, like polyglutamic acid (which is four times more hydrating than hyaluronic!) from fermented soybeans, sqisandryl which is a berry that improves skin tone, resurrection leaf to prevent water loss and snow lotus for glow. And there are the heavy hitters: microparticles of non-irritating vitamin C for brightening, niacinamide to work on fine lines, wrinkles, uneven texture and enlarged pores, sepitonic M3 made from copper, zinc and magnesium for wrinkle reduction and replexium, for skin smoothing and firming. Magic Serum Crystal Elixir is also suitable for all skin types, including sensitive.

There is one more magic set of ingredients, hidden in the name: Crystal Elixir.

“Darlings!” says Charlotte. “I am obsessed with crystals! I have a big massive rose quartz crystal in my bedroom. I have lots of different types of amethyst crystals around my house and crystal bowls. It was very important to me that we could have crystals in this product wherever possible. In this, we have moonstone which is traditionally for calm and peace, we have ruby, which is known for passion and protection and prosperity. There is rose quartz which is traditionally known for love, crystal quartz which is purity, and amethyst which is uplifting.”

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir, €72

A few days later, I spoke to Sofia Schwarzkopf-Tilbury, a make-up artist who also happens to be Charlotte Tilbury’s niece and right-hand woman. “Since I’ve been using this serum, I’ve noticed such a huge change in my skin,” she says. “I like to use 4-6 drops on cleansed skin, really taking the time to warm it between my fingertips and massage upwards and outwards over my face, and I lock it in with Magic Cream for an intensely hydrating layer of moisture.”

If you take one thing from this, says Charlotte, “it’s that my Magic Serum Crystal Elixir gives you smooth, soft baby skin. It smooths out your lines and your pores. For someone like me, who doesn’t drink enough water and sits in front of computer screens, we need this hydration and this protection.”

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir, €72, is available now from Brown Thomas, Arnotts and charlottetilbury.com.

Photography by Charlotte Tilbury.

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