Charlotte Tilbury’s eponymous beauty brand needs little introduction. Its luxurious skincare and Hollywood-style make-up are adored by A-listers and beauty editors alike – and, now, a new product has joined the roster.

From the pillow talk lipstick to the beauty light wand, Charlotte Tilbury products, more often than not, rise to cult status. Case in point: the magic cream.

Applied to models during fashion week, when word got out of its facelifting effects, the make-up artist bottled up the formula as the brand’s first ever product. Hailed as a hero skincare buy, thanks to its plumping and rejuvenating benefits, it’s been a bestseller ever since.

Ten years on from the magic cream’s launch, Charlotte Tilbury has now unveiled a gel-based, lightweight version of the coveted formula – and we got our hands on a sample, to see if it lives up to its much-loved predecessor.

Costing £79, the product’s touted as having a weightless and bouncy formula that hydrates, smooths and balances dehydrated skin, while reducing the appearance of fine lines, pores and redness. When announcing the product, Charlotte Tilbury said: “I call it the magic water fountain of youth and luminosity in a jar.”

How we tested

Trialling the formula for two weeks, we replaced our well-used magic cream with the new product in our night-time regime. Assessing its firming, hydrating and smoothing claims, here’s our verdict on Charlotte Tilbury’s new magic water cream.

Charlotte Tilbury magic water cream

Size: 50ml, 50ml refill, 15ml

The OG magic cream has been a staple in our night-time regime for well over a year now. We love the rich, thick formula that yields immediate firming and plumping benefits.

But, speaking to friends and colleagues, it’s clear many people (particularly those with sensitive skin) tend to steer clear of thick formulas and favour lightweight creams.

Enter, Charlotte Tilbury’s magic water cream, which goes some way to addressing these concerns. The evolution of the magic formula is bouncy and gel-based, with a water-like consistency. It’s pleasingly lightweight and smooth, gliding onto skin easily and instantly hydrating any dryness.

Creating a dewy sheen (a big beauty trend right now, thanks to Hailey Bieber), the cream left our skin feeling smooth and soft. It feels slightly more hydrating than the thicker OG magic cream and dried quickly, for a subtly glossy finish, over which make-up sat nicely.

Considering the premium cost, we were glad to see a little bit goes a long way and we can see the gel version lasting just as long as the cream formula does. After two weeks of use, the results speak for themselves – our complexion felt and looked healthy, smooth and glowy.

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The verdict: Charlotte Tilbury magic water cream

The new iteration of the magic cream is as lightweight as the OG version is thick – making it the perfect alternative for those who prefer gel-based formulas. Yes, it’s expensive, but the luxurious formula makes it worth every penny. Gliding on easily and drying quickly for a dewy look, it gives a healthy hydration hit before bedtime or in the morning – and you’ll get your value for money, as only two pea-size amounts are needed for full coverage. A much-needed balm for dry or tired skin, the magic water cream is the perfect evolution of the brand’s skincare line.

Available exclusively on the Charlotte Tilbury app from today (28 August), you can purchase online from Thursday 31 August.

We also reviewed Charlotte Tilbury’s first ever body cream