Charlotte Tilbury’s £150 Beauty Advent Calendar review

I’d been wanting to try Charlotte Tilbury for ages, so when I saw her Beauty Advent Calendar, I thought it would be a good way to try out a load of her products for a fairly unbeatable price.

I’ve been seeing Charlotte Tilbury products all over social media recently, particularly Instagram, with a lot of reviews praising her products, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

I was lucky to get Charlotte’s Beauty Universe as a Christmas present from my amazing boyfriend. I saw it go down to £120 on House of Fraser, so it wasn’t quite the RRP of £150, but still expensive (thanks Mckenzie).

What’s included?

Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Advent Calendar features 12 full-size and mini products from Charlotte Tilbury’s luxury makeup and skincare range.

It contains:

• Full Fat Lashes: A mini version of Charlotte’s popular mascara
• Eyes to Mesmerise in Jean: A champagne-pink cream eyeshadow
• Colour Chameleon in Amber Haze: An amber eyeshadow pencil
• Rock ‘n’ Kohl in Bedroom Black: A black kohl eyeliner
• Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk: Best-selling matte lipstick in a nude pink shade
• Hollywood Lips in Screen Siren: A ruby red matte liquid lipstick
• Multi-Miracle Glow: A small version of the 3-in-1 cleanser, mask and balm 
• Goddess Skin Clay Mask: A mini version of the clay mask that promises “flawless, poreless-looking, goddess skin”
• Charlotte’s Magic Cream: Charlotte’s best-selling moisturiser in a travel size
• Wonderglow: A mini cream that’s meant to leave skin glowing and radiant
• Take It All Off: A smaller version of the eye and lip makeup remover
• Supermodel Body: Charlotte’s travel-size shimmering body cream

I think this is a great selection of makeup and skincare products and I couldn’t wait to try them all out!

First impressions

When this arrived, I couldn’t get over the packaging. It’s simply beautiful.

The box is a glittery pink, with gold writing and details. I love sparkly and girly stuff, so this ticked all the boxes for me. It looked expensive and luxurious and I was really feeling it.

Then I opened it up.

Even the way the box opens is pretty. The two front doors fold outwards and the top of the box lifts up to reveal the 12 different gold drawers containing the goodies.

Whilst I love my Cadbury ones, this was hands down the best advent calendar I’d ever received for Christmas.

Each drawer contained 1 product, which was wrapped up in black paper.

Reviewing the products

I like opening all my presents on Christmas Day, so I didn’t open 1 compartment on 12 individual days, and instead unwrapped all of the products on Christmas Day. It was really fun unwrapping each product and trying them out.

At a first look, the products that stood out to me were: Eyes to Mesmerise in Jean, Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk, Multi-Miracle Glow and Charlotte’s Magic Cream.

Then I went on to trying out each product individually:

1. Super Model Body

I was pretty sceptical about this when I first read what it’s supposed to do: “Visibly slimmer shimmer, shape, hydrate & glow.” How?!

And I was right to be sceptical.

I definitely disagree about it giving you a visibly slimmer shape. It didn’t magically make my arms appear thinner, they just looked more shimmery.

Besides that, I quite liked the Super Model Body. It’s a lightweight, golden lotion, which made my arms look more tanned and shimmery.

But I definitely wouldn’t buy this at full price; it costs £45! I just don’t think it’s a worth that much at all and I’d sooner spend £45 on a lot of other things (more skincare and makeup).

2. Full Fat Lashes

I like the Full Fat Lashes mascara. It applied easily but not clumpily, while adding length and definition to my lashes. As it is a mini size, the wand is pretty small, which I found very handy for my bottom lashes.

In all honesty, though, I wasn’t wowed by it. I would’ve preferred it to be darker and more voluminous.

For me, I like my mascaras to be really black, so my eyelashes really stand out. My lashes need all the help they can get as they’re pretty short, bless them. But I think the Full Fat Lashes would make a cute daytime mascara.

3. Multi-Miracle Glow

I actually really enjoyed using this.

You can use the Multi-Miracle Glow as a cleanser or as a mask and balm. I used it as a cleanser initially, whereby you put it onto dry skin and wash it off. After massaging the Multi-Miracle Glow into my skin, it felt unbelievably soft. Dare I say, the softest it’s ever been. It was incredible!

I washed it off with warm water, followed by my usual cleanser. After I dried my skin, it still felt ridiculously soft. I was really impressed by it.

The next day I tried it out as a mask/balm and found myself equally enjoying the results. I don’t think it’s a moisturiser exactly, but it certainly made my skin feel soft.

This would be good to use during the winter as a way to revitalise skin if it gets dry and dehydrated. The Multi-Miracle glow is awesome.

4. Charlotte’s Magic Cream

For what seems like forever now, I’ve been searching for a good moisturiser and I think this might just be it!

Because I have oily skin, I don’t want my moisturiser to be too heavy or creamy. On the flip side, I’ve used light moisturisers in the past which have been so light that I’ve not really found them moisturising.

However, I think Charlotte’s Magic Cream might be the perfect blend of the two. It feels soft and soothing when you put it on, without feeling heavy, which left my skin feeling perfectly moisturised. Not only that, but it smells great too.

Despite this, I still think there are moisturisers on the market that are just as good (if not better) that are a fraction of the price. A 50ml pot of Charlotte’s Magic Cream costs an eye-watering £75! Whilst I enjoyed using this product, I don’t think I’d ever spend that much on the moisturiser because it’s not ground-breaking.

More mature or drier skins might be able to justify the price, but it’s honestly so expensive. You don’t need to spend that much on a moisturiser when there are fantastic drugstore options available, like the e.l.f. Cosmetics Hello Hydration! moisturiser.

5. Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk

Before receiving the Matte Revolution Pillow Talk lipstick, I already wanted to try it out because it’s a global best-seller and the gorgeous nude pink shade appealed to me.

After trying this iconic lipstick out, I was not disappointed. It’s a really pretty shade and it lasted all day when I wore it. The formula doesn’t feel drying and glides over the lips effortlessly, without making them look chapped.

Here’s how the Pillow Talk lipstick looks on:

It’s a yes from me.

6. Wonder Glow

Wonder Glow is a lotion that you apply to your face for an “instant soft-focus beauty flash.” I didn’t really know what that meant, but I was intrigued by it anyway.

Charlotte Tilbury says you can use Wonder Glow 3 different ways:

1. Under foundation for luminosity
2. Over foundation for a radiant finish
3. On its own or after using Charlotte’s Magic Cream for a lasting glow

Seeing as I’d got Charlotte’s Magic Cream in the Beauty Advent Calendar, I decided to Wonder Glow out after applying the moisturiser. And I really liked it. It gave me a nice, radiant look when I used the two together and my skin looked healthy.

I probably wouldn’t repurchase this because, again, it’s pretty expensive (£39 for 40ml) but I have enjoyed using it so far and I do think it’s a great product.

7. Eyes to Mesmerise in Jean

I absolutely adore Eyes to Mesmerise in the champagne-pink colour Jean. I use a dense and slightly fluffy blending brush to apply this creamy eyeshadow all over my eyes and it gives the most gorgeous shimmer.

When I wear this eyeshadow, I get so many compliments. It applies so effortlessly and gives a sultry champagne shimmer across my eyelids. I find the formula easy to blend and build, meaning one swipe of the product across my lids gives some quick daytime glam, but a few more coats give me a more intense evening look.

I’m obsessed with Eyes to Mesmerise and I now want to try all of the shades!

8. Rock ‘n’ Kohl in Bedroom Black

I really like the Rock ‘n’ Kohl in Bedroom Black. It glides on smoothly, is extremely black and dramatic, and lasts well all day. It’s certainly a worthwhile purchase and is better than a lot of other pencil liners I’ve used.

One thing I will say, though, is that this costs £19 to buy. Yet, Maybelline’s Master Drama Kohl Eyeliner in Ultra Black is equally as good and it costs £5! As much as I generally prefer higher-end brands, that Maybelline eyeliner is undeniably awesome.

9. Goddess Skin Clay Mask

I’ve only had the opportunity to use the Goddess Skin Clay Mask once since Christmas, but it seems decent.

It smells great (the entire Charlotte Tilbury skincare line smells fantastic), it spread out super easily and my skin felt soft afterwards. However, as for long-term skin results, I think I’d need to use this a few more times to truly gauge the benefits.

10. Hollywood Lips in Screen Siren

Three words: YES, YES, YES.

Boy, do I love the Hollywood Lips in Screen Siren. To me, this is a perfect ruby red, which is really glamorous and gives me red carpet vibes. So, I was already sold on the colour.

It glides on seamlessly, my lips never feel dry and the lipstick doesn’t crumble at all.

For me though, the most impressive part was how well it stayed on. Now, I have some lipsticks that last for ages, particularly the Jeffree Star ones, and this one was a serious contender for my longest-lasting lipstick – it wouldn’t budge! Even after 8 hours, the colour seemed just as vibrant and red.

If you like red lipsticks, then this is a worthwhile investment. It’s incredible.

11. Colour Chameleon in Amber Haze

I don’t really use eyeshadow pencils as I normally just stick to palettes and cream shadows, but the Colour Chameleon in Amber Haze has a nice, creamy and rich formula. It applies smoothly and feels velvet-like on the eyes.

Having said that, I’m not obsessed with the colour. It’s perhaps a little on the dark side for me in terms of shimmers and I think this particular shade would complement darker skin tones more.

But that’s nothing against the product. It’s really good; it’s just not quite me.

12. Take It All Off

Take It All Off removes eye and lip makeup with ease. I apply the product to a cotton pad and wipe it across my eyes and lips. I never had to tug too hard on my eyes or lips for the makeup to just dissolve away, making it a friendly and safe option. Plus, the makeup remover is blue, which is cool.

This is definitely a great option for when you’re wearing heavy eye makeup and need something targeted to remove it.

Final thoughts

I’ve really enjoyed trying out all the products in Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Advent Calendar and have discovered some fantastic products.

My favourite products are: Eyes to Mesmerise, Multi-Miracle Glow, Hollywood Lips in Screen Siren, and Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk.

As with any brand, I tried some products that I wasn’t fussed about or wouldn’t go out and buy myself. Overall, though, I think Charlotte Tilbury has some really amazing products.

Rating: 4 stars

I gave the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Advent Calendar 4 stars because £150 is A LOT of money to spend and some of the products are mediocre. But, there are some products that are 100% worth trying and I’ve fallen in love with the two lipsticks and Eyes to Mesmerise.