Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream: a Guru Score of 71%

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Clogged or visible pores1 expert

“contains niacinamide, peptides, and a few other ingredients that can help to offer some sebum control and improve the appearance of pores over time with use.”

Dr. Jenny Liu, watch at 16:57

Excess oil and shine1 expert

“It's ideal for more combination and oily skin.”

Dr. Jenny Liu, watch at 16:57

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Dimma Umeh

544k subs

~Yay

"The moisturizer that I just used for this is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream. I really like it."

All 2 takes from Dimma Umeh

STOP OVERCOMPLICATING YOUR MAKEUP ROUTINE | MY MINIMAL DAILY LOOK FOR DARK SKIN

"The moisturizer that I just used for this is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream. I really like it."

SWEAT-PROOF MAKEUP THAT LASTS ALL DAY | BEGINNER FRIENDLY MAKEUP TUTORIAL

"I'm using an oilfree moisturizer. This is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream. Okay, highly highly highly recommend."

Allie Glines

829k subs

~Yay

"I already had this in my collection they sent it to me a while ago I actually really do like this it's a lot lighter than the original and I love that it's fragrance free so that's a plus for me."

All 4 takes from Allie Glines

I Want to Look Like This Everyday: Makeup Tutorial

"I already had this in my collection they sent it to me a while ago I actually really do like this it's a lot lighter than the original and I love that it's fragrance free so that's a plus for me."

Trying NEW Makeup!! 😍 WOW...

"I'm just going to start prepping the skin with a little bit of the Charlotte Tilbury water cream. It's a much thinner consistency for sure versus the original, but I'm pretty sure that's the point. It's sinking into the skin really beautifully, but it's still leaving the surface of the skin feeling nice and hydrated, which is nice, especially going into makeup."

New Year, New Makeup 🤩 (also, do you like my new camera?!)

"I've got this Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream on my desk which I actually think I like a little bit more than the original. I really do like the texture of the original, but what I really like about this one is it doesn't have fragrance, so that's a plus for me."

MY 3 FAVORITE FALL LIP LOOKS 😍

"I'm going to do a little bit of the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream because I feel like my face is feeling dry now that I just wiped everything off."

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

~Yay

"The Magic Water Cream is a gel cream that is very hydrating and contains niacinamide, peptides, and a few other ingredients that can help to offer some sebum control and improve the appearance of pores over time with use. It's ideal for more combination and oily skin. It's not heavy, not sticky, and does not look very shiny. I think it's really lovely and worth the splurge."

The Style and Beauty Doctor

222k subs

~Nay

"As much of a Charlotte Tilbury lover that I am, I really, really love that brand, but this $100, a whole Ben Franklin, this is going to be a sadly a nope getter for me."

James Welsh

1.58M subs

~Yay

"I actually really like this product. When I first used it, I was like, this feels really, really nice, and it was a nice moisturizer. But since using this, I found so many cheaper, more affordable moisturizers because I've been actively hunting for a dupe or something that feels as nice as this, that has that water cream hydrating texture. I have found so many that is like half the price of this or more so."

All 3 takes from James Welsh

The WORST Dermatologist Recommended Skincare Products! 💜 James Welsh

"I actually really like this product. When I first used it, I was like, this feels really, really nice, and it was a nice moisturizer. But since using this, I found so many cheaper, more affordable moisturizers because I've been actively hunting for a dupe or something that feels as nice as this, that has that water cream hydrating texture. I have found so many that is like half the price of this or more so."

Rhode Should Focus On Lips - A SOULLESS Body Wash - Best And Worst Skincare Of October 💜 James Welsh

"Ingredients are good. They're not unheard of in a gel cream moisturizer. However, this definitely doesn't get you far. It's really, really expensive. I have found [...] several more affordable moisturizers that I like more than this one. So whilst this is still an amazing product, I do think it's overpriced. I think with this you're paying a lot for name. [...] Results are good, what you should expect from a gel cream, but there are cheaper alternatives."

I Tried Overly Sponsored Skincare Products 🤔 Clarins, Charlotte Tilbury 💜 James Welsh

"It's a really nice cream. What I will say is this has been advertised as something for people with oily skin. And whilst this doesn't feel greasy on the skin, I feel like during the day, if I use this in the morning, my oily t-zone will struggle producing oils because it's not that light. It's not like when you think of water cream, you think of other water creams that are perfect for oily skin because they don't feel heavy in any way."

Sincerely Miss Ash

196k subs

~Yay

"I really like it. I love the way that my skin looks and feels with it. A little bit goes a long way especially with this one because it does spread nicely. We do have some peptides in here as well, and yes they are further down in the ingredient list, but we do have a vitamin C derivative in here, there is shea butter, there's caffeine, there's niacinamide as well, so great if you do have that uneven skin tone, and it's wonderful."

Abbey Yung

887k subs

~Yay

"I've already used up a full jar of this, which says a lot given how many cleansers and moisturizers I collect and [...] try out. [...] It is a really nice lightweight gel cream, it makes my skin feel so hydrated, so juicy, so moisturized for hours, so it really is impressive and I love it. But I of course recognize that it is crazy expensive, so that's why I don't talk about it all the time, and why I like to highlight it when you can get a discount."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream?

A lightweight, fragrance-free gel-cream moisturizer from Charlotte Tilbury, designed to hydrate the skin as a lighter take on the brand's original Magic Cream.

Is Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 71%.

What is Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream's Guru Score?

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream holds a Guru Score of 71%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 7 expert reviewers we have collected.

What is Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream is good for clogged or visible pores (1 expert) and excess oil and shine (1 expert).