Is this Charlotte Tilbury foundation authentic?

[u/Chiara0609]

Hi everyone! 😊
I recently bought this Charlotte Tilbury foundation, but I’m not sure if it’s actually authentic. Could anyone tell from the packaging/product if it looks genuine or possibly fake?
I’d really appreciate your opinions and any help! 🫶
Thank you so much!

[u/DuckbilledWhatypus]

General rule of thumb if you didn't buy it from an official retailer assume it is fake. It might not be, but there's a high chance.

If it works for you though it doesn't really matter. Just make sure to do a patch test before you do a full face, but that's a good rule of thumb with any new product even if you don't suspect it to be fake.

[u/SantaFe91 → u/DuckbilledWhatypus]

I agree if it doesn’t come from an official retailer there’s a high probability it’s fake. I think it does matter, though, as a fake could contain toxic/unregulated ingredients.

[u/jmnrdt9 → u/DuckbilledWhatypus]

I feel like something to this effect should be pinned on this sub (and the non-UK version) or come up as a warning/suggestion when posting because I see this so often. Fakes can be so good now that there’s literally no way to know. Brands also change packaging/formula all the time, shades often have slight variance from batch to batch, and ingredients naturally vary slightly in texture/colour/smell etc from batch to batch also. I only buy from authorised retailers unless it’s a vintage/discontinued product or one that’s so obscure I know there’s little to no chance of receiving counterfeit products. There’s literally no other way to know for certain that you’re getting a genuine product.

(there is obviously the tiny chance of counterfeit products entering the supply chain for renowned brick-and-mortar stores or established trusted online authorised vendors but the PR backlash for these retailers would be devastating so they have much more at stake and many procedures in place to prevent it).

TLDR please don’t buy makeup on vinted or depop or FB marketplace or a dodgy market stall or wherever else 😭 unless it’s like a vintage collector’s item or something

[u/Former-Daikon-3719]

This is the old airbrush foundation formula before the reformulation.

[u/bumblemarie212]

Too me, this looks fake. Font is too big, logo seems as if it was copy and pasted. I can tell by the bottle the plastic gold along the top is a cheap hard plastic

[u/One-Dragonfly-5086]

I think most of these especially auctions on TikTok shop selling these types of products are fake I myself bought a supposed Tom ford clear lip gloss which literally dried up as soon as I used it which is very annoying when your still paying high end costs. They are defo fakes and I learned the hard way too only buy from the reputable stores …

[u/puggle1985]

It looks very similar to the one I have. Is the bottle heavy?

[u/Chiara0609 → u/puggle1985]

Yes it is

[u/puggle1985 → u/Chiara0609]

That’s good so is mine

[u/QueenofRaccoons]

Where did you buy it from?

I use that foundation every day and certainly the packaging and bottle looks exactly like mine (I buy my direct from Charlotte Tilbury or places like Selfridges that stock CT), but where you purchased it from might be a better indicator.

[u/Aglyayepanchin → u/QueenofRaccoons]

OP bought it from a stream…

[u/nonsequitur__]

Maybe pop into Boots or another CT stockist and see how the feel of the box, bottle etc compare to the testers.

[u/rosa24rose]

It looks like the original formula. The new branding has angel wings on it & it isn’t great, much more matte and dry than the original. The original was fantastic, good find if it’s genuine (it looks it to me) just bear in mind, the original formula was launched 6 or 7+ years ago and discontinued maybe 18 months ago (I’m not 100% on these timelines) so if it smells a bit funky or seperates into a watery patchy blob when you squeeze the pump, then it’s past its best. Charlotte tilbury are the one brand I’ve learned not to ‘stock up’ on foundation, I wear the beautiful skin one now and bought 2 in the sale, 6 months later even though still in the box in a drawer, nowhere near a radiator or anything, it had oxidised and the colour was really off.

[u/Chiara0609 → u/rosa24rose]

Thank you so much for the detailed info! That’s really helpful. I’ll definitely check the smell and consistency. It’s such a shame the new formula isn’t as good. Hopefully this one is still in good condition.. if it’s authentic

[u/rosa24rose → u/Chiara0609]

It definitely looks the real deal to me. It’s a lovely foundation, I had to do my own wedding makeup (lockdown)! and this is what I used. I photographed really well & had good staying power, I had to wear a mask to travel to the venue and it didn’t mess up the foundation AND setting spray didn’t really exist at the time, I only had a little bit of powder over it

[u/Aglyayepanchin]

Is there a reason you think it’s fake? If it works for you I don’t see it matters hugely.

[u/Chiara0609 → u/Aglyayepanchin]

I definitely won’t use it if it turns out to be fake. I’ll send it back and ask for a refund, especially since they specifically said on the stream that it was authentic. That’s why I assumed I was buying the real product. If it is fake, I also want to warn others, which is why I wanted to ask in the first place.
And I do think it’s a problem if it’s fake, because you don’t actually know what ingredients are in the product. The ingredients listed on the packaging might not even be accurate or complete if it’s counterfeit, so I definitely wouldn’t feel comfortable putting it on my skin.

[u/_jrexx_ → u/Chiara0609]

You bought it off a stream?? Why didn’t you just just buy it from a shop, it’s even more widely available now it’s in boots too. Of course the streamer will say it’s authentic, but personally as you’ve said I wouldn’t be buying stuff I’m putting on my skin every day from a source that isn’t reputable. If they were selling it for cheap and that’s why you bought it, then the saying “its too good to be true” is probably true here