Charlotte Tilbury is a beloved British beauty brand that’s been around for 12 years.
But while many adore the products, they can be a bit on the pricey side. So in a bid to find similar cosmetics at a cheaper price-point, some are turning to Primark instead.
Do they actually do the job, though? A Charlotte Tilbury makeup artist made it her mission to find out. She compared the original products to much cheaper versions to see how they performed.
Primark’s makeup range is popular due to its affordability and effectiveness, especially when compared to designer brands. However, Charlotte Tilbury makeup artist Victoria Grace was not entirely impressed with some of the budget products she tried out. Here is her brutally honest verdict…
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Victoria filmed herself applying the budget products so viewers could decide for themselves whether they wanted to try them. First, she compared the original Magic Cream with the Primark version.
She stated: “As you know, Magic Cream is amazing for your skin – it hydrates, it primes and protects. It’s just so nice, I love it. However, the Primark side did not prime, did not protect, but it did hydrate; I’ll give her that one”. The original Magic Cream retails at £79 for 50ml, while Primark’s version costs just £6.
Next, she tested eyeliner, noting that the pigment was not the “same” in each product. “It still worked well for the price of it,” Victoria conceded. Then, it was mascara time.
Victoria commented that it “wasn’t giving anything” for her, expressing her preference for “long voluptuous lashes”. She felt the Primark mascara she’d chosen didn’t quite do the job – but again, she thought “it wasn’t bad for the price”.
Next, she tested the foundation, humorously remarking: “Now, the foundation made me realise I’m not as pale as I thought I was,” as she applied the Primark side on her face and looked like “Casper the ghost”.
She mentioned the Primark version was “meant to be a dupe of the Airbrush Foundation,” but didn’t quite work. However, the “concealer wasn’t bad for the price,” which she used to warm her face up after the pale foundation.
“Now this is actually what you’re here for – the contour wands,” she announced, as she applied the original product onto her face, which had loads of pigment.
While the colour looked strong initially, it “disappeared” and Victoria had to “pack it on” the skin before it showed up. “However, the blush was actually quite nice and very pigmented,” she gushed.
Setting everything in place, Victoria raved about the Primark powder. She noted that it was actually a powder foundation, and that’s why it was “so pigmented”.
Victoria then completed the look with some liner. She praised the Charlotte Tilbury side was a “gorgeous shade” called “Hot Gossip”, but the Primark version looked pretty similar.
To the untrained eye, the results looked very similar despite the price difference – suggesting that the Primark products could be a good choice for those wanting to look glamorous without spending a fortune.
In the comments section, many praised the final look as “stunning”. However, despite “loving it”, some couldn’t resist chuckling at the ghostly foundation from Primark.
One commenter confessed they were “howling at the white foundation”, so it’s unlikely they’ll be purchasing that particular product.