I tried Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Light Wand and here’s my honest review

One lesson we learned in 2024 is that last year was the year of the blush. Yes, 'blush blindness' was in full swing as we were inspired by Sabrina Carpenter's luminous rosy cheeks, and we can only hope that the trend continues well into this year. A product that I rank highly in my makeup bag is Charlotte Tilbury's Beauty Light Wand, and I'm absolutely not going back to a makeup look with no blush - sorry not sorry.

Clearly, I'm a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury's Beautiful Skin Foundation, and the best finishing touch to a perfectly finished base? Blush and highlighter, of course. To see how I got on with Charlotte Tilbury's Beauty Light Wand, read my honest review, below...

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've no doubt heard about Charlotte Tilbury and the brand's undeniably renowned reputation. Charlotte Tilbury's Beauty Light Wands are no exception, and the range is a sell-out social media sensation.

The range consists of seven shades, separated into four highlighters: Spotlight, Pillow Talk Original, Pillow Talk Medium and Goldgasm; and blush: Peachgasm, Pinkgasm and Pinkgasm Sunset. Each of the Beauty Light Wands features a pearlescent, light-reflecting finish that supposedly flatters every skin tone.

As far as ingredients go, the easy-to-use highlighter and blush wands consist of Lindera extract for a youthful-looking glow, as well as velvety silica for a silky, soft-focus effect and glow gel technology for a light-reflecting, high-gloss finish.

It comes with a magic cushion applicator for low-maintenance applying on the go and is 'clinically proven' to last up to 12 hours of wear. Not to mention, all ingredients are vegan and cruelty-free. But what do reviewers make of the Beauty Light Wand range from Charlotte Tilbury?

From what we could see, the overwhelming majority were glowing reviews. We spotted one reviewer commenting that it's 'the one beauty product that they couldn't live without', while another raved that it was 'worth the hype'. Sounds promising...

SHOP: Charlotte Tilbury's Beauty Light Wand

And what do I think of Charlotte Tilbury's Beauty Light Wands? Read on to hear my honest thoughts.

My honest thoughts

Admittedly, I've never known how makeup artists manage to get that gorgeous glowy look on their clients. That is, until I met Charlotte Tilbury's Beauty Light Wand. As soon as I used this product I began to understand how to create an enviably radiant look.

I've used this product for a number of years now and it's easily one of my favourite blushes to date. It has to be said that if you're looking to replicate Sabrina Carpenter's iconic blush look, the Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm is one way to do it.

Recently, I also tried out the Beauty Light Wand in the shade Pillow Talk Medium and found that it adds a gorgeous natural shimmer. I'd say it's definitely on the golden side, and, while I believe the shade Spotlight would be more flattering on my pale skin, it was still completely wearable with some blending.

I much prefer cream blushes and highlighters in comparison to powders because they're much easier to manipulate. A dewy finish is one that I lean toward as opposed to matte makeup as it reflects light, distracting away from any blemishes and giving an overall ethereal vibe which I love.

You can clearly see just how much I use the Pinkgasm Beauty Light Wand by how much is left in the tube, and I'll definitely be repurchasing when I run out. The best thing is, because it's so highly pigmented, you only need small amounts at a time so it literally lasts you forever - a total bonus.

How the product was tested

To apply, I generally go straight in with the wand applicator and dot the product along my cheeks, blending it in with my fingers. Out of blending with a brush, a sponge and my fingers, I found that blending with my fingers works the best for me because it doesn't compromise on the level of pigment and goes on much smoother.

Below, you can see my finished look which I loved creating. I love that the formula is highly pigmented, yet buildable, which allows you to customise how intense you want the colour to be. Ideal for a subtle, daytime glow or high-impact glam, depending on your mood.

The only thing to be aware of for me is that if your foundation is prone to separate then your cream blush and highlighter are likely going to separate also, so, something to keep in mind. However, this isn't something I tend to have a problem with.

Here's the Beauty Light Wand in the shade Pinkgasm as a blush with the shade Pillow Talk Medium as a highlighter, applied on a combination of the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation, £39 and Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Foundation Stick, £35. I later added the L'Oreal Infallible Concealer, the Rimmel London Match Perfection Powder, £6.72 and the Urban Decay Setting Spray, £22.40 to finish.

What we loved

• Radiant, lit from within glow: Juicy, dewy skin pending? Absolutely. I love the finish of the Beauty Light Wand when it's applied. It has a subtle amount of shimmer without being downright glittery, really nailing a natural glowy look à la Love Island's Grace Jackson.

• Highly pigmented yet buildable: The wands are absolutely packed full of colour. While competitors offer a similar product for less of the price, the quality of the Beauty Light Wands means they're super pigmented, yet easily buildable and blendable to customise to your liking.

• Equally as good on clean skin: If you want the 'less is more' natural approach, you can apply a flush of the product on clean, makeup-less skin for a low-maintenance everyday look. It has a range of shades which, I imagine, are flattering across all skin tones, too.

What could be better

• Application can be a little messy: Of course, if you're often in a rush (like I am) and forget to lock your blush, it can get a bit messy in your makeup bag. Similarly, it can be difficult to control how much product comes out, so this is where applying with a brush or your fingers can come in handy.

• May separate depending on the foundation or powder: After long hours of wear with a combination of the Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Foundation Stick, £35 and the MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation, £36, I noticed the blush beginning to separate. This could be to do with the foundations not agreeing with each other, as I've never had this problem before with other applications - but still, something to keep in mind.

Final verdict

The Beauty Light Wand is a game-changer when it comes to blush and highlighter, immediately elevating any makeup look. I love how easy it is to create the desired effect, from the level of pigmentation to the blendability. For me, it's a must-have in my makeup bag because it easily creates that juicy, dewy glow that I love so much. I'm very tempted to venture into the shade Pinkgasm Sunset next! It's easy to apply in a rush and can be worn to add some definition to both daytime and night-time looks. All in all? J'adore.

Samantha Price is a Senior Commercial Content Writer for heat. During her time at Bauer, she has worked on several projects, from championing the heat newsletters to writing expertly crafted buying guides on beauty, fashion and lifestyle.