I Tried The Charlotte Tilbury Bronzer With A 5,000-Person Waitlist

Some people are opting out of wearing makeup entirely during quarantine, while others are discovering psychological benefits in applying some concealer or red lipstick even if there's no one around to see it. Me? I fall somewhere in the middle: There are days where you'll find me bare-faced in sweatpants during a work video call, but the rest of the time, I'm still putting effort into my go-to makeup routine. While I try to keep it as low-key as possible (I'm talking concealer, tinted lip balm, and some blush), there's one buzzy product that changed my entire quarantine makeup look. 

That product is Charlotte Tilbury's brand-new Airbrush Bronzer, which racked up a reported 5,000-person waitlist leading up to the launch. The excitement around the release comes as no surprise, considering the matte formula is inspired by the brand's best-selling Airbrush Flawless Finish powder. I wasn't about to start contouring just to sit in front of my computer screen, but I was definitely intrigued by the buzz — and I was looking more and more ghostly from spending less time outdoors.

The waitlist wasn't the only thing about the bronzer that caught my interest: The gold clamshell packaging is incredibly gorgeous, and instantly reminded me of a vintage collector's item. Better still, the brand is launching bronzer refills this summer so that you don't have to buy an entirely new compact every time, making it more eco-friendly than a one-and-done version. Charlotte Tilbury herself recommends the new Air-Brush Bronzing Brush, sold separately, to get the full effect when applying the bronzer. The formula comes in four shades — Fair, Medium, Tan, and Deep — which I was happy to see, considering I personally don't believe that one bronzer shade is ever universal.

Let it be known that this bronzer has a generous payoff, so you'll want to apply with a light hand. After dusting on the Tan shade, my face was enveloped in a warm summer glow that doesn't look flat on my combination skin, perhaps thanks to the hyaluronic acid in the powder. Usually I find that matte bronzers can appear chalky, but not this one. Even as it wears over time, it looks like the sun is hugging my cheekbones — which I can definitely appreciate with all the extra time spent indoors. The compact is on the pricier end of the spectrum, but it does come with enough product (and pigment) to last you quite some time. With this bronzer in my arsenal, I'm starting to feel like summer is already here.