Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

I didn't enjoy the run up to Christmas - for various reasons I won't go into but due in part to the most horrific cold I've had in a long time. I had to cancel all my fun early December plans and was generally snotty and abstemious until the 12th by which time I was so behind with the boring bits of Christmas that there was not that much time left to do fun stuff (yes, yes I know, cue tiny little violins).

The outer packaging - which you have to throw out

This is how I came to hop off the tube at Bond Street on my way to meet friends* and head straight into Selfridges with a four year old voucher burning a hole in my pocket and a hankering for some of the new Charlotte Tilbury products. 

I thought I deserved a treat and never having scraped together enough money for the Mulberry bag or Chanel sunglasses I wanted to use the voucher for come really high-end cosmetics for personal use. I'd heard and read some fantastic things about Charlotte Tilbury products and the beautiful, classic packaging made my mind up.

I ended up with three products - Filmstar Bronze & Glow, Charlotte's Magic Cream and the Retoucher (reviews on the other two to follow). I have to say you do pay for the packaging - a lot of which you throw away but it's been incredibly well thought out and produced, I almost didn't want to put it in the bin, but that's where it has to end up which and I'd rather not have all the disposable packaging and pay less.

The actual case. Nice isn't it!

I was originally going to get the gold Bar of Gold highlighter but was instead persuaded to try the Filmstar Bronze & Glow face sculpt and highlight and having tried it on there really was no decision to be made. Yes the Bar of Gold may be really lovely to have in your kit for photographic shoots and the more glamorous looks but as this was a personal, rather than a work purchase, the Filmstar Bronze & Glow was much subtler and more wearable and I often contour my face so it's wonderful to have something that does the job so beautifully. It really does transform your face. As long as you blend, blend, blend.

This is now available in two colour options light to medium and medium to dark. Although I usually prefer a matte colour to use as a sculpt this has a lovely tone - you just need to be careful with your blending - and the darker contour powder is beautiful on its own as a bronzer.

The gold-based highlighter is beautiful - very subtle and glamorous. This set is definitely for those who like a classic style of make-up and have a bit of money to spend as it's £49 for 16g of product so not cheap.

I really love this and I would like to keep in my collection, whether I can afford to at that price remains to be seen. I'll also be interested to see how long it lasts and whether it breaks up eventually, as so often happens with products in beautiful packages. There's no denying a lot of thought and time has been put into the new Charlotte Tilbury range and this is one of the products where it really shows. If you try one thing from the range this would be the one to go for I think.

What You Need to Know - Filmstar Brzone & Glow

• £49 for 16g
• Two colours available - light to medium (the original) and medium to dark
• Paraban free
• Available online and at Selfridges

* for supper at Canteen on the South Bank - lovely and fun but I had completely lost my sense of taste so I have no idea what my Mac Cheese tasted like but I'm assuming it was delicious

UPDATED JANUARY 2017