We might be seeing the end of work Christmas parties now, but there’s still plenty of opportunities to celebrate over the next couple of weeks with friends and family. My December has already been jam packed with parties and dinners, so I decided it was the perfect time to test out a new foundation.

Risky? Sure. But if it could withstand hours out of the house eating, drinking and celebrating, then it’s pretty much a given that it’ll hold up against anything. The foundation I’ve been desperate to put to the test is Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Foundation which has long been praised for its skin-perfecting finish – and party season was the perfect time to try it out.

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As a beauty writer I’ve tried countless foundations over the years, and one of my least favourite parts is trying to shade match, especially when ordering online. However, I have to say Charlotte Tilbury’s online shade matcher is one of the better ones I’ve used, and the shade that arrived was not only almost identical to how it showed up online, but was a great match for my skin.

There are also a few things I consider non-negotiables when it comes to my foundation; easy blending, good coverage without feeling too heavy, and longevity. And the Airbrush Flawless Foundation managed to tick off all three right off the bat.

Charlotte Tilbury recently re-launched the shades and formula to make it more hydrating and lightweight, whilst still giving you the same full coverage, so I was keen to try it out.

Some other foundations with similar skin-smoothing properties include Lady Gaga ’s HAUS Labs Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation with Fermented Arnica (£42) and Laura Mercier’s Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Foundation (£40). Both of these are long-wearing with buildable coverage, and smooth and airbrush skin whilst still letting it look, well, like skin.

How Airbrush Flawless Foundation applies

A little really does go a long way with the Airbrush Flawless Foundation. The first time I applied way too much, which felt a little mask-like on my skin. Instead, I recommend applying a small amount and blending out, then building on top of it to get a lighter, more comfortable layer on your skin.

It blended out really nicely, and covered up my redness and any pigmentation without requiring multiple layers. And, just as importantly, I found other products applied (and blended) easily over the top too, including powder and cream formulas, so it really is a base you can wear anywhere.

How it feels

Although it’s full coverage, when you apply the right amount of Airbrush Flawless Foundation really does feel more like you’re wearing more of a skin tint than a true foundation. It’s lightweight, it doesn’t feel like it creases or settles into fine lines, and it doesn’t have that thick, heavy feel that a lot of full-coverage foundations have.

In fact, I forgot I was wearing any, which is a sure sign for me that this is a super-comfortable base to wear. My skin also felt hydrated and smooth whilst wearing it; there was no chalkiness or cakey feel to it, and I didn’t feel like it dried out my skin underneath. Quite the opposite; my skin felt lovely and soft the entire time.

How it lasts

Longevity is really one of the most important aspects of a good foundation; you don’t want to spend half your night in the bathroom reapplying and touching up areas where it’s faded. Thankfully, the Airbrush Flawless Foundation really does last, and it stood up to long dinners, a couple of drinks, and whole evenings out in the cold.

Towards the end of the night it did feel a little like it was starting to slide on my face, and a touch up of powder to prevent shine was needed after a few hours. But at no point was there any obvious fading or patchiness, and as someone with dry skin, it didn’t settle into dry patches at all which is a huge blessing.

I also have never had so many compliments on how good my skin looks than I did whilst wearing the Airbrush Flawless Foundation. Multiple people said I looked glowing (no easy feat for the middle of winter), and several couldn’t believe it was just from the foundation – not a facial, glow-boosting primer or layer of highlighter in sight.

All in all, this is a foundation that’s designed for wearing in real life. It’s a little too full coverage for me personally to wear during the day, as I prefer a lighter coverage. However, for the evening this is exactly what my skin has been calling out for. Consider it party season approved.