When you’re a makeup guru you’re also everyone’s ‘go-to’ for advice, tips and tricks. And that includes the likes of Stella McCartney and Kate Moss.
Charlotte Tilbury decided to harness this power of the ‘best-friend’ and design her own cosmetics range so the world could share the A-lister’s secrets.
A make-up guru for more than 20 years, working with the world’s top models, celebrities and designers, now her best-kept secrets are set to arrive in Fenwick, Newcastle at the end of the month with a one-stop skincare and makeup collection.
It’s a fabulous addition to the store and means treats galore for those of us who love something new, glossy and savvy in the makeup bag.
There is definitely a Tilbury ‘look’ – and Charlotte tells a great story that illustrates it.
“I remember once, when I did Stella McCartney’s makeup before a BBC event, she turned up and saw Kate Moss who’d had her makeup done by an artist there. She saw Stella and instantly said “I’m so jealous – you’re wearing a Tilbury eye!”
That’s about as good as it gets when it comes to recommendation.
Her products are quick-fix, flawless and a little bit cheaty too.
“These are products for a modern woman who is as likely to do her makeup on the run with a mobile phone in hand as she is to sit down at a dressing table. By decoding expertise into essential makeup tricks, tips and tools, learn how to make-up becomes a secret weapon – ‘dial down’ the imperfections!”
Charlotte explains: “The reason I built this brand was to share everything I know about the power of makeup – it’s what I dreamt of before I became a makeup artist. I wanted to create a makeup range that was like a virtual consultation with one of the world’s leading experts.
“All my friends would quiz me on what eye shadow goes with what, what blusher suits their skin-tone, and what lipstick will go with this dress, and so I designed a colour-curated, ready-made makeup wardrobe of ten looks to erase these problems. It’s time-saving, colour-curated, fool-proof, ready-made makeup wardrobe. I simply poured all of my backstage secrets, tips and tricks into an easy-to-use, easy-to-choose format – because everyone wants to know how to be the best version of themselves.”
The idea is that it’s an expert brand made easy.
“The quality of the formulas is so incredibly forgiving that you’ll never look dusty; you’ll only look luminous, gorgeous and red carpet ready.”
That’s a nice promise. Charlotte’s celebrity fans who prove it number among them Penelope Cruz, Amal Clooney, Kate Moss, Miranda Kerr, Sienna Miller, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, Cara Delevingne, Poppy Delevingne, Victoria Beckham, Olivia Palermo, Jennifer Aniston, Blake Lively, Celine Dion, Emily Ratajkowski, Jennifer Lopez and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
This autumn Charlotte is loving the ‘Dolce Vita’ look, “a particular favourite of mine and perfect for autumn. Inspired by Sophia Loren, Penelope Cruz and Monica Bellucci, it’s a sultry molten-copper smoky eye and feline flick, paired with a seductive pink lip”, she says.
Her ‘heroes’ include a new Magic Foundation, five years in the making and promising to cover any redness, discoloration, acne and under-eye bags in minutes.
“It morphs to the texture of your skin and gives you instant perfect skin, everyday”, she says.
And who doesn’t ache for a ‘Mini Miracle Eye Wand’? A life-changing product promising eight hours sleep in two clicks, in real life, in real time.
Charlotte’s real faves if pressed to choose?
“ I’m not really a favourites person. But if I have to choose then I can’t live without my miracle-working moisturiser, Magic Cream. You can’t have a beautiful painting without a beautiful canvas. It instantly turns around tired, dull, dehydrated skin and is packed with a secret mix of ingredients that I’ve been blending together for years. I call it the magic dew of youth and luminosity in a jar, it’s also incredibly soothing, like a comforting cashmere blanket for the skin. I start all makeup with it.
“I’m also incredibly proud of Wonderglow, an instant soft-focus radiant skin elixir. It steals natural light from its surroundings and re-emits it through the skin, so you look lit from within. I call it Gisele-in-a-Jar!”
A self-confessed mascara obsessive, she designed Full Fat Lashes mascara.
“Before I developed my own line, I would use a cocktail of up to five mascaras to get the result I can now get from my 5-star mascara. I literally went through thousands of brushes and formulas during the product development phase to create my perfect 5-in-1: it curls, lengthens, separates and adds volume and drama. I always want to create a “filmstar flutter” inspired by the incredible lashes of Elizabeth Taylor, Veronica Lake and, of course, Jessica Rabbit. I’ve now thrown out my ‘mascara bag’ for ‘the one’. It’s the holy grail of mascaras.”
So Charlotte, if you had to rescue one product from a burning make-up bag?
“My Magic Cream, it literally floods the skin with moisture and was the first product I created. I used to mix my own recipe to use backstage and on shoots so this was the first product I ever created. It actually named itself because models, photographers and designers would all be asking for my little pot of magic cream.”
The range is glamorous and luxurious, so what’s the ‘wow’ factor gift suggestion?
“One of my best-selling products is Filmstar Bronze & Glow, I love that silver screen siren look of candle-lit skin and this is beautifully packaged in the style of a vintage 1920’s cigarette case which looks gorgeous when you pull it out of your makeup bag.”
