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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury

Holiday Glam with Charlotte Tilbury World of Legendary Parties and Film Noir Nights Set

November 14, 2016

Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty line is one of the most glamorous cosmetic and skincare lines I’ve tried. The first items I bought from her line were the Filmstar Bronze and Glow and K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks and I’ve been hooked ever since. For holiday she has some beautiful gift options I think anyone would love to receive and I’m excited to give you a look at two limited-edition sets for this season including her World of Legendary Parties 2016 Holiday Advent Calendar ($200) and Film Noir Night Lipstick and Eyeliner Set ($49). Both are truly gorgeous.

Up first is the World of Legendary Parties gift set. It’s hands down one of the most luxurious beauty sets for this holiday. Charlotte Tilbury describes this as containing her “beauty secrets in 12 magical makeup cabinets,” and of course when she adds the words “magic” to any of her products I’m immediately intrigued. The set is boxed in the most adorable pink, plum and gold printed box with pull out drawers. Each little compartment reveals a beauty treat. A look inside the box:

The gift box contains 12 beauty products. At $200 this is quite the splurge but it does contain five full-size products with a total retail value of $135 so the remaining $65 for 7 minis is pretty reasonable. I’ll add notes on items I’ve tried before:

  • Mini Magic Cream 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz – I’ve bought and finished up a full-size of this and loved it, it’s a great everyday moisturizer that hydrates, smoothes and replumps the skin, the full size is spendy but a little goes a long way and mine lasted over a year (I used mine around 2-3x per week because I alternate moisturizers)
  • Mini Wonderglow 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz is a what she calls an Instant Flash Primer, it’s a liquid illuminator you can use all over the face on top of moisturizer and under foundation to give the skin a glow or mix in with your foundation to add a diffused shimmer glow, it’s very natural and sheer and gives the skin a lovely dewy finish without being too shimmery or thick
  • Mini Multi Miracle Glow 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz is deep cleaning face balm that transforms from a cream to oil when massaged into the skin, you can also use this as an overnight mask and will leave your skin baby soft, if you find cleansing oils too runny this balm is a great alternative because it won’t slide around your face or into your eyes
  • Mini Goddess Skin Clay Mask 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz is one of the few items I’ve tried from her line that I wasn’t crazy about but this is a very hydrating mask and as I have normal combination skin this one was too rich for me, but my girl friends swear by it
  • Mini Take It All Off Eye Makeup Remover 30 ml / 1.0 fl oz is something I’ve had on my wishlist for ages but always! It’s a gentle soothing remover that’s effective
  • Mini Supermodel Body 15 ml / 0.5 fl oz is such a pretty champagne golden body shimmer, I don’t usually wear body shimmers but in the summer I love this one on the legs or shoulders on date nights

 

  • Full Size Eyes to Mesmerise: Marie Antoinette 7 ml / .24 fl oz is one of the prettiest champagne tan brown shimmers, I bought 5 of the 6 shades she has and it’s among my top picks for cream shadows, they’re great for an all over wash on the lids for an easy look – just add liner and mascara with this one and your look is complete
  • Full Size K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick: Penelope Pink is one of the best nude pinks that won’t wash out my complexion or pigmented lips
  • Full Size Colour Chameleon: Black Diamonds 1.6 g / 0.06 oz is a pretty sparking grey black with silver flecks, this one is perfect for a smokey eye with sparkle especially for the upcoming holiday season
  • Full Size Exclusive Pocket Pout: Jessica Red 3.5 g / 0.12 oz is a dramatic true red in a small mirrored compact with an embossed lip print, see the swatches below, it’s the ultimate glam red
  • Mini Legendary Lashes 4 ml / 0.13 fl oz
  • Full Size Lip Lustre: Sweet Stiletto 3.5 ml / 0.12 oz is the perfect medium pink with a hint of warmth

 

 A closer look at the box:

 

 

 

Next is the Film Noir Night Lipstick and Eyeliner Set which has a Matte Revolution Lipstick in Opium Noir (full size 3.5 g / 0.12 oz) in a deep plum red vamp and Rock N Kohl in Bedroom Black (also full size 1.2 g / 0.04 oz). It’s cased in a plum and rose gold box that has a little mirror with lights inside. I’ve tried other shades of her Matte Revolution lipstick (reviewed and swatched here) and it’s among the best in mattes that I’ve tried. I’ve also tested out a few other shades of her Rock N Kohl eyeliner but hadn’t tried the black before. It’s an ultra smooth eyeliner that is rich, deep, doesn’t tug and stays put along my upper lashes all day. Right now Opium Noir is exclusive to this set. The look for this is perfect for a fall to winter dramatic but simple classic kind of look.

 

 

 

 

Below are swatches of all the lip products in both sets, and as always swatches are on bare lips. For skintone reference I’m wearing the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation in Shade #6 with Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in Shade #2 (the powder is my holy grail and I’ve hit pan on several).

 

 

One last look:

 

 

Bottom line: glamorous and gorgeous. Her products are splurge-worthy and if you have someone extra special you want to surprise this holiday season there are lots of Gift Options at different price points on her Gifts For Her page. The quality is always on point and pigment and textures work very well to look good with a healthy flush of color. She has a wide range of lip colors and her nudes/pinks are very good and they work on my pigmented lips without washing out the complexion. If you haven’t checked out her holiday Legendary Muse Eyeshadow Palette I think it’s a holiday must (also available in this cute Dreamy Look in a Clutch set).

 

Have you checked out the holiday launches yet? If yes which ones? If not do you have any favorites from her line? You can find both her World of Legendary Parties 2016 Holiday Advent Calendar ($200) and Film Noir Night Lipstick and Eyeliner Set ($49) online at Charlotte Tilbury.

 

Many thanks to Charlotte Tilbury for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions my own.

 

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Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance

New from Charlotte Tilbury: Scent of a Dream, The Legendary Muse Eyeshadow Palette and Legendary Brows

September 6, 2016

Charlotte Tilbury has launched a few new items this fall including a new perfume Scent of a Dream and new look called The Dreamy Look. A few months ago she also launched a new brow gel in a few shades and I have been testing out the clear one to include in today’s review. What I have a look at includes:
The Dreamy Look features a new eyeshadow palette and a few other repromoted items including the mascara, bedroom black kohl and Secret Salma Lipstick. You can buy the items individually or in the Dreamy Look Gift Box Set. While browsing the site I did not realize the featured lipstick in Secret Salma was a repromote from the Hot Lips launch until the moment I hit submit on my order. So now I have two.

Up first is the new perfume called Scent of a Dream. I received the 50 ml as a press sample for review and it is exactly what I envisioned Charlotte Tilbury to launch for a fragrance. It’s a very complex kind of scent that has a rich and seductive feel. To me it’s very much an evening date night kind of scent rather than everyday. Lasting power is quite strong and I was able to smell it late in the afternoon from the morning spritz. It’s a dark woodsy floral but has some light notes mixed in at the same time.
  • Top notes include lemon, peach, black pepper, saffron, mandarin and bergamot.
  • Heart notes include tuberose, jasmine, frankincense, hedoine, violet, muget, orange flower, rose oil, tea rose, green ivy and magnolia.
  • Base notes include fire tree, Iso E Super, patchouli, ambroxan, precious woods, amber, castoreum, musks.
According to Charlotte Tilbury, the top notes develop after 15 minutes after warming up on the skin and heart notes develop after five hours. I do find it shifts on the skin after a few hours but still smells very much the same. Had I spritzed and tried this in store on my own I don’t know that I would have bought it for myself – it’s quite a bit more seductive and rich compared to what I typically wear and to this day I still feel like my best date-night scent is Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb although Edward Bess is coming out with three fragrances next month which are incredible and Louis Vuitton launched seven new scents which are also quite amazing which might move Flowerbomb off the favorites list to a three-way tie (more details and review soon but I still have a lot of testing to do). Bottom line the Scent of a Dream is indeed dreamy and lovely, just not quite me.

Next up is a quick reswatch of Secret Salma which is a gorgeous raspberry pink color. It’s the matte revolution formula which is matte but luminous at the same time. Full review and lip swatches of all the Hot Lips Lipsticks in this post here but here’s another look for reference.

The Legendary Brows Brow Gel in Clear is a brow gel that comes with a very tiny brush wand. I am not a fan of clear brow gels because of two reasons. First is they rarely do anything for my brows and second they often leave that white chalky cast. I am very low maintenance when it comes to brows and I am well aware that I need to up my brow game. To date my go-to’s are the Diorshow Brow Styler (review here) and the La Palette Sourcils de Chanel (review here) – they’re the best no fuss impossible to overdo brow products for brow dummies. I’ve tried a number of brow gels in clear and tinted and try to use them but often forget to. The Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows Brow Gel performs well to actually hold brows in place. There’s no white film or chalky look once it dries. I will say that a little goes a long way. The first time I tried it I applied way too much and it left my brows very sticky. I’m really pleased with it – it holds brows in place after combing them upwards.

Last but not least is the new Legendary Muse Luxury Palette. This is limited-edition and has the same exterior star designed packaging as last year’s Fallen Angel Eyeshadow Palette. This year’s Legendary Muse texture is not like the limited-edition from last holiday but rather like her regular palettes in powder form for 3 shades and 1 glitter finish color. I last reported that the MAC Pressed Pigments were too glittery for me. The ones from Charlotte Tilbury and Tom Ford though are ones I find more wearable even though I’m very conservative for eye looks.

I have fallen head over heels for the Legendary Muse Luxury Palette. It’s a warmer palette of neutrals but still very wearable. Charlotte labels them 1 thru 4 on the back for application order but I apply this one in a different order. I like applying the darkest shade first and then follow with the top two layered on top and glitter topped as the last part. Pigment is medium to full. Colors match my arm so they look a bit sheer here but they do show up well on the eyes.

Colors are a soft pinky shimmer, warm coppery gold shimmer, light gold glitter and mauve shimmer.

A quick eye look in indoor lighting, no flash. Still working on getting the right lighting for face and eye swatches and beauty looks. I would say in real life the palette isn’t quite as reddish/mauve looking as the photos show below.

Comparison swatches below show that you can definitely find dupes for the palette, but the texture and combination just works so well. There are subtle differences in the shimmer and texture is soft and blendable. I bought my palette sight unseen so I did not know what to expect based on the online stock photos. I did know it would be on the warmer side and am thrilled at how it turned out.

Left to right below:

  • MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch
  • Anastasia Glow Kit in Sundipped, Moonstone shade (review)
  • Anastasia Glow Kit in That Glow, Golden Bronze shade (review)
    Anastasia Eyeshadow Single in Amber (review)
  • Tom Ford Cream Powder Duo in Naked Bronze, glitter shade (review here)
  • Anastasia Glow Kit in Sundipped, Tourmaline shade (review)
  • NARS Eyeshadow Duo Kalahari (review) 

I really love the eyeshadow palette and think it’s a great one to wear for any occasion. Although I really don’t do lots of glitter makeup, the Charlotte Tilbury glitters are easy to wear and layer on top of other powder shades for a little glitz without going over the top. If you’re looking for a classic raspberry pink lip, Secret Salma is a gorgeous option that I think would suit a wide range of skintones. The brow gel is a good one but as I’m not really a brow aficionado I don’t think I’d call it a must-have but it is one of the few clear ones that actually hold my brows in place. The perfume is a beautiful one, but as perfume is very personal I think it’s a bit bolder than my personality and I only see myself wearing it for evening.

You can find the new Charlotte Tilbury launches online at Charlotte Tilbury. Right now the eyeshadow palette and perfume are also available at Nordstrom.

Have you tried any of these new launches yet? What did you think?

Perfume and brow gel provided courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury for review. Palette and lipstick purchased by me.
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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Collection Review

July 11, 2016

 

Charlotte Tilbury launched a new collection of lipsticks called Hot Lips ($32 each). This launch features 12 new lipsticks shades designed in collaboration with 12 celebrities to support Women for Women International a non-profit organization dedicated to helping women survivors of war and injustice. $2 from each lipstick sold will be donated to the organizations in the first two months of sales.

 

The launch features 12 new shades of both her lipstick formulas Matte Revolution and K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick which you can purchase individually for $32 each. The Hot Lips shades have a special box packaging with red lips on the exterior and the actual lipstick tubes themselves have a lip print embossed on the front of the product. There are a few re-promoted shades with this launch. On Charlotte Tilbury’s website there is an exclusive set that features all 12 of the new Hot Lips and a lipstick holder called the Hot Lips Luxury Collection for $350. I ordered this set direct from her site – purchasing 12 shades individually would have retailed at $384. I have all 12 shades swatched today.

 

Here is what the lipstick holder looks like, it’s an exclusive to Charlotte Tilbury’s website and only comes with the set.

 

I’ve split the twelve shades into two color groups, neutrals and brights:

 

 

Neutrals shown below from left to right:
  • Penelope Pink K.I.S.S.I.N.G  is a repromote, it’s a neutral light nude pink
  • Very Victoria Matte Revolution is a repromote, it’s a cool-toned mauve nude pink brown
  • Kim KW K.I.S.S.I.N.G is a pale flesh toned pink nude
  • Super Cindy Matte Revolution is a medium 90’s shade nude with peach tones
  • Kidman’s Kiss Matte Revolution is a light peach pink
  • Liv It Up K.I.S.S.I.N.G is a neutral-cool light pink
  • Secret Salma Matte Revolution is a berry mauve pink

 

 

Brights and bolds:
  • Hot Emily K.I.S.S.I.N.G is a bright orange cream
  • Miranda May Matte Revolution is similar to Hot Emily, Miranda May has a bit less orange and more pink, it’s a bright color
  • Tell Laura Matte Revolution is an orange warm red
  • Carina’s Love Matte Revolution is a bold blue-based red
  • Bosworth’s Beauty Matte Revolution is a medium bright cool pink
  • Electric Poppy Matte Revolution is a hot pink
  • Hel’s Bells Matte Revolution is a deep purple plum

 

 

Swatches of the 12 Hot Lips Shades on bare lips below. For skintone reference I’m wearing the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundations in 6 and 7 mixed together set with the Flawless Finish Powder #2.

A few comparison sets below to other shades from her line. I’ve reviewed and swatched her lipsticks quite a few times before. For those new to her lipsticks, she has two formulas. The K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks were the first formula she launched. This is a creamy high pigment lipstick with medium to full coverage and a natural shine. She later launched a matte lipstick called Matte Revolution which is a luminous matte lipstick. These also have full coverage and have a satiny sheen to them even though they are matte in finish.They have a slight vanilla scent and while they aren’t moisturizing like a lip treatment, I find they are hydrating and they do not make my lips peel. In terms of prep, I rarely wear lip liner these days but the ones I reach for the most are Pillow Talk and Iconic Nude which will go with a wide range of colors. For a base I like her Lip Magic to help moisturize and prep the lips or the MAC Prep and Prime Lip.

 

Comparison Set 1:
  • Hot Lips include Kim KW, Super Cindy, Kidman’s Kiss, Liv It Up
  • Matte Revolution includes Miss Kensington (swatch), Between the Sheets (here), Very Victoria (review)
  • K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks include Nude Kate, Penelope Pink, Bitch Perfect and Stoned Rose (a;; swatched here)
  • Lip Cheat Lip Pencils include Iconic Nude and Pillow Talk (swatched here)

 

 

Comparison Set 2:
  • Hot Lips include Hot Emily, Miranda May, Tell Laura, Carina’s Love, Secret Salma and Hel’s Bells
  • Matte Revolution shades include Sexy Sienna, 1975 Red (here), Walk of Shame, Bond Girl and Love Liberty (rest here)
  • K.I.S.S.I.N.G shades include Kiss Chase (swatch)

 

 

Lip swatches for other shades linked above in comparison labels, but here are a few reswatched for reference:

 

 

Out of all 12 shades I think 10 are perfect. There were only two that I found a bit patchy or hard to apply including the lightest and darkest shades. Kim KW which I suspect is going to be one of the most popular options is one of those light nudes I cannot wear easily. It took me a lot of layering and blending to get smooth streak-free application. It’s very opaque and contrasts with my natural lip tone so it washes me out a little bit. Hel’s Bells went on my lips streaky and a bit patchy but did smooth out with layering. Adding a lipliner under both shades can fix any uneven application – and this might not happen to you if your natural lip tone is different from mine.

 

 

Some of the Hot Lips colors look nearly identical to each other in the tubes. The difference definitely shows up on the lips though. I’m hard pressed to pick a favorite because every single color is amazing. I will say that I do think Tell Laura looks identical to 1975 Red (discontinued). If you already own 1975 Red, skip Tell Laura. On the flip side if you missed out know you can buy Tell Laura as an exact dupe. My perfect Charlotte Tilbury nudes are still Penelope Pink and Bitch Perfect although Super Cindy and Kidman’s Kiss are both great peachy neutrals.

 

Overall the colors are all great which I think is rare for me to say on an entire collection launch. Charlotte Tilbury created a good range of wearable color options that are suitable for any occasion and any season. 100% worth the splurge for me. Because I know many of you will insist that I pick my top favorites, my top 5 are Super Cindy, Hot Emily, Secret Salma, Kidman’s Kiss and Liv It Up.

 

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Luxury Collection Set exclusively online at Charlotte Tilbury. Individual shades also available online and in stores at Charlotte Tilbury, Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Beautylish and Selfridges.

 

Have you ordered any shades yet? Which ones?

 

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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette Review

May 5, 2016
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette Review Beauty Look Book

Charlotte Tilbury just launched a new palette called the Instant Look Palette ($75, limited-edition). It’s a palette designed for women with little time on their hands for a quick and easy polished look. She calls it her 5-Minute On the Go Palette and I was able to apply all 7 products within 5 minutes. I received mine from Beautylish and it sold out within a week – not surprising since they have excellent customer service. I asked if they would be restocking and they said most likely not since it was limited-edition which is too bad but you can still find it online at a few other places right now including Charlotte Tilbury and Net-A-Porter.

This palette has 7 products that are labeled in numerical order of application which makes it super easy to use. When I saw online photos I thought it was extremely overpriced for what you get, but the compact is actually larger than I anticipated. Even in the photo above with me holding it – it appears to be on the small side, but it’s really decent in size and the pans are large enough to dip a brush into without having to worry about mixing colors. The quality of the powders in this palette are on par with all her other face, cheek and eye products. Texture is very soft and finely milled with medium coverage. The colors are very natural for an easy no-makeup-makeup look. I will say up front that while this palette has excellent quality in terms of color, texture and design, the shades in this palette are all too light in color for my complexion and on my face they barely showed up. I played with this several different days with different bases. The result was always the same – light and almost powdery looking simply because the colors are very light in color.

It looked so natural and barely there on me that I asked my husband on several occasions to double check. I asked if he could tell I was wearing makeup and what he thought. His response was, “yes, I can tell because you look extra powdery today.” He confirmed my thoughts that the shades looked light on my skin. That being said I experimented with this more and found it to be a good starting palette for me – meaning it provides a good base but on my skin type and skin tone I find it definitely needs extra work to get it to work for me. I need an emollient creamy eyeshadow base to help the shadows be more visible and adhere to the skin. I need a cream base highlighter or bronzer to help the cheek products look less powdery.

Quality-wise it’s great. Concept-wise it’s genius. I just happen to be right at the skin tone that almost matches these shades so they are near invisible on my face. I’ve reviewed quite few highlighters that look like highlighters on my skin, but on others it doesn’t show up because the color matches their skintone. It doesn’t mean anything is necessarily wrong with the product, it’s just not the right color. That’s the case with this palette for me.

A closer look at the palette below:

The shades show up well on my arm, on the face they look a lot sheerer, colors and descriptions:1 Eye Brighten is a soft pale matte pink peach
2 Eye Enhance is a gorgeous warm champagne shimmer
3 Eye Smoke is a soft medium brown matte
4 Face Bronzer is a sheer tan with a hint of shimmer
5 Cheek Swish is a soft peachy matte
6 Cheek Pop is a sheer pink with a tiny hint of sparkle
7 Face Highlight is a shimmery pale ivory highlight

Comparison swatches Set 1:Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look (first three shades)
MAC Flounce (from the 15 Neutral Cool Palette)
Urban Decay Limit (from Naked 3, all Naked Palettes swatched here)
Urban Decay Naked and Buck (from Naked Palette, all Naked Palettes swatched here)
Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow

Comparison swatches Set 2:
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette (first three shades swatched)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Medium-Light (reviewed here)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Cream Shadow in Norma Jean (review here)

MAC Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch Eyeshadow
Comparison Set 3:
Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette (first two shades swatched)

Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in Ecstasy and Love Glow

For me this doesn’t quite work for an instant look because the colors are too matchy for my skintone but I suspect it will work better for lighter or deeper skins because there will be more color contrast. I do think quality-wise it’s excellent. The powders are very soft and are easy to blend. If she comes out with other more palettes like this one that have a deeper color range I think I would be 100% in love with it because it really has all the colors you need for a quick look or touchup. The design makes it perfect for on-the-go or for travel and the pans come with a decent amount of product. Based on the reviews I’ve seen online most give this one an overwhelming thumbs up which make me think I may be the one person who found this one didn’t work. I personally prefer the individual items such as her Filmstar Bronze and Glow and Cheek to Chic blushes – some of the individual products have a similar look to the shades in the palette but I find the separate colors work better for me.

 

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look Palette for a limited time right now. I received mine courtesy of Beautylish (where it’s sold out right now). You can also find it online at Charlotte Tilbury, Net-A-Porter and Nordstrom (on backorder). Retail price is $75.

 

Have you tried this palette yet? What did you think?

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Base Makeup Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation and Magic Complexion Brush Review

February 24, 2016

There are a number of new foundation launches this year and I’ve been working my way through testing several different formulas and brands. One of the formulas that I’ve been most excited about is the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation ($44 for 30 ml/1.0 fl oz, made in Italy). This is described as a long-lasting foundation with flawless poreless coverage. It does indeed minimize the look of pores, covers dark circles and gives the skin a more brightened look. There is a new brush that launched called the Magic Complexion Foundation Brush ($55) which I’ve also been playing with. Thoughts on this one in this post as well.

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation comes in 15 shades and has an SPF 15. It’s packaged in a glass bottle with a plastic pump dispenser. I find two pumps sufficient to cover the entire face. There are a number of glowy foundation formulas on the market this season – I’m all about the glow, but for foundations I prefer a finish that isn’t too dewy because I have normal combination skin. What I like the best about the new foundation from Charlotte Tilbury is the formula brightens my skin, has enough coverage to covers imperfections and dark spots, and has a natural luminous look without being too dewy. I still need to set with powder, I’ve been using either the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder or the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Skin Perfecting Powder #2. With either one I get long-lasting wear, it lasts all day long well into the afternoon with minimal touch ups needed (just a tiny blot on the nose for me).

It’s recommended that you use the new foundation in conjunction with the other
Charlotte Tilbury face products such as the Magic Cream, Mini Miracle Eye Wand and Magic Complexion Foundation Brush for the best looking
skin, but I find you can use it over a wide range of moisturizers or
combine it with other concealers. It’s a pretty versatile formula that
offers medium to full coverage. It evens out the skin and offers smooth
flawless coverage.

In terms of color and formula, many know that I had a hard time finding a good match in the Light Wonder Foundation Formula. My closest match winter match was either 4 or 5, but I found I had to mix colors. During the summer I got a lot darker and found 7 to be my best match. Right now for the Magic Foundation formula, I can get away with either 5 or 6. The color adjusts and warms up slightly on the skin after it sets. It doesn’t oxidize too much which is good, but it will warm up a tiny bit.

Some swatch comparisons below. The corresponding shades for the Light Wonder vs Magic are pretty similar. I find the Magic Foundation 5 to be slightly less pink than the Light Wonder 5.

Next up are some thoughts on the new Magic Complexion Foundation Brush.

I had high expectations for the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Complexion Foundation Brush as it seemed very similar to the Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush but priced at a much more affordable price. When I opened the box I was disappointed to see loose hairs flying everywhere. It shed like crazy however after I washed it, the shedding stopped. The ends of the brush look like they have been machine cut. Comparing this to the Tom Ford, the Tom Ford Brush is significantly softer, better made, and seems to be of better quality overall. That being said, the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Complexion brush does perform just as well as the Tom Ford. It buffs the foundation into the skin for a streak-free flawless finish. If you’re looking for a foundation brush that’s soft and will buff in product to a smooth finish, I think it’s something worth looking into. The one from Charlotte Tilbury has a looser fluffier feel that isn’t quite as dense which I find makes it easier to smooth over the larger areas of the face in a circular motion. Here’s a look at both after they’ve both been washed and dried.
In terms of how to apply the Magic Foundation, I think you can use fingers, a beautyblender sponge, or any foundation brush. In the week I’ve been testing this formula, I’ve been using the new Magic Complexion Brush and it’s been working well (that is once I washed it).

Overall I give the new Magic Foundation formula a huge thumbs up. For me I don’t detect any noticeable scent which is a plus. It has sunscreen but doesn’t irritate my super sensitive skin. It has enough coverage to even out the skin and cover my under eye area so I don’t need concealer (but I still use it). Lasting power is good. Finish is more on the natural matte side and looks like your skin but better. I really love the formula of the Magic Foundation – even more so than the Light Wonder and as someone who likes decent coverage but want something that still looks like skin, I’m thrilled with this one. The Magic Complexion Foundation Brush is nice to have, but for me it’s not a must. I do really like the way it performs and I was relieved that the shedding stopped once I washed it. You can use the tools in your current beauty kit to get similar results.
You can find both the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation ($44) and Magic Complexion Brush ($55) online at Charlotte Tilbury now (expected to launch at other retailers soon). Right now Charlotte Tilbury’s website has an exclusive set called the Magic Foundation Kit ($110) which has the brush, foundation of your choice and a mini magic cream.

Have you tried either of these new launches yet? If yes, what did you think? I’d be curious to know what color you’re matched to if you have!

Both the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundations and Magic Complexion Brush were sent courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury for review consideration.
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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Between the Sheets and K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Kiss Chase

February 11, 2016

There are two new lipsticks from Charlotte Tilbury this spring named by Charlotte Tilbury lovers via social media. There is a new Matte Revolution Lipstick in Between the Sheets and K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Kiss Chase ($32 each, both exclusive to CharlotteTilbury.com). This season I swear lipsticks are draining my beauty budget. There are quite a few new launches this season from so many brands – being the Charlotte Tilbury fan that I am, I had to order both sight unseen even though there is no counter or store to see these two since they are online exclusives (at least they are in the US).

Above left is Kiss Chase, right is Between the Sheets

Both shades have a very romantic feel to them. If you visit Charlotte Tilbury’s website you will see a few beauty looks and the transformation with color is amazing! Between the Sheets is described as a dreamy vintage rose petal shade. I find it’s a bright baby petal pink with a hint of coral if that makes sense. It’s what I wanted Marc Jacobs Georgie Girl and Tom Ford Pink Tease to be on me. It’s the Matte Revolution formula which is one of the best matte lipstick formulas on the market (review on other shades in this post here). It has full coverage but still looks natural and non-cakey. There’s a tiny bit of shimmer in the tube but it doesn’t show on on the lips. Kiss Chase is a warm bright raspberry color. It looks like it would pull cool-toned on my lips, but once applied, it looks more warm. This is the K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula which is full coverage, creamy and has a slight sheen in the finish.

A closer look at both shades + swatches.

Lip Swatches, up first is Between the Sheets:

Some swatch comparisons:

Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Nude Pink (swatched here)
Marc Jacobs Georgie Girl (swatches here)
Charlotte Tilbury Miss Kensington (review here)
Tom Ford Forbidden Pink (on the lips here)
Tom Ford Pink Tease (swatch here)
Bite Beauty in Heather (review here)
MAC Without Your Love (here)

Next up is Kiss Chase:

Comparison swatches, if you find Kiss Chase to be too bold/bright, I’d highly recommend you try Edward Bess Night Romance instead which is the best raspberry cream lipstick I’ve ever tried:

Marc Jacobs Beauty Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (swatched here)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Bond Girl and Walk of Shame (swatches here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Negligee (swatched here)
Buxom Bold Gel Lipstick in Forbidden Berry (on the lips here)

There are so many new lipstick formulas and options to pick from right now. I wish I could say that you should save your $$$ and skip these, but the formula is phenomenal. I’ve repeatedly mentioned that I’m not a fan of matte lips for me – I have full lips to begin with and mattes often make them look larger and flat in color. The Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Formula is one of the few that manages to look luminous and matte at the same time. Between the Sheets turned out to be brighter and a bit more mod-like on my lips than I anticipated, but I love it. Kiss Chase is a bright and vibrant rosey shade. Even for a neutral lip lover like myself, I can’t help but think it’s such a pretty bright that I don’t feel self-conscious wearing.

I think if you like these kinds of shades, the Charlotte Tilbury lipstick formulas are top notch in terms of quality, wear and lasting power. I give both Between the Sheets and Kiss Chase a huge thumbs up. You can find both Between the Sheets and Kiss Chase exclusively online at Charlotte Tilbury ($32 each).

Have you checked these out or ordered them yet? What did you think?

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Charlotte Tilbury Skincare

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Skin Trilogy

December 29, 2015

I’ve been a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream for everyday and I’m thrilled that she has expanded her skincare line with two new additions for spring. Her Magic Cream is a great everyday moisturizer that works well with my super sensitive finicky skin type. It hydrates, plumps and smooths the skin and I really like how it works well under a wide range of foundations. The pot is huge and I’ve had it for a little over a year and still haven’t finished it (although I had used up 2 of the mini travel size ones). I was lucky to receive an early preview of the Magic Night Cream and Magic Eye Rescue and have been putting them to the test for 12 days now and have some first thoughts and impressions to share with you today.

There are now three skincare products in her Magic Line which she calls her Magic Skin Trilogy. You can buy all three in her Magic Skin Trilogy Set for $285 or the items individually:
  • Magic Cream $100 (50 ml/1.7 fl oz) is a white cream moisturizer for day. It has ingredients to stimulate collagen and protect skin from environmental toxins. I also contains Vitamin E to heal skin and reduce inflammation. I found that it smooths the overall complexion and creates a glowing base to prepare skin for makeup. I do find it soothing and it absorbs nicely. The texture is creamy enough to feel moisturizer but as a cream it’s not heavy. It does have a sunscreen smell which takes some getting used to.
  • Magic Night Cream $145 (50 ml/1.7 fl oz) is a super concentrated rich night cream. It contains Red Algea Marigel to smooth and protect skin, Winter Daphne Stem Cell Extract that comes from the Winter Daphne Plants to moisturize the skin and give it a youthful firm look, Olus Oil for the texture and Caster Seed Oil to add moisture.
  • Magic Eye Rescue $60 (15 ml/.05 fl oz) is a moisturizer designed to brighten dark circles, reduce puffiness and improve the texture of the skin. It contains what Charlotte Tilbury calls Time Released Retinol molecules that help boost the rejuvenation process of skin cells to give the skin a more radiant look.

A closer look at all three and some thoughts on my experience with each skincare item:

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream is one of my favorite day creams. I acquired a couple deluxe sized travel sample at a couple events (gift with purchases). I ended up using up two of them although in hindsight I should have stuck with using the full size and kept the minis for actual travel trips. A little goes a long way. This has been one of my top four most-used face creams I tested this year which also include the Eve Lom Brightening Cream, Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. It smooths and hydrates the skin. I like that it’s heavy enough for dry skin days but light enough that I don’t feel it once it sets on the skin. It works well with every foundation I’ve tested. It really does give the skin a more youthful appearance.

If you’re unsure about spending $100 on the full size, she has it available in a few trial sets this holiday. You can find it in a mini in her Gift of Goddess Travel Trio Kit ($59 for three minis of Magic Cream, Wonderglow and Clay Mask) or her Gift of Red Carpet Travel Kit ($85 for give deluxe-sized skincare minis of Magic Cream, Wonderglow, Glay Mask, Multi Miracle Glow, Supermodel Body and Take it All Off). I ordered this cream over a year ago when it launched and can say that it will last you a long time.

Ingredients: WATER (AQUA/EAU), HOMOSALATE , GLYCERYL STEARATE SE, ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, GLYCERIN, BUTYL METHOXYDIBENZOYLMETHANE, OCTOCRYLENE, CETYL ALCOHOL, C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, DIMETHICONE, PHENOXYETHANOL, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, STEARETH-21, AVENA SATIVA (OAT) KERNEL EXTRACT, CARBOMER, DIMETHICONOL, POTASSIUM CETYL PHOSPHATE, CHLORPHENESIN, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, XANTHAN GUM, HYDROLYZED VIOLA TRICOLOR EXTRACT, ALLANTOIN, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, DISODIUM EDTA, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, CAMELLIA OLEIFERA SEED OIL, ROSA CANINA FRUIT OIL, ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER WATER, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, MICHELIA ALBA LEAF OIL, SODIUM LACTATE, COCO-GLUCOSIDE, PEG-8, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, SODIUM HYALURONATE, TOCOPHEROL, PALMITOYL OLIGOPEPTIDE, PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTIDE-7, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, PLUMERIA RUBRA FLOWER EXTRACT, ASCORBIC ACID, CITRIC ACID, NICOTIANA SYLVESTRIS LEAF CELL CULTURE, LINALOOL, CITRONELLOL, GERANIOL.

When I heard there would be a Magic Night Cream launching I had very high hopes. Sometimes with skincare I think I set my expectations too high and am let down when my skin shows no signs of improvement. I am relieved to say that after testing this for over a week, this is something I will use up to the end. The Magic Night Cream is a super rich night treatment. It has an almost gel-cream hybrid texture. It is scented which I find hard to describe but it’s extremely unique and almost spa-like. If she made this in a body lotion I would totally wear it.

The first night I used the cream I used too much and my face felt like I was literally wearing a thick sticky face mask to sleep. A little goes a very very long way – I found that two dabs on the tips of two fingers is really all I need to cover the entire face. I take two fingers dab it lightly into the cream and then apply it to the palm of my other hand. I rub my hands together and then apply. If your skin feels sticky or goopy you’ve applied too much.

After figuring out the right amount to use, I find that it gives the skin a veil of moisture. It is slightly heavy but it does absorb well into the skin. In the mornings when I wake up, the skin is noticeably soft, very smooth, feels plump and looks well rested. I’m the worst when it comes to applying night treatments on a regular basis because I don’t like the feeling of product on my face when I sleep. The dry and cold weather has made my skin itchy and in need of extra moisture. This does just the trick. I highly recommend you watch Goss Makeup Artist’s Video on this one. It shows how glowing his skin is.

Ingredients:GLYCERIN, AQUA/WATER/EAU, RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, SUCROSE STEARATE, ETHYLHEXYL STEARATE, OLUS OIL (VEGETABLE OIL/HUILE VÉGÉTALE), DIPENTAERYTHRITYL HEXACAPRYLATE/HEXACAPRATE, HYDROXYSTEARIC/LINOLENIC/OLEIC POLYGLYCERIDES, C20-40 ALCOHOLS, ISODECYL NEOPENTANOATE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, PHENOXYETHANOL, MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE, CERA ALBA (BEESWAX/CIRE D’ABEILLE), ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CHLORPHENESIN, CELLULOSE GUM, HYDROXYPROPYL CYCLODEXTRIN, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), TITANIUM DIOXIDE, XANTHAN GUM, CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT, SQUALANE, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, RETINOL, PEG-8, CARAMEL, TOCOPHEROL, DAPHNE ODORA CALLUS EXTRACT, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, NICOTIANA SYLVESTRIS LEAF CELL CULTURE, PLUMERIA RUBRA FLOWER EXTRACT, UBIQUINONE, LECITHIN, ASCORBIC ACID, CITRIC ACID, ASCORBYL TETRAISOPALMITATE, BENZOIC ACID, HEXYL CINNAMAL, BENZYL BENZOATE, LINALOOL, HYDROXYCITRONELLAL, CINNAMYL ALCOHOL, EUGENOL, RED 33 (CI 17200), YELLOW 6 (CI 15985), YELLOW 5 (CI 19140).

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream is another winner. For me it’s on par with the Chanel Sublimage Eye Cream and Tatcha Under Eye Cream in terms of moisturizing effects. I would say the Charlotte Tilbury is somewhere in the middle of those two with the Chanel being more hydrating for day and excellent for night and the Tatcha being more lightweight and better for day. I’m super picky with eye treatments – so many sting my eyes if it creeps the slightest bit into the corners. The Charlotte Tilbury Eye Cream is very good and doesn’t interfere with eye makeup or concealer. There are a lot of eye creams I can use alone on no-makeup days but cannot use under makeup because it either makes eye color slide off or foundation look cakey if I apply it on top (examples include ones from Fresh, Philosophy, Clinique to name a few). The Charlotte Tilbury one true to the quality and style of her Magic Cream works well for day under makeup to give a glowing lit from within look under the eyes.

I will need to test it more to see if it really does brighten the skin over the long term. But just with a week + of use I can see the texture has improved and it does lift and firm under the eye area and adds the perfect amount of moisture + glow. I give it a thumbs up. On this one there is a soft skincare scent but it’s not fragranced.

Ingredients: AQUA/WATER/EAU, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, POLYSORBATE 60, OLUS OIL (VEGETABLE OIL/ HUILE VÉGÉTALE), PEG-7 GLYCERYL COCOATE, GLYCERIN, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA BUTTER), PEG-8, ETHYLHEXYL STEARATE, DICAPRYLYL ETHER, SORBITAN STEARATE, HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER, OLIVE OIL PEG-7 ESTERS, PHENOXYETHANOL, SACCHARIDE ISOMERATE, C12-16 ALCOHOLS, CERA ALBA (BEESWAX/ CIRE D’ABEILLE ), GLYCERYL STEARATE, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, SQUALANE, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CHLORPHENESIN, , HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, HYDROLYZED RICE PROTEIN, PALMITIC ACID, XANTHAN GUM, CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT, DISODIUM EDTA, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) PROTEIN, HYDROXYPROPYL CYCLODEXTRIN, SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, CITRIC ACID, TOCOPHEROL, SODIUM CITRATE, SODIUM BENZOATE, SODIUM PCA, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, RETINOL, DAPHNE ODORA CALLUS EXTRACT, SODIUM DEXTRAN SULFATE, NICOTIANA SYLVESTRIS LEAF CELL CULTURE, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, PLUMERIA RUBRA FLOWER EXTRACT, BORAGO OFFICINALIS SEED OIL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ASCORBIC ACID, LECITHIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, RETINYL PALMITATE, ASCORBYL TETRAISOPALMITATE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI77491, CI 77492).

Overall both the Magic Night Cream and Magic Eye Rescue have exceeded my expectations. I do think both of them are items I will use to the very end. Out of the two I have to say I am most impressed with the Eye Cream – especially with the way it wears under makeup and has enough moisture without feeling greasy. The Night Cream does such an amazing job at moisturizing the skin over night and improving texture – but I suspect the texture or scent won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I think it’s perfect for this time of year – especially when I feel like my skin is lacking in luster and glow because the weather seems to suck the life of my face. Both have performed really well with my super sensitive skin and I highly recommend both.

Let me know if you’re interested in another update on these next month. I’m testing a few other items in skincare and testing takes time, so I try to split up my testing into segments so I can see the effects of items separately. If you haven’t tried her Magic Cream I highly recommend you do. 

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Night Cream and Magic Eye Rescue exclusively online at Charlotte Tilbury and Nordstrom right now. They will launch at other retailers next month.

Have you tried any of the skincare from Charlotte Tilbury yet? What did you think?

Press samples reviewed include the Magic Night Cream and Magic Eye Rescue.

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