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Charlotte Tilbury Eye Makeup

Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes to Hypnotise Duos

November 23, 2015

I picked up two of the Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes to Hypnotise Eyeshadow and Eye Pencil Duos ($39) from Nordstrom as soon as they arrived. It’s taken me a while to get the swatches and comparisons edited but this gave me a few weeks to put these to the test. There are four shades in total, all limited edition. When I saw these at the counter they didn’t have testers yet, but my heart skipped a beat when I saw The Huntress/Amber Moon (bronze) and On the Prowl/Supernova (plums).

The Nocturnal Eyeshadows are shimmering luminous eyeshadows that have a multi-dimensional effect. A brush or finger will pick up a lot of pigment, but they apply medium-sheer in pigment on first swipe. What’s nice about these is that they are easy to build for a smokey eye. Over a base or applied wet the color intensifies. Dry, you get a softer shimmering effect on the lids. The shadows come in a small mirrored compact that is pretty sturdy for the size. The mirror is so so tiny though, it’s hard to see anything with it.
  • The Huntress is a bronzey taupe with a slight khaki sheen on my skin, there’s a bit of silver and gold flecks mixed in so you can see it’s pretty complex
  • Amber Moon is a deep metallic bronze eyeliner, but the shimmer is very fine and the color is deep
  • On The Prowl looks similar to The Huntress in the compact, but if the light hits it at the right angle you can see more of a plum base, below you can see the shimmer particles are different in color
  • Supernova is a bright but deep sparkling plum, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite as pretty

Each duo comes with a mini Rock ‘n’ Kohl Eye Pencil, both of which have a subtle luminosity and have seriously impressive lasting power. I really like the formula and plan on checking out the other shades that come in full sizes. Right now the colors in the duos are only available in the duos. I hope that changes and that Charlotte Tilbury will add them to the permanent lineup.

The two colors I picked with close ups, swatches and comparisons:
On the Prowl + Supernova: an antique Byzantium aubergine flecked with pearl and partnered with a smoky plum liner.

Swatches of the shadow three ways, first is dry (no base), second is over Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base in Suede (this is my holy grail eye base), third is applied wet. Because there is so much shimmer in these it’s a bit hard to tell in photos, but the intensity does increase dramatically when applied over a base or with a damp brush. Supernova Eyeliner is just stunning. It’s bright but deep at the same time.

Comparisons below to:
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Fatal (discontinued, swatched)
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Rouge Noir (swatched here)
Armani Eyes to Kill 27 (discontinued)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Rockstar (also swatched here)
Aerin Cool Gel Eyeliner in Effortless Brown

 

The Huntress + Amber Moon: a smoky golden bronze partnered with a rich brown amber kohl.

Swatch comparisons below: 
Armani Eyes to Kill #15 and #24 (discontinued)
NARS Eye Paint in Baalbek
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Brown Perfection
Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil in Underground

I’m thrilled with both. I love dark smokey shimmers that aren’t the traditional black or grey color for a smokey eye look. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say I have a very slight preference towards the plum colors which surprises me. The combination is just so so pretty. If you are the kind to try before you buy, definitely visit your closest Charlotte Tilbury counter soon. These are both perfect to add a bit of glow and dimension to your beauty look for the upcoming holiday events but still neutral enough to wear for everyday.

The Charlotte Tilbury Nocturnal Cat Eyes to Hypnotise Duos are limited-edition. I bought mine at Nordstrom. You can also find them at Bergdorf Goodman, Beautylish, Net-a-Porter, Selfridges and Charlotte Tilbury.
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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Lipsticks

September 18, 2015

 

Charlotte Tilbury finally launched her Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Lipsticks ($32 each) in the US. If you’re a Charlotte Tilbury fan like me, you’ve probably been waiting for these for what seems like forever. There are 10 shades of matte lipstick – these are truly phenomenal in terms of the formula and pigment. If you’re a regular reader of The Beauty Look Book, you know I’m not a fan of matte lipsticks in general. I find them drying and thick in texture. They often darken on my skin/lips and also emphasize lip lines in the worst way. There are a few exceptions and Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution is one of them.

 

There are 10 luminous modern-matte hues inspired by various famous women. I have swatches of all 10 shades and a review of 5 in more detail. The colors and inspiration according to Charlotte Tilbury:
  • Amazing Grace is inspired by Grace Kelly, a vintage tea rose for pretty, polished perfection a la Nicole Kidman and Miranda Kerr
  • Love Liberty is inspired by Liberty Ross, a wild rose-flush for wildly glamorous nights a la Jerry Hall and Uma Thurman
  • Bond Girl is a chic natural berry for sultry and alluring beauties from Halle Berry and Barbara Bach to Olga Kurylenko
  • Lost Cherry is a pop of pastel fuchsia for a fresh and effortlessly gorgeous look, perfect for Kate Bosworth, Felicity Jones or Cara Delevingne
  • Glastonberry is a sheer blackcurrant hue is for sex kittens and rock n’ rollers like Rihanna, Grace Jones and Rita Ora
  • Walk of Shame is a beautiful, berry tinted rose for antique chic, perfect for Christina Hendricks and Margot Robbie
  • Very Victoria is inspired by Victoria Beckham, a suede, taupe nude for those who buck the trend like Brigitte Bardot
  • Birkin Brown is inspired by the icon, a timelessly elegant soft chocolate cream for Naomi Campbell and Jane Birkin
  • Red Carpet Red is a true ruby red to bestow Hollywood style wow-factor – think Scarlett Johansson, Marilyn Monroe and Michelle Williams
  • Sexy Sienna is inspired by Sienna Miller, a golden coral to partner with sun-kissed skin, think Gisele and Veruschka

 

For quick reference, there are also two additional colors in the Matte Revolution formula that were part of the Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson collection: Miss Kensington and 1975 Red are reviewed and swatched here. The five colors I have to share from the Matte Revolution collection launch include Very Victoria, Walk of Shame, Bond Girl, Sexy Sienna and Love Liberty.

 

 

 

 

Thoughts and lip swatches below. For all the colors I find they transform into different colors on the lips compared to what you see in the tube. This usually happens with all matte lipsticks on me in general – there’s something about the rich pigment in the lipstick and my pigmented lips that causes a color shift.
Very Victoria is a brown tan nude in the tube, on my lips and skin it pulls more pinkish/nude. There is a very slight hint of shimmer in the color but it’s more cream-looking on the lips.

 

Walk of Shame is a brick red berry color, it pulls warm on me, almost reddish. It looks brighter on my lips compared to what I see in the tube.

 

 

Bond Girl is my favorite. It’s a muted mauve pink brown color. It has a lot of color and is darker than what I’m used to (there is a lot of brown undertone) but it will be perfect for fall as a color that’s deeper than neutrals, but not as dark as vamps.

 

Sexy Sienna is the color I was most excited about. It’s a stunning coral that’s bright but natural. On my lips it was a bit of a let-down. It clashes with my skin and looks a bit harsh. I think I can make it work better for me by toning it down with a lighter gloss.

 

Love Liberty is a stunning berry. It’s a plum color in the tube but on my lips it’s more reddish in color.

 

All the lipsticks have a nourishing formula. The combination of matte and luminous seems impossible to have in one lipstick, but Charlotte Tilbury has managed to make a luminous matte. These have a smooth texture that’s easy to layer for pigment. With one swipe these are fairly pigmented and easy to blend. They don’t emphasize lip lines and don’t dry out my lips. When I do lip swatches I usually have to spread out the swatching over a couple of days because the rubbing and makeup removing is pretty harsh on my lips. These are so nourishing I was able to swatch them all in one day and when I was finished, my lips were still in very good shape.

 

 

Lasting power is really really good. I found by hour 5 of wear the color was still in tact without any fading. There is color transfer to cups if you drink coffee, tea, water, juice etc. but the color still stays on the lips really well. The lipsticks do have a vanilla scent but it’s not too sweet and disappears after a few minutes.

 

Overall I give these a huge thumbs up. The colors options in general are on the dark side – much darker than I’m used to wearing for everyday. If you’re a fan of neutral lips you will probably find all of these too dark or pigmented. I’d recommend you check out the new Buxom Big and Sexy Bold Gel Lip Colors, there are lots of neutrals in the matte formula (I’ll have a post next week on these). If you’re one who likes color and are looking for a long-wearing matte that’s nourishing, these are among the best mattes I’ve tried. Other favorites for formula include the Tom Ford Lip Mattes although the colors are limited (my favorite color is First Time) and the Rouge Louboutin in Velvet Matte.
If you like lighter colors, you will also find more options in the regular K.I.S.S.I.N.G lip color formula. The two formulas are very different in terms of texture, finish and color selection. (Swatches of Penelope Pink, Bitch Perfect, Confession, Stoned Rose, Nude Kate and Hepburn Honey here.) The K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks are creamier in texture with a thicker feel. The Matte Revolution by comparison glides on the lips easier and feels weightless. Lasting power of both formulas is very good. I have a slight preference for the feel of the matte, but like the finished look of the regular formula.
You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks at counters now priced at $32 each. Online at Beautylish (they have lip swatches on fair and deep skins), Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Charlotte Tilbury. If you want to go all out, you can splurge on 10 of the shades in the Luxury Lipstick Wardrobe for $305.
Have you tried these lipsticks yet? If so, what colors?
The 5 Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks featured in this post were provided as samples for review consideration.
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Charlotte Tilbury Eye Makeup

Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadows

August 21, 2015
Charlotte Tilbury launched her new Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadows several months ago ($32 each for 0.24 fl oz/7 ml). I bought five of the six shades as soon as I saw them at my local Nordstrom counter but then went on vacation, took photos, but never got around to reviewing them. I’ve been playing with these for quite some time now and think they are really amazing. I think they are little pots of magic for the eyes. If you’re a fan of the Tom Ford Cream Eyeshadows, you will love the ones from Charlotte Tilbury. The concept and texture of the Charlotte Tilbury’s are similar to those of Tom Ford’s. They both have a super creamy feel, they are easy to blend, they layer quite beautifully and you can control the pigment. On my lids they last all day without budging as long as I don’t rub my eyes. They feel weightless and have the most beautiful shimmer. A quick note on cream shadows – I don’t have oily lids and I rarely wear a primer because I find most drying on my skin. I like creamier eye bases such as the one from Edward Bess or cream shadows in general because they help powder shadows adhere to my lids better.

 

The Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise wear well alone or layered together. I am thoroughly impressed with how easy it is to layer and control pigment. Some cream shadows disappear or sheer out a lot once you blend. The ones from Charlotte Tilbury can be sheered out, but they still have extremely good pigment. Some close ups, descriptions and swatches of the 5 shades I picked out below.

 

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Norma Jean is a pale golden champagne color. It has the most beautiful shimmer in it. I love this all over the lids or as a base color. There is a bit of champagne pink mixed in a tiny bit of peach in the shimmer. It’s really quite stunning.
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Marie Antoinette is a sparkling golden brown taupe color. This one looks neutral-warm in the pot but goes on my skin more neutral-cool because of the silvery shimmer particles. This one will probably look very different on your skin if you have cool tones or fair skin. On my medium/olive skin it’s a gorgeous my lids but better kind of color.
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Bette is a warm coppery gold. On my skin this pulls very warm and very gold. I like it layered on top of either Norma Jean or Marie Antoinette to create depth or a soft gradient.
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Mona Lisa is a shimmering soft brown with plum undertones. It’s pure genius with the complex mix of cool and warm sparkles. It’s like a chocolate color, bronze shade and plum all mixed in one.

 

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Veruschka is one of the most interesting khaki shimmers I’ve seen. This one is a bit sheerer in finish compared to the others with one swipe but it is easy to layer. I have a hard time wearing olive colors. The olive + olive skin combo sometimes makes my face look very tired and sallow. This one has a beautiful mix of gold, green, olive and silver shimmers to make it more complex. It’s not a color I can wear on its own. I’m still experimenting with color combinations on this one.

 

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The colors I picked all lined up side by side. The teal shade Cleopatra is beyond gorgeous. I was very tempted to purchase but it’s not a color I suspect I would wear frequently. I might go back for it because it’s so striking, but for now I’m really happy with the five that I have. They are among the best in cream shadows that I’ve tried (tied with Tom Ford).

 

 

Swatches heavy:

 

 

Swatches heavy but blended:

 

 

Comparisons to some other shades, both sets are the same, one is just a close up:

 

Armani Eye Tints 12, 9, 11 and 5 (reviewed here)
Tom Ford Escapade (discontinued, reviewed here)
Tom Ford Spring 2015 (reviewed here)
Chanel Caroube (review + swatched here)
Tom Ford Platinum and Spice (reviewed here)

 

 

 

One last shot lined up:

 

I can’t rave enough about these. I think all five are outstanding. Veruschka is the only one I’m a bit iffy about mainly because I don’t really love olive colors, but there is a lovely complexity to the color that makes it really unique. I couldn’t find exact dupes with Tom Ford, Chanel or Armani. There are similarities in a lot of the colors so you may want to shop your stash before splurging. I give each one a huge thumbs up. For those curious, I’ve been applying them with my fingers but brushes work too. If you’re looking for pretty cream shadows with really good pigment and sophisticated shimmer these are really fun. The colors are gorgeous. You can use them as a traditional cream shadow for the lids or as a highlighter for the inner corners.

 

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Eyeshadows at all Charlotte Tilbury counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Beautylish, Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Charlotte Tilbury.
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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson Collaboration

August 5, 2015

Charlotte Tilbury has launched a stunning collection in collaboration with the Norman Parkinson Archive. The collection is dedicated to and decorated with the legendary British fashion photographer’s iconic images on the packaging for all the products. The limited-edition collection includes two Matte Revolution Lipsticks, Cosmetic Cases and with new products for the Cheeks. Items with this launch include:

Matte Revolution Lipstick in Miss Kensington ($32)
Matte Revolution Lipstick in 1975 Red ($32)
Color of Youth Healthy, Happy Lip & Cheek Glow ($58)
Dreamy Glow Highlighter ($65)
Filmstar Bronze and Glow Sun Tan and Sun Light ($80)
On Call Makeup Bag ($45)
The Bathing Beauty Bag ($80)

The collection does not disappoint. True to Charlotte Tilbury’s line, the quality of everything is phenomenal in terms of color, pigment, blendability and performance. I was a bit skeptical when I ordered some of the items as they are all pretty high in price point. I had very high hopes for everything but wasn’t sure the items would live up to my expectations given the price points. After testing the collection for a few weeks now, I am pleased to report that all items have far exceeded my expectations.

I reviewed and featured the creamy Sun Tan + Sun Light Filmstar Bronze and Glow in an earlier post comparing it to the original Filmstar Bronze and Glow (renamed Light to Medium) and the new Medium to Dark. The Norman Parkinson version is a cream product with a warm tan brown and a luminous glowy pale gold. As mentioned in my earlier review I found it to be extremely glowy and dewy. Lasting power to be fairly good for a cream product but I prefer the powder version of the Light to Medium. I’m reposting photos here for reference. Swatches of all three side by side and also applied on the face in this post here.
Top is Light to Medium
Bottom is the Norman Parkinson Palette
Right is the Medium to Dark

There are two lipsticks with the collection in the Matte Revolution Lipstick formula. Both are extremely pigmented. There is a light pink called Miss Kensington. In the tube and sunlight it looks like a natural warm pink. On my lips it looks more cool-toned. It’s light but not too pale. If you have dry lips you may want to prep the lips with a bit of lip balm first. The color is very saturated in pigment and adheres well to the lips. Lasting power is very good. As with all of Charlotte Tilbury Lipsticks there is a slight vanilla scent.

The other shade is 1975 Red which is a vibrant orange red cream. Long-time Beauty Look Book readers know this color is way outside of my comfort zone but the color is phenomenal. It’s a super bright orange red but it’s one I think will flatter any skintone. What impressed me was how quickly this one set and how long it lasted. I had no lipstick transfer to my teeth which I find rare for any red lip. It’s a very dramatic bold color.

The final two makeup items are what I’ll call the highlights of the collection. The Colour of Youth is a Lip and Cheek cream product that I think is pure genius. It looks very warm in the pan and swatches warm on the cheeks. On my lips it pulls a bit more cool-toned into a very youthful healthy pink glow. It’s easy to blend and layer – I would say the pigment is sheer to medium but gives more coverage than the Beach Sticks. It’s perfectly named as it does give the face life and color in a youthful way.

Last but not least the Dreamy Glow Highlighter is a powder highlighter. It’s so soft and velvety it almost feels creamy. It is indeed very dreamy with finely milled shimmer that looks glowy and not frosted. It has a soft rose champagne base with a soft golden shimmer. Those who are anti-frost need not worry with this one. It has a very refined glow. It comes with a very high price tag but I think it’s worth every penny. It has a soft rose undertone that makes the skin glow like magic.

I posted comparisons with the NARS Tribulation Blush from fall, here they are again for reference. As you can see below the Charlotte Tilbury Dreamy Highlighter has a slight pinkish cast.

Overall I’m extremely impressed and pleased with the collection. The price points are high but everything is made extremely well and I have to say all the items far exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend the Dreamy Glow Highlighter and Colour of Youth – they add just the right amount of color and glow to make the skin look alive and polished. The Matte Lipstick Revolution shades are very good if you like matte lipsticks. I personally prefer creamy formulas or sheerer ones but both perform really well. Miss Kensington is pale pink perfection without looking too pale or too mod-like. The Sun Tan + Sun Light Filmstar Bronze and Glow is excellent for a cream product but I prefer powder cheek items unless they are in a stick form simply because I find it’s easier to keep clean.

My top two picks are the Dreamy Glow Highlighter and Colour of Youth.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson Collection at all Charlotte Tilbury retailers now. Online at Beautylish, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter, Nordstrom, Selfridges and Charlotte Tilbury. Note that the items are all limited-edition.

The On Call Makeup Bag and 1975 Red Lipstick were gifted.
All other Charlotte Tilbury items featured were purchased by me.

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Charlotte Tilbury Highlighters

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow: Light-Medium, Medium-Dark and Sun Tan + Sun Light

July 24, 2015

I’ve been a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze and Glow Palette (originally reviewed here). It contains a bronzer and highlighter powder duo in a mirrored compact which creates depth and dimension. This month Charlotte Tilbury has launched two new extensions of her Filmstar Bronze and Glow in a Medium to Dark Palette and Sun Tan & Sunlight Cream Duo with the Norman Parkinson Collection – I ordered both online from Charlotte Tilbury’s website and have been playing with them for a few days. (The original version has now been renamed Light to Medium.) I really like the original version because it works well with my skin tone and skin type. Highlighters can sometimes emphasize pores but the one from Charlotte Tilbury adds a nice even natural glow even though it has more of a frost finish.

My skin tone has been around a Chanel Beige 30 and NARS Punjab for a long time. After our month long trip to Europe I got a bit darker which puts me at a Chanel Beige 40 range (post on summer foundation rotation soon). When I was medium to light the original Filmstar Bronze and Glow ($68) worked perfectly for me. Right now the bronzer is more subtle on my skin – it still shows up but it’s not quite as strong on my skin. In case you missed the original review, I’ve taken some new photos to post here.

The Filmstar Bronze and Glow Medium to Dark ($68) is designed for deeper skin tones. It’s quite a few shades darker than the Light to Medium with a deep shimmery luminous bronze and an orangey gold highlighter. I thought the concept of an orangey highlighter to be odd, even for those with tan to deep skin tones, but it’s surprisingly wearable and very pretty on the skin. I suspect if you have super fair skin the highlighter will look more like a strong blush. On me it’s not quite traditional highlighter material but it does give the skin a warm glow. When you swatch it on the arm it will appear orange like the color you see in the pan. On the face it adds a really interesting glow.

With the Norman Parkinson Collection, Charlotte Tilbury has a new limited-edition cream Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Sun Tan & Sun Light ($80). I’m usually not a fan of potted or pan creams because I find they get messy with fingers, debris, dust and even brushes but since this is from Charlotte Tilbury I had to give this a try. There is a medium tan cream side and a shimmering gold cream. The tan shade does not swatch well on bare arms but on the face it applies smoothly and blends very easily (I tested mine over foundation). The shimmering highlighter swatches nicely on the arms and face. The highlighter has visible sparkles in it but isn’t over the top and doesn’t emphasize pores. This one is more luminous compared to the original version but it’s easy to blend and sheer out. On my combination skin in this warm 80 degree weather it held up from morning until late afternoon without budging.

All come in the same sized-compact with two pans of
product and a large mirror. The packaging itself comes in a rose gold
metallic finish. The Norman Parkinson Sun Tan + Sun Light comes with a
photo shot by Parkinson of Jerry Hall for British Vogue taken on Montego
Bay, Jamaica, in 1975 on the lid. Also shown below is the Powder and Sculpt Brush which is sold separately.

I’ve swatched each one side by side. Note that all the swatches on the arms have been done with a rather heavy hand. Each one is easy to apply with a light hand and you can control intensity of color by layering. Pigment is pretty rich in each palette so I would recommend on your first few uses apply with a light hand and build up the color.

Below swatches of each version on the face. I have both the bronzer side + highlighter applied and blended lightly in each shot. For skin tone reference I’m wearing Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super–Charged Oil–Free Foundation in Golden Medium with NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation in Punjab + Chanel Les Beiges 30 dusted on top to set. On the lips is Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment in Nude (the gloss version). Coral nail polish is Essie Sunday Funday.

I’m really happy with the Medium to Dark version. It gives the face some warmth and color. I don’t know how the orange will translate on deeper skin tones – if you’ve tried this please chime in with your thoughts in the comments below. I applied with with a medium hand and it’s not too orangey. The cream duo in Sun Tan and Sunlight from Norman Parkinson is a really nice easy-to-use duo. It’s very luminous on my skin and as you can see in the photo above the sheen really stands out with a flash. Even in natural light the cream highlighter looks very luminous and on me it was easy to overdo. I recommend applying with a light hand but it gives a nice golden strobe effect.

For brush recommendations, after playing with the original one for a year, I have to say hands down the best one is the Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush ($49). My original thoughts that it was not a must-have and could be replicated with other regular blush brushes. The shape, texture and density of the brush make this my go-to for any kind of subtle contour/highlighting. It’s one I reach for constantly even though I’m usually a fan of MAC cheek brushes. There are two sets available for each of the powder bronzer/highlight duos that offer a slight price break. The Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Light-Medium Set and Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Med-Dark retail for $110 each and come with the duo + brush in a gorgeous box. For the cream duo I’m still experimenting – so far I like using fingers the best.

All the Filmstar Bronze and Glows are available online now, they should be arriving at Charlotte Tilbury counters soon. Do note that the Norman Parkinson Duo is limited-edition. Available online at Nordstrom, Beautylish, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter and Charlotte Tilbury.

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Bronzer + Blush Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks

March 5, 2015

Charlotte Tilbury’s Beach Sticks finally launched in the US ($45 each for 6.5 g / 0.23 oz, made in Italy). I ordered mine sight unseen online and have been experimenting with these. The Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks are twist up cream blushes and highlighters. They come in summery colors with different degrees of shimmer. The texture of these sticks is quite creamy making them easy to blend and layer. Straight from the tube they swipe and swatch with medium pigment. Once you blend with a finger the color sheers out quite a bit. You don’t have to pack layers on to get the color to show up, but in my experience I did need 2-3 swipe + blend layers to get them to show up on my medium olive skin. The brighter colors like Las Salinas and Ibiza are more visible on the skin while Formentera and Moon Beach are lighter and less visible. These sticks have a soft dewy finish that give the skin a youthful glow. They don’t get greasy or oily as quickly as NARS Multiples do on me, but by late afternoon, alone they do fade. There is a slight vanilla scent with the beach sticks but it is very faint.

The colors I picked out: 

  • Formentera is a nude pink with a slight sheen, this adds a lovely nude blush look to the face, pigment is sheer to medium
  • Ibiza is a tan bronze with golden shimmer, this is nice as a bronzer, pigment is medium
  • Moon Beach is a sheer shimmery golden peach, this makes a nice highlighter and adds a sheen to the skin, pigment is sheer to medium
  • Las Salinas is a bright sheer hot pink with golden shimmer, pigment on this is sheer to medium

Detail photos and swatches:

Swatched straight from the tube:

1 swipe sheered out – don’t let these swatches deter you, they adhere to the face much better than they do on the arms, if you have 2-3 swipes on the face, they show up a lot better:

A few comparison swatches for color reference:

NARS Multiple in Puerto Vallarta
NARS Matte Multiple in Vientiane
NARS Multiple in G-Spot
NARS Multiple in Malibu

After putting these Beach Sticks to the test I find myself having mixed feelings. The colors are stunning and the texture adds a really lovely glow to the skin without making it look or feel greasy. Moon Beach works extremely well layered over powder blush on the high point of the cheek bone to give a dewy glow. Ibiza has enough warmth and color to be a good natural contour for me (traditional contouring creams are too sharp and grey-looking). Las Salinas would be better if the color were more visible, I think sheer bright pinks can be done beautifully to add a healthy glow. On my medium skin it sheers out after blending so I need to add 2 more swipes for the color I want. Don’t get me wrong it is workable, on me it just takes a bit more work and I personally prefer a stronger blush when it comes to color. Formentera is nude on me and although it does show up it is very very natural.

They also work amazingly well as a base for powder blush to help bring out pigment without darkening the powder or altering the color. In addition they layer well over powder and foundation without looking cake or heavy. If you’ve watched some videos online seeing how these are applied, the best way to use these is to swipe them directly on your face and then blend.

If you like a natural blush or want a dewy glow that isn’t greasy these are amazing. If you want more color, you may find these a bit too sheer. They do show up if you swipe a few times and the upside is that these are good for touchups and since they are natural they are impossible to overdo. I’m happy I did purchase these although they are fairly expensive at $45 each. The only shade I think I would have skipped if I had seen these in person is Formentera. Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

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Charlotte Tilbury Skincare

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic

February 6, 2015

Charlotte Tilbury has released a few new items this spring. One thing that caught my eye is the Lip Magic Rejuvenating, Smoothing Propolis Balm ($35 for 5 ml / 0.17 fl oz). I ordered it online from Beautylish and it arrived at my house at lightening speed. When it comes to lip balms, I’m really picky. I have sensitive lips that easily react to products with plumping properties or any kind of tingly feel (for some reason my lips go numb with Kiehl’s). I really like Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Cream for the face so I decided to give her new Lip Magic a try. I was pleasantly surprised.

The Lip Magic is an anti-aging lip balm that doubles as a lip primer. This one is described as having a rather fancy formula designed to seal in moisture, protect lips from the environment and also provide long-term lip healing benefits.

I haven’t used it long enough to see any anti-aging effects but I do like it’s formula. It’s on the emollient side (versus the By Terry Baume de Rose pots or sticks which are thicker and more creamy). There is a slight floral scent to the balm. When I first smelled it I thought the fragrance would be too strong or that it could translate into something that had a bad taste. I was relieved to find that the scent is actually very soft and not overpowering. It also has no detectable taste.

Since it’s so emollient, I was skeptical at how well this would work as a base/primer for lipstick. It works really well with the Charlotte Tilbury lipliners and lipsticks (my neutrals in Nude Kate, Hepburn Honey, Bitch Perfect, Stoned Rose, Penelope Pink and Confession swatched here). Her lipsticks are very creamy and super pigmented which I find glide on the lips well, but sometimes full coverage lipsticks can make the lips look aged if they aren’t well moisturized or prepped properly. I usually use MAC’s Prep + Prime Lip to help prepare my lips for any kind of lip product. It’s one of the few lip primers that helps smooth my lip while allowing lipstick to adhere to my lips better. The Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic really does work to help lipstick glide on nicely – and the lipstick doesn’t slide off when layered on top. 

Ingredients: Olus Oil, Synthetic Beeswax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Cera/Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Candelilla Wax(Cera), PPG-25-Laureth-25, Fragrance (Parfum), Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cyclodextrin, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Propolis Extract, Tocopherol.

The only downside is the pot is a bit small for the price. It’s compact enough to slip into a clutch or small makeup bag, but I do wish it had more product in the jar to justify the price. Still, it’s a very good lip balm and lip primer in one, so I’m not complaining.

Bottom line it performs extremely well. It hydrates, smooths and makes the lips feel incredibly smooth. It has an emollient texture which glides on the lips and makes them feel very nice. I am really amazed at how well it works as a lip primer for her lipsticks. I also tested it with Tom Ford Lips & Boys and the new Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Cremes (more on this next week) and it worked well with both formulas.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic now online at Beautylish. Also at Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman and online at Charlotte Tilbury.
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