Charlotte Tilbury’s award-winning brand has quickly grown in fame around the world. Whether it be the beloved Pillow Talk lip liner, the luxe night crimson and rose gold packaging, or the helpful YouTube tutorials where Ms. Tilbury herself shows you how to create a red-carpet worthy look using her products, there’s something for everyone to love. I purchased a few items from the Charlotte Tilbury website this year. They arrived beautifully packaged and I was really excited to try them out. Conveniently, shipping and returns are free. As an added bonus, each order comes with 2 samples of your choice. After using the products for a few months here are my thoughts…
Lip Cheat: Lip Liner Pencils
Claims: Waterproof, velvety-rich formula that creates fuller looking lips without smudging for up to 6 hours.
PROS:
Ingredients: 2 thumbs up for paraben free and no animal ingredients!
Formula: Creamy formula that glides on for even application without tugging and really defines your lips without looking harsh.
Performance: Wears beautifully throughout the day. Doesn’t budge or feather, doesn’t dry out lips, waterproof, and is resistant to transfer. Performs wonderfully whether you wear it alone or under a lipstick or gloss.
Shades: The lip cheat pencils come in a beautiful range of wearable, muted shades. The colors include neutrals, nudes, deep berries and reds and retail for $22. I feel like all of the colors are very wearable. Pillow Talk is the iconic color in this group that gained a major following. I purchased the shades Pillow Talk (nude pink), Pink Venus (peach coral), Iconic Nude (nude beige) and Supersize Me (deep nude pink). If your lips are more pinkish then Pillow Talk will probably be a good match for you. If your lips are more pigmented, then Pink Venus or Iconic Nude might be a better match for you. You can see the colors swatched below.
CONS:
Sharpening: These are not self-sharpening pencils so they do require some maintenance and have to be sharpened as you use up the product. Personally, I went ahead and purchased the Charlotte Tilbury duo pencil sharpener for $7 and that makes it easier to keep the pencils in good shape. The sharpener works for both the lip liners and eyeshadow pencils.
Cheek to Chic Blush
Claims: A creamy formula that is buildable to get you an even, healthy glow. Contains light-flex technology to achieve a luminous complexion.
PROS:
Ingredients: Paraben and sulfate free!
Application: The silky formula applies beautifully and evenly on the skin. The finish is very natural, even with the colors that look brighter in the pan. These blushes add dimension to the face and give a healthy glow to the skin. They are very easy to build up and I find that it’s hard to mess up the application. Even though the colors are pigmented, they don’t have to be applied with a very light hand to avoid the classic clownish look. The “swish and pop” technique helps you apply the right amount of product in the proper way.
Performance: Wears well throughout the day without really needing to be touched up. Doesn’t dry out the skin or cling to dry patches. Gives the face a soft glow without a glittery finish like some blushes have. The product is very finely milled so it doesn’t look cakey on the skin.
Shades: Beautiful range of colors from natural, peachy tones to flushed pinks and deep rose. Each of the blushes contains 2 shades: an outer ring that is the “Swish” color and should be swept all the way up the cheek bone and an inner circle with the “Pop” shade that is applied to the apples of the cheek for an added pop of color before blending everything together. I have the shades First Love (peach), Ecstasy (peach-pink), and Love is the Drug (cool pink). I originally purchased First Love and Love is the Drug, but First Love was just a little too light on my skin tone so I ended up purchasing Ecstasy which is a good natural shade for me. Love is the Drug looks like a very bright pink in the pan, but it applies softer and really gives me my skin a healthy, flushed glow. You can see the colors swatched below.
CONS:
Packaging: Although the case if very beautiful, you do have to be careful not to drop it on a hard surface (even a few inches onto your vanity) because the blush can break quite easily. I have traveled with this blush without any trouble, but just be careful not to drop it. Also, there is some powdery fallout that gets all over the compact when you pick up the product with your brush, so you do have to clean that off time to time.
Cost: This blush retails at $40, so it is on the pricier side. That said, I have used this daily and have not hit pan yet.
Eyes to Mesmerise: Cream Eyeshadow
Claims: Long lasting cream eyeshadow that with soft focusing pigments that help smooth over lines and imperfections.
PROS:
Ingredients: Paraben and sulfate free! Contains Vitamin E to hydrate and provide antioxidant protection.
Application: This product has a light, airy, mousse-like texture. The application is pretty straight-forward. You can use a brush or apply with your fingertip. The product glides across the eyelid without tugging at the skin. It’s a convenient product for those days when I can’t be bothered to apply and blend traditional eyeshadow but still want my eyes to have some light and dimension.
Performance: This product doesn’t crease on me. I usually start with an eyeshadow primer before I apply my eyeshadow. It applies easily, and one swipe is nice for a sheer, natural look. It seems to apply better when I use my fingertip rather than a brush. Didn’t dry out the skin or smudge.
Shades: This product comes in 8 different shades. I purchased the color called Marie Antoinette (swatched below), which is accurately described as an oyster-gold. This is a beautiful antique gold shade that has a slight pearly sheen. There are other beautiful neutral shades available along with a couple of more festive colors.
CONS:
Longevity: I did notice that this particular shade did start to fade on me by the end of the day. It’s a beautiful color, but it does take a few layers to build it up.
Cost: Retails for $32 so it’s pricey for a single eyeshadow. However, the product does last a while and is an easy “look in a jar” if you just want a quick wash of color on the lid for work or busy days.
Colour Chameleon: Eyeshadow Pencil
Claims: Intense, long-lasting color with the stroke of pencil. Synthetic sapphire infused formula that provides a smooth finish and is naturally soft-focusing.
PROS:
Ingredients: Paraben-free
Application: Applies easily and smoothly on the lid. You have a minute to blend it before it sets. Has good pigmentation and is convenient to use over the whole lid or in a more precise way for where you may want more definition. Important to note that this product should not be used in the waterline and make sure you put the lid firmly back on when you’re done to keep the pencil from drying out.
Performance: Definitely waterproof! Once applied, you have a little time to blend or smudge the product before it really sets in place. It doesn’t budge, smudge or fade. Convenient for travel or quick eye look in single product.
Shades: This product comes in beautiful range of 8 colors which include some neutrals and a few deep jewel tones. I picked up the shade Amethyst Aphrodisiac (swatched below) which is a deep, sparkly purple.
CONS:
Cost: Retails for $27 for a single eyeshadow pencil.
Sharpening: Again, this product is not self-sharpening so you do have to sharpen it as you use up the product. I’d recommend the Charlotte Tilbury duo sharpener for $7 because it is made to fit this product as well the lip liners and makes maintenance easy.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed using the products by this line. They are high-quality and perform well. As a luxury brand, it is on the pricier side, so if I had to narrow down what to buy (I know it’s difficult : ) I would really recommend the Lip Cheat lip liner pencils and the Cheek to Chic blushes. The colors are gorgeous, the products apply beautifully and evenly, the liners stay in place all day and the unique swish and pop blush concept really works to effortlessly give you a lovely, natural glow. In my experience, the customer service is good too. I purchased the Hepburn Honey lipstick but unfortunately, the shade didn’t work for me and returning it was pretty straight-forward. The packaging of Charlotte Tilbury products is gorgeous and has the feel of Old Hollywood glamour. I would definitely recommend checking out the brand’s tutorials on YouTube to get an idea of what the collection has to offer and how to achieve the kind of look you’re going for. I hope you found this review helpful and thanks for stopping by.
Take care,
Saba
