I thought I’d give you a quick run through of the Charlotte Tilbury products I was given a few weeks ago, after my transformation at House of Fraser in Glasgow. Any woman who loves to treat herself will love Charlotte Tilbury, but it’s women who support other women that will truly enjoy being part of this mega brand which has taken the billion dollar beauty world by storm. The packaging and products are beautiful, while Charlotte herself is an inspiration – she encourages an attitude that celebrates women who are friends and have fun together, without exclusivity. You can read more about my thoughts on Charlotte here, but meantime, my thoughts on the products are below.
Luxury Palette Eyeshadow
The luxury palettes are super chic and will make a beautiful addition to anyone’s make up bag. They’re expensive, but the shadow is very soft and dusts lightly over the lid, building up into a deeper colour the more product you apply – in my opinion, this (along with excellent blending) is one of the most important qualities in a shadow, helping you to avoid looking overly made up and, rather, giving a naturally polished finish to any make up look.
The beauty of Charlotte’s luxury palette is that the reverse has a mini how-to guide that explains which shadow to apply and how. So, the top left is 1. Prime, top right is 2. Enhance, bottom right is 3. Smoke, and bottom left is 4. Pop. Prime means to layer the first shadow all over the lid, Enhance to layer the second colour all over the lid, Smoke to blend into the crease, and up and out towards the brow bone, and Pop is to add to the centre of the lid as a finishing touch, to really make the eyes, well, pop. It’s a simple and easy way to create a smoky eye (whether with a light touch or a heavier, more dramatic finish) and the shadows really are dreamy to use.
Luxury Palette Eyeshadow (The Sophisticate), £38
The Retoucher Pen
The Retoucher Pen had been recommended to me by a super beauty blogger, Emily, who said that it was the only concealer I needed to try when I asked Snapchat for advice (find me @daydreamer.net). Of course, I was excited to find out more when I went to House of Fraser because, until the launch in Glasgow, there had been nowhere in Scotland for me to try out The Retoucher before investing in it.
My makeup artist on the day, Julia, explained to me that you don’t always need to go for a light colour when choosing a concealer, so we went for one to match my Light Wonder foundation and my own skin tone. I loved it so much that I ended up buying it on the spot.
The Retoucher is quite thick but has a smooth, silky texture which means it keeps its dewy finish and doesn’t look caked on, nor does it separate into the fine lines. I’m delighted at how well it minimises imperfections and generally seems to airbrush my skin. It’s the sort of product that you can pop in your handbag and know it will keep you looking fresh with just the smallest of touch ups during a long day or special event. I love it. (Though I actually might go a shade lighter for the winter months.)
Light Wonder Foundation
I’m super fussy with my foundation, especially since my favourite Clinique one was discontinued a few years ago. I’ve found others I like (Burberry Fresh Glow BB Cream included), but I don’t think I have a ‘go-to’ foundation yet. Charlotte Tilbury’s Light Wonder Foundation is definitely my current favourite though – there aren’t any other foundations I would buy right now.
As soon as Julia applied it at the transformation event at House of Fraser, I knew I had to give it another go. It’s been a delight to use every day, providing good coverage without being too heavy, which means I can pretty much slap it on without much fuss. It’s sheer, but not quite as sheer as a BB cream or tinted moisturiser, so it can be layered to create more coverage if needed. Light Wonder (I’ve been wearing number six) evens my skin tone and provides a good base for the rest of my make up. (Benefit’s Sun Beam on cheek bones and the centre of the nose, Stila cream bronzer to define the cheekbones, a light dusting of Benefit Hula across the hollows of my cheeks and temples, and a touch of Clarins cream blush on the apples of my cheeks – always applied from just below the centre of the eye outwards). I’d highly recommend Light Wonder to anyone who feels they need to balance out their skin without looking overly made up, with very little fuss – a simple tube and nozzle means there’s no mess.
Wonder Glow
Think of this product as an illuminating primer. It can be used alone (when you’re feeling particularly great about your skin, or when you’re poolside on holiday) or as a base to your BB cream or foundation. The liquid texture means it’s easy to apply with your fingertips and it’s nice and dewy so there’s no risk of your skin feeling claggy. The brightening, illuminating quality comes from the tiny gold speckles that really lift the complexion. Don’t worry, it’s not glittery, just warm and glowy.
Goddess Skin Clay Mask
This feels super soft on the skin and doesn’t dry out, so it stays moist – there’s no horrible cracking, which only reminds me of the lines I try every day to forget! The mask is white in colour and a very thick consistency. You don’t need a great deal to cover the face (perhaps a 5p sized blob) and it smooths beautifull over the skin. Ideally, leave it on for around 15 minutes and simply wash away with warm water. The results are instant, with a brighter, clearer complexion that can breathe all that bit more easily. It’s really hard to explain how soft the mask is, but I think this is what makes it such a joy to work with. Perfect for Sunday night DIY facial.
Charlotte’s Magic Cream
Before I start, I really want to tell you the story of the Magic Cream. Charlotte is a leading makeup artist who has worked on all the major fashion shows and with the world’s top supermodels (including Kate Moss). When backstage at the shows, the models would come and sit in her chair after weeks of being made up for the runway, and their skin was tired and over worked. Charlotte would apply the cream, which she developed herself, to really perk up the condition of the models’ skin. At the time the cream wasn’t yet released, but everyone in the industry knew about it and would rush over asking to use some of her ‘magic cream’. Hence, it already had its name by the time it finally launched three years ago.
The Magic Cream is a brilliant every day product. It’s pure white, thick, and reminds me of retro ‘cold creams’ because it’s cooling and has a pretty, floral scent (which I find adds to the feeling of luxury and taking time to look after your skin). Partly due to the price and partly due to the pot, it’s a very indulgent, romantic product to use. Plus, it looks gorgeous in the bathroom or on a dresser (totally Instagram-able!).
More practically though, a little goes a long way and the SPF15 means I don’t have to worry about using another product for protection (well, in Scotland anyway!). Charlotte’s Magic Cream is really gentle too, so I can use it around the eyes without irritation, both morning and night.
Have you tried Charlotte Tilbury’s collection? What’s your favourite product?
With thanks to Charlotte Tilbury and House of Fraser.
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