Monday, November 23, 2015

Charlotte Tilbury launches at John Lewis


Charlotte Tilbury launched way back in 2013 and I jumped straight onto the band wagon and armed my BFF Ben with a Christmas list of products from the range I would like. He battled the crowds to make some purchases for me, and still to this day he says he can't believe how much money he spent on make up!. The good news is that unlike Ben there is no need for anyone to fight the festive hoards as Charlotte Tilbury has now launched online at John Lewis.

In celebration of the brand online launch as well as being available in John Lewis stores  I was invited down to their Oxford Street branch to have a 'Tilbury Transformation'. I know many people don't enjoy in store make overs but I like to take the opportunity to try something different and picked the Vintage Vamp look which you might have seen on Instagram here. Well if you're going to have a Tilbury Transformation let's make it a good one. Funnier still was I had this applied at lunchtime and returned to the office looking very different than I'd left.

Following my visit John Lewis also allowed me to choose four products from the range to try for myself at home and let me tell you picking 'just four' items from the range is more difficult than it sounds - yes first world problems right there.

Before diving in to discuss the products I chose and how I found them I must admit that my previous picks from Charlotte Tilbury had left mixed feelings. So Marilyn from the KISSING lipstick line is my go to for nights out but The Glamour Muse Eyeshadow Palette was a disappointment. As was the Full Fat Lashes Mascara which had dreadful fall out for me but the Limited Edition Gold Bar Highlighter, which is making a comeback this year , is another favourite and go to for nights out.

So how did my new picks fair you want to know, well let's start with Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation* in shade 4.5. This foundation has been five years in the making due to Charlotte's tenacity to ensure her products are the best they can be. Dubbed a 'miracle in a bottle' that claims to work for pretty much anyone whatever the age, skin condition or type. At £29.50 and with an impressive 15 shades it is comparable in pricing to Nars, Estee Lauder and the like.

There is no question Charlotte Tilbury packaging is gorgeous and I could buy most products for that alone, although I do feel that the Magic Foundation bottle is a little bit disappointing. Yes there's a glass bottle and the gorgeous rose gold lid but the white lettering and pump make it appear a little cheaper than I would like. That said unlike Nars for the same price your pump is included and I'd rather keep the price point down than wasted on packaging and it's still aesthetically pleasing to look at and sits nicely on my dressing table.

Onto the Magic Foundation itself. You have a thick, medium to full coverage foundation that does not feel heavy when applied and blends nicely onto skin. It reminds me of Make Up Forever HD Foundation (the original formula), which I love, in terms of formula and finish but will flatten your face out, or certainly does in my case, to give you a blank canvas to work from. I tend to use lighter formulas day to day but I've found myself wearing this flawless and long lasting formula almost daily since I've had it. Minimal concealing is required when using the Magic Foundation, even for my dark circles although contouring/warmth needs to be put back in my face. It's not a complete matte finish but certainly not

My only complaint is that it contains SPF as I would happily use this as my 'evening' foundation but there is the fear of the dreaded flashback. Not that that will stop me I'm sure. If you too are looking for a lighter, fuller coverage foundation I'd recommend picking up a sample.

Next I chose the famous Filmstar Bronze & Glow Palette*, swooned over by many bloggers across the country and one I have often looked at and admired from afar. At £49 this is certainly not the cheapest of products but one look at the gorgeous packaging and using my famous trick of dividing the cost of the products contained, £24.50 for the bronzer and the same for the highlighter makes the price appear more palatable.

I'm still undecided how I feel about the Filmstar Bronze & Glow. It hasn't wowed me but that might be a mix of my make up skills and using alongside the Magic Foundation which requires more effort from my limited contouring skills. Both products are finely milled and I find them luminous without being too shimmering and they create a radiant look. In fact the problem is me and that this duo blends so nicely to give a subtle contour and natural appearance that I think throws me into thinking I'm not even wearing make up. If you have friends who, unlike us bloggers, stick to just one product this would be the perfect gift for Christmas to cover their needs for a radiant complexion.



Finally I decided to try another two of the eye shadow palettes, The Dolce Vita* and The Rock Chick*. The principle behind the gorgeous Charlotte Tilbury quads is Prime, Enhance, Smoke and Pop with each giving you the ability to take your look from desk to disco. Firstly I can say that both these quads were a bigger hit than my previous purchase and surprisingly it's The Rock Chick quad which I am absolutely in love with. Usually I prefer shades of brown on my eyes and it's a been many years since I played with greys and black rimmed eyes but The Rock Chick gives a look that I've been returning to daily. The Dolce Vita which I know is a popular choice is lovely and has been worn a lot since I received it but I do find it less exciting but maybe more because it's my usual choice and I have similar colours and options in other palettes.  All the shadows have great pigmentation and allow you to smoke up the look you want as appropriate. I wear with my Lorac or Urban Decay eye primers and find that they will last way beyond office hours. I can't wait to wear these over the festive period and use the glittery pop.

To sum up I'm pleased to have had another opportunity to try more products from the brand with pleasing results and whilst some are more loved than others they're all great additions to my make up collection and I can see why people are such a fan of the brand. The only problem is now I want to add The Rebel to my collection.

*This post contains press samples

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13 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Whoa!! that's what I was searching for, what a stuff! I treat my body to hydrate with Sakare's body lotions. My friends are also trying this.

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  3. The eyeshadows look wonderful, especially the golds / browns.

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  4. I really wanna try some of these products, thanks for sharing!

    www.thestylishcupcake.com

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  5. These look so nice ♥

    summerdaisy.net

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  6. Wow love the colors and Love CT products. Grace

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  7. I love the lipstick, but I recently had to throw out a lip gloss because the smell of it was vile. I know make up goes off, but it was barely a year old. I was pretty gutted.

    Still. not exactly a problem is it? And certainly hasn't put me off buying more. So happy days that JL stock it now! Hurrah!

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    Replies
    1. Oh nothing worse when make up seems to go 'on the turn' quicker than you'd expect!

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