As one of the industry's most influential figures, Charlotte Tilbury's advice is sought after by many, let alone her presence. Born in London and raised in Ibiza, Spain, the British mogul discovered the power of make-up at 13, sharing beauty advice with her friends at boarding school. She'd later attend the Glauca Rossi School of Makeup in London and began her career assisting legendary make-up artist Mary Greenwell in the 1990's. Since then, she has built a repertoire of over 30 years, working with fashion houses like Prada, McQueen, Burberry, and Tom Ford, leading creative product development for brands like Helena Rubenstein, MAC, and Armani, and creating beauty looks on iconic faces such as Kate Moss, Kim Kardashian, and Amal Clooney.
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In 2013, Charlotte launched her eponymous cosmetics line at Selfridges in London. Focused on helping people create the most beautiful version of themselves with innovative yet easy-to-use products, it quickly grew to become one of the most popular make-up brands in the world. Today, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty is sold across the globe at its flagship stores as well as international beauty retailers such as Sephora. In addition, she holds over seven million followers on Instagram. Recently, the brand unveiled the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Show, a variety style holiday campaign featuring Charlotte alongside celebrities like Kylie Minogue, Jourdan Dunn, and more.
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Here, the make-up maven shares with ELLE Singapore exclusively about her journey in the industry, holiday trends, her beauty routine, and how to get the perfect party beat.
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Did your experience as a makeup artist help with creating your brand?
Working as a make-up artist, I felt as though I could not create the looks I dreamed of with the standard of beauty products at the time. I saw a gap in the market and wanted to democratise and demystify beauty by sharing my tips, tricks and secrets with the world through products that are easy-to-choose, easy-to-use and easy-to-understand. I wanted everyone to have the power to look and feel like the most confident version of themselves through the transformative power of make-up, skincare and fragrance. I also wanted to bring back the fun, glamour, and theatrics I so often experienced backstage by creating products that were not only of incredible quality, but were also beautifully designed objects that made the most magical gifts.
What’s been the most memorable moment in your career so far and why?
Darling, there have been many memorable moments! One of the biggest has, of course, been launching my eponymous brand. When I started 11 years ago, as a female entrepreneur, I was largely underestimated by my competitors. By the time they sat up and noticed, there was so much momentum around what I was doing that they couldn’t do anything about it. Today, I am so proud to be a British businesswoman, leading a female-founded business that creates meaningful employment for women around the world. I’ve also been so incredibly proud to open more doors for women in motor racing as Charlotte Tilbury Beauty became an official partner of F1 ACADEMY 2024, our first ever global sports sponsorship. I've also fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine which is my new Fragrance Collection of Emotions.
You've talked about how makeup can empower people. Could you share a moment where make-up has empowered you?
I discovered the transformative power of make-up as a teenager—I remember putting on mascara for the very first time and I felt its confidence-boosting power instantly. It was then that I realised how make-up, skincare, and fragrance have the power to make us look and feel like the most beautiful, confident versions of ourselves.
What does the holiday season mean to you?
It's my favourite time of the year—there is just so much love, magic and joy everywhere. I love getting ready for the holidays, taking this opportunity to spend time with my family and getting everyone together to celebrate whether it is at our London home or in Ibiza. In addition, I always get so excited to start working on our holiday campaign. I know how much the holidays mean to my customers around the world, which is why my team and I innovate to make my Magic Gifting Universe bigger and better than ever each year.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A beauty editor friend of mine gave me a note saying, 'Knock it to them Charlotte, I know you’ll be a star!' That note was the confidence boost I needed to really pursue my dreams and something that continues to inspire me today. I reference it throughout my make-up range with a gold star on every product, representing my belief that everyone is a star.
Take us through your beauty routine.
I always start off my day with my skincare routine. From there, I reach for my foundation stick when I'm in a rush as it only takes 15 seconds to apply for that super natural, soft-focus glow on your face. I then conceal and set with a finish powder. To create definition on my face, I apply a contour wand and combine my viral Beauty Light Wands in Pinkgasm and Spotlight to create this beautiful rosy, soft-focus glow on the high points of my face. For my eyes, I love using rich russet, berry, and wine tones to make my green eyes pop. I then sketch out my wing along the upper and lower lash line before applying my Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara. Of course, no look is complete without my iconic Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk and K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Runway Royalty before locking everything with my setting spray.
What’s the process of creating a Charlotte Tilbury product from start to finish?
At Charlotte Tilbury, we do not imitate, we innovate. I am always thinking about the customer needs and identifying gaps in the market for revolutionary new products that are easy-to-choose and easy-to-use, with innovation at the heart. Once I have my core concept for a product in mind, I then work with my magic innovation labs and in-house expert scientists to trial formulas and shades, testing on hundreds of models to ensure it works on all skin tones, types and ages until I know it is right. I then put my prototype product into action, trying it backstage and on the red carpet and getting feedback before releasing it.
What is your top beauty trend for the holiday season?
Darling, forget Y2K—it is all about Y3K makeup right now. I love seeing so many futuristic looks on social media, where people almost look like avatars, like AI. Y3K is all about reimagining those iconic noughties looks that we all know and love—nostalgia meets futurism. My new Pillow Talk Beautyverse Love Palette is the ultimate palette to achieving that kaleidoscopic, multi-dimensional Y3K look and all kinds of trends. I am telling you, it is going to be huge for the holidays and perfect for achieving a gorgeous, glowing party look.
What are your tips for flawless long-lasting make-up and kiss-proof lips?
The key to achieving a flawless makeup look that lasts is skin prep. I always say you cannot have a beautiful painting without a beautiful canvas. My award-winning Airbrush Flawless Finish is another must-have for a long-lasting make-up look—it is in every clutch bag on every red carpet. It pairs perfectly with my Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, which I always use to finish every beauty look. For lips, lining them is the key to making your lip look last and helps prevent lipstick from feathering or transferring.
Could you let us in on any upcoming projects and exciting launches for Charlotte Tilbury?
The holiday season is huge for Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, and we have just launched this year’s Magic Gifting Universe. It features our beauty icons loved by everyone as well as limited edition treats, trinkets, and treasures including my famous advent calendar. We also just revealed our show-stopping holiday campaign, The Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Show. This is a magical, never-before-seen, world-first beauty variety show with a star-studded lineup of incredible talent—I am talking Kylie Minogue, Kate Moss, Richard E. Grant, Amelia Dimoldenberg and more. My team will not let me say much more, but there is so much more magic to come in the year ahead.
*The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.