There are many perks of being a beauty editor and trying the latest products is one of the biggest. With brands like Charlotte Tilbury consistently launching some of the best products out there (Pillow Talk being one of them), it’s fair to say I have a lovely time trying the newness out. Because so much product lands on my desk every week, I have thoughts and opinions on what’s good and what’s not.
With beauty products getting more expensive, hearing first-hand what’s worth the money is helpful before purchasing. That’s why I’ve done the hard job of reviewing several Charlotte Tilbury products to determine the very best ones (I know, it’s a tough life but someone’s got to do it).
These are the eight best Charlotte Tilbury products from someone who—quite literally—tests beauty products for a living.
Best Charlotte Tilbury products, according to a beauty editor
1. Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Liner
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Charlotte Tilbury)
Of course, the first product in this roundup had to be the Pillow Talk Lip Cheat. I rate the entire Pillow Talk line but always find myself reaching for the Lip Cheat and Lipstick. It’s flattering for so many skin tones and is foolproof to apply (I do so regularly with no mirror) and if you’re not a fan of the original shade, there’s also a Pillow Talk Medium for medium and dark skin tones. I do think that £21 for a lip liner is a lot, but as it lasts such a long time and you could end up using it daily, I consider it to be one of the best lip liners on the market and worth spending the money on.
2. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Charlotte Tilbury)
I actually think the Magic Cream is a bit of a misunderstood product. For me, it’s the most perfect elevated cold cream. It has the texture, scent and finish of one creating a hydrated, glowing base ready for make-up. It’s a product that I consistently come back to because I love how it makes my skin feel under complexion products, and I’m not alone in that.
However, it doesn’t do much for the actual condition of my skin, which is why this is reserved strictly for pre-make-up application for me (which also makes it worth the steep price-tag). I see people using this as a ‘fix-all’ to their concerns like rosacea or acne, this isn’t a treatment so in that way think of it more like a primer for ultimate dewy skin and you’ll be thrilled with the results.
3. Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Charlotte Tilbury)
There isn’t ever a time when Flawless Filter isn’t in my make-up bag. An product so original and so clever that it prompted brands to try to create similar iterations. But nothing comes close for me. Much like the Magic Cream, I think some people were a little confused by this product at first because people were trying to use it as a traditional foundation. To be clear: this is more a highlighter than a foundation or coverage product. It gives the most incredible lit-from-within glow that most of us can only dream of having naturally.
I love to use this all over before I apply my foundation (so I apply it after SPF and before any colour complexion product) for an all-over glow, or on the high points of my face (like the cheekbones) after foundation for a natural-looking highlight.
It comes in 12 shades, the doe foot applicator makes it really easy to apply and the glass bottle lasts such a long time.
4. Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise in Chocolate Bronze
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Cult Beauty)
Eyes To Mesmerise is an underrated product from the brand, in my opinion. It’s one of the easiest cream eyeshadows to use and the shades are so wearable. You need very little make-up skill to apply them, you can simply use your finger to smudge and blend out or a fluffy brush. You can get completely matte shades and also ones with a shimmer finish, like this one. It’s one of the few eyeshadows that I think looks fantastic with just the one product so there’s no need to faff around with multiple shades.
I also adore the Matte Eyes To Mesmerise as they’re totally foolproof for adding that wash of colour to instantly brighten the eye and add interest to an otherwise minimal make-up look. I don’t find these crease as much as other cream eyeshadows (on me they don’t crease at all) but that does depend on how oily your lids are naturally.
5. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Charlotte Tilbury)
If a pigmented blush is a bit of you then you’ll love this Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Pillow Talk. Just a dab brightens up my whole face and pulls any make-up look together. I love that only a touch is needed so it doesn’t feel like I’ve ever applied too much, which can easily be done with blusher. It also stays put meaning it doesn’t slide off your face throughout the day so you stay rosy and healthy-looking for longer. The sponge application makes it super easy to apply exactly where you want it; just be sure to lock the cap so the product doesn’t come spilling out into your make-up bag and you keep the sponge cleaner for longer.
6. Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in Pillow Talk Dreams
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Cult Beauty)
If I want to make a real effort with my make-up, I always turn to a Luxury Palette. I honestly think I have (and cherish) them all but particularly love the Pillow Talk Dreams compact. It contains 4 shades which are labelled to make it easy to apply them in four steps: prime, enhance, smoke and pop. This makes it such a doddle, even if you’re not confident in applying shadow. The shades are pigmented enough to get good colour pay-off but not so much that they’re intimidating or hard to blend. If you’re looking to up your eyeshadow game, this is such an easy and elevated way of doing so.
7. Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Cult Beauty)
I’m pretty fussy with concealers (often nothing comes close to my beloved Nars) but this one impressed me. It’s brightening to lift my overall complexion, has enough pigment to conceal my blue-toned under eyes and doesn’t dry out throughout the day. As the name suggests, this one has a ‘radiance’ to it, meaning if you like your concealers to be completely matte without any slight shimmer, you won’t like this. I personally like that, especially dabbed right in the inner corners of my eyes.
8. Charlotte Tilbury Contour Wand
(Image credit: Tori Crowther)
(Image credit: Charlotte Tilbury)
If you’re a contour kinda person who likes a lot of pigment with just a small dab then you’ll love this if you haven’t tried it already. It’s similar to the other wands from the brand with a cushion applicator and twists to open and close. You only need a tiny amount to dot onto the contour areas and it blends out really easily. The formula dries down and stay put, unlike a lot of other contours, which tend to slide off throughout the day. The packaging is contentious though, some people love it and others hate it. It’s not my favourite because I don’t love that you have to cut open the packaging to get the last bits out but it don’t dislike it enough to not use the product.