The Beauty Diary: Charlotte Tilbury products at Mecca worth your money
A famous British brand adored by Hollywood stars recently launched in Australia, prompting women to “go broke” stocking up.
I’ve received countless text messages from friends in the past week that go something like this: “OMG, I just spent $400 on Charlotte Tilbury.”
The iconic British beauty brand has finally made its way into stores Down Under after partnering with Mecca on September 21.
That means its famed products are now stocked in 59 Mecca stores around Australia and New Zealand, as well as online, and it’s fair to say beauty lovers went large to celebrate.
Along with my friends, people documented their Charlotte Tilbury hauls online, with many admitting their bank balances had taken a massive hit.
Good morning, I've accidentally been cleaned out by Mecca's Charlotte Tilbury launch
— anna s-r (@annaspargoryan) September 20, 2021
OMG CHARLOTTE TILBURY IS AT MECCA FINALLY IM SCREAMING AND WILL BE BROKE
— regina | fb or unf (@idlereg) September 23, 2021
If you’ve not had the joy of sweeping a Charlotte Tilbury product across your face, then prepare to metaphorically die and go to skin heaven.
Its products are so loved, some of the biggest celebrities are vocal Charlotte Tilbury fans. Actress Kaley Cuoco recently raved about the brand’s make-up after wearing it to this year’s Emmy Awards – and Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor has just been announced its latest ambassador.
But as much as we’d all love to own the whole collection, the premium products don’t come cheap – so here are the ones I definitely think are worth the hype.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer
Price: $74
This bronzer is my absolute favourite. It’s my go-to. I don’t go a day (lockdown not included) without it. It is the support beam of my make-up bag. I love it because of its matte formula, which gives a really natural sun-kissed finish. It also blends beautifully on the skin and is buildable without leaving you looking like you’ve had a fight with a paint truck. Despite being a powder, it doesn’t dry my skin out like other bronzers and I think that is because it contains hyaluronic acid. It has a clever “pore-minimising” effect that blurs the skin and makes my face look smoother with the sweep of a brush. For someone on the lighter end of the skin shade spectrum, bronzers can be notoriously tricky. But there’s no awful orange tinge with this. I use shade “medium” and it’s honestly beautiful and so easy to apply.
But there is something we need to talk about – this bronzer is only available in four shades which sounds disappointing. Charlotte describes them as “universal” shades that will suit everyone (and her brand is known for being extremely inclusive) and after watching several YouTube reviews from women with darker skin tones, many have said the famous make-up artist “listened” – but it’s worth noting, there were commenters online who said the shades weren’t dark enough for everyone.
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Foundation
Price: $65
This foundation is big on promises. Not only does it pledge to deliver flawless, long-lasting coverage with its “magic” formula – yep, it really has an ingredient called complexion product Magic Replexium – it also claims to bridge the gap between make-up and skincare, stating it will hydrate and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. When I tried it at its launch in 2019, I actually felt nervous applying it, and had serious doubts over whether it could deliver. But once this product was applied to my skin, I had to do a double take. The light formula applies seamlessly and it doesn’t budge no matter what you throw at it. Back when we could leave the house, this foundation would survive morning commutes, sweaty gym sessions – the works. The finish is a natural matte with a slight glow, that’s not too heavy and still looks it’s my face when it’s on. Its coverage is buildable, and if I’ve got a spot or breakout, it easily covers anything I want to hide. This is a full-coverage foundation that doesn’t feel like you’ve shovelled it on (there’s no creasing) so it works for those who prefer a lighter look too. And there are 44 shades, so everyone can get involved.
Charlotte Tilbury Darling Easy Eye Palette
Price: $85
I love this palette. It’s filled with perfect day-to-night shades that I find myself using again and again. Charlotte said she curated this six-pan pallete to help people recreate her own signature smoky eye, which she says was inspired by her favourite view in the world – a sunset on the party island of Ibiza. Having been to the Spanish hotspot a few years back I can confirm, CT nailed it (naturally). The warm pink and copper tones blend easily and work together better than bread does with butter. The pigments are really striking and blend out super easily, and of course, the packaging is luxe too and has a large mirror despite being a compact palette. It’s also ideal for eyeshadow beginners as the pans are labelled in the order you need to apply to create a full look.
This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.
If you have a question about a beauty product or an item you’d like to see road tested in The Beauty Diary, jump into our official Facebook group where you can join like-minded beauty junkies. You can also catch me on Instagram or tweet me – don’t forget to hashtag #TheBeautyDiary.