Make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury: The magical powers of lippie are a big confidence boost
GIRLS wear gloss, women wear lipstick. That’s the mantra of UK celebrity make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury who has worked her magic on famous faces.
GIRLS wear gloss, women wear lipstick.
That’s the mantra of UK celebrity make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury who has worked her magic on famous faces, including those of Kim Kardashian West, Kate Moss and Sienna Miller.
“Lipstick is happiness in a tube,” she says. “It’s a hugely powerful tool that not only inspires confidence but empowers women.
“You can see it all the way through history.”
Even Winston Churchill recognised the power of a good lippie it seems.
Despite rationing many daily basics during World War II, the British prime minister allowed lipstick production to continue.
“Because it had a huge impact on women’s morale, which in turn affected society’s morale,”
Tilbury says.
Lipstick is not only about luxury, but confidence, she argues.
“You’ve got the famous Elizabeth Taylor quote, ‘Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together.’ Lipstick is a statement of strength.”
Her theory has echoes of the Lipstick Index, the economic indicator coined by Estee Lauder board chairman Leonard Lauder during the recession of the early 2000s.
He claimed make-up sales rise in times of recession, speculating that it is because women substitute affordable beauty product purchases, such as a lipstick, for more extravagant indulgences such as clothes and jewellery.
Now Tilbury is putting her new Hot Lips collection, a set of 12 shades inspired by the famous faces she’s worked on, including actors Liv Tyler, Nicole Kidman and Kate Bosworth and model Cindy Crawford, to work in support of women in need of a confidence booster.
She has partneredwith the charity Women For Women International, which helps women survivors of conflict.
Customers are invited to show their support by joining the #lipstickconfidence
social media campaign, with approximately $2 from each lipstick sale going to the charity.
“Lipstick has psychological benefits. It empowers the wearer and one of the reasons I got together with Women For Women was because they work with women around the world in war-torn countries and create these centres that help empower them,” she says.
“They teach them about human rights, crafts and life skills. One of the things these women ask for most is lipstick. It’s a powerful thing; it makes women feel put together, strong and confident.”
Unlike many make-up artists, Tilbury doesn’t subscribe to the belief women should stick to certain shades.
“To be honest, you could say there are rules but it depends on what a person’s vibe is,” she says.
“It depends on someone’s personality because it’s all about creating a look and a mood. Just like you wouldn’t wear the same outfit every day, you wouldn’t stick to the same colour. These shades are colours that work in real life, it’s all about stealing a celebrity’s beauty DNA and bottling it in a tube.”
What does your lipstick say about you?
According to Charlotte Tilbury, make-up is not just about colour, it’s about attitude, and the shade you reach for tells the world a lot about who you are.
Rock chic
A nude lip is the perfect foil for a dark, smoky eye. Think the Kate Moss-inspired Nude Kate, which also has a touch of Grace Kelly’s ice queen about it or Kim KW, a vintage-inspired pale-pink nude. Super Cindy, a taupey-nude, channels Cindy Crawford’s all-American vibe while the suede, taupe-nude of Very Victoria is a nod to Victoria Beckham’s English restraint.
Bombshell
Red lips are a classic look that screams sex appeal. Laura Bailey’s Tell Laura is a geranium red, the orange base giving it a playful, bohemian vibe, while Carina’s Love, created for Chinese actor Carina Lau who Tilbury calls the “Angelina Jolie of Asia”, is a classic, pillar box red approved of by screen sirens the world over.
Retro
Coral was the shade du jour in the ’70s and it will always have a retro vibe. Sexy Sienna is a golden coral inspired by Sienna Miller’s sun-kissed skin, while Miranda May, a pinky coral, channels the beachy vibe roots of Miranda Kerr. Hot Emily, named after sex-bomb Emily Ratajkowski, is a bright coral hue that verges on orange for a Charlie’s Angels feel.
Edgy
Many women are afraid of purple so it tends to be the domain of edgy, fashion-forward women. The rich, magenta-mulberry of Hell’s Bells encapsulates Helena Bonham Carter’s eccentric style. Mauve-based Secret Salma, named for Salma Hayek’s Latin sex appeal, is a deep rose plum that is easier to wear but cooler than standard pink.
Pretty
Pink is pretty, safe and easy to wear. Liv It Up is a delicate ballet pink inspired by Liv Tyler while the brighter pink of Bosworth’s Beauty, named for Kate Bosworth, epitomises ’50s glamour.
For pale complexions try the rose petal pink of Kidman’s Kiss inspired by Nicole Kidman’s porcelain visage.
Originally published as Make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury: The magical powers of lippie are a big confidence boost
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