Charlotte Tilbury has in my humble opinion created one of the most beautiful makeup collections ever released. Her iconic looks are not new to beauty enthusiasts and the brand is easily one of the most attractive beauty counters I have ever encountered. What with the rose gold-toned packaging and the extremely well thought out eye shadow quads and of course fantastic quality, it sure is a brand that I find hard to beat and to ignore.
In the past I have been no stranger to her products and have since they were first released managed to pick up a few here and there; the Dolce Vita palette will forever hold my heart. Yet when I heard all about the summer collaboration with British Fashion Photographer Norman Parkinson I immediately knew that this would be a collection worth waiting for.
The Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Collection consists of an array of beautifully packaged products, some of which have a twist on much-loved favourites. Within the collection, there is the Colour of Youth Lip and Cheek Glow which is a refreshing rosy hue which adds a youthful flush to the cheeks. The presentation of this is second to none and it embodies a picture of a previously unprinted image of Norman Parkinson’s wife Wenda. The second piece is one of Charlotte’s most popular products, that being the Filmstar Bronze and Glow. This limited edition cream formula has a gorgeous dewy finish and is, in my opinion, easier to work with than its powder counterpart. This product is beautifully portrayed by Jerry Hall which features an iconic Vogue cover shot from 1975.
The collection also consists of two limited edition makeup bags which I must admit I am on the fence about. Whilst I absolutely love the designs of them and secretly wish I owned one, they are in my opinion a little too expensive for what they are. Having said that, don’t get me wrong though because if money was no object then I certainly would have picked up the On Call Makeup bag.
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of previewing this collection a week or so before its official release in Selfridges, where at the time having been able to try out the products myself I settled on treating myself to two items from it. The first item I decided to pre-order was the Dreamy Glow Highlighter which features yet another stunning photograph by Norman Parkinson of Carmen dell’ Orefice for Vogue in 1959. This highlighter is of fantastic quality and does not disappoint as it is incredibly fine, beautifully pigmented yet it is not over the top in the slightest. In comparison to the highlight from the original Filmstar Bronze and Glow, I would say that this one leans more towards a peach tone whereas the original is more of a champagne tone. They’re not miles apart so I would advise comparing them at your local counter in order to make your mind up as to whether to pick this one up or not; having said that, I’m glad I did.
No makeup collection would be complete without lipstick or two gracing the scene, of which out of the two one, in particular, caught my immediate attention at the preview event. Starting off with Miss Kensington, this was the one out of the two that I thought would be the one I would gravitate towards the most. It is a nude after all and most certainly falls within the spectrum of my most worn lipstick shades, yet when I tried the 1975 Red instead I was instantly sold on its much brighter and bolder counterpart.
Having never tried any of the matte revolution lipsticks from Charlotte Tilbury before I must admit that I found myself feeling a little apprehensive, I just was not sure what to expect. I struggle with matte formulas, there is no denying it yet I have to say that the formula of the Matte Revolution Lipsticks is hands down the best I have ever tried. This is not drying on the lips in the slightest which is always something I look for, particularly within a matte formula. It does not drag or seep into lines; in fact, it is hard to believe it is a matte formula at all. In terms of pigmentation, the 1975 Red is incredible and wear time is seriously good. I want to keep talking about this over and over yet I will refrain from doing so. Ultimately it is safe to say that I will be adding more of these lipsticks to my collection in the future.
The 1975 Red is not your typical red; it is described by Charlotte as her 70’s sunset red which I think is a perfect description. There are blends of red, orange and coral within this which I think makes it so unique, I really do think it is a universally flattering red which would suit so many different skin tones.
What do you think of the Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Collaboration?
