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Charlotte Tilbury’s Ultimate Guide to Event-Ready Makeup

June 19 | 5 minute read

Words by Izzy Wight and Madeleine Boles de Boer

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Nobody understands the art of special occasion makeup quite like Charlotte Tilbury.

A career spent amid the backstage chaos of runway shows and editorial shoots taught her the principles of light, shade and camera-ready beauty, while countless awards seasons have cemented Charlotte – and her eponymous brand – as the celebrity favourite for flawless looks.

If you’ve got an event of your own on the horizon – red-carpet or otherwise – Charlotte Tilbury will have you covered from prep to powder. The brand’s array of party-ready products and formulas are as glamorous as they are effective – providing long lasting wear with a radiance that earned the founder the title of the ‘Queen of Glow’.

Ahead, everything you need for a perfectly in-place look that lasts all night.

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Skin Prep Is Everything

“You have to have a beautiful canvas,” Charlotte explains. To get the skin ready for all-out glam, she always starts with Magic Serum Crystal Elixir. Packed with brightening vitamin C and hydrating peptides, it helps set the stage for smooth, glowing makeup – particularly when paired with Charlotte’s Magic Cream™. “It immediately plumps, smooths and cocoons the skin in moisture,” she explains.

Her secret? While applying your skincare, give yourself a mini facial to sculpt and “snatch the jawline.” Start by gently running your knuckles underneath the cheekbones and jawline, then follow with the ‘Tilbury tap’ – her signature massage technique for lift and definition.

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A Base You Can Depend on

“Makeup is all about light and shade,” Charlotte explains. “When you use foundation, what you don’t want to do is blank out your features.” For a lit-from-within glow, she recommends starting with her famous four-in-one – the Hollywood Flawless Filter. A blurring, smoothing, radiance-boosting wonder, it’s the perfect primer under the Airbrush Flawless Foundation. With a full-coverage matte finish and all-day, sweat-proof staying power, it’s the kind of base that won’t budge after hours on the dance floor.

Next, some strategically placed concealer is Charlotte’s hack for an “instant facelift.” Using the Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer, she lays the product in a V-shape under the eye to “lift the face with strings of light.” Add another upwards-slanting diagonal line next to the nose and mouth, then stipple the product in with the Hollywood Complexion Brush.

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Master Your Facial Architecture

As Charlotte says, “Contouring is a beauty trick that can transform the look of your face.” Concentrating on the forehead, jaw, each side of the nose and the hollows of the cheeks, she applies a few dots of the Hollywood Contour Light Wand and blends it out with an angled brush.

With the right placement, a cool-toned contour works almost like an optical illusion – making your features appear more chiselled and defined. To keep your cheekbone contour from sitting too close to the mouth, “Start at the ear and use the end of your eye as a measurement for perfect placement.”

Add dimension (and glow!) to the face using the Beauty Light Wand in ‘Pinkgasm’ as your blush on the high point of each cheek. Add the Unreal Highlighter for a dewy effect – along the nose, browbone, or wherever you want to look radiant and fresh.

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A Foolproof Smoky Eye

As the woman behind most of Kate Moss’ iconic birthday looks (including this celestial eye for her 34th), Charlotte is an expert in all things smoky, shimmery and smouldering. To start, she always primes the eyelids with a translucent powder – like the Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish Powder. Then, go in with your colour and formula of choice. The Exagger-Eyes Easy Eyeshadow Sticks are your shortcut to a makeup artist-worthy smoky eye. Just scribble (yes, scribble!) on your lids to sculpt and define in seconds, blending out using a finger or brush.

It isn’t a party look without a little sparkle, so swipe a satin shade of the Exagger-Eyes stick on top, or a shimmer shade from your favourite Luxury Palette. Finish with a generous coat (or two) of the Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara. “It’s all about having a really great mascara. When you put it on, it’s crucial that you nestle it into your lashes to get that tightline at the base. It then coats and wraps around each lash for a ‘false lash’ effect,” says Charlotte.

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The Finishing Touches

Contour isn’t just for your cheekbones. Fake your way to a fuller pout with Charlotte’s Lip Cheat Contour Duo – a double-sided liner that gives you plumper-looking lips in seconds. “Start with the outer edge of the cupid's bow and draw slightly over your natural lip line using the darker shade,” Charlotte says. Fill in the lips with the lighter side and top with everyone’s favourite universally flattering nude lipstick in Pillow Talk.

Finally, set your look with a light sweep of the Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder and a liberal mist of the Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray. “You can party all day and dance all night, and you will still look absolutely flawless,” Charlotte says. “It not only locks in your makeup, but it gives you the most incredible glow.”