Q&A with Makeup Maven Charlotte Tilbury

Throughout her storied career, Charlotte Tilbury has sought to bring the power of beauty to people of all ages. Now, she’s bringing her celeb-favorite brand to Miami at her new Beauty Wonderland in the Aventura Mall, where beauty lovers can try products in person and even book sessions with Team Tilbury makeup artists for in-store treatments and consultations. We caught up with Tilbury to find out more about the inspiration behind her beauty empire and her new Miami digs.

Aventura: Where did your love of all things beauty begin?

Tilbury: As a teenager, I discovered the transformative power of makeup. Mascara was the first product I ever tried, and I felt its confidence-boosting power instantly! I also loved doing makeup on all my friends at school, and it made me realize that having the right makeup could instill confidence in everyone. I knew that makeup, skincare, and fragrance would somehow be a part of my destiny, even though I had no idea that being a makeup artist could be a career back then.

How did you get your start in the beauty industry?

After attending makeup school and assisting a makeup artist, I went on to head up my own team of artists. Darling, the 1990’s was such an exciting time to be starting out; I was working backstage on fashion shows with supermodels— including Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, and of course, my gorgeous friend and beauty muse Kate Moss—as well as creating red carpet looks on celebrities like Penélope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, Sofía Vergara, and Salma Hayek.

When did you know you wanted to start your own product line?

I became frustrated by the standard of beauty products at the time—the concepts, formulas, quality, and performance just weren’t there. People would constantly ask how they could get Kate Moss’s smoky rock-chick eyes, film-star cheekbones, or gorgeous golden glow. I knew I had to share all my tips, tricks, and secrets with the world so that everyone, everywhere could get the glow of Hollywood stars and the airbrushed finish of the supermodels. My vision was to work with some of the world’s leading laboratories and use my artistry and expertise to innovate products and hold the customer’s hand through the
process. I wanted to introduce technology solutions so that once they got home, everything was as simple to use as if they had me right by their side, guiding them every step of the way! I wanted to create a range of magical products that could deliver phenomenal results for everyone no matter who they were—from makeup artists to parents on the school run—democratizing beauty and empowering everyone to look and feel like the most beautiful version of themselves.

What’s your philosophy when it comes to innovation?

At Charlotte Tilbury, we never imitate, we innovate! So darling, I am always thinking ahead about where there is an opportunity to create something that has never been done before. I am always innovating to create products that are one-of-a-kind and address customer needs. We have become a global beauty empire because of the quality and the innovation behind each and every product. It is what I pride myself on!

What drew you to open your Beauty Wonderland at the Aventura Mall?

I was recently in Miami for my first ever Formula 1 Academy race because Charlotte Tilbury is an official 2024 partner of F1 Academy—Formula 1’s ambitious new project supporting female drivers in progressing to higher levels of competition. I absolutely fell in love with the city! I knew when I was planning to open my second-ever store in the U.S., and first East Coast Beauty Wonderland, that it just had to be in Miami.

The store has an Art Deco vibe that’s evocative of the Golden Age of Hollywood. How has that aesthetic influenced your brand?

When I launched Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, most makeup brands were a sea of black, the counters were square, and I wanted to bring some of that backstage magic, glamour, and theatre. I was inspired by my love of Art Deco and vintage Hollywood to create a boudoir aesthetic—complete with rose gold palm trees—set to a backdrop of my signature deep-red shade of Night Crimson. Hollywood was also the theme for my product packaging—I wanted to create makeup and skincare that was ergonomic, easy to apply, and that was also an object of desire: a beautiful jewel that you would want to show off.

Charlotte’s Picks

Four Products for a Fresh Fall Face

Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick

My no-foundation foundation is powered by my revolutionary light-mapping mesh technology, which cascades light across the face, creating a smoothed, blurred, snatched glow. It is also incredibly easy to use. With 20 stretchable shades and sheer, buildable coverage, it can adapt to and blend with all skin tones. And it only takes 15 seconds to apply. It’s so easy, anyone can do it!

Magic Cream

I always say, “You can’t have a beautiful painting without a beautiful canvas!” Not only is my Magic Cream a moisturizer, it’s also a re-texturizer, a skin barrier–booster, and a makeup primer, infused with my signature cushion and lift mesh technology to give you smoother, firmer, plumper looking skin. I never do makeup without it!

Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara

For eyes that hypnotize, mesmerize, and seduce, this mascara is going to give you the most iconic lashes. My latest innovation is the secret to unlocking instant, exaggerated volume and curl for up to 28 hours. What makes it magic is my lash vinyl-black wrap tech and my ultra-curved lash styler brush. Trust me when I say this, darling: you won’t ever need to use eyelash curlers again! It is smudge-proof, flakeproof, sweat-proof, and clump-proof, and it is going to last beautifully on you all day long.

Beauty Light Wands

My liquid highlighter can be applied everywhere from the high points of your face to the inner corners of your eyes for a gorgeous glow that gives a stunning lift effect. It smooths, blurs, and glides onto skin seamlessly. Darling, just dot, dot, blend, and glow!

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