Hello everyone!

These days, highly accomplished makeup artists do not simply stop at amassing a wall of accolades or an extensive list of celebrity clientele. Instead, they become entrepreneurs by starting their own makeup line which, owing to their unparalleled credentials and high profile statuses, blooms without a hitch into the talk of the town. From Laura Mercier to François Nars of NARS to Carol Shaw of LORAC (her name spelled backwards if you didn’t realise, because me neither 😂), beauty brands born out of many years of makeup artistry experience are now so common and popular, I bet you dollars to doughnuts that you have at least one in your makeup arsenal.

Now, how about adding another (by a renowned British makeup artist, no less) to your collection? This time, though, you may have to splurge a bit more because we are about to talk luxury, yo 😁

Established in 2013, the Charlotte Tilbury brand is the namesake of its London-born founder, one of the world’s most in-demand makeup artist having worked with the likes of A-listers Cara Delevingne, Naomi Campbell, Amal Clooney and Natalie Portman, as well as respectable fashion and beauty publications such as Vogue. Despite being only officially sold in the U.K. and U.S., its popularity has spread globally ever since it was spotted on the lips of celebrity fans sashaying down red carpets, hence making it the fastest growing beauty brand.

“Wait, if Charlotte Tilbury is largely only available in the U.K., how am I supposed to buy anything without paying a bomb for shipping? Even the most affordable forwarder I know doesn’t ship from the U.K.!” ✋ Hakuna your tatas, ladies, for there is now an easy way. Thanks to online beauty retailers based in Singapore – like BlushBoss – that stocks up on brands not available in Singapore (such as Jeffree Star, Kylie Cosmetics, ABH and more) and at reasonable prices, laying your hands on these inaccessible brands has become pretty darn simple.

Through BlushBoss, I received my first pair of Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks in Birkin Brown and Very Victoria – the only two shades available on the website, unfortunately (hopefully there will be more choices in the future) – which each arrived in a classy and quaint, very Georgian-like style boxes with gold lettering set against deep maroon background.

The lipstick tube itself is shaped like that of majestic fluted pillars with a texture marked by grooves, perhaps also for better grip since the hard and metallic rose gold material can be quite weighty in the hand. The cap closes with a satisfyingly loud click too! I would say the packaging as a whole has an unmistakable British flavour to it which sets it apart from those pop-ish designs of mainstream U.S. brands.

With one of Hollywood’s most celebrated makeup artist helming the brand, naturally there would be a lot of buzz around these CT lipsticks (which was partly why I got them in the first place) even on some of the world’s most revered magazines. Furthermore, the limited availability of the brand also fuels the desire to own one of these prized CT makeup. But do these lipsticks live up to all the hype? Read on to find out!

#1 Birkin Brown

Practically every lipstick in the Matte Revolution line is inspired by a celebrity one way or another (which makes a brilliant marketing ploy to garner eyeballs and generate more hype, I must say) and here’s one that was created with fashion muses Naomi Campbell (who pioneered the dark brown lip look) and Jane Birkin (who the Hermès Birkin bag was named after) in mind.

Described as a soft chocolate cream, Birkin Brown glides on smooth and has a nice slip, but settles quickly into the lip lines. Hydrating and emollient with a creamy and slightly glossy finish, this lightweight lipstick leaves a soft and supple feeling while delighting your sense of smell with its sweet vanilla scent. It is, however, mostly sheer and only buildable to a certain degree. Even so, it still appears patchy with very noticeably uneven consistency after many passes, as if there isn’t enough pigment to deliver a strong colour. I had high hopes that this would apply true to the bullet colour but nay.. what a disappointment. This shade fades to a stain after a few hours.

You might also have noticed the uniquely shaped bullet which, according to the website, is angled to mimic the shape of a lip brush for precise application. Gotta trust the expert on this one – it works like a charm for me because application definitely felt a lot easier especially along the cupid’s bow. On the downside, though, I would be more reluctant to use the lipstick for fear of losing the original shape of the bullet.. 😅

#2 Very Victoria

If you’re a fan of Posh Spice, you wouldn’t want to miss this Victoria Beckham-inspired shade. Plus, it’s probably the only thing with her name on it that you can afford. Have you seen the prices of the products in her recent makeup collection with Estée Lauder? It’s CRAY!

Described as a suede taupe nude, Very Victoria is the perfect shade for everyday wear and best paired with subtle smokey eye. This comfortably hydrating formula applies like butter on the lips and leaves sheer but buildable finish with subtle rose gold shimmers. Although, similarly, it settles into my lip lines, the unevenness does not seem as pronounced as Birkin Brown due to its lighter tone and the fact that it is near-perfect match to my natural lip colour. I kinda like this more than Birkin Brown even though I’m usually not fond of light shades, because of it feels more matte. Also, it has better colour payoff.

All in all, these Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks fare very well in the comfort, luster and moisture categories – basically areas expected of luxury brands because I suppose these make the products feel and look expensive, and also to give a sense of glamour to the entire look. As one who values pigmentation (which, from my observation, luxury brands always fails to provide) more than anything else, I find these lipsticks way too sheer and creamy. They most likely need to be used with other products to achieve that degree of intensity shown on their models.

And most importantly, do I consider these matte? Certainly not 😐

What are your thoughts about these CT Matte Revolution lipsticks? Let me know in the comments below!

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks in Very Victoria and Birkin Brown are available on BlushBoss.com.sg. Get yours from BlushBoss with free shipping (no minimum order required) today!

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