Because we were born to glow
Foreword
Much anticipated Charlotte Tilbury summer collection is here and it is all about (you guessed it right) GLOW! Now, I don't know about you guys, but I am quite into the shameless shine and shimma this year, so if you are with me or simply curious about all of the new luxurious releases, then just keep on scrolling!
About the Collection
The new collection is called GLOWGASM (yes, you read that right) and it offers a beautiful variety of lustrous makeup gems: eye- and face palettes, cream eyeshadows, lip glosses, cream blushes and highlighter. As you might have guessed from the name, these are all very glowing products (sorry mattes!).
Face Palette
Glowgasm Face Palette (75 USD; Made in Italy) claims to give your skin a lit-from-within glow with a soft-focus finish and is available in two versions: Lightgasm for light-medium and Lovegasm for medium-deep skin tones (extra bonus for inclusiveness). These palettes come in luxurious pastel-meets-rose gold cases and present you with a colour-complementing selection of lustrous powders including: highlighter, blush, multi-glow shade and bronzer. Naturally, the latter one is more of a satin formula with a subtle sheen. You can also use all four shades as eyeshadows.
These have, what I would call, a “gel” formula; a unique technology of turning liquids into powders. Many high-end brands use it today and, from my experience, it is particularly amazing for any type of glowing products. This way you preserve buttery smoothness and high-shine factor of a cream, thus creating a texture that looks flattering on the skin (never chalky or dry), yet in a solid, long-lasting form of a powder. Since there is literally no kick-up here, it may be harder at times to pick up the product with a soft brush. This is exactly why I would recommend using a slightly more densely packed brush with shorter bristles.
Please click on images to zoom in. As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (I rely on natural day-light only).
All shades in this quad blend seamlessly and give you an ethereal, youthful wash of colour that you can either sheer out or intensify depending on what kind of look you have in mind. You can also use highlighter with a slightly dampened brush to achieve ultimate blinding [so long, haters] results. The only shade, that shows subtle glitter particles, is the blush. Although it has a vibrant pink base to it when you look at it in the pan, on your cheeks it is going to translate more like a gold wash of colour rather than anything else. From my experience the palette did not emphasize skin texture, but you could definitely see a few of my pores peeking through (which is something I experience with most of my highlighters anyway). These shades wear beautifully on the skin for at least 5-6 hours, fading gracefully as the day goes by.
Eyeshadow Palette
If you are a friend to the blog (love ya!) then you already know I have a soft spot for Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow quads. Just like a magpie, I find myself attracted to her pressed glitters and thankfully they stay put so well - you can easily use them without any glue.
Dreamgasm Luxury Palette (53 USD; Made in Italy) is a newest family member and it contains a shimmery eyeshadow topper and three universally flattering glowing/metallic shades. The sparkly shade has a soft peachy-pink base to it, which I love. From my experience, Charlotte is being consistent with her quality and these shadows feel silky smooth, blend effortlessly and last all day long without losing their vibrancy (*insert fake cough* unlike Natasha Denona). Plus this colour story is perfect for hot summer months - you have your antique gold, rich copper-bronze (my favourite!), pale champagne and rose-gold sparkle.
Please click on images to zoom in. As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (I rely on natural day-light only).
While I love it, I only wish it had at least one matte shade. If we are in the same makeup boat, you might also find that this palette requires at least one extra eyeshadow quad in order for you to have some sort of variety in terms of what kind of eye looks you can create. That is, of course, unless you prefer to sport that signature eye look of yours on a daily basis and one quad is enough for that.
Personally speaking I prefer to use mine with Pillow Talk palette (review here), since it has two complementing mid-toned mattes, that go so well with metallics in Dreamgasm. Alternatively, let your inner makeup artist shine and play with whatever palettes/singles you already have and love. Makeup is fun, it is not rocket-science.
Cream Shadow
Ever since Charlotte’s brand was launched, I only heard stellar reviews on her Eyes To Mesmerize Cream Eyeshadow (32 USD; Made in Italy) and now I can see why. As a devoted cream eyeshadow lover, I was amazed at just how bouncy and moussy these eyeshadows turned out to be (all while striking you with their rich pigmentation and blending like a true editorial makeup dream).
There are two new shades in the collection: Rose Gold and Star Gold. I believe that both shades here will look (as the name suggests) mesmerizing on beauties of all complexions and ages. Star Gold certainly has a bit more sparkle to it, especially when blended out; while Rose Gold stays true to its pearlescent nature.
Please click on images to zoom in. As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (I rely on natural day-light only).
But what surprised me even more - was the fact that these did not crease at all; while my skin is Sahara-dry, my lids do get a bit oily throughout the day, which means that I always have to use an eye primer. With these bad boys though, I no longer have to. I simply dab a small amount of product, blend it out with a synthetic brush, place any eyeshadow on top and voila! Red-carpet worthy eye glow achieved in two minutes.
Naturally, no two (or four) lids are the same, so if you tend to get extremely oily and creasy in the eye area, make sure to lock these into place with powder shadows.
Glow Gel Blush/Highlighter
Or as they are officially called Beauty Light Wand (38 USD; Made in Italy) are a new trio, where you get two liquid blushes and one universally-flattering highlighter; these claim to "enhance luminosity for a high-gloss highlight that plays with the light and stays dewy all day".
As you can already tell, these have an interesting cushiony fiber applicator that helps liquid glide on the skin like silk. While this packaging is uber pretty and you are able to lock the tip in order to prevent your precious product from leaking out of the tube, I am afraid it is going to look “well-loved” [thanks to constant squeezing] in no time. Does that bother me? Not, really.
Please click on images to zoom in. As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (I rely on natural day-light only).
Since the formula here is so lightweight and [borderline] luscious (never sticky, gloppy, patchy or thick), I find that it is best applied/blended with your fingers. You can either place a few dots on the cheek first or squeeze out a small amount of liquid onto the back of your hand, taking it from there. All three colours will work for a plethora of skin tones; at first I was afraid Goldgasm would be a touch too dark for my light complexion, however, it turned out to be an amazing new addition to my collection. I have been wearing this puppy ever since I got my hands on it (both on its own or as an initial layer for a powder highlighter).
Application-wise, these are a dream to work with. If you love that glowy, Carry Bradshaw-esque cheek look, look no further. To me these are one of the best cream (or as the brand calls it "glow gel") products I have ever tried (and in my blogging years it is safe to say I have tried them all).
Lip Gloss
Last but not least, Charlotte created two kissable lip plumping glosses to go along with her Glowgasm Collection. I am talking about her newest shades of Collagen Lip Bath Gloss (35 USD; Made in UK): Peachy Plump and Rosy Glow.
Now, here comes my confession. I absolutely despise tingling or mint-flavored lip products, however! This might be an exception to the rule. While you certainly feel your lips somewhat expanding in size (a little bit), the tingling sensation goes away relatively fast, revealing the world’s most juiciest pout ever. No surprise, since these are packed with nourishing ingredients, as well as an actual Marine Collagen that smoothes out lines and further enhances lip volume.
Please click on images to zoom in. As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (I rely on natural day-light only).
Formula here is quite lightweight, yet a tiny bit sticky. That’s pretty much a given and I do not really mind it, since most long-wear or plumping glosses have a similar feel to them anyway. Both shades appear more or less sheer(ish) on the lips, with Rosy Glow being a touch more pigmented. As you can tell from my look above, I did wear Peachy Plump on top of Pillow Talk lipstick and it instantly became my new go-to summer lip combo. Many of you guys (hey Instagram fam!) loved it too, so thank you!
If you are a gloss girl (or boy) and want a long-lasting, hydrating formula - don't pass these by.
Verdict
I think that this collection turned out to be an absolute dream-come-true and I would highly recommend all of the products mentioned above (which doesn't happen very often, let me tell you that). I just don't know how Charlotte does it - but every time I post a review on her new products, I feel like I fall more and more in love with her gorgeous line. A+ from moi!
What do you guys think about this collection? Let's chat some more in the comments!
More online: charlottetilbury.com
PR samples; full disclaimer here
