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I’ve never been much of a lipstick person, not because I don’t like how I look with it on but because it’s a commitment. If you’re going to do a lip, you better be ready for a night of touch-ups, not to mention careful sips and bites. Besides, I’m a proud tinted lip balm and/or oil girlie who has little to no patience for dry, moisture-sucking matte lipsticks.
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Well, maybe it’s Valentine’s Day coming up (or maybe I’ve been seeing too much of Taylor Swift cheering on the Chiefs), but I’ve had red lipstick on my mind in a major way. Enter Charlotte Tilbury’s new collection of Hollywood-inspired lipsticks, which happened to hit my inbox (and doorstep), granting me the opportunity to revisit the classic, red-lip look for myself. The British makeup artist’s Hollywood Beauty Icon collection spans all-new shades of two bestselling lipstick formulas with limited-edition tubes in metallic pink and ruby — aka, the best Valentine a beauty lover could ask for.
The lineup features five pretty-as-can-be pinks in Charlotte Tilbury’s hydrating, satin-finish K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks, five new Matte Revolution reds, and five ”Hollywood-inspired” hues of Tilbury’s lip liner pencil, Lip Cheat. As a beauty journalist, I know better than to judge a book by its cover — but even I’ll admit that the packaging is a solid 11/10.
Not all red lipsticks are created equal. These five alone each brought a different vibe, but I was immediately drawn to Mark of a Kiss, a muted, warm-tone red that suits my olive skin. I used the matching shade of Lip Cheat pencil to outline my shape, but I could also see this shade being so pretty for a diffused, "blotted" effect, and I applied it gently, straight from the bullet. Hollywood Vixen and Pizzazz, by contrast, are vivid, blue-toned reds that scream "old-school glamour." Best of all, the matte formula is surprisingly creamy and comfortable on my lips — not drying in the least.
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If you were wondering if Barbie pink is still a thing, these saccharine hues point to a resounding "yes." From the starlet nude Icon Baby to the muted mauve Rose To Fame, Charlotte Tilbury's creamy lippies confidently affirm that pink really does go with everything. (Also, having a range of pinks for different skin tones gets a thumbs-up from me.)
As with all of Charlotte Tilbury's luxurious makeup, these products have a luxurious price tag. (Hey, glamour isn't cheap!) The lipsticks retail at $35 each, and the Lip Cheat liners are $25 a piece. A lip kit featuring your choice of lipstick and lip liner is available at $57, a small discount off the à la carte price. Whether you're gifting it to a lover or yourself, these lipsticks are the perfect way to seal Valentine's Day with a kiss.