Charlotte Tilbury is the brand responsible for producing what’s arguably the most iconic nude lipstick of all time: Pillow Talk. This nude-pink hue has become such a cult shade that it’s gone on to inspire products across the rest of Tilbury’s makeup collection, from the Pillow Talk Luxury Eyeshadow Palette to the Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Pillow Talk ‘Pink Pop’. The latest addition with a Pillow Talk twist? Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Blur.
An extension of CT’s Flawless range, Lip Blur is the first airbrush foray into the lip category, describing its formula as a ‘matte-meets-moisture liquid lipstick’.
But what does an airbrush lip look like? Well, Lip Blur gives you two options when it comes to finish. Upon application, it offers a classic satin liquid lipstick finish with a bold pigment. If you prefer something softer, you can blot the lipstick with a tissue, or apply by patting it on with your finger for a blurred, just-kissed finish.
With supermodel and muse of the moment Bella Hadid fronting as the face of Lip Blur, this is surely set to be one of the brand’s biggest launches of the year. Sounds pretty great, but does it live up to its promises? The Eliza beauty team put the new Lip Blur to the test, and this is what we thought…
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Blur
- Price: RRP £27
- Shades: 8 including nudes, pinks and reds
- Finish: a bold soft matte or blurred diffused matte, depending on your preference
Rebecca Fearn, beauty editor
As the biggest Charlotte Tilbury fan going, I mark my calendar whenever I know the brand is due to launch something new, no matter if it’s makeup, skincare or body. And as a *huge* ‘Pillow Talk’ princess (the lipstick is my all-time fave), the news that it was coming out in a new finish had me all ready to hop, skip and jump to the aisles to add it to my basket. Take my money CT. Take. My. Money.
The new Lip Blur not only comes in the OG ‘Pillow Talk’ hue (which is my fave), but also a slightly deeper ‘Pillow Talk Medium’ iteration, as well as four other gorgeous options. These range from current bestsellers like ‘Walk Of No Shame’ to new Blur-only colours such as ‘Honey Blur’ and ‘Rose Blur’. All are fairly neutral, with nudey pinks and red-toned browns aplenty, meaning something for every taste and every skin tone.
The finish on these is matte, but not drying. As someone with the flakiest lips going, matte products quite frankly fill me with fear – but this one pleasantly surprised me with a silky feel when applied, and a texture that leaves lips feeling enveloped in moisture. As Hannah will explain in her review below, there is more than one way to wear Lip Blur, depending on whether you prefer a bold finish or a softer, blurred-out Parisian vibe. A colour and finish for everyone? This might just be one of the most versatile lip launches of the year so far.
Hannah Thompson, beauty content creator
I love a low maintenance lip, especially anything that promises to give me that French girl blotted lip look, so I was excited to try out CT’s Lip Blur to see if it would deliver the effect the name promised. I tend to avoid liquid lipsticks as I find the formulas difficult to apply and ever trickier to maintain through the day, and at first glance I thought this would be the same. It does apply like a typical liquid lipstick when using the doe applicator, so I prefer dotting a small amount on the centre of my lips and pressing to blend it out with my finger.
Although the finish when applied was too bold for me, I was surprised by how much I liked the softer, matte finish when blotted out. My lips were left with an ‘airbrush effect’, which made them smooth and almost velvety, but there was none of the dryness that usually comes with a liquid matte lipstick. I applied in the morning and the blotted finish also lasted me through an iced coffee and lunchtime cake (it was my birthday week), and even when it did begin to fade in the middle, the soft finish made it easy to touch up. What’s more, the formula didn’t dry up or flake off throughout the day, likely thanks to the hyaluronic acid present in the lightweight formula.
My favourite shade was ‘Pillow Talk Medium’, although I also adore the hue ‘Flame’ for a gorgeous rich orange-red that’s perfect for summer.