One of Charlotte Tilbury’s famous Pillow Talk lipsticks were sold every two minutes between 2018 and 2019, proving not just the popularity of its universally fitting dusty rose hue, but also the versatile potential of this handy colour to form the basis of any makeup look.
Ahead of Valentine’s Day, many of us will be planning ahead in anticipation to celebrate this season of romance where pink and red hues rule the day. Following the Luxury Palette eyeshadow quad in Pillow Talk released last year, makeup artist to the stars Charlotte Tilbury has fed the pink mania with further rosy-hued launches this year.
The new limited edition 12-shade Instant Eye Palette (HK$670) expands the Pillow Talk universe with in virtually endless moods, whether for daytime work or sultry date night — with soft, barely-there shades that enhance your bright eyed look, as well as bold and confident eyes that can stop traffic. We play around with three ways to go about swoon-worthy Valentine’s Day makeup.
Bubbly First Date
While appearing like an effortless daytime look, this soft yet eye-catching makeup is perfect for those looking to impress a first date. Think of this as a sparkly, blinged up enhancement on top of the Luxury Palette (HK$440) quad launched last year (‘Pillow Talk 1.0’) and with the Luxury Palette of Pops in Pillow Talk (HK$440), which is four effervescent glitters in a brand new eyeshadow collection. This look gives off a rather innocent air at first, but bat your eyes and it’s sure to send some heart-thumping electricity across to your crush. The fine shimmer will have your date hanging onto your irresistible gaze all evening.
It’s all about enhancing the dimension of the eyes by sweeping that gorgeous rose gold glitter all over the lid and around the inner eye corner. Complement the rosé on the lids with the classic nude pink Matte Revolution lipstick (HK$270), and just touch of a glossy Lip Lustre (HK$200), both in Pillow Talk.
Torrid Romance
Leaning on those first two incredibly versatile shade families (‘Day’ and ‘Desk’) in the Instant Eye Palette (HK$670), this combination of nude coral and dusty rose on the eyes, lips and cheeks just exudes luscious feminine energy. Moody and dark, it’s perfect for date night, as if you’re wearing an attractive blush from the throes of a red-hot encounter for hours on end. The eyes are built from the buttery-smooth milk chocolate and mauve notes in matte, topped off with the all-important pearl shimmer.
A cool, unconventional red-wine hued eyeliner, thanks to the new Pillow Talk Eye Liner (HK$260) in Smokey Berry-brown, helps the eyes look larger and brighter. With its soft formula and massive colour payoff, even a winged liner drawn with pencil can be sharp and effortless, even without a brush. As for the lips, a new darker shade of Pillow Talk lipstick in Medium (HK$270), a warm berry-pink, is used together with its matching Lip Cheat liner (HK$190), overdrawn ever so slightly to achieve extra-pouty lips.
Bold and Beautiful
This third look is a reminder that Valentine’s day (or Galentine’s Day, for those Parks and Rec fans) can be all about celebrating self-love. Spreading vivacious energy and attractive confidence, this bold eye look uses the last six shades of the Instant Eye Palette. Building from the matte shades of the ‘Date’ look and adding the magenta and berry-hued shimmer of the ‘Dream’ look, the result is a high octane smoulder in the eyes that is sure to stop interested passers-by even as you are just going about your day in the city.
Pair it with the new Cheek to Chic in Pillow Talk Intense, which imparts a surprisingly bright highlight and bronzed goddess-like contour to enhance your cheekbones. With this look, more is more, and of course it’s only natural to round off with a sultry lip. Here you can see the K.I.S.S.I.N.G. moisturising lipstick in the light burgundy hue of Pillow Talk Intense (HK$270), which imparts a satiny, glossy finish on its own. Apply the Pillow Talk Collagen Lip Bath (HK$280) on top for even more amplified lips, thanks to its unique formula featuring the Portulaca, or ‘Kiss-me Quick’ plant.
Production credits:
Stylist: Jeremy Wong
Photographer: Lewis Ho
Hair: Cat Yeong
Makeup artist: Daniel Ng
Makeup: Charlotte Tilbury
Model: Michelle Zhang
Evelyn Lok
Managing Editor
When not trying out the latest beauty and wellness trends, Evelyn is likely enjoying a perfectly balanced negroni or exploring some of Hong Kong's best new places to eat and drink. At Lifestyle Asia she covers everything from the biggest events in town to interviews with Hong Kong specialists, with topics spanning art, food and drink, health, tech, and travel.
