Charlotte Tilbury: from behind the scenes beauty queen to one of the richest female entrepreneurs

Charlotte Tilbury, creator of cult beauty products such as Magic Cream moisturizer and Pillow Talk lipstick, has transformed herself from a behind the scenes beauty queen to house name as her products shine from counters in stores including John Lewis, Fenwicks, Selfridges and Sephora.

She starts experiencing make up at a very young age, when she was still attending boarding school, as she discovers the power of mascara on her own lashes at 13, and then goes on to study at the Glauca Rossi School of Makeup.

Yet, she affirms that the key to her career trajectory was to avoid being categorized within one area of the industry. In fact, she had this big red carpet, fashion show, advertising and fashion cover career; being the first make-up artist to have created looks for September covers of American Vogue, French Vogue, and British Vogue in the same year.

Moreover, Charlotte transformed herself to a magnate by experimenting and creating her own solutions. If today a tub of Charlotte tilbury Magic cream moisturizer sells every two minutes, the product started as a DIY professional solution. The cream was crafted by Tilbury herself to pep up model’s tired looking skin during fashion weeks, and its underground success is what inspired the launch of her brand.

Furthermore, before launching her own makeup brand, Charlotte worked as consultant for well established brands like Armani, MAC, and Tom Ford. However, she always knew that eventually she would have created her own line; she was only practicing her skills working with other people.

We must admit that much of Charlotte Tilbury’s fame is due to her flawless social media presence, through which her personality shines as much as her precisely highlighted skin. Her instagram, which has 5.5 million followers, is a blend of tutorials, product news, and is peppered with her signature bubbly personality and “darlings” call to action.

Hence, Tilbury has become a mythical figure, casting herself as a glamorous celebrity insider. She surrounds herself with famous friends, and names her products after them. Since the launching of her brand in 2012, the British beauty entrepreneur has strived in the Cosmetic industry, founding a brand that values at £1 billion, and being awarded an MBE in 2018 for services to the beauty and cosmetics industry. Thus, today she is one of the richest female entrepreneurs in Britain and most influential women in the world.