VSFS 2018: Backstage Beauty Secrets From Charlotte Tilbury
The legendary make-up artist explains exactly how she made up the models
12 November 2018
For the first time this year, Charlotte Tilbury was the official make-up sponsor of the Victoria’s Secret catwalk show, and the famed make-up artist herself was on hand backstage to oversee the beauty looks of all 60 models.
Victoria’s Secret regulars like Bella and Gigi Hadid, Martha Hunt and Elsa Hosk – who was chosen to wear the one million dollar Fantasy Bra – took to the runway in elaborate lingerie looks, and a chosen few ‘Angels’ were blessed with wings too.
With more than 29 different nationalities represented on the runway, Tilbury was tasked with designing a beauty look that suited all the models.
“It’s an angelic filter to enhance what nature naturally blessed you with, and to make you look and feel like a beautiful, celestial angel,” she said. “A look that lights up the runway and casts a magic make-up spell on the world.”
(Evan Agostini/AP)
The make-up artist revealed she was inspired by one of the most famous former Angels: “One of my inspirations for the look was inspired by the healthy, happy, naturally flawless beauty look of Gisele – she embodies that signature fresh, glowing Angel gorgeousness.”
Want to get that Angel glow yourself? You’re in luck, because Tilbury has revealed all the products and techniques she used backstage at the show.
Here, we break down each element of the Victoria’ Secret 2018 make-up and how to do it at home…
(Evan Agostini/AP)
Complexion base
Tilbury started by applying Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow primer all over the face, followed by Light Wonder Foundation in a shade slightly warmer than the model’s natural skin tone to give them a healthy glow.
For areas that needed extra coverage, she applied Magic Away Concealer and finished with Hollywood Flawless Filter to create a soft-focus filter that illuminates the complexion.
Highlighting, contouring and blusher
Tilbury said she wanted every model to have a natural contour and ethereal glow under the lights of the runway. She used her Filmstar Bronze & Glow palette to sculpt the appearance of the face, enhance the cheekbones, add warmth to the complexion and give a candlelit glow to the skin.
She then blended a rose gold highlight on the cheekbones with the Hollywood Beauty Light Wand.
Tilbury dusted Airbrush Flawless Finish powder onto the T-area, creating a soft cashmere finish, and used a combination of Beach Sticks cream blusher in Las Salinas and Ibiza for a sun-kissed blush effect.
Brows
To reveal the shape of the brows, Tilbury brushed them up using one end of the Brow Lift tool and then used the soft pencil end to fill in any gaps using upward strokes.
She used Victoria’s Secret Brow Clear Eyebrow Gel to fix the brows.
Eyes
First, Tilbury curled the eyelashes for definition using her Life-Changing Lashes curler.
The eyeshadow look was created with the Exagger-Eyes palette. Using a blender brush, Tilbury washed the ‘Enhance’ shade forwards and backwards across the eyelid like a windscreen wiper. The ‘Smoke’ shade was used along the lash line to add definition.
Next, she added the cream eyeshadow Eyes to Mesmerise in Rose Gold using a smudger brush underneath the lower lash line to make the eyes pop.
To elongate the eyes and create a lifted shape Tilbury lined the eyes and added an ‘Angel wing’ flick using eyeliner pencil The Classic in Sofia, then added Colour Chameleon pencil in Amber Haze along the lash line.
To complete the look, she applied Victoria’s Secret Major Lashes Full Volume Mascara in Beyond Black.
Lips
Tilbury started by re-shaping the lips with Lip Cheat lip liner in Pillow Talk, then applied Victoria’s Secret Velvet Matte Cream Liquid Lip in Showstopper.
To complete the lip look she applied Collagen Lip Bath for a glossy finish.
