Famous Last Words: Charlotte Tilbury MBE Shares Her Life Lessons
Life lessons to live by, courtesy of Bazaar Arabia’s most fabulous friends
She made her name working with celebrities like Kate Moss, Kim Kardashian and Amal Clooney who called on her to perfect their red-carpet looks, and with photographers like Mert and Marcus and Mario Testino on editorials… but what this Londoner and mother-of-two is really known for is her eponymous beauty empire.
What book changed your life?
The Secret, which is all about creative visualisation, manifesting and positive thinking, did have an effect. There are many books that I’ve read about the subject, but Rhonda Byrne’s is a great one; you can speed-read it. It makes manifestation super easy. I give it to friends because that’s really how I’ve achieved so much: train yourself to always be positive and happy.
Tell us about your last Spotify Wrapped.
R&B, hip hop, rock and roll, dance, pop… I love music, and I love dancing. One of my favourite tracks is The Source feat. Candi Staton You Got the Love, because life is all about love. That track always gives you a euphoric feeling.
What is your motto?
Dare to dream it, dare to believe it, and dare to do it. That’s what my entire brand is about; making dreams come true. We’re all here on this planet for a short time. If we’re here, we’ve got to live life and just achieve our dreams. I’m so passionate about my brand because I know that great skincare, make-up, and fragrance has a huge effect on how you feel. If you feel great, that magical chain reaction ends up vibrating to everyone else. So best dream it, darling, because it works!
Anything you’d change about yourself?
I believe in limitless thinking, limitless time – but we live in a time-poor world. My timekeeping could be better if there were more hours in the day.
What’s the most overrated virtue?
Moderation. Where’s the passion in life? You’ve got one life to live, live it to the full.
Who are your heroes?
Anyone that has disrupted, pioneered, invented, created. Beauty legends like Helena Rubenstein, Estée Lauder, Coco Chanel… Steve Jobs, who changed the world as we know it and put a ‘ding’ in the universe. Einstein and Nikola Tesla. They’ve shaped the world that we live in today. That’s what I feel like I want to do, and I do do every day. I’ve invented and created so many beauty products that didn’t exist in the beauty industry.
What are you proudest of?
What I’ve created from a tiny start-up to this beauty empire, and my incredible dream team because I couldn’t do it without them. Together, we want to innovate and disrupt. We create these little bottles of dreams that I want to give to the world.
Your guiltiest pleasure?
I don’t understand guilt. I just understand pleasure.
What does success mean to you?
Confidence and purpose. Success is the most wonderful feeling in the world. It gives you a huge amount of empowerment, confidence and gratitude – the best feelings in life – and they’re because of success.
What would you ban?
Duping. You’re duping the customer. It’s not the same product. If the consumer knew what the original did, they would never buy a dupe.
Your most treasured possession is…
My Magic Cream. It saves my life every single day. My mother always says, “Darling, if you just carry on working 24/7 and partying, Magic Cream can’t save your life every day.” I’m like, “Well, it can because it’s got my cushion and lift plumping mesh technology that just literally bounces my skin back to life.” Immediate skin revival in 28 seconds.
What would you tell your younger self?
Always wear SPF, because that naughty sun is very bad for you. It’s good for making us feel great, but in terms of ruining our skin, some SPF a day keeps the doctor away.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s Winter 2024/2025 Issue