Star Makeup Artist Charlotte Tilbury Opens First U.S. Boutique at The Grove

Charlotte Tilbury believes in democratizing Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes beauty secrets. The star-beloved makeup artist and entrepreneur (whose lengthy client list includes Nicole Kidman, Amal Clooney, Sofia Vergara, Kate Moss and Olivia Wilde, to name just a few) has already given makeup mavens the red carpet treatment at her international stores in the U.K. and the Middle East — and now, with the arrival of her first U.S. flagship, Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Wonderland at The Grove, Angelenos can experience her theatrical Tinseltown-inspired world of beauty.

“It’s a magical wonderland that makes you dream,” Tilbury told The Hollywood Reporter while en route to the airport to head back home to London. (She touched down briefly in L.A. to fête her new store.) “The way that I do makeup is a very specific Tilbury look; you should never feel like you’re walking out wearing a mask.”

Related Stories

Lifestyle

The Best Fashion, Beauty and Home Finds at Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale

Lifestyle

Andy Cohen Goes Nude for This Best-Selling Amazon Sunscreen Brand

Whether it’s a yoga teacher seeking a natural look or someone looking for a full-faced glam experience, Tilbury said she wants all of her customers to feel confident when they leave her store: “They can go into the Beauty Boudoir and bring all their girlfriends, and they can get ready for a night out. You can have a bespoke color consultation based on what you are wearing; you can feel like you’re having that red carpet moment.”

It’s not the first time Tilbury has beautified The Grove. In 2014, she gave the popular shopping destination a taste of her theatrical approach to beauty with her two-day Makeup Your Destiny festival to celebrate the U.S. launch of her line within Nordstrom. (The event featured makeovers, roaming acrobats and master classes and included guests such as Kim Kardashian and Lily Allen.)

“Speaking about L.A. developer Rick Caruso (who’s also behind the newly opened Palisades Village and Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel in Montecito, among other buzzing properties), Tilbury said: “He’s a dreamer; he’s a genius in terms of how he thinks about the retail landscape and how he sees retail theater. The way that he thinks is akin to how we think as a brand. You know, my whole philosophy is about bringing fun and theater and happiness…. Hence why The Grove is so successful.”

Inside Tilbury’s 1,200-square-foot Art Deco-inspired flagship (located in Elizabeth & James’ former space next door to MAC Cosmetics), beauty buffs can “try on” ten signature beauty looks via the Magic Mirror, a high-tech device that gives guests a virtual makeover and offers personalized skincare and makeup advice. On offer is her complete range of award-winning cosmetics, skincare and beauty tools, including her best-selling Magic Cream — named by the A-listers who became fans of her homemade backstage moisturizer — and Pillow Talk range. (Tilbury says her products have earned 268 awards, to be exact.)

An eye and lip bar features liquid and kohl eyeliners, mascaras and eyeshadow palettes, as well as exclusives like the Collagen Lip Bath plumping glosses ($35) and Tilbury’s just-launched Hot Lips 2 collection of lipsticks ($37 each) in 11 shades, inspired by clients and friends such as Vergara, Clooney, J.K. Rowling, Jennifer Aniston, Alessandra Ambrosio, Edward Enninful and a slew of others, as well as her mother, Patsy. The line comes in exclusive refillable lip cases that can be custom-engraved on site, and Tilbury is also donating £1 million (approximately $1.3 million) from the line’s sales to the nonprofit organization Women for Women.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sending so much BIRTHDAY LOVE to my gorgeous fellow redhead @nicolekidman You are always an inspiration to me!

A post shared by Charlotte Tilbury, MBE (@ctilburymakeup) on Jun 20, 2019 at 11:40am PDT

Other decadent touches include a glamorous rose quartz sink featuring Tanit, the Ibizian goddess of femininity and power (Tilbury was raised between London and Ibiza), where shoppers can play with skincare products. At the Beauty Boudoir, which features pleated blush walls and 1930s-inspired mirrors, guests can book a full range of makeup services with #TeamTilbury, including personalized consultations and bespoke bridal offerings. A crimson velvet tufted sofa equipped with USB ports ensures that tech-savvy shoppers stay plugged in while they wait.

“That’s very much what I wanted to give to [all] my customers, is that they can experience what I give to my A-list clients and the stars that I work with: having that backstage moment, having that bespoke [pampering],” said Tilbury. “I believe makeup is so much more than just makeup. If you look good, you feel good. And then, of course, it’s a chain reaction! The world reacts to you in a different way. It’s very emotional to see the feedback that we get from customers, and the love that they have for this brand.”

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Wonderland at The Grove, 189 The Grove Drive Los Angeles; charlottetilbury.com