We Tested Charlotte Tilbury’s New Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand — Here’s Why It’s Worth Checking Out.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, WWD may receive an affiliate commission.
Thanks to a cheeky-named shade called Pillow Talk, Charlotte Tilbury has become a well-known celebrity-loved makeup and skincare brand. And while it’s the brand’s iconic Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Liner that makeup artists and beauty lovers have been loyal to for a decade, the brand is now introducing the new Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand that we’re confident people will also fall in love with.
More from WWD
Inspired by the viral, sell-out success of Pinkgasm, Charlotte’s new Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand is a lightweight, wearable liquid blush in the beauty light wand format that shoppers know and love. This product merges the ease of a cream blush with the gorgeous effect of a refined matte finish.
Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Beauty Blush Wand drops at an exciting time since the bestselling Pillow Talk franchise turns ten this year. To celebrate this and the launch of the anticipated beauty wands, Charlotte Tilbury tapped fashion darling and LGBTQIA icon Michaela Jaé Rodriguez to be the brand’s newest and first American beauty muse, joining Kate Moss, Twiggy, and Jourdan Dunn.
Liquid and cream blushes tend to have subtler color payoffs than matte blushes. Still, they play an equally important role in accentuating your facial structure, defining the contours of your face, and adding some lively color to make your skin appear hydrated and radiant. In recent years, we’ve seen loads of newness in the matte blush category, from pigmented stains to loose-shimmered powders that melt into your favorite foundation. So we had high expectations for Charlotte’s new Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wands when it landed on our desks, wondering if the matte blush category is about to get a makeover. Read on to read our full review of Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand.
Related Stories:
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation Review
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Beautifying Kit Review
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighter
Sign up for WWD’S Shop newsletter to get the scoop on the best in beauty and style with in-depth reviews of exciting new releases and buyer’s guides to find the products you need to try ASAP.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand
Product tested: Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wands in Peach Pop and Drema Pop
Application method: On the first application, I used my fingers to blend the product onto the apples of my cheeks and the bridge of my nose. Then, I went in with a blush brush to see if the product could blend into my skin even more.
Number of shades: 4
Size: 0.4 fl oz tubes
Period of testing: Two Weeks
Price of product: $42
Pros:
Highly pigmented
A little goes a long way
Available in four shades
Easy to apply
Vegan
Cons:
Not super blendable
Little product in the tube
Testing verdict: This blush delivers a high payoff. It’s intensely pigmented and a breeze to apply with a makeup brush or your fingertips. The shade range suits fair to dark skin tones, and a little goes a long way, so it’s well worth the price. Because the product sets quickly, the placement matters a lot. Make sure to follow a C-shape, starting at the tops of your cheeks and blending toward your temples.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand
About Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wands
It’s no secret that the no-makeup-makeup look has taken off on TikTok and Instagram. But the question is, how do these beauty creators achieve this look and fool us into thinking they woke up like that? Sometimes, all it takes is the right blush — a matte blush. With Charlotte Tilbury’s new blush wand, anyone can achieve a natural makeup look effortlessly. This product adds the perfect flush, making it impossible to tell if they’re using one of the best matte blushes or if their crush just strolled by.
The Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand’s formula is free of light-reflecting additives giving it an understated finish. However, while the texture is more muted than its shimmery cousins, the effect is just as striking. Consider it a lip stain or tint designed for the cheeks, giving them a rich color that looks like you just got back from the beach.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wands Editor Testing Review
At first glance, Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wands look like the brand’s best-selling Beauty Light Wands. The tubes contain the easy-to-use magic cushion applicator and the on-and-off twist top that lets the product out seamlessly. But my perception changed after putting one dot on my face — these matte blushes are unlike any blushes I’ve tested.
To start, I applied the darker shade, Dream Pop, and immediately noticed that the product had a lot of pigment. At first, I was nervous it was too much, but once I started spreading it out, I was pleased to see that the color deposited naturally onto my skin and evaporated shortly after to leave the skin with a nice even coat of color. While it did take me a little bit longer than usual to blend, I loved how quick drying the formula was — it set in seconds. I could rub my finger over the pigment, and none would transfer.
The blurring finish of this product matches that of the best setting powders, like the brand’s Airbrush Flawless Finish. It includes LUMI-BLUR technology, flawless film formers, and poreless polymers that prevent the cream from settling into fine lines, giving the skin a smoothing airbrush finish. Not only does this even out any texture, it also makes your makeup last all day.
I’ve since swatched other shades, including Peach Pop, an orange-toned blush, which has a similar effect on the skin, with only differences in color preference. However, since the color payoff is heavy, I recommend testing the shades on your skin tone before making a purchase.
How We Tested Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wands
To test Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wands, we first applied the product on our hand to note its color payoff, texture, and feel. Then we tested the formula on the cheeks over cream, liquid, and powder complexion products, noting if different textures impacted the wear time or ease of application of the blush (it did not). Finally, we tested two shades with multiple application techniques, using clean fingertips and blush brushes to diffuse the cream onto the cheekbones and bridge of the nose. Finally, we noted whether the cream creased or smudged throughout the two-week testing window.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand
Meet the Author
Nikki Chwatt is the Style Commerce Editor for WWD and Footwear News. She’s spent many researching, reporting on, and writing about the beauty industry and keeping up with the latest launches in the cosmetic space. She’s swatched hundreds of blushes, be it cream, liquid, or powder, during her career. Chwatt tested Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand for two weeks, taking notes on the color payoff, packaging, ease of application, and wear time in different environments.
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
