Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Luxury Palette

Who? Valerie Dayan
For how long? 5 years +

I’ve always been an eyeshadow girl, feeling almost naked when I leave my house without any. For years, my go-to colors were mostly darker earth tones and bronze to emphasize my bluish eyes. When I started embracing a less-is-more, natural look a few years ago, I had a serendipitous meet-up with this eye palette. When people hear Charlotte Tilbury and Pillow Talk in the same sentence, the social media sensation nude pink lipstick always comes to mind. Not for me. I have naturally pink lips, and neither the original nor the medium works for me. However, something else from the same collection worked really well for me. And I’m here to tell you why.

Like all the powder shadows in Tilbury’s line, the Pillow Talk luxury palette has four hues. The final shade you get from applying all four together is rosy and taupe-y, and the solo colors are described as “champagne pink, matte dusky rose, soft matte brown, and a rose gold sparkle.” This is all music to my ears and eyelids. They are high in pigmentation, and the texture glides on my lids, which is a must for me to be fully devoted to an eyeshadow. The beauty of the shades themselves is never enough. The brand suggests a layering technique for the colors (prime, enhance, smoke, and pop), but I’m not one for the rules when it comes to makeup. No matter what texture I’ll be using, I always start with an eye shadow base when doing eye makeup—I used to love the currently out-of-stock Nars Smudge Proof one, so I’m now using Natasha Denona’s multitasking Correcting Concealer instead. (I know, sue me.)

I’ve been into effortless shimmer lately, and for this, I dab a touch of Byredo’s Solar Flare Color Stick a few moments after setting the base. I find this little gesture helps all shadows stick better, too. When it’s time for the main action, the application of the Pillow Talk palette, I pick up my M.A.C 242 Shader Brush and usually mix the darker of the three colors together and apply it liberally, slightly overflowing over the outer edges. With my keepsake tapered blending brush (also from M.A.C, #224S), I blend everything together with outward circling motions until the colors are happily married. As the finishing touch, I use the lightest color under my brows for a lifting effect. I pair the refreshingly smoky eyes with a dark brown or plum eye pencil for an extra oomph. I add some mascara, and I’m done. The whole process lasts a minute or two. The end result is soft yet seamlessly enhancing. If I’m getting ready for a night out, I pair this look with darker tones like Chanel Beauty’s Parure Impèriale.

This is why I can’t get enough of this eye palette: Yes, Pillow Talk is great solo, but it also works with many other colors and textures. The same is true for lip colors. Reds, dust pinks, glosses, maroons—you name it, Pillow Talk loves it. Even though I use it almost daily (sometimes twice), one palette lasts almost a year. In a world of ever-changing trends, the Pillow Talk palette is my beauty ride-or-die.