Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Emma Bow Tilbury was born on February 10, 1973, in Kensington, west London. At nine months old, she moved with her parents, artist Lance Tilbury and production manager Patsy Dodd, to Ibiza, Spain. Her early interest in makeup developed after moving back to London at age 13 to attend a Rudolf-Steiner boarding school in Sussex, where she began advising friends on makeup and color choices. Tilbury later honed her skills by attending the Glauca Rossi School of Makeup, setting the foundation for her professional career in the beauty industry.

Tilbury commenced her career by assisting renowned makeup artist Mary Greenwell, whom she had met when she was eleven years old; Tilbury has described Greenwell as an influential mentor. In October 2012, Tilbury launched her YouTube channel and a blog titled ‘Charlotte’s Beauty Secrets’ to share skincare and makeup advice. This initiative built a significant following, paving the way for the launch of her beauty brand, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Ltd., in 2013 at Selfridges in London. The brand quickly expanded, opening its flagship store in London’s Covent Garden in November 2015, and now sells its products internationally through retailers such as Sephora and MECCA in Australia and New Zealand.

Throughout her career, Tilbury’s work has been featured in leading fashion magazines including Vogue, LOVE, and Vanity Fair, often on cover shoots and in editorial campaigns. She has collaborated with prominent photographers such as Mario Testino and Mert and Marcus, and worked with celebrities like Kate Moss, Kim Kardashian, Gisele Bündchen, and Amal Clooney. Tilbury also directs makeup for Fashion Weeks in major cities like New York, Milan, Paris, and London for brands including Prada and McQueen. She has partnered with designers such as Tom Ford and Burberry on beauty campaigns and served as creative director for Helena Rubinstein. In June 2020, Tilbury partnered with the Spanish fashion and fragrance company Puig, which acquired a majority stake in her business, though Tilbury retained a significant minority stake and her roles as chairman, president, and chief creative officer.