Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Bond Girl Lipstick (Review & Swatches) –In Search of the Perfect Red

Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl

 Last month, I pulled out a soft red Vivienne Westwood dress I adore and after rummaging through my lipstick collection was stunned that I don’t own a single red lipstick that flatters my warm tone complexion. Red-Coral colors and Orange-Reds, yes, but ever since Kevyn Aucoin discontinued Dantique, I have been on the hunt for my perfect red lipstick. Not too blue, not too dark and not too brown. A neutral red that wouldn’t overpower but still would pop. I was about to give up and then I saw Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl. It looked like a kissing cousin to my long lost Dantique.

First I love Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks; I have a backup of Sexy Sienna, a warm medium peachy-pink, Lost Cherry, a bright Coral with vivid pink undertones, Coachella Coral, a medium bright coral pink which is great for Spring, and Amazing Grace, a medium-dark pink coral. So you see where I am going here.

Brandan Vartan of The House of Vartan offered this advice: “Mix a bit of your foundation with the lipstick to adjust the undertone of the red. This will help your red lipstick work with the undertone of your skin”.  So that is what I did”.  I tried it on and although it was lovely it appeared neutral plummy-red. Not  exactly what I was looking for. Yet, I imagined someone complimenting me on me lipstick and asking the name… Charlotte Tilbury..Bond Girl.  I needed to make this work.

 Like all of “The Matte Revolution” collection colors,  Bond Girl is not quite matte, which for me is a very good thing. It is semi-matte with full coverage, long lasting  and hydrating. The “anti-matte” matte lipstick. I seldom use a gloss over these lipsticks. They are not drying nor do they accentuate fine lines.

Onto Bond Girl; applied without primer on me it is a neutral plum brown,  and without using my foundation mixed in, it looked a bit dull. The color looked warmer and more red toned on my arm and when I applied it over my lips after prepping as Brendan suggested, I really like it. While I did not find my perfect red, I discovered a soft, neutral berry with warm pink-red undertones tones and  more importantly, a flattering and unique color I don’t own.

Charlotte Tilbury Bond Girl mixed with a bit of my foundation

Bond Girl will look different on everyone; redder on some, more pink on others and flattering on all. I believe it is a color every lipstick loving woman should own. The Charlotte Tilbury website shows ten models of varying skin tones. Take a look.

$34.00 www.charlottetilbury.com/us

Disclosure: Bond Girl was sent to me by Charlotte Tilbury PR for review; opinions are my own.

Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

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7 comments

  • Nice neutral for every day
    It looks beautiful on you too
    I love the name and likr you reds are difficult for me too

  • I have never found a red that I liked on me. What good advice to mix with your foundation. I may have to try that.

  • GrandmaGaga says:

    I checked out the Charlotte Tilbury website…I love how they show the colors on different skin tones…how ingenious and helpful. It’s a lovely color on you…On my iPad, when I saw the picture of you wearing it I thought ‘what a pretty brick red!’ I don’t know if that would be an accurate description of this color on you but that’s how it appeared to me. Love it! I never know what I’m going to learn when I click onto your website!

  • I love the skin tone swatches on the Charlotte Tilbury website. I have olive undertones and lipstick shades can get a bit tricky sometimes, so that’s super helpful. Bond Girl looks gorgeous and seems to flatter a variety of skin tones!

  • I just logged onto their site and love that I can see different complexions.
    I have Bond girl and Kim k in my cart
    Thanks for the great review