I’ve always wanted a trademark lipstick like Taylor Swift’s—a “red lip, classic thing” that immediately registers as mine. It didn’t necessarily have to be red. Any shade would do, if it had the elusive 24/7 wearability of a so-called signature.
Singling out a lipstick I’d want to wear day in and day out—and that spoke to who I am at the same time—became my beauty obsession early this year. Like a freshman at college orientation, I took a “try everything once” approach to my hunt. I’ve tested cherry and candy-apple reds; "universal" nudes with mauve and orange undertones; and, in a Chilling Adventures of Sabrina–inspired moment of edginess, matte blacks and dark blues. Lipstick speed dating introduced me to shades I wouldn’t have sampled otherwise, but they felt more like occasion lipsticks than everyday picks.
On the other side of those tests, I knew the most “me” shade would fall somewhere between a nude and a pink. It had to be both polished and a little preppy—something that says I get my inspiration from pop singers (see above) and Kate Spade editorials. I eventually turned to the Glamour beauty team for lipstick guidance and got an immediate recommendation: Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Revolution Lipstick in a shade called Pillow Talk.
Honestly, I was a little underwhelmed by the light mauve pink in the tube. This? This is the lipstick people rave about? While the packaging was beautiful, the color itself didn’t seem like anything extraordinary. Then I put it on.
Mattes I had tested on my lipstick journey had left my lips flaky and dry. Charlotte Tilbury’s lipstick glided on with a cashmere softness on the first try. I couldn’t believe the quality. No, really—just look at the slacks I sent our beauty associate, Bella, about it.
Out of the tube, the tone has a subtle glow. One coat enhances my natural lip color; two or three more, and I have a pink lip that’s just shy of a berry tone. In other words, it’s exactly what I was looking for.
After that first test, I started wearing Pillow Talk every day. Most mornings I swipe on two coats of it and get moving. When I have more time, I first line my lips and and fill in with the corresponding Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Liner. That “undercoat” adds a hint of volume—and with the extra grip, my lipstick doesn’t budge through my morning and afternoon coffees.
I’m not the only one who has named Pillow Talk my “desert island” lipstick. I share an obsession with Amal Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kate Moss, apparently. Then there are the several thousand (and counting) #pillowtalklipstick posts singing the shade’s praises on Instagram. The fandom is so intense that Charlotte Tilbury created a collection collection featuring blush and eye shadow palettes that riff on the mauve-pink shade; these promptly sold out (and was quickly restocked) after the launch last season.
I have yet to try the entire collection, but it’s only a matter of time—Pillow Talk is worth every cent. This natural, tawny pink always goes on smooth and, somehow, hydrates my lips. It’s low-key enough to wear to meetings or appointments, but the buildable tone can look “done” enough for drinks after work. People from my mom to the cashier at my neighborhood Walgreens have told me it suits me. I have to agree: I can’t see myself wearing anything else.
Halie LeSavage is a contributing writer at Glamour. Follow her @halielesavage.
