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Last night’s Met Gala was brimming with beauty inspiration for the season ahead: We saw lined lips, beachy waves, and skin-first makeup. One trend we can get behind? Flushed, sculpted cheeks. Our favorite blush looks seen on the red carpet came courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Beauty Blush Wand, which is an editor-tested favorite you’ll want to stash in your makeup bag this summer.
The Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand has made many red carpet appearances on celebs since it launched in spring 2023, but the Met Gala’s showing solidifies this liquid blush as a must-have for airbrushed, long-wearing definition on the cheeks. We saw four celebs glow down the red carpet wearing the blush in various shades, teaming the blush with no-makeup makeup looks and full ethereal glam.
Rita Ora, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Phoebe Dynevor wear Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Beauty Blush Wand on the Met Gala red carpet.
Taylor Hill via Getty Images; Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue; Taylor Hill via Getty Images
For Demi Moore’s Met Gala beauty look, makeup artist Kristofer Buckle used the blush in shade Pink Pop to draw attention to the high planes of her cheeks without overwhelming her smokey eye. Sarah Jessica Parker could be seen in the same shade, which makeup artist Elaine Offers used in tandem with the brand’s contour wand for snatched-to-the-high-heavens cheeks. Rita Ora modeled the brand’s ultra-popular Pillow Talk shade of the blush wand, creating bold, bronzed cheeks that didn’t steal the spotlight from her ethereal eye look. Sofia Tilbury brought life to Phoebe Dynevor’s fresh-faced beauty look with the Dream Pop shade, a cherry-pink tone that created a gorgeous stain on the ‘Bridgerton’ star’s fair skin.
Beyond the range of flattering shades, the beauty of Charlotte Tilbury’s blush wand lies in its matte finish, creating a skin-filtering effect that smooths pores in photos without looking dry or dull. Our editors have tested the blush for well over a year — keep scrolling to learn more about the formula and why it’s our go-to for daily wear and special occasions.
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Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand Review — Editor Testing Notes
I’m a radiant skin girl through and through: Most of the time, I’m aiming to make my dry skin look positively dewy with a slew of face serums, moisturizers, setting sprays. While these glossy beauty looks are stunning when freshly done, summer poses a problem. Humidity and heat can cause radiant-finish makeup to come off shiny or greasy, and inevitably feel like products are melting off your face as soon as you step outside.
I’ve tested the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Beauty Blush Wand in all four seasons, and it’s one of the few matte-finish products I can’t live without. I’ll apply two dots of the formula on the apples of each of my cheeks, then blend with a densely bristled makeup brush or makeup sponge to diffuse the pigments. This is one of those products you don’t need a mirror to apply perfectly — Charlotte Tilbury formulated the blush to sheer out quickly without splotches or streaking. The matte finish isn’t so matte that your skin feels dry or tight after applying it. Instead, you’ll get a watercolor-like stain that lasts for hours. I love wearing it to the office when I have an event after work, or patting it onto my cheeks for a wedding that’ll last into the wee hours of the night.
The Pillow Talk shade is my go-to — it truly is universally flattering, no matter if my skin is fair during winter or bronzed in the summer — but after seeing Dynevor’s gorgeous stained look with the Dream Pop shade, I’ll be adding that to my cart next.
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Meet the Author
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over six years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She keeps her finger on the pulse of all things related to beauty and wellness, as well as the latest celebrity beauty trends seen at events like the Met Gala.
