Charlotte Tilbury’s New Lip Blur Gave Us “Rosebud Lips”

Following the almost decade-long reign of dewy skin, you may be weary of the current soft-matte makeup trend that’s all over TikTok. When thinking back on old matte formulas, you may unlock memories of flat-looking powder or crusty liquid lipstick. That being said, the beauty industry has made leaps and bounds since the last time matte textures were in style. There are countless cream-to-powder products that plump the skin, fine finishing powders that create an airbrush effect, and now, thanks to Charlotte Tilbury, a soft-matte lip product that feels weightless, with no crust in sight.

That’s right—Charlotte Tilbury is expanding its award-winning Airbrush Flawless franchise with its new Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur ($35), which the brand calls a “matte-meets-moisture liquid lipstick.” We chatted with Charlotte Tilbury about the launch—ahead, everything you need to know about the product, including Charlotte’s tips and our honest reviews. 

The Inspiration

As with her past few launches, Tilbury's inspiration for the Lip Blur was her large pool of A-list clients. “For years, stars were asking me to create the illusion of the perfect airbrushed, blurred pout, backstage and on set,” Tibury tells Byride. “That’s because a blurred lip is so flattering on everyone! It helps conceal texture on the lips, blurs fine lines around the lip area, and gives the illusion of a smoother, fuller looking pout.”

Tilbury reveals that before launching Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur, she used to mix concealers and powders with lipstick, diffusing the product with cotton buds to create a soft-focus effect. “I have bottled all that artistry into one product—putting a trend inside a formula to create my new Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur."

The Formula

The Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur is a liquid lip creme with a blurred matte finish and a hydrating texture. It can be worn two ways: full on for bold pigment, or diffused for a lighter blurred look.Tilbury knew that she didn’t want to create another standard liquid lipstick in an overly-saturated market. “So many liquid lipsticks on the market can appear chalky, drying or dull on the lips," she says. "This creamy, hydrating formula ensures it’s never drying, creasing, feathering, or settling into fine lines. It’s my secret to an airbrushed picture-perfect pout.”

The Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur delivers a a soft-focus veil of color that blurs the look of fine lines and decreases feathering. Hyaluronic acid plumps the lips and helps them to retain moisture throughout the day, and film-forming resin further smooths the lips and helps the color last for up to 12 hours. What’s more, “[The Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur is] created with my innovative diamond applicator—the angled tip mimics a lip brush to hug the contours of the lips for a flawless application every time," adds Tilbury.

Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur $35.00

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The formula comes in eight shades that span across the nude, pink, berry, and red color families to work across all skin tones and undertones, and includes the brand's hero Pillow Talk shade. The nude color family contains Nude Blur and Honey Blur, the pink color family contains Pillow Talk Blur and Rose Blur, the berry color family contains Pillow Talk Medium and Walk of No Shame Blur, and the red color family contains Flame Blur and Ruby Blur. If you typically have trouble choosing a color based on a picture online, you can use the Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur shade finder on the Charlotte Tilbury app or website.

Charlotte’s Application Tips

Tilbury reveals that you can wear the Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur either blurred or bold. "This genius non-drying, matte formula can be dialed up or down for every occasion," she says. "Outline the edge of your lips using the precision applicator for a perfecting bold line or blur it out using your fingertips for beautifying, rosebud lips!"

If you're looking for a shade suited for any occasion, Tilbury suggests her famous Pillow Talk. “Pillow Talk is my favorite lip look for summer—and spring, autumn, and winter,” says Tilbury. "They’re so versatile–you can wear it blurred for a beautifying soft tint or bold for a gorgeous, dreamy everyday look.”

Or, for a bolder look, try the Ruby Blur shade that Bella Hadid wears in the campaign. “Darlings, I always say a red lip is instant glamour,” says Tilbury. “My secret is to always use a lip liner–my Lip Cheat creates the illusion of fuller, wider looking lips, whilst preventing your lipstick from feathering.” If you’re a minimalist, though, Tilbury says that you can easily forgoe using a lip liner with the Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur since its diamond applicator is precise enough to create a perfect red pout.

The Reviews

Madeline Hirsch, news director

"A matte red lip isn’t usually my go-to, but this shade has me thinking maybe I should reconsider. The ruby shade is about as close to the perfect crimson as you can get, and I loved how easy it was to perfect my edges with the applicator’s super-precise end. The formula also blends and blurs easily if you’re looking to get more of an undone French-girl look."

Olivia Hancock, editor

"Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur is one of the most comfortable matte liquid lipsticks I’ve ever worn. It feels so weightless on my lips, and the formula packs a ton of moisture, thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid. While I love that you can achieve a blurred effect using this lipstick, I typically gravitate toward a more bold, statement lip. Achieving that look is super easy with Lip Blur as it’s super pigmented. I love that just one swipe delivers rich, intense color. All in all, I definitely see this becoming one of my new go-to liquid lipsticks."

Bella Cacciatore, news editor

"As a dry-lipped queen, I have lingering trauma from the liquid lip era of 2016—but as soon as I heard the name 'Lip Blur,' I was willing to push any fears aside. The formula is so comfortable—it feels like nothing—and even when worn full-on it has sort of a hazy finish that makes a red lip feel totally effortless. The Ruby Blur shade is also the perfect red—not too pink, not too blue—and I can't imagine someone it wouldn't look incredible on."