I booked a £100 Charlotte Tilbury Bridal Makeup Lesson…but was it worth the money?

charlotte tilbury bridal makeup lesson

If you’re frantically googling ‘bridal makeup lessons near me’ and not knowing where to begin – this article might be just what you need. I booked in for a £100 Charlotte Tilbury bridal makeup lesson before my wedding…but was it worth the money?


I like to think I’m ok at doing makeup. Yes I’ve had to tweak a few techniques over the years as my face changed shape, but now I’m in my 30’s with a drawer full of good products I think I’ve pretty much got it down. But when it came to doing my makeup for my wedding day, I felt a little out of my depth.

I couldn’t find a makeup artist I liked that fit into our budget and as I also didn’t have time in my diary for a trial (we got married over 4 hours away in Scotland), I didn’t want to risk having my makeup done and not looking or feeling like me on my big day. So I decided to do my own makeup, and after asking on instagram where people would recommend for a lesson, I booked in for a Charlotte Tilbury Bridal Makeup masterclass at a local store.

The lesson I chose was a 2 hour Pillow Talk Bridal Lesson and it cost £100, however the £100 lesson cost was redeemable on any Charlotte Tilbury products. Essentially you’re spending £100 on makeup with some expert advice on what you need and how to apply it thrown in for good measure.

I’ve already got a lot of good quality makeup and there isn’t a huge amount that I ‘need’ in my collection. I also don’t consider myself as a total beginner when it comes to makeup so I didn’t need to start completely from scratch. What I needed was some tips on how to make everything last the whole day, how to glow for my photos and how to strike that balance between ‘event makeup’ but still looking and feeling like me.

So before my Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Lesson, I gave it my best shot. I sat down and painted my face how I would have done it on the big day, and packed up my current products to take with me in the hope I could still use some of those.

By the time I sat down in that makeup chair my foundation was already starting to rub off and I knew I’d made the right decision by booking in! The skills I thought I had were NOT going to cut it for a wedding with lots of photos, happy tears and dancing…as you can see in my before and after pictures below!

My Charlotte Tilbury Bridal Makeup Lesson

My makeup artist was lovely. She listened to all my concerns and have a good rummage through my makeup bag to see what we were already working with. We chatted about what I wanted and where I felt my skills were lacking and then she set off removing my makeup. I didn’t realise that Charlotte Tilbury had such a great range of skincare and by the time I was barefaced in the chair I felt like I’d had a mini facial! This is where I picked up a lot of my tips – it’s all in the prep when you’re after that movie star glow.

We went through the process product by product and I never felt silly asking questions. We prepped, primed, concealed and painted until the final look was done before taking some after photos and admiring it all under the lights! Charlotte Tilbury products are designed to look good on camera and they really, really do. Perfect for wedding photos and videos that’s for sure.

Despite my MUA using a full range of Charlotte Tilbury products on my face I didn’t once feel sold to or pressured. They already have their £100 credit behind the till for the lesson, but of course they want you to spend a little more right? However my MUA was amazing at helping me find products in my makeup bag that would be good alternatives to those she’d used on the day and I didn’t buy anything I didn’t want or need out of guilt…which I’m usually a sucker for in these situations.


*ad – I’ve included some product affiliate links here but this is not a sponsored article. Affiliate links don’t change the price you pay but they do generate a small commission that helps me to keep creating helpful and free articles such as this one.


I walked out with the Hollywood Flawless Filter (seriously, this is my new favourite product – HOW is it this good?!), some eye cream because I LOVED the affect it had on my skin, and a pillow talk lipstick and liner (the perfect bridal shade). I think it came to around £120 in total – including my lesson – and I was totally happy handing over my card.

The Verdict:

Charlotte Tilbury Bridal Makeup Lesson

Did I find my final bridal look in the chair at Charlotte Tilbury?
No.
Did I learn the skills that enabled me to create the perfect look for me on my big day?
YES!
Would I recommend booking in for a Charlotte Tilbury Bridal Makeup Lesson?
Absolutely.

I adored the skin finish we achieved in my lesson, it was the eyes that felt a little overdone for me. So I had a practice once or twice at home with the base from my lesson and some different eye looks and I cracked it! The placement of my bronzer, which skincare to use (and when) in the run up to my big day, what to do before application, lipstick colour and how to keep it all in place – brand new information that worked a treat.

Check out this comparison:
My skills before the lesson > our Charlotte Tilbury Bridal Makeup Lesson Look > and My New Skills!

So much better, whilst still looking and feeling like myself!

Here’s an up-close and ‘real life’ phone pic of my final wedding makeup on the big day! I felt amazing – glowy, sophisticated but most of all, like me. It photographed really well and looked amazing on our video too.

Can you believe that’s just the Hollywood Flawless Filter primer and some concealer – no foundation! Incredible.

Charlotte Tilbury Bridal Makeup Lesson

The skills I learned in that lesson have made it into my every day makeup routine and I love them, along with all the products I bought on that day too. My skin has never looked better and I just feel a lot more confident. I’m so glad I did that lesson and if you’re in the same boat wanting to do your own bridal makeup but not having full confidence, book yourself in!

If you’re wondering if there are any bridal makeup lessons near me – Find your nearest Charlotte Tilbury store HERE and take a look at the consultations they offer!

Looking for a Tutorial?
Follow along step by step with my Natural Bridal Makeup tutorial HERE!

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