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What To Expect When You're Expecting

Charlotte Tilbury talks baby shower gifts from Kate Moss, skipping the gym & wearing six-inch heels through her pregnancy.

Beauty
What To Expect When You're Expecting
We swear up and down that we're far from jumping ship and joining mommy bloggerdom anytime soon. That said, who better to take pregnancy tips from than the makeup artist who's filling in Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne's brows all while wearing sky-high heels? If it wasn't entirely obvious already, we chatted with Charlotte Tilbury, who, at nine months pregnant told us about everything from the powers of contouring to Moss's baby shower gifts, on top of maintaining her sanity, eschewing the gym and how her trademarked 'Tilbury tap' (we'll explain later) saves her from the dreaded 'plane face.' Read on and see what we mean. 

...On the lip-plumping plus side of pregnancy:

"During pregnancy, your face and skin can really change. Your skin can become more sensitive and reactive and your face can retain fluid more easily and everything seems to swell a bit. However, it’s not all bad news—there’s nothing quite like a pregnancy glow, and I’ve found my lips have grown bigger too!"

...On how she's been switching up her routine:

"To prevent pores from clogging, I will always apply my cleanser using a Clarisonic—nothing cleans so deeply and reaches in every pool and contour. I’m also a big advocate of rose water as a skin purifier, and anything rich in oils to cut through sebum and to super-charge hydration. When it comes to makeup, I totally believe in the virtues of a facial framework, using a bronzer to carve out cheekbones and define the jawline, and a highlighter to emphasize the cheekbones and slim the nose. I’ve found it a bit of a savior recently! The rest of my routine is pretty much the same pre and during pregnancy. I like to emphasize my eyes, wearing chocolate-copper tones to bring out the green-golden hues in my eye colour and a feline flick to elongate and lift the eyes, finishing the look with lashings of mascara!"

...On curing problem pregnancy skin:

"I have definitely found that my skin is more sensitive—it can react to new products and certain ingredients, so I tend to stick to trusted products such as my Magic Cream and soothing night masks. I am using a highly-pigmented, more covering concealer than usual too whenever I have a small breakout or rash, or any melanin pigmentation, which can also happen occasionally during pregnancy. However, I like to use a light-weight foundation to let the pregnancy glow shine through."

...On somehow making it all work:

"I guess I am very motivated to do it all—I have always been hard-working and don’t believe in limiting myself so I am always determined. I am also surrounded by an incredible team—my sister Leah is a total rock and helps out in my personal and professional life, my nanny is a life saver and I also have a really great brand team."

...On how Kate Moss gives the best baby shower gifts:

"It’s not strictly a baby shower present, but Kate Moss bought my son Flynn a beautiful Peter Blake painting for his christening that we both love."

...On bizarro pregnancy cravings:

"It’s hard to say one thing! I love honey-comb ice cream and find it keeps me going through a long day, and I’ve always been a fan of a full, cooked breakfast—poached eggs on granary toast, avocado and bacon."

...On not giving in to wearing pregnancy mumuus:

"I think the key is not to give in to tent-like, loose-fitting clothes that drown your form. I love flowing chiffon and sarongs for warm weather, but in general I think it’s still important to wear clothes that reveal and flatter your outline, and also wear block colours, preferably dark and black as it slims and disguises the contour of the bump."

...On wearing Miu Miu stilettos and Dolce & Gabbana gowns throughout her pregnancy:

"My style hasn’t changed dramatically since being pregnant, I still wear stilettos and Dolce & Gabbana! But I guess I have added some new, more comfortable pieces into my wardrobe and stretchy dresses from high street brands such as ASOS and Topshop that skim over the bump perfectly. Zara is also genius, Aritzia in New York, Zadig & Voltaire, Sandro, and Maje. I never really wear flat shoes, but currently I am favouring wedge heels from Miu Miu or Zara."

...Her best advice for expectant and first-time mothers:

"My top tip is make sure the bra never comes off at night—wear a soft bra without under-wire. And use lots of Mama Mio oil to avoid stretch marks—I swear by it."

...On keeping fit without going to the gym:

"I never go to the gym, but my life is very high energy without it—on the go in high heels and dancing are my main forms of exercise. I’m such a high heel addict—I put them on and they make me feel like myself."

...On traveling while pregnant:

"Be as comfortable as possible and always remember to keep hydrated. I like to infuse my water with vitamin C drops or take coconut water on board, which contains naturally occurring electrolytes. In terms of skincare, I like to spritz on damask rose water, and use oil-rich, soothing masks and a luxurious moisturizer pumped full of peptides and hyaluronic acid, such as my Magic Cream. If you can’t get my Magic Cream, a pure oil such as rosehip with Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream is a good alternative. For an extra boost, try a serum, apply it to clean fingertips and massage into your skin. Blood circulation is really important, so whilst not super-flattering, in-flight socks are a must, and I also like to keep massaging and patting my skin to stimulate lymphatic drainage—I call it the Tilbury Tap method!"

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