12 Makeup Looks To Wear with your Little Black Dress
Get party-ready with these black dress makeup looks and discover the perfect look to complement your LBD this holiday season.
- 1st December 2023
- By Charlotte Tilbury
14 minute read
Get party-ready with these black dress makeup looks and discover the perfect look to complement your LBD this holiday season.
14 minute read
Darlings, choosing the right eye makeup and lip colour is like finding the perfect pair of shoes or a handbag that magically matches your ensemble. Once you’ve chosen your outfit for the occasion – whether it’s a classic little black dress or something more colourful – it’s time to decide which makeup look is the perfect accessory!
Discover magical black dress makeup inspiration below and get inspired to create looks that are perfect for party season and beyond!
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I’m breaking down 12 of my favourite black dress party makeup looks including the best ways to complement your black dress with eye makeup, eyeshadow, lipstick and blush shades that look good with every outfit and on everyone!
There’s something about the moody, sultry, sophisticated aura of purple shades that pairs perfectly with a black dress. Adding a pop of purple to your black dress makeup look is a perfect way to play with colour while wearing all black; indigo, violet and plum are gorgeous choices for smoking through the crease and smudging along the lash line, while shimmering lavender and lilac look sensational patted onto the lids.
Get the look:
NEW! The Beautyverse Palette: Darlings, I’m predicting my Digital Lilac shade will be the shade of the party season! Discover my NEW! Beautyverse Palette and create a dazzling lilac eyeshadow look to give your black dress makeup a gorgeous pop of purple!
Colour Chameleon in Amethyst Aphrodisiac: Smudge this jewel-inspired shade of my cream eyeshadow pencil along the lash line to transform the look of your eye makeup with glimmering purple shadow.
Rock N Kohl in Velvet Violet: Opt for violet eyeliner to frame your eye makeup while adding a hint of glamorous purple pigment.
Sparkle lovers, light up the look of your black dress makeup with lash-to-brow shimmer. This illuminating makeup trend involves applying a shimmering, brightening-effect eyeshadow along the lash line, onto the eyelid and up across the brow bone, helping eyes to appear bigger and brighter. The high-shine pigments will twinkle under party lights, helping your eye makeup to pop while complementing your little black dress.
Get the look:
Bigger, Brighter Eyes Palette in Exagger-Eyes: The PRIME and ENLARGE shades in this eye-enhancing palette are twinkling lash-to-brow shimmer options, and the POP shade is a glistening sparkle topper that’s perfect for dialling up your black dress makeup look.
Hollywood Exagger-Eyes Liner Duo: This double-sided liner includes a shimmering champagne shade that perfectly complements your shimmering black dress makeup look, as well as a defining matte black for extra dimension.
Icy colours like silver, slate and gunmetal can look gorgeous alongside your little black dress. If you’ve accessorised your outfit with silver jewellery like statement silver earrings and necklaces, try incorporating similar cool-toned hues into your eye makeup to expertly coordinate your party look. Whether you add a subtle pop of silver to your inner corners or create a trending Cyber Silver makeup look, cool-toned eyeshadows will instantly enhance the look of your eyes.
Get the look:
NEW! The Beautyverse Palette: Discover the Cyber Silver shade in my Beautyverse Palette – it’s a true, icy silver in my shimmering Crystal Glow formula. Tap it onto the lids for beauty star eyes with stratospheric silver shine!
Mirror the slick, sultry qualities of your little black dress with a classic smokey eye. With dark eyeshadow shades like black, charcoal and chocolate brown, you can create a deep and dramatic eye makeup look that pairs perfectly with an all-black aesthetic. Smoke deep eyeshadow shades through your crease and onto your lash line to build intensity, then use a high-impact eyeliner to create a Feline Flick winged liner look to give your smokey eye a captivating, cat-eye effect.
Tilbury Tip: Add eyeliner to the waterline and the inner corners to make your eyes appear even more entrancing.
Get the look:
Luxury Palette in The Rock Chick: I love to use the cool-toned, satin-matte and shimmer shades in this palette to create a classic, rock ‘n’ roll-inspired smokey eye.
Colour Chameleon in Black Diamonds: My cream eyeshadow pencils are perfect for gliding along the lash line to create an eye-enhancing, smoked-out look with flattering sparkle.
The Feline Flick in Panther: This liquid eyeliner is my secret to creating my iconic Feline Flick eyeliner look, gliding along the lash line to sketch out an easy winged eyeliner. It’s a waterproof formula designed to wear beautifully in the waterline.
With a beautiful black dress comes an opportunity to dial up your blush, so make your cheeks pop with a swirl of head-turning hot pink! Blush is an easy way to bring life back to your complexion, and radiant, rosy cheeks will look particularly flattering alongside your little black dress. Wearing brighter colours like red or blue can clash with bright pink blush, whereas a chic black outfit will allow you to get heavy-handed and blush your cheeks to party-pink perfection.
Get the look:
Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm: This iconic wand acts as a shimmering liquid blush and highlighter, giving cheeks a pearlescent pink glow that’s beyond compare.
NEW! Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette in Fair/Medium: Discover my NEW! blush and highlighter palette with pretty pink shades that create glowing, Hollywood-inspired blush looks.
Discover the differences between cream, liquid + powder blush
The simplicity of a little black dress is what has cemented its icon status, and you can channel this style philosophy into your makeup by keeping it minimal. By sweeping a neutral brown eyeshadow shade through the crease, you can softly contour the look of your eyes with an understated, eye-defining wash of colour. This black dress makeup look is perfect for anyone that prefers a less-is-more makeup technique but still wants to enhance the look of their eyes.
Get the look:
The Super Nudes Easy Eye Palette: My Super Nudes collection is infused with 90s supermodel DNA and is perfect for recreating the sculpted-looking makeup looks of the era. This matte eyeshadow palette has warm and cool tones to create everyone’s perfect eye contour.
Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! mascara in Super Black: Complete your look by applying lashings and lashings of mascara, focusing on the outer corners to unlock an eye-lift effect.
Lipstick can make a look, darlings. Wearing a dynamic liquid lipstick is a gorgeous way to add a pop of colour to your black dress makeup look. I recommend choosing a liquid lipstick for long-wearing, pout-perfecting colour that beautifully contrasts the chic simplicity of your outfit. Whether you choose a bold red lipstick to become the focal point of your makeup look or a blushing pink or nude lipstick that brings lips to life with soft, lip-defining colour, swipe on your favourite shade and experience instant glamour.
Get the look:
AIRbrush Flawless Liquid Lipstick: This matte-meets-moisture liquid lipstick is a comfortable, long-wearing formula that glides onto the lips and delivers full-coverage colour that can be worn bold or blurred out with your ring finger. Choose from 8 flawless shades!
Lip Cheat: I created my Lip Cheat lip liners to reshape and resize the look of lips. Before you apply your liquid lipstick, you can use a complementary lip liner shade to define and overline your lip shape to unlock your dream party pout.
Darlings, like your black dress, fluttering, fanned-out lashes and sky-high winged eyeliner never go out of style. To create a classic makeup look to wear with your little black dress, create an iconic feline flick and get the perfect party look with dark, dramatic eyes that hypnotise! Don’t forget to coat the lashes with lashings and lashings of mascara for an eye-enhancing, cat-eye effect.
Get the look:
The Feline Flick in Panther: My ultra-black liquid eyeliner that’s designed to glide across the lash line to create a flawless Feline Flick.
Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! mascara: A push up-effect mascara that adds length and volume with a 24-HOUR vertical lift effect that exaggerates and defines the look of your lashes.
If you’re keeping your outfit sleek and simple, why not make a statement with your eyeshadow and lip colour? Festive and fabulous sparkly eyes and ruby-red lips are perfect partners for your little black dress. To get your makeup look party-ready, think glitter and gloss! Create a mesmerising eye look with an effortless cream eyeshadow, then choose a classic Hollywood-red lipstick to complete your festive makeup look.
Get the look:
Eyes to Mesmerise in Champagne: My effortless cream eyeshadow that gives the lids an effervescent, golden glaze with just the swipe of a finger.
Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red: My Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red and Collagen Lip Bath in Walk of No Shame are a red carpet-worthy combination, giving the lips a red-hot look that beautifully contrasts your little black dress.
Your outfit may be strictly all black, but on the eyes, try experimenting with colour to make them pop! My eyeshadows are dazzling formulas that look like crushed diamonds on the eyes. They’re available in magical, multi-dimensional shades with show-stopping colour payoff that looks gorgeous alongside your goes-with-everything black dress. Tap your favourite shades onto the lids for all-over sparkle that’s sure to put you in the mood to party!
Tilbury Tip: Whichever shade you choose, try working it into the rest of your holiday look – maybe a pretty pink manicure, ruby-red accessories, or a purple pair of pumps!
Get the look:
NEW! The Beautyverse Palette: The pink and purple shades in my NEW! Beautyverse Palette are perfect pops of colour for your black dress makeup look.
Hypnotising Pop Shots: Designed to hypnotise, these sparkling single eyeshadows are the shot of shimmer your eye makeup is calling for.
Little black dress makeup looks should have a gorgeous glow that’s ready for the disco! As the Queen of Glowing Skin, I suggest reaching for glow-boosting products that are perfect partners for your black dress. Use my NEW! Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palettes and Charlotte’s Superstar Glow Kit to create an ultra-flattering blush and glow party look.
Get the look:
Charlotte’s Superstar Glow Kit: Apply Beauty Light Wands – my glow-giving liquid highlighters and blushes – using Spotlight to create a lit-from-within glow that gives the high points the sparkle of champagne, and Pinkgasm to leave a pretty pink flush.
Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette: Since there’s no such thing as too much during the holidays, layer the powder blush and highlighter shades in my Hollywood Blush and Glow Glide Palette to unlock a disco glow that perfectly complements your little black dress.
Prefer a more minimalist makeup look to pair with your little black dress, darlings? If you don’t feel like going all out with sequins and sparkles, understated eyes and nude lips are a timeless way to complete your black dress makeup look. All you need to create an effortlessly elegant makeup look is a nude eyeshadow palette and a modern, matte lipstick to softly accentuate the look of your lips and eyes.
Get the look:
The Super Nudes Easy Eye Palette: An all-matte, supermodel-inspired eyeshadow palette that’s been worn on catwalks and in editorials around the world.
Charlotte’s Iconic Mini Lip Trio: Choose between three of my bestselling lipstick shades to complement your little black dress: Pillow Talk Medium, a smooth berry-pink, Walk of No Shame, a magical berry-rose, and Stoned Rose, a pop of coral-rose. Line the lips with Lip Cheat before completing your look with a seamless swipe of lipstick.
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Not wearing black to the party, darling? Discover the perfect party makeup looks to flawlessly complement your outfit whether it’s ruby red, true blue, dipped in gold or covered in silver sequins galore!
Red is one of the most striking colours you can wear – it’s reserved for statement makers and superstars. When wearing a red dress, you may choose to reach for nude shades that let your outfit do the talking, or perhaps a vivid red lipstick that lives up to your red-hot ensemble. Either way, I’m a firm believer in pairing a red dress with a smouldering black eyeliner and lashings of mascara to enhance the look of the eyes as you lock eyes with those around you.
Get the look:
Rock Lips in Rocket Girl or Ready for Lust: Apply Rocket Girl for a flattering, rosy-nude lipstick look, or Ready for Lust to turn your pout a sensational shade of raspberry red.
The Feline Flick in Panther: Use my liquid eyeliner to sketch out an iconic Feline Flick winged eyeliner, then complete your eye makeup with Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! mascara.
Looking to colour theory, blue is the opposite of orange on the colour wheel which means that they are complementary colours. Thanks to this, it can be particularly flattering to pair a blue dress with copper, orange and warm-toned brown eyeshadows, blushes and highlighters. Blues are naturally cool toned, so keeping your makeup warm and bright can help to prevent your outfit from washing out the look of your complexion and adds eye-catching contrast to your blue dress makeup.
Get the look:
NEW! The Beautyverse Palette: The Golden Galaxy shade in my NEW! Beautyverse Palette gilds the eyelids with gorgeous, copper-gold shimmer to create out-of-this-world eye makeup looks.
Hollywood Glow Glide Face Architect Highlighter in Sunset Glow: This silky-smooth highlighter is a golden copper shade that can be used as an eye-enhancing inner corner highlighter and a coppery highlighter or blush topper.
Eye Colour Magic Liner Duo in Copper Charge: Use the matte, burnt-orange shade to line and define the look of your eyes, then add shimmering contrast with the coppery-orange metallic shade.
Two words, darlings… Pillow Talk. Every pink dress will find its perfect makeup match in my globally loved, universally flattering, nude-pink shade. I’ve created an entire beauty universe of Pillow Talk makeup for the lips, cheeks and eyes to give everyone, everywhere their dream Pillow Talk look. This iconic shade is known for its soft, dreamy beauty – it will complement everything from ballet-pink cocktail dresses, satin pink midis to velvety, orchid-pink gowns. Darlings, Pillow Talk suits every look and everyone! Pair it with your favourite pink dress and prepare to become a devout Pillow Talker!
Get the look:
Luxury Palette in Pillow Talk: The soft-focused pink shades in this palette create romantic, eye-enhancing looks that suit everyone.
Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Pillow Talk Pink Pop: My easy liquid blush dots effortlessly onto the cheeks to deliver blendable matte blush in a lovestruck, light-pink shade.
Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk: My signature lipstick will pair beautifully with any pink dress, darlings. Line the lips with Pillow Talk Lip Cheat, then swipe on your lipstick to transform the look of your lips with my iconic nude-pink shade. Add Collagen Lip Bath to give your lips a gorgeous, glossy finish.
Tilbury Tip: Discover my Pillow Talk Dreams Come True makeup vault featuring 14 full-sized Pillow Talk products that are perfect for creating a pink dress makeup look.
Your gold dress makeup look should channel the glistening gold tones of your outfit. Glowing eyes and beaming cheekbones are a must when wearing a gold dress, darlings, and as the Queen of Glow, I’ve got all the makeup secrets you need to create luminous, luxurious makeup looks that are as good as gold! If you’re feeling bold, I suggest pairing gorgeous golds with a vibrant red lip; the two work in harmony to ensure all eyes will be on you!
Get the look:
Luxury Palette in The Queen of Glow: Create a sunset-inspired eye makeup look that will perfectly complement the glimmering gold tones of your outfit.
Beauty Light Wands: Light up the high points of your face with flattering, Hollywood-inspired glow. Choose Spotlight for a champagne-gold gleam or Goldgasm for a trophy-gold glow.
AIRbrush Flawless Lip Blur in Ruby Blur: A statement-making, ruby-red liquid lipstick to turn up the glamour of your gold dress makeup look.
A shimmering silver dress deserves a sparkling makeup look to match – think luminous, dewy-looking skin and twinkling cheeks and eyes. Reach for reflective, high-shine shades to adorn the eyes, lips and cheeks with and give your makeup look a gorgeous glow. To complement all the silver sparkle that your outfit has to offer, try adding foiled, metallic shades to the eyes to give them the appearance of dazzling precious metals.
Get the look:
Bigger, Brighter Eyes Palette in Exagger-Eyes: I created this palette to help exaggerate the look of every eye shape and colour. The glistening shades flawlessly complement a silver dress, especially my shimmering POP shade – it’s a transparent eyeshadow topper that catches the light from every angle!
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