British beauty mogul Charlotte Tilbury recently made her first-ever visit to Australia, joining forces with Mecca for a week-long series of events that lit up Sydney and Melbourne—and thrilled thousands of fans.
Tilbury’s visit marks a major milestone for her namesake brand, which officially launched into Mecca in 2020. “Darlings, I’m DOWN UNDER!” she announced on arrival. “I’m so, so excited to be in beautiful Australia, surrounded by my Aussie darlings. My DREAM TEAM and I have the most exciting week planned!”
The brand founder’s itinerary included live appearances on Sunrise and The Morning Show, a podcast taping with Shameless, a vodcast with Vogue Australia, influencer meetups, and a nationwide Mecca store takeover. But the centrepiece of the tour was a sold-out, 2,000-person masterclass at Melbourne Town Hall—dubbed The Greatest Glow on Earth—with thousands more tuning in via Mecca’s TikTok channel.
In Sydney, Mecca Founder and Co-CEO Jo Horgan hosted an exclusive welcome event at The International, celebrating Tilbury’s long-anticipated arrival. “There is nobody who has revolutionised the beauty world the way Charlotte has over the past 12 years,” Horgan told the crowd. “She’s behind over a hundred Vogue covers, countless red carpet looks, and the number one lipstick and lip pencil in the world.”
Horgan also shared how the partnership came to be. “I’ve been trying to get Charlotte Tilbury into Mecca since the brand launched. During Covid, we pulled off a 20,000-person virtual masterclass, and we’ve since sent Charlotte Tilbury buses from Sydney to Melbourne and turned Bondi Icebergs into a giant Magic Cream jar. This visit is the culmination of that journey.”
Tilbury, who began her career as a celebrity makeup artist more than 30 years ago, spoke passionately about her brand’s purpose. “I wanted to create products that balanced aspiration with achievability—tools that are easy to use, easy to choose, and deliver real results,” she said. “My products are like little pots of dreams. They help people unlock confidence and conquer their worlds.”
She also highlighted the brand’s strategy of launching with ten beauty archetypes—such as the Golden Goddess and the Rock Chick—to help customers achieve complete looks. “It was a revolution at the time,” she said. “But the best ideas sparkle in simplicity.”
Known for her perfectionism, Tilbury emphasised the rigorous development behind every launch. “Some of my concepts have been 20 years in the making,” she said. “We’ve revolutionised categories in skincare, makeup and fragrance. We demystify beauty, and we democratise confidence.”
Wrapping up her visit, Tilbury thanked Australian fans for their unwavering support. “It’s been the trip of a lifetime,” she said. “Thank you for being such a huge part of our journey here in Australia. I hope you all feel like the most beautiful, confident version of yourself—because that’s what my brand is all about.”
Read the WINTER ’25 issue of Retail Beauty below:
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