Illamasqua Theater of the Nameless Haul & Review

As soon as I saw Illamasqua's new collection I knew which Items I was going to get, these 3 jumped at me straight away!

I would have also loved to get the lipgloss in Belladonna as I adore the colour but as I've decided I no longer like lipgloss (far to sticky) I decided to give it a miss.
Here's what I got:

Powder Blusher in Ambition

This as replaced the vast majority of my blushers,with the exception of MAC Well Dressed and The Balm Frat Boy! It's the most perfect neutral peachy shade with an hint of shimmer and it perfect for pale, yellow toned skin like mine as it seems to lift the complexion.
Worth every penny and the must have item of the collection!

Pure Pigment in Berber

(Berber on the left, Ambition on the right)
I love this but haven't had a chance to wear it out yet, I find it quite hard to pull off a it can make my eyes look sore.
It's a beautiful burnt cranberry shade with loads of fine golden shimmer, it almost looks wet when it's on.
I think the best way to wear it would be with loads of black eyeliner and lashing of mascara.

Nail Varnish in Vice

A lovely rich cranberry shade with a cool satin finish, really pretty and unusual.
Goes on nice a smooth and pretty much covered fully in one coat however, because of the finish it showed up the scratches a lot faster than normal.
Not sure how I feel about these new dull finishes on nail polish, I don't dislike it but I much prefer the classic, shiny finish a top coat gives.

What did you think of the new Illamasqua Collection? What items did you get?

Illamasqua Christmas Gifts!

Christmas is approacing fast, there's little more than 3 week left and I've barely even started doing my shopping. I've had trouble deciding what to get people as there's so much out there too choose from and what I love isn't always gonna be what everyone else likes.
When it comes down to picking out the perfect perfume or cosmetics gift for someone it's even harder, however I think you would have an hard time finding someone who wouldn't apreciate what Illamasqua as on offer this year.

I know I'm probably late with this and most of you may have already saw them but they were only brought to my attention a few days ago and I immidiately fell in love with all of them.

The Limited Edition Christmas Boxes are gorgeous, I like them both and would make an excellent present for anyone. I like that both of the kits can be tailored to each individual to create a simple daytime look by using the pigment and liner or kicked up a notch for the evening by including the liquid metal and lashes.

The Gold Goddess box contains Liquid metal in Solstice, Pure Pigment in Furore, False Lashes in 19 and the Medium Pencil in Sophie.


The Silver Seductress box contains Liquid metal in Phenomena,Pure Pigment in Android, False Lashes in 19 and the Medium Pencil in Sophie.

With each sale of these boxes Illamasqua donates £3 to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation so your helping a good cause.
For more information please visit www.sophielancasterfoundation.com

Another thing that I'm absolutely loving are the new Limited Edition Birthday Lashes, these are without a doubt the most glam lashes I've ever come across and are perfect for the party season.
They are expensive but if well cared for they should last ages, deffinitley one to put on my wish list.

The Opulence Lashes - Gold Crystals

The Decadence Lashes - Silver Crytals

Last but not least are the Pantomime Nail Duos, these are a set of two polishes that compliment each other, one is a rich solid base color the other a glitter to be worn on top.

Boo!/Baptiste - Violet/Blue Glitter

Hiss!/Boosh - Red/Pink/Gold Glitter

For more information and were to buy the products visit www.Illamasqua.com

September: The Good and The Bad

I cannot believe September is already over and that it's only 11 week away until Christmas, time as literally flown by. I've been loving quite a lot this month and I've been enjoying wearing darker color more fitting for the Autumn.

The Good

Creme de La Mer - I know Nivea Creme supposed to be similar and they do both moisturise really well but the La Mer version as the added benefit of making my skin look radiant and fades acne scars.
Revlon Colorstay in Buff - The best drugstore foundation I've ever tried, similar to MAC Studio Fix Fluid but better cause it doesn't break me out and as a nicer smell.
MAC Eye Shadows in Satin Taupe and Shroom - When I'm pushed for time I'll use Satin Taupe all over the lid and Shroom as an highlight, it's simple but effective and the look I get the most compliments on.
L'Oreal Lash Serum - I've only been using this for just over a week and I feel my lashes are looking a little fuller, might just be my imagination tough.
Urban Decay Eye Lash Primer Potion - Hands Down the best lash primer I've ever used, it makes my lashes look longer and fuller and it doesn't dry them out.
L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black - I wish I had discovered this sooner, this combined with the above lash primer gives the most amazing false lash effect.
Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Katie - I'm surprised how much I love this, it's a very soft pale pink and it gives me the perfect flush of color on the cheeks.
By Terry Baume De Rose - When I originally bought this I thought it was nice but too expensive however I've found myself using this over any other lip treatment and I will be re-purchasing the second it runs out.
Illamasqua Lipstick in Avenge - This is part of the new Dystopia collection and it's the brightest neon pink in existence, I absolutely adore it.
Revlon Super lustrous Lipstick in Cherries in the Snow - Fabulous pink based red that's very wearable and the lasting power is better than MAC.
Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Rouse - I've been reaching for this non stop, it's perfect on it own for a sheer pink tint but it also looks amazing over pink and red lipstick.
MAC Cremesheen Glass in Partial To Pink & Petite Indulgance - I hated these glosses when they first came out but for some reason I love them now, they are light and not sticky and feel really moisturising on the lips.
Nails Inc The Hills Collection in Rodeo Drive - The most gorgeous dark teal shade that I've worn non stop for the past couple of weeks.

The Bad

Urban Decay Primer Potion - Going back to UDPP as made me realise I much prefer Too Faced Shadow Insurance as it makes eye shadow go on a lot smoother. UDPP is so drying and it makes any color you put on top of it dull and flat.
Facial Cleanser - I've got a few on the go at the moment but I'm finding them all to harsh and drying.

Illamasqua Haul

I placed two separate order with Illamasqua, one for items I've had on my wish list for a while and the other for the Dystopya collection when it became available. I've had them for a couple of weeks now so I know I'm late posting this but I haven't had the time.
While I love most of the items I ordered, I have issues with the pigmentation of the eye shadow, they just won't stick to my skin and they go on patchy and I've tried every base and primer I own.
Same problems with the new pure pigments, I get terrible fallout and the pigmentation is poor however I can just about get those to work by applying a MAC Cream Color Base first and then patting the pure pigment on top, still it requires extra time and effort in the morning that I haven't got.
What I'm most disappointed in is I contacted Illamasqua about this issue and they never got back to me which is kinda bad, I spent quite a bit with them the past couple of months and their products aren't cheap, I expect intense color payoff not a sheer wash of color.
I might give them a couple more days and resend the e-mail in case they didn't get it.

On to the actual haul then:



Powder Blusher in Katie
Cream Blusher in Sob
Cream Eye Shadow in Touch
Sealing Gel
Eye Liner Cake in Mislead
Pure Pigment in Furore
Lipstick in Nubile
Lipstick in Resist
Illuminator in Halcyon
Sheer Lipgloss in Rouse
Intense Lipgloss in Fierce (OMG this stuff is amazing)



Powder Eye Shadow in Matter
Powder Eye Shadow in Synth
Satin Primer + SPF20
Cream Foundation in CF135
Pure Pigment in Android
Pure Pigment in Static
Lipstick in Avenge

Illamasqua Dystopia Bloggers Event

I know I'm a week late on this one and I'm very sorry, I've just been really stressed out at work and haven't had time to blog.
I'm sure you've all read about it on every other beauty blog so I'm not gonna ramble on for too long and I also forgot to bring my camera to the event so I have no pictures to show you.

The event took place at Ithaca Bar in Manchester, I got there a little to early and quite damp as it had started to rain outside and it took me a while to find the place (I walked past it 3 times). The decor of the place fitted in well with the Dystopia collection, very dark and edgy and most bloggers were already seated and playing with the new products.
They spoiled us with delicious canapes of sushi, satay skewers and tempura vegetables and the funkiest looking cocktails that were also delicious but very strong.
We watched a video presentation about the new collection followed by a short speech from Alex Box, I think, I couldn't really see properly as I'm short and there were a lot of taller people in front of me.
We then got introduced to a woman called Sylvia Lancaster, the mother of Sophie Lancaster who together with her boyfriend got beaten up for being a goth and later died because of her injuries.
She explained to us all what happened the night of the attack and how she set up The Sophie Lancaster Foundation and what it does.
I just can't believe how strong Sylvia is, it's hard enough to loose someone the normal "natural causes" way but the have someone taken away from you by selfish thugs and then have to live with it must be awful.
Illamasqua actually supports Sophie's charity by selling a Medium Pencil in Sophie and the S.O.P.H.I.E. Wrist Bands which stands for Stamp Out Prejudice, Hatred and Intolerance Everywhere.
After that Alex Box got to work on Mizz Worthy and created a fantastic smoky look on her, I was fascinated by the way she did her brows, they were amazing.
We were then given our goody bags which included one item from Dystopia (I got Machine eyeshadow) a poster and postcard a S.O.P.H.I.E. wrist band and the £20 to go towards travel expenses.



I made my way back to the train station with a bunch of other bloggers including Olivia from Olivia Cosmetics who happens to live in the same town as me.
Thank you Illamasqua for putting on this event.

August The Good and The Bad

I can't belive it's the end of August and summer is over even though the UK hasn't really had any good weather, before you know it Christmas will be here.
On the plus side all of the new Autumn/Winter makeup collections are being released and I'm excited for that.

The Good

MAC Cleanse Off oil, as been my favourite cleanser for the past few months and I'm almost out and looking for a replacement.
The Body Shop Seaweed Deep Clensing Facial Wash, only recently started using this but I'm loving it so far.
Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation, my new HG foundation, I want to try the cream version next.
MAC Eyeshadow in Blanc Type, Modest Tone, Dark Edge and Satin Taupe, I've been doing a lot of neutrals lately and these fit the bill perfectly.
Illamasqua Bronzing Duo in Glinth/Write, I've been loving this but it will probably get retired now were going into autumn as I generally don't use bronze shades when it gets colder.
Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude, I've worn this pretty much every day since I got it and I adore it.
Illamasqua Lipstick in Sonnet and Maneater, I love the texture and lastability of Illamasqua lipsticks and these two colors are fab.
Maybelline ColorSensational Lipstick in #112 Ambre Rose, this is my dupe for MAC Color Crafted lipstick.
MAC Mattene Lipstick in Kirsch, I've been wearing it dabbed on and mixed with a balm, it's very dark but perfect for autumn.
By Terry Baume De Rose, expensive but so moisturising and it give a pretty tint of color.
Barry M Nail Paint in Pink Flamingo, I've been wearing this every chance I get, it's the perfect pinky coral.
Boots Build Up Removal Shampoo, I've been suffering from awful product build up and my hair is lank and dull, one wash with this shampoo and my hair looks and feels healty again.
Marc Jacobs Lola Perfume, this is my new scent, it's sweet and heavy and the bottle alone is reason enough for me to get it.

The Bad

None, there's nothing this month that as dissapointed me enough to put it in this section.

Illamasqua Dystopia.

So as a lot of you have probably already seen Illamasqua is launching their Autumn/Winter callection and it gonna be called Dystopia.



The collection was inspired by Fritz Lang’s 1927 masterpiece ‘Metropolis’. This iconic film explored the civil unrest that was being felt by society in the 1920s, and translated it into a metaphorical futuristic urban city, a city of Dystopia – the opposite of Utopia – mysterious, edgy and sinister.

Illamasqua as been very nice and organized an event for all us bloggers to attend to and preview the collection in the flesh before it goes on sale.

The wonderful Alex Box is gonna be there which is gonna be amazing in it's self, she'll be doing a demonstation on the new products, including the fabolous new silver Liquid Metal called Phenomena.

I personally cannot contain my excitement, I've only just recently got into Illamasqua and I'm completely amazed at all their products so I'm really looking forward to seing the new collection and to meet all the other bloggers.

Illamasqua Review

I've been testing these out for just over a week and I absolutely love them, the quality is amazing, all the colors are super pigmented and they are long lasting.
Illamasqua's color selection is huge, probably not as vast as MAC but I feel they cover a wider range. MAC plays it safe a lot of the time, releasing a lot of new collection that just seem to copycat the old ones and in the past year or so I've found myself buying less from them, Illamasqua on the other hand is nothing but original and different, a lot of their products/colors are unique to the brand and cannot be duped.

I ordered on the website and I have to say a lot of the swatches are not accurate, I've heard Illamasqua is trying to rectify this but it's easy enough to find "real swatches online, here are a few links:

Illamasqua's Blog
Miss Worthy's Stuff
Too Much Blush
Visionary Beauty
Specktra

With that said lets move on the the actual review of the products.

Rich Liquid Foundation in RF135



I'm always a little worried about buying foundation online, I never know if the shade will match (for reference I'm a NC20) or if it will break me out, this one is pure perfection now but the first time I tried it I hated it.
Why you might ask? Well the first time trying it I used my fingers and way too much product, the result was cakey and thick and it seemed to accentuate all of my dry patches.
The following day I tried half the amount with a kabuki brush and really worked it into my skin, the results were amazingly flawless, almost airbrushed finish not a pore in sight and no concealer needed.
The texture of the product is extremely thick and the tinies amount goes a long way but I feels completely lightweight on the skin, if you've tried the MUFE HD foundation, this will feel the same.
It also smells wonderful, like vanilla sugar and I really look forward to using it in the mornings.
The shade RF135 is perfect for me, it matches my neck perfectly, yes I said neck that's because my face is about a shade darker and I hate it, this even me out so I look all one color.
I love this foundation and it will possibly become my HG, I say possibly cause now I want to try the Light Liquid and Cream foundations the offer.

Bronzing Duo in Glint/Writhe



I have very pale yellow toned skin that can look quite dull and flat without bronzer,I have tried a ton of bronzers and a lot of them have left me disappointed.
MAC's Golden left me orange, Guerlain's Terracotta went on blotchy and Barry M Natural Dazzle is too mauve for a bronzer tough it makes a pretty blush.
Illamasqua's bronzer suits my skintone perfectly, the two shades can be used seperatly using the dark shade to contour and the light shade to highlight or they can be miked together to give a gorgeous glow.
Neither color is orange or muddy and you can go as subtle as you like or full on bronzed goddess, the gold shimmer is gorgeous and lifts the complexion without looking glittery or shiny.
It applies beautifully, takes very little blending and it last all day without fading and needing a touch-up (something even my beloved NARS Laguna hasn't managed).
I love the shape of Illamasqua's compacts, they are so unusual but because they are made of shiny black plastic they show up finger prints, so a quick clean with a damp cloth once in a while may be necessary.
The Bronzing Duo is also available in Glinth/Burnish which is more suitable for medium to dark skintones.

Powder Blusher in Thrust



I own nothing like this in my collection, it's a bright violet/magenta/fuchsia shade and my initial reaction was "this is bright and I'm so pale, how am I gonna get it to work?" Need not worry as it's buildable and can be blended to a barely there flush in fact it really suits fair skin and I see myself wearing it a lot for Autumn and Winter.
I find matte blusher hard to work with but not this one the texture is great, soft, smooth and easily blended it doesn't go on patchy like many others do and it as that light vanilla sugar scent all of Illamasqua's powder products seem to have.
For a blusher it's a little pricey but in my opinion totally worth it.

Cream Blusher in Rude



I got this one based on a swatch on the Illamasqua Blog, it's just my kind of color I had to have it and it certainly doesn't disappoint.
It's a gorgeously pretty apricot pink with no shimmer or sparkle and it gives the most natural flush, if your pale like me and you get only one thing from Illamasqua make sure it's this because you wont regret it, girls with darker skintones this may not show up on you very well.
The texture of this is phenomenal, (kinda reminds me of YSL's Rouge Volupte lipsticks) I use my MAC 109 and it glides effortlessly in place and doesn't budge, for a cream blusher this is super long lasting requiring no touch-ups during the day.
They are a little expensive but I don't care, there's at least another 4 I want and I consider them to be an investment as I know I'll get plenty of use out o them.

4 Color Lip Palette in Submit/Liv/Sonnet/Maneater



I'm not a big fan of lipstick palettes, I hate using a lip brush so I end up using my fingers and that is unhygienic. This one is no exception however I'm still glad I got it as it's a good way of trying 4 colors for a little more than the price of one tube. The colors I got are:
Submit, a lovely warm caramel nude that's not too light and is very wearable.
Liv, pretty milky pale pink but very hard for me to pull off, it clashed with my red hair and made my teeth look yellow.
Sonnet, my new must have a warm peachy shade that I've worn constantly since I got it and a shade I can see would look good on everyone.
Maneater, my fave of the bunch, a very blue based red that compliments my skintone perfectly, this one will get you noticed.
The texture of these are matte but not drying, I still use a balm or a gloss over the top but it's because I prefer a glossier look however I've used them on their own and they don't dry my lips out.
I wont be buying another palette but I will certainly buy more of the full size lipsticks in the tube.

Intense Lipgloss in Absorb



Absorb is a pale nude shade and they are not kidding when they say these are intense, a light coating completely wipes out any of my lips natural pigmentation.
Unless your waering an extreme smokey look on the eyes this shade is too severe.
I find it far more wearable if you sheer it out with clear gloss or if you mix it with a slightly darker nude.
Color aside the formula is great, non sticky, smooth, moisturising, super glossy and longlasting, it's everything I want a lipgloss to be.
I love the slimline packiging but kinda whish it had a brush on applicator as the plastic nozzle doesn't give such an acurate finish.
Next on the list is Fierce, a bright purple and I also wanna try the sheer lipgloss too.

I'm completely blown away by the products I wasn't expecting to like them as much as I have but I can see myself re-purchasing again and again.
If you try one new brand this year make it Illamasqua, you wont be dissapointed.

Illamasqua Haul

I recieved my first Illamasqua order last Saturday and in the short while I've been playing with the items perchased I can safely say it's gonna take over as my favourite brand of makeup.
I was gonna post the haul and review combined but I've decided that I'll be doing it in 3 parts, haul, review and swatches.



Bronzing Duo in Glint/Writhe
Rude cream Blusher
4 Color Lip Palette Submit/Liv/Sonnet/Maneater
Thrust Powder Blusher
Absorb Intense Lipgloss
Rich Liquid Foundation in RF135