Stare

I just have to say that I am in love…with a new make-up range…Illamasqua. I was drooling over all the beautiful make-ups on the website, I love the drama, beauty and glamour! I love the intensity of colour and the luscious themes. I love the unbridled creativity and use of theatre. I love the fact that beauty and art are explored and the make-up is exciting and creative. According to their website they take their roots from the dark and illicit 1920s club scene.  The brand is manufactured by Kryolan, a company that I know well. I have been using their body painting colours for years which I love. Kryolan has been in the cosmetics industry since 1945 and their attention to quality can be assured. I have been reading tons of reviews online and that is one of the biggest points that I have noted, that the quality of the product is supreme. Designed to be colour-intense, colour-true and long lasting. I haven’t yet had the chance to test it for myself as I was travelling for the last year and a half. I am heading up to Dublin next week where there is a store in BT2 on Grafton Street. Rest assured, I will be like a kid in a candy store and I shall come back and give my own review. Apparently there is a huge palette with which to express yourself, whoever you are and whatever look you want to achieve….so I reckon I could be a lot poorer after the experience hehe!

There has been LOADS of buzz about this make-up range on the internet, in such a small space of time (It’s only been around in the last year) it has garnered a bit of a cult following! Here’s just a few samples of what are being said:

http://www.scrangie.com/2009/05/illamasqua-makeup-for-your-alter-ego.html

 Illamaqua Nail Varnish – Spartan  “ The polishes are thick and opaque. I did two coats of all of them. The formula is extremely smooth and easy to apply. It’s comparable to Rescue Beauty Lounge’s formula, which is pretty much the gold standard for me. The polish dries quickly and wears well. I had no bubbling and after two days of wear had almost no sign of tipwear (that second shot of Rampage- the indoor lighting one- that was taken after two days of wear)…The brushes are good, I did not encounter any wayward bristles or application problems with them. The bottles are really pretty- they’re a solid bottle that’s not going to get knocked over easily and they’re a little bit Gothic in design. Beautiful to look at. I especially love the logo and the shape of the cap:”

 Excerpt from scrangie.com

  http://beaut.ie/blog/?p=10692
 

 “…this is makeup for glamazons and anyone who wants to explore their alter-ego. Beside the pale pink BE
counter, we get perspex, mirrors and shiny black and cream Corian, sculpted into flutes and swirls inspired by the vibe of 1930s Berlin. This is high drama, high fashion stuff. A bit naughty, a lot OTT. Is it glam? Oh, you betcha. Those swanky counters are topped with a multitude of eye-popping colours for nails, eyes, cheeks and lips, but it’s not just about shocking shades. 

Given the goth/burlesque/counter culture vibe of the brand, foundation shades start at white. No joke – you can quite literally walk away with a Sudocrem-esque base, but that’s not to say other skin colours are ignored, because they’re well catered for. I got a perfect match for my milk bottle complexion, and I reckon this brand will become a go-to for anyone who falls between the cracks of other brands’ foundation offerings.”

  

  Excerpt from Beaut.ie

What I like about Illamasqua is that they encourage individuality and are all about bringing out your own unique beauty. That’s what I felt was the problem with a lot of other cosmetics houses, that they tended to just replicate the same look/face on everybody, essentially making everyone walk around like clones.  There is this whole idea of the alter ego which I love, something a little more intense and nightimey(if that’s a word) in all of  us. They also seem to be a very conscientious company, not only do they support the charity S.O.P.H.I.E but they also do not test any of their products on animals. I was surprised to learn when I worked for Esteé Lauder that the majority of companies still do this! Shocking really in this day and age…

Another way that they are different is that they provide consultations rather than ‘make overs’. Their make-up artists spend time getting to know individuals, helping them explore their alter ego and create the look they want to achieve. This is self-expression at its most creative, allowing women and men who dare to be different to create a look that can be achieved confidently at home and flaunted at night. Oh and in case you forget what you talked about at in the consultation, they even record it onto a DVD that you can take home and reference any time you need to. That is such a great idea, can’t believe that no one thought of that before.

I also found while researching the company that the majority of their artists are extremely experienced. They not only have experience in the fashion industry, but alot of them have artistic backgrounds in design, dancing, theatre, television and a whole lot more. It is good to see a company that values having creative and talented make-up artists instead of sales people, trying to puch product down your throat. The Creative Director of the company, Alex Box, is certainly one such talented person.

Alex Box

She studied fine art in the Chelsea College of Art and this has influenced her career that followed. She has worked with a vast array of people and companies, with a large list of names under her belt: Peter Jensen, Stella McCartney, McQ,  Biba, Anne Valerie Hash, Gareth Pugh, Karl Lagerfeld, Richard Burbridge, Miles Aldridge, David Sims, Paolo Roversi, Warren Du Preez , Fashion Rocks, Nick Thornton Jones, Vogue Italy, Vogue France, Vogue Japan, Vogue China, British Vogue, Numero, W, Dazed&Confused, 10 and i-D.

She is seen as one of the most influential make-up artists of our time and has even been compared to the great Pat McGrath http://www.myspace.com/patmcgrathmakeup. Pat McGrath has been synominous with gorgeous fantastical make-up designs that stretch our imagination. She is also THE name in Make-Up Artistry around the world.

I am really excited to see what sort of heights Illamasqua will achieve. Hopefully they will be a refreshing change from M.A.C Cosmetics who I feel have the monopoly on the industry at the moment. They seem to do all the fashion shows, sponsor the make-up for all the new designers coming out of NCAD, they sponsor the Irish Film and Television awards, countless photoshoots, I saw that they sponsored a BAFTA education video given by Christine Blundel another amazing Make-Up Artist in the Film and Television Industry. They have even started doing the make-up for Cirque Du Soliel I read somewhere. Don’t get me wrong, I like M.A.C but there is definitely room for some healthy competition and I think that Illamasqua has the artistic flair and design edge that is needed. They certainly have their finger on the pulse of popular culture with myspace, youtube, facebook and twitter accounts already. I’m really liking their youtube videos and looking forward to many more. Unfortunately I am somewhat addicted to youtube Make-Up Video Channels!!

 I will be sure to make another post when I have gotten my Illamasqua “haul” and post some pictures of my Alter Ego hehe.

 Laters xx