I've no doubt I'll be sick of baubles soon enough, but right now I can't get enough of festive collections and glittery good stuff. Illamasqua have unveiled their seasonal makeup collection that sees them taking a rather (refreshingly) unconventional route to Christmas glamour. There are no deep smokey colours here; no sparkling glosses or shimmering blushers. Illamasqua have launched a rather colourful collection of products that will provide more longevity than that glitter eyeliner in midnight blue you'll stash away until the same time next year. Within the collection is an eyeshadow quad, sculpting duo and lipgloss, all providing a hit of colour when the shelves of Boots are awash with the same hues and effects.
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The 'Fatale Palette' provides an unusual combination of pink, purple, gold and a deep taupe eyeshadow. Although I wouldn't normally touch pink or purple eyeshadow for love nor money, these shades provide a striking result when buffed into the skin; the shimmer really catches the light and provides a depth of colour that's even better when mixed with the gold or taupe. Pink is really on-trend for this season, but not many people can get away with a completely rose coloured eye; mixing it in with the darker shades provides a subtler result that also helps the colour to pop and bring out the iris shade. The texture of Illamasqua eyeshadow is always exceptionally soft, and this is no exception - the creamy powder melts into the skin and can be buffed to perfection in seconds.
Unusually for the colder months, the Sculpting Powder Duo provides a delicate bronzing colour and contrasting highlighter. We're so used to applying blusher and colour to our otherwise dull cheeks, but contouring and highlighting the cheekbones can work just as well at adding depth. These delicate shades are perfect for this time of year, when a darker bronzer may scare us off to hide behind our tartan blanket. The darker shade can be used to contour and add definition where it's lacking, while the highlighter can help reflect the light and ensure a radiant finish.
Similarly, when we're used to seeing strong red lips or nude glosses to complement a smokey eye, Illamasqua offer a highly pigmented coral shade to really shake things up. The Intense Gloss looks a lot more wearable in the tube than it actually is on the lips though - it's very much a 'bright' shade that (in my opinion) is better off being kept for Spring. I don't tend to really get on with the Illamasqua lipglosses as the gloopy texture and pigment doesn't sit well on my lips, but if you're after something different then this is definitely worth a look. You will have to be brave (and ensure your eyes match to some degree,) as well as making sure you apply a thick layer to really get full colour coverage; the gloss has a tendency to become inconsistent on the lips if you try to use a light layer.
So that's what Illamsqua have to offer you this Christmas time. I love how they've bucked the trend (don't they always?) to launch something completely unexpected, using colours to tell a story different from what we're used to. What have you got your eye on this December?
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The 'Fatale Palette' is currently available for £27.00 from ASOS (usually £34.00) The Sculpting Duo is available online for £26.00, while the gloss is available for £11.50 via ASOS (usually £14.50)![]()
The 'Fatale Palette' provides an unusual combination of pink, purple, gold and a deep taupe eyeshadow. Although I wouldn't normally touch pink or purple eyeshadow for love nor money, these shades provide a striking result when buffed into the skin; the shimmer really catches the light and provides a depth of colour that's even better when mixed with the gold or taupe. Pink is really on-trend for this season, but not many people can get away with a completely rose coloured eye; mixing it in with the darker shades provides a subtler result that also helps the colour to pop and bring out the iris shade. The texture of Illamasqua eyeshadow is always exceptionally soft, and this is no exception - the creamy powder melts into the skin and can be buffed to perfection in seconds.
Unusually for the colder months, the Sculpting Powder Duo provides a delicate bronzing colour and contrasting highlighter. We're so used to applying blusher and colour to our otherwise dull cheeks, but contouring and highlighting the cheekbones can work just as well at adding depth. These delicate shades are perfect for this time of year, when a darker bronzer may scare us off to hide behind our tartan blanket. The darker shade can be used to contour and add definition where it's lacking, while the highlighter can help reflect the light and ensure a radiant finish.
Similarly, when we're used to seeing strong red lips or nude glosses to complement a smokey eye, Illamasqua offer a highly pigmented coral shade to really shake things up. The Intense Gloss looks a lot more wearable in the tube than it actually is on the lips though - it's very much a 'bright' shade that (in my opinion) is better off being kept for Spring. I don't tend to really get on with the Illamasqua lipglosses as the gloopy texture and pigment doesn't sit well on my lips, but if you're after something different then this is definitely worth a look. You will have to be brave (and ensure your eyes match to some degree,) as well as making sure you apply a thick layer to really get full colour coverage; the gloss has a tendency to become inconsistent on the lips if you try to use a light layer.
So that's what Illamsqua have to offer you this Christmas time. I love how they've bucked the trend (don't they always?) to launch something completely unexpected, using colours to tell a story different from what we're used to. What have you got your eye on this December?
The 'Fatale Palette' is currently available for £27.00 from ASOS (usually £34.00) The Sculpting Duo is available online for £26.00, while the gloss is available for £11.50 via ASOS (usually £14.50)