Illamasqua

The New Illamasqua Blush Up Brush Seeks to Broaden Your Brush Horizons

February 7th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

I keep having visions of myself using Illamasqua’s new $41 Blush Up Brush while I’m on the elliptical machine at the gym, I think because Illamasqua refers to the shape oval brush head shape as an “ellipse.”

(I know, I know. I’m easily distracted.)

You might wondering, “Why would anyone apply blush in the middle of their workout?”

Honestly, I don’t know…but I’m someone who applies makeup to run to Petco in the middle of the night, so I don’t rule anything out anymore. 🙂

About the brush, Illamasqua says it opens doors to a bold new world of blush application! The secret: the elliptical shape.

It’s designed to fit snugly beneath your cheekbones. Just gently pull the brush upward along the cheekbones to create a soft gradient of color.

Here’s the recommended step-by-step instructions I’ve been following…

Illamasqua Blush Up Brush Instructions — Looks as easy as 1-2-3

I’m intrigued, but I’m also pretty set it my ways when it comes to blush application. I’ve been doing the bounce and swirl for so long that I could do ’em hanging upside down in a pitch black room.

After trying Illamasqua’s technique and the new brush for a few days, well, I think I’ll eventually get the hang of it, get to where I could create some sharp, defined ’80s-style cheeks, but it’s still a little tricky for me now.

First, the stuff I like about the brush: the soft bristles, and the long handle feels sturdy and comfortable in my paws.

Oh, and the density of brush head? Amazing. It’s so thick! It picks up plenty of powder and deposits it smoothly and evenly on the skin.

Really great for strong, defined blocks of color.

Illamasqua Blush Up Brush in hand for scale — Illamasqua Blush Up Brush in my hand for scale

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Bronzed Babes Who Love Bold, Brash Blushes, Illamasqua’s Beg and Bronzerella Powder Blusher Duo Demands Your Attention

February 7th, 2013 by Karen 17 Comments

Illamasqua Beg Bronzerella Blusher Duo — Wearing the new Illamasqua Beg & Bronzerella Blusher Duo ($41), one of two new Blusher Duos released with the Imperfection spring 2013 collection

If acid-washed jeans can make a comeback (seriously?!), then it’s just a matter of time before bold, stripy ’80s-style blushes enjoy a renaissance.

And I can’t wait. 🙂

Oh, the number of falling stars my 8-year-old heart wished upon for cheeks like Joan Cusack’s in Working Girl…

Visions of those fabulously chiseled ’80s cheeks danced in my head when I opened Illamasqua’s new powerfully pigmented Powder Blusher Duo in Beg & Bronzerella today. “Ooh, yeah!” I thought, when I swatched matte dusty rose Beg and shimmery copper Bronzerella on the back of my hand. “I’m gonna Joan Cusack the CRAP outta these, woop-woop!”

But old habits die hard. After I swept stripes below my natural cheekbones using Beg and Illamasqua’s new $40 Blush Up Brush (review coming soon!), the urge to blend kicked in, and I ended up with my regular look — diffused blush on the apples of my cheeks — which I still like, but I couldn’t help feeling like I let Joan Cusack down…

Oh, well. I guess I just wasn’t ready for that jelly today.

Whether you like the look of strong, contoured cheeks or prefer softer, more natural looks, the new blushes in this duo are flexible enough to handle either extreme. Rich and indulgent like fine chocolate, these potent powder blushes are also as smooth as a tabby’s tum, and a little goes a long way.

Illamasqua Beg Bronzerella Blusher Duo Product Shot — Beg on the left and Bronzerella on the right

Illamasqua Beg Bronzerella Blusher Duo Swatches — One swipe! — that’s Beg on the left and Bronzerella on the right

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Spotted on Nails This Spring: Illamasqua’s Speckled Nail Varnish in Scarce

February 6th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Illamasqua Scarce Swatch — Wearing two layers of the new Illamasqua Specked Nail Varnish in Scarce, one of five nail varnishes in the new Imperfection collection, available now at Illamasqua counters and illamasqua.com

When I was a kid, I really had no concept of time or seasons (seriously, some things never change). In fact, if it weren’t for candy, I wouldn’t have followed any calendars at all!

What I mean is, I used to figure out what season it was by the kinds of candy I was eating, like “Oh! Cadbury Mini Eggs? It must be spring.”

Illamasqua’s new limited edition $16 Speckled Nail Varnishes remind me of the chocolate Easter bunnies, Peeps, Jordan almonds and, of course, speckled Cadbury Mini Eggs that always used to signal the arrival of spring.

The Cadbury Mini Eggs were always my favorites…

I’d eat the pink ones first, which is probably why Scarce, a pastel pink with navy blue speckles, sings to me like the birds outside my office window, and makes me want to nibble at my nails (probably not a good idea).

I’m wearing two coats here, but I’ll have to get back to you about the wear time, as I’ve only been wearing it for a few days (so far, so good). Already, though, based on how smoothly it applied and the pigmented color, it gets a thumbs up from me.

I dig the combination of tiny micro-glitter and bigger hexagonal pieces. Really reminds me of Easter candies, or little bird eggshells.

Cool!

Here’s something my fellow nail nerds might appreciate: when you apply more than one layer, the glitter in the bottom layers shows through but looks like it’s further away, so you get a mix of shiny glitter in the top layer and dimmer glitter in the bottom layers that gives the effect extra dimension.

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Shoot, Illamasqua’s Bright, Intensely Green Lipgloss Grows on You

February 6th, 2013 by Karen 55 Comments

Illamasqua Shoot Lipgloss — Wearing Illamasqua Shoot Intense Lipgloss ($22) on my lips from the new Imperfection spring 2013 collection, available now at Illamasqua counters and illamasqua.com

I really couldn’t say if Illamsaqua’s new Intense Lipgloss in Shoot will find its way into the purses of pouty-lipped cougars stalking Thursday happy hours, or whether it’ll take the makeup world by storm! — like NARS Orgasm blush did, but I will say that based on my time with this pureed pea green gloss, it’s actually, well, pretty darned wearable!

All things considered…

Perhaps it’s due to the way this leafy green shade, with its waxy shine, contrasts against the skin?

Or maybe it’s because I feel like a kid again when I wear it, like I’m sitting on the lawn at recess with my friends, watching our tiny fingers thread through blades of grass as we look for ladybugs, four-leaf clovers and Smurfs.

Illamasqua Shoot Lipgloss Product Shot — Yup, it’s a gloss

Hmm…

Let’s face it, this color’s a little cray. Even El Hub, who’s infamous for never noticing these things (it took the man a week once to realize that I’d dyed my hair pink), blurted, “You’ve got Hulk lips,” when I came walking down the stairs.

If you like to scoot under the radar, you might want to wear something else…but if you like to push the boundaries between beauty and botany and/or work in an environment where bright green glosses are the norm, why not? 🙂

Illamasqua Shoot Lipgloss Swatch — Sealed with a green kiss!

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A Holiday Party Eye Makeup Look With Purple, Bronze and Gold

December 10th, 2012 by Karen 18 Comments

I received a few requests to see a tutorial after a look last week with pink cheeks and bronze, gold and purple eyes, so here it is!

I keep this one in my back pocket for date nights and parties because it’s a little bit dressy, but not full-on formal. Could be a nice look to wear to a work holiday party.

Last week I used a couple of limited edition products from BECCA that are out of circulation now (the Halcyon Days Palette and Cabrera Liner Duo), so this time around, to make things a little easier to duplicate, I replaced those pieces with similar colors from MAC’s permanent line (the other BECCA products here are still available).

The products

holiday makeup tutorial bronze purple swatches — Swatches from the left: BECCA Eye Tint in Gilt, MAC Soba Eyeshadow, MAC Woodwinked Eyeshadow, MAC Prunella Eye Kohl, MAC Teddy Eye Kohl, BECCA Marcella Eyeshadow, BECCA Lychee Beach Tint, Becca Damselfly Blush, BECCA Flowerchild Blush, MAC Sublime Culture Cremestick Liner and Illamasqua Intimacy Lipgloss

A shimmery golden bronze cream shadow like BECCA Eye Tint in Gilt
A satiny golden brown eyeshadow like MAC Soba
A shimmery, warm peachy gold like MAC Woodwinked
A dark plum liner like MAC Prunella
A reddish golden bronze liner like MAC Teddy and https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/mac-makeup/mac-unsung-hero-powersurge-eye-kohl/MAC Powersurge layered together
A shimmery golden purple eyeshadow like BECCA Marcella (from the Balearic Love Palette)
A pink cream blush like BECCA Lychee Beach Tint
A peach and pink powder blush like BECCA Damselfly and Flowerchild
A pinky nude lip liner like MAC Sublime Culture
A pinky nude gloss like Illamasqua Intimacy

Step by step

Start by patting the shimmery bronze eyeshadow all over your lids.
Next, sweep your satiny golden brown eyeshadow directly on top of the bronze eyeshadow you just used.
Then, pat a warm peachy gold from your lashes down into the crease.
Line your upper water line and upper lash line with your plum liner, and then smudge out the edges with your golden purple eyeshadow.
Line your lower lash and water lines with your reddish golden bronze liner.
Fill in your brows, and apply mascara.
Now, blend the pink blush on your cheeks, and layer the peach and pink powder blushes on top.
Lastly, line and fill in your lips with your pinky nude liner topped with a layer of nude gloss.

holiday makeup tutorial bronze purple — Additional makeup worn in this look: MAC Concrete (brows), BECCA Radiant Skin Satin Foundation in Bamboo (all over face), BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone (around the center of your face) MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer in NW25 (under your eyes), Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder (all over your face) and Le Volume de Chanel Mascara (lashes)

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Better Together: MAC Sublime Culture Cremestick Liner and Illamasqua Intimacy Sheer Lipgloss

December 6th, 2012 by Karen 30 Comments

New fave lip combo. 🙂

illamasqua intimacy swatch mac sublime culture — Intimacy on the left and Sublime Culture on the right

Unsung Heroes: Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

October 18th, 2012 by Karen 41 Comments

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation Review — Wearing Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 12

What’s lightweight, covers imperfections like a master painter’s brush and flatters faces with a flawless, natural-looking matte finish?

Is it A) your beloved Jason Voorhees mask from Friday the 13th, B) Tabs the cat or C) the $42 Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation?

If you answered C, yay! 🙂 Count yourself among the lucky crew of Skin Base fanatics.

I just recently discovered this full-coverage, hydrating foundation, and dang if it’s not all kinds of awesome, blossom.

I’ve been wearing it off and on for the past few weeks, both in pics here on the blog and out and about (Trader Joe’s pumpkin madness, y’all!), and I’m finding myself reaching for it more and more often when it comes time to put on my warpaint.

Illamasqua refers to Skin Base as “the ultimate foundation” and claims the moisturizing, matte formula smooths skin, controls shine and creates a skin-matched finish that still looks natural. Heck, they say it’s even undetectable in HD footage (ooh, I wanna give that a try…)!

Sounds like a lot of hype, right? Well, you know what? I’m a believer.

illamasqua skin base foundation swatches — Swatches of Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation in 12 (one of 17 shades) unblended on the left and blended on the right

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I’m Sweet On Illamasqua’s New Powder Blusher Duo in Hussy and Lover

October 17th, 2012 by Karen 46 Comments

illamasqua powder blusher duo hussy — Wearing Illamasqua Powder Blusher Duo in Hussy

Can a Hussy be sweet and kinda innocent? Sure, why the hell not? 🙂

Hussy and Lover, the two blushes basking in Illamasqua’s new Powder Blusher Duo ($41), probably sound more scandalous than they are. A lot less dramatic than scheming harlots and vengeful tarts, the look itself reminds me of sock-hop dances, candy necklaces, ruffled dresses and high ponytails with satin ribbons tied into neat bows.

worlds-biggest-candy-necklace — Allegedly (according to the package), the world’s biggest candy necklace!

Illamsqua’s funny that way, and ironic, and it’s one of the things I adore about the brand… Gotta love a colorful makeup line with a sense of humor and a flair for the dramatic.

The new duo, one of nine limited edition kits and sets available now online, and coming soon to cosmetics counters and stores, is part of Illamasqua’s holiday 2012 release; it also happens to be the brand’s first powder blush duo, ever.

As a certified makeup hoarder (I should get a stamp to prove it…like a notary, haha!), I find this very exciting. Even though both colors can also be found in Illamasqua’s permanent line, the duo itself still seems like a special collector’s item.

Additional makeup worn in this look

Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Colour in Copper (lids)

Prunella Eye Kohl (water lines)

MAC Lipsticks in Crosswires and Sandy B topped with MAC Viva Glam Nicki Lipglass (pink lip in the top pic)

MAC Lipstick in Scarlet Ibis (red lip in bottom pics)

I love the way these matte blushes look with bright, saturated lips — namely hot pinks, reds, coral and fuchsia. I think they get along swimmingly, making bright lip looks appear even more intense.

I get my best, most natural, polished-looking results with these when I apply one or two layers using a circular motion, really buffing and working them into the skin with my brush. That way, I can get the colors to combine with my foundation and face powder; otherwise, the blushes, being as pigmented as they are, can appear a little stark and obvious.

Oh! And I think these have no qualms about layering. For a dynamic effect, I’ll buff Hussy all over the apples of my cheeks, swirl a bit of Lover on the very bottoms of my cheeks with a tapered eyeshadow brush, and run a clean blush brush all over my cheeks to blend the colors together.

illamasqua powder blusher duo compact lover hussy — Hussy on the left and Lover on the right

illamasqua powder blusher duo swatches — Swatches from the left: Lover, Hussy, and Lover and Hussy mixed together

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