Search Results for: illamasqua

One layer of Scandal applied with a lip brush

Hiya, ladies. I wanted to share a few more pics of the two Illamasqua lipsticks from yesterday’s swatch post.

Like the other Illamasqua lipsticks I’ve tried, Obey and Scandal apply with intensely VIBRANT pigmentation, but that’s kind of a double-edged sword…

High pigmentation = tread lightly!

One the one hand, the richness and boldness of these lip colors took my breath away, but working with this much color proved tricky; I found it easy to unintentionally cross the line between dramatic and Baby Jane.

Scandal, $20

Scandal, a matte yellowish pink, has just the faintest touch of cream. I think it looks bold and bright applied directly from the tube — cool for dramatic makeup looks (like for theater) — but it may be a bit much for everyday use.

A lip brush seemed to produce the most natural look, and because of Scandal’s pigmention, I only needed to use a very thin layer of product for complete coverage.

Added bonus: Scandal photographs *really* well. 🙂 Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A

Obey, $20

At first I struggled with Obey, a matte coral pink, because it lacks Scandal’s creaminess.

That seems to make it look and feel somewhat drier than its sibling on my lips, and coupled with Obey’s intense pigmentation, it spelled a full-on recipe for lip trubs.

One layer of Obey applied with a lip brush

A single layer applied directly from the tube looks thick and kinda soft porn-ey (eww), and even a thin layer applied with a lip brush still looks heavy.
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Oh, happy day, ladies! Illamasqua’s *finally* available on the Sephora website. 🙂

If you’re thinking about picking up a tube of Sheer Lipgloss ($19) and the color I tested today is any indication, brace yourself for serious sheerness. Today I wore Rouse, a creamy light pink. It’s one of the 10 shades currently available through Sephora online.

Subtle hint of color

Despite how deliriously bright it looks in the tube, Rouse applies as a subtle pink tint — so subtle, in fact, that it almost looks like I’m wearing clear gloss.

I’m on the fence about Rouse on account of her pigmentation (or lack thereof). My lips aren’t uber-full or pigmented, so I usually lean toward glosses with more color payoff, you know? — brighter colors that draw more attention to my otherwise uninspiring lips.

But women like my BFF Jen — blessed with full, luscious lips — may prefer a sheer, low-key color like Rouse, especially for work.

If you’re one of those ladies, then haaay — jackpot!

Everything else

As for texture, I’d say Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss feels slightly thinner and less sticky than a MAC Lipglass (in a good way), and I kinda like the faintly fruity flavor and scent (reminds me of hard candy, yum!).

The texture keeps me interested in Rouse despite how sheer it is, so I’m gonna keep the color around for days when I’m not in the mood for a high-maintenance pink or red lip.

Sometimes you just want a non-fussy lip look, and those are times when Rouse will do me just fine.

Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Rouse

Price: $19 for a 7-ml tube
Use: A shiny, non-sticky pink lipgloss with just a hint of pink pigmentation
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B

You might like Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Rouse if…

• you like subtle lip looks,
• you like non-sticky glosses, and/or
• you like tasty, fragrant lip products.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

On paper, cream blushes are pure makeup genius. They’re easy to apply and to blend (no brushes required), travel well and deliver a beautiful natural flush.

But with great power comes great responsibility.

Many cream blushes also have an unfortunate downside — poor staying power. Some disappear faster than those tykes from Another Bad Creation.

The trick is to find one that lasts, and I think I found one that does: Illamasqua’s Cream Blusher in Rude ($26). It’s a pinkish matte coral that stays put for hours, even in sticky summer heat.

Won’t budge for nothin’

I’ve worn Rude on bare skin, beneath foundation and on top of it; I’ve even dabbed it on powder. No matter what, it has always stayed put, despite my oily cheeks, from dawn till dusk.

I even mistakenly forgot one night and went to bed with it still on (I couldn’t wait to try it and forgot to wash it off, oops). It was still there come morning, leading me to give it my Vampire’s Choice Award.

If I were a True Blood vampire, I’d soo rock this shizz till the break of dawn, yo!

It’s not marketed as sweat proof, but it might as well be. Even in hella hot weather, Rude doesn’t fade. Where other cream blushes have melted away, like when I’m covered in sweat, pulling a Whitney circa the Bobby Brown years, Illamasqua Cream Blusher’s still going strong.

Pigmentation, texture and scent

Rude is one of 16 Cream Blushers currently available on the Illamasqua website, and like the other Illamasqua products I’ve tried, it delivers rich color.

I think it feels thicker and stickier than cream products like NARS the Multiple, but it feels thinner than a pot of Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow.

And the scent? — In the pan it smells faintly of sugar cookies, but I don’t detect the fragrance when it’s worn on my cheeks.

Not cheap

It’s too bad that such a badass blush isn’t a little cheaper…

A pan of Rude runs $26, venturing into Chanel Glossimer territory, but a little goes a long way, with a single tiny dab delivering a visibly flushed cheek.

And Illamasqua doesn’t skimp on quantity, either, which helps the price go down a little easier. The pan is huge (I can barely wrap my fingers around it when I’m holding it in my hand)!

Considering the quantity of product you get and the quality itself, I think it works out to be a pretty good deal.

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Holy crap! Illamasqua’s Intense Lipgloss in Frenzy ($20) does NOT mess around. This stuff is pigmented like nobody’s bidness!

Just the tiniest bit of this creamy hot pink provides almost opaque coverage. I’d wager to say it packs something like twice as much color as usual for a gloss — it’s *that* pigmented.

I love the rich, blinged-out look of this shade, but truth be told it’s hella high maintenance.

How high maintenance is it?

Frenzy’s like the Kimora Lee Simmons of the lipgloss world!

The first time I tried it on I made the mistake of smothering my lips with a thick layer. Color ended up bleeding outside of my natural lip line, and I looked pretty scary — like one of those nightmarish clowns that haunts childhood dreams.
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