Illamasqua Makeup Look

If you haven't checked out Illamasqua "Make-up for your alter ego", I highly recommend you do. Their website is here. Their website has amazing artistic and dramatic photos and is worth a gander. I included their tag line because I just love the style and marketing of this brand, along with their products. I used two products from their "Theater of the Nameless" line which came out in September 2011 and is available in some Sephora stores and online. Their heritage is inspired by "the essence of self-expression that transformed 1920s Berlin." They are inspired by 1920s club scenes and alternative cultures. I love their product descriptions:



"Theater of the Nameless is a heady mixture of opulent hues, decadent pigments and fearless application. A bruised and burnished palette that gives a sensual slip, that bleeds color into color, worn tough and kissed off'."-Alex Box, Illamasqua Creative Director



Here are the products I used. I had some Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation in Buff and mascara on that I had applied in the morning today, but other than that, all products were just applied.

(Brushes are Tarte). Illamasqua brushes are synthetic. They do not animal test or use animal products.

Shimmer Powder blush. Mirroring the glimmer of starlight that illuminates this insomniac's lair of unending night-time pleasures, the dusting of shimmer in our new blushers, adds a rich radiance to your face. This comes in Ambition which is a shimmery pink neutral shade and Morale which is a rosed flush. I used Ambition. Sephora also has more exclusive colors. $24.00

(perfect since I'm doing this at 3am-4am) :)

I will admit when I first saw this loose pigment, I was like "oh no!", thinking I would end up with glitter all over my face. A great way to apply loose pigment is to use a creamier shadow or pencil as a base and lightly tap on the loose pigment with a shadow brush. I used NYX Jumbo Liner in Milk. This allows the pigment to stick to the base easier and end up in less fall out. I did notice minimal fall out which I just took off with makeup remover. There was actually less fall out with this product than other pressed shadows. This shadow gives a very high metallic sparkly looking shine. I will update about staying power, etc. after its been on for a longer time. You can also use a good primer underneath, I would suggest a tackier one such as Mary Kay's signature primer. You can also use a makeup sealer like Illamasqua's Sealing Gel or Ben Nye's Final Seal or a setting spray like Urban Decay's All Nighter. Some people swear by using hairspray as a sealer, but I'm a little reluctant to try that one!

Pure Pigment in Beguile (light shimmer). These versatile performers were made to be played with, giving a high-shine metallic finish of pure color in a shimmering color. This also comes in Zeitgeist which is a dark shimmer. $24.00, 1.3g .04oz. Sephora also has additional exclusive colors. This has a secure plastic topper and a cap so you don't have to worry about the pigment getting all over everything. It is a little hard to get off, but I just loosed each corner individually with my nails and then pulled it off easily without spilling.

I couldn't tell from their website if they ship to the US. I believe you may have to order from Sephora in the US. Their international office is in London and I believe this brand began in Germany.

I don't think these are specifically formatted to be applied wet or dry, but I tried it wet as well for some added drama. These weren't the easiest "wet" shadows to apply evenly, but you can definitely get some added metallic shimmer that way. When you move this around in the light, you can see different colors in it as well. You could tap this onto your lips too for a cool effect. 

I may play around with this shadow some more and come up with a more dramatic eye look as well!

**Update: Check out my dramatic alter ego look here. **



Yours in Beauty, 

Jessica

Update: I used the blush again today and am LOVING it! Here is my FOTD with this blush.