Illamasqua REVIEW & PR
- The Face Beater
- May 8, 2018
- 4 min read
Illamasqua has always been one of those cosmetics lines that I've been aware about but I never knew where to get it.The name is so exotic that I had a hunch they produced innovative products, and, low-and-behold, they do! Truthfully, most beauty brands, while branded to different demographics, ethnicities, and so on, sell the same type of products with different packaging. Ahem, Kyle Jenner and Colourpop... you know what I'm saying.
I had the opportunity to try out some Illamasqua products via @LookFantasticUS, which is a website that carries both hard-to-find beauty brands and classic staples, like Ardell Lashes. Side note, they reached out to me and were VERY sweet and professional. I also won a giveaway they sponsored on their Instagram which consisted of one of their BeautyBoxes (#LFBeautyBox)- you need to check that out ASAP. End of side note. What was most exciting, for me, was that when I opened two of the products I had zero clue what they were! Keep reading to find out which two (i'm totally using a selling technique to make you continue reading).
Ok, so the first item that was completely foreign to me was the Contouring Gel Sculpt. It looked just like a foundation stick from the outside, but when I opened the top it was almost black in color and gelatinous to the touch. A gel in a stick format? What is this madness? And the fact that the color was a deep, deep brown; this would never match my pale complexion! Wrong. When applied to the face, either directly or from a brush, it leaves a sheer contouring shade that is SO blendable. I adore products that work on various skin tones and this guy is my go-to contour for fair to medium skin tones. For my pale gals, I use a fluffy brush to grab some of the product and sweep onto the cheekbones for a bronze glow. I'll use a stiffer brush to press it into the contours of the face for a more opaque shadow. My tan skinned girls get to feel the soothing gel across their face and then I'll blend it in with my fingers for that perfectly blended contour. Guys, I couldn't wait to talk about this incredible product (which is why it's first on the list).
To be blunt, blushes rarely excite me. Whenever I see a blush, I relate it to my grandmother who always doted a streak of rogue across her cheeks on any special occasion. Yikes, is right. Blush, to me, is ALWAYS better in moderation. Yes, there are always occasions where blush is necessary to avoid being washed out in photos, but, the point is simply that blush doesn't do it for me. With that in mind, I can say that this is a very nice blush. It's smooth, not too powdery, and has nice coverage that is neither patchy nor scary! I like the idea of a duo blush because it's easy to swirl the two colors together and get a multidimensional look. The best part is that these colors- a nice subtle tawny peach and a rosy pink- compliment one another beautifully.
When I say this powder is beautiful, I truly mean this powder is BEAUTIFUL. Bronzy and illuminating, what more do you need? It's buttery soft- not powdery like a lot of highlighters on the market. My only beef is that it's not as sheer as my pale ass needs for a bronzer. The velvety formulation gives it good pigmentation which makes it more of an all-over bronzer than highlighter, but the speckled flakes baked into it keep it nice and glowy. For darker fair tones and medium to dark ladies, this should be in your makeup bag. I've never felt a powder so smooth in my life!
This was the second product that perplexed me as I opened the lid. The gig is now officially up. Please keep on reading, I mean, you've made it this far! Anyway, I'm not the girl who swears that primers are a life changing invention. Not that I am against them, just that I prefer good old fashion moisturizer over most primers on the market. I'll spare you all the details but let's just say I loath silicone-based primers. Good thing there is not a drop of silicone in this primer! But, back to the perplexing part, the formula. It's a gel-like substance that is so foreign to the touch, similar to the Gel Sculpting Stick. I think Illamasque has a thing for gels... Guess what? This is now the only primer i'll use. The gel cools your skin and the niacinamide and other vitamins leave your skin feeling smooth, fresh and hydrated. The perfect equation for a good primer! My oily girls might be thinking, but I want a primer that mattifies! Guess what? A silicone-based primer can help to mattify your skin for the day you put it on. A hydrating and balancing primer can make your skin stop over producing sebum (oil) all together. Yes, fur reals.
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Big shoutout to @LookFantasticUS for sending me these items and being so awesome! Also, shoutout to Illamasque for having innovative products and the best makeup artist advertisements (see below)!
Links:
https://us.lookfantastic.com/
https://www.illamasqua.com/
****None of these pictures are mine! I try to get pics with watermarks or logos on them but it's hard with every single picture. All credits go to people who photograph products well!!!
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