21 posts tagged "Illamasqua"
Are You Ready For This Jelly?
Primers, once considered an extra step in the foundation-application process, are now fundamental to getting a smooth, flawless finish. They’re so popular, in fact, creams and liquids that fill in fine lines and wrinkles to properly prep skin for makeup are now a dime a dozen on retail counters, which make mind-blowing developments in the category few and far between these days—something that was not lost on Illamasqua. The British brand that appreciates a little shock and awe when it comes to product development (the unisex cosmetics line created “for your alter ego” already includes white foundation, green lipstick, and glow-in-the-dark nail lacquers galore) was looking to carve out a niche for itself in this growing share of the market, and managed to do just that with its new Hydra Veil. The result of actual consumer feedback that highlighted the fact that heavily pigmented foundations often appear cakey when applied to dehydrated skin, its unique gel texture is part moisturizer, part base, and all intrigue. The antioxidant-fueled formula comes with a little scooper that you actually need to help portion out a small amount of the buoyant jelly, which melts into your skin once it is spread over the face and neck. It hydrates on impact and can be applied under—or over—makeup; a light patting of Hydra Veil on the under-eye area is a clutch concealer-reactivator come 4 P.M.
Old Makeup Tricks For The New Oz, And More…
Between witches, Winkies, and Munchkins, Oz the Great and Powerful‘s head makeup artist, Howard Berger, had his work cut out for him on set—particularly when creating a look for the Wicked Witch of the West. “What was tricky was that Disney bought the rights to the books and not to the movie, so we had to walk a very fine line in our design, regarding what was in the world and universe of [director] Sam Raimi’s Oz and what we could pull from the original film, which was very, very little. [They] had even come down and said, ‘The witch can’t be green!’ ” So Berger dreamt up a solution in which he used different variations of green and yellow skin tints to make up a similar pallor while culling references from the 1930s. Face-painting trickery, at its finest. [L.A. Times]
Illamasqua has become known for its amazingly outlandish nail lacquers, and following the successful release of its rubber varnish and its speckled polish, product developer and director David Horne spills the beans on what’s up next. “I absolutely love Pink Raindrops, which is about to come out. It’s an ash-gray pink, and it’s so unusual.” [Elle]
What if you could accurately predict the way your skin will age so that you could start actively treating future problems now? A new DNA-based skincare protocol alleges that a simple swabbing might allow you to do just that. [ABC News]
Beauty Throwdown: Battle Speckled Nail Polish
Despite our own misgivings, and the fact that the runways have recently embraced a return to the minimalist manicure with an all-nude, all-the-time protocol, newfangled polishes continue to take the market by storm. From caviar appliqués and magnetic finishes to leatherlike lacquers, design-heavy strips, and DIY gel topcoats, there is an unending stream of options for your next next-level manicure. The latest launches one-up the shatter polishes of old and introduce a new concept in pro tips: speckled polishes. The idea here is really just embedding black glitter, instead of rainbow or like-colored flecks, in seasonally appropriate pastels. But the dichotomous nature of the combination feels like a fresh way to wear texture—stumbled upon by not one but two different brands. Both Deborah Lippmann and Illamasqua creative director Alex Box are seeing spots for Spring. Here, we put their new polishes to the test: let the throwdown begin.
The Hometown Hero: Deborah Lippmann has been inventing the wheel with glitter polishes since she debuted Marquee Moon—a silver lacquer mixed with then-unheard-of pieces of chunky hexagonal chrome sparkles—at Rodarte’s Fall 2009 show. Her new Staccato collection, which debuts next month at www.deborahlippmann.com, is similarly smart, albeit somewhat subdued, as it relies on uniform pieces of small circular black glitter and a pretty palette of three soft pastels, including the standout Rockin’ Robin, a creamy mint green.
The Indie Import: While Illamasqua may not be able to lay claim to the same glitter glory, the British brand’s polish pedigree is impressive. Its debut collection of neons and brights helped attract an international audience—and eventually Sephora, which brought the line stateside in 2009. Its new limited-edition Speckled Varnishes, which launch next month on www.sephora.com, offer slightly more scandalous shades of traditional pastels, including Mottle, a lime-tinged mint—which is to be expected from a brand that’s known for its shock values. To this end, the glitter in this five-piece collection is also varied and includes larger hexagonal sparkles as well as microscopic pieces.
The Bottom Line:
If you’re looking to make a statement with a more subtle, delicate edge, choose Deborah Lippmann for its more refined color palette. But if you’re looking for an unapologetic nod to funky finger-painting, Illamasqua is—and will likely always be—your best bet.
Illamasqua’s Rubber Soul
The matte nail polish phenomenon caused near hysteria three years ago when no-shine manicures started turning up on the runway at shows like Alexander Wang and subsequently at retail counters nationwide. Gone was the era of high-gloss varnish; in its place, a preference for a flat finish with no semblance of luster. The novelty ultimately wore off, of course, and as the nail art boom continues to inspire innovation from at-home gel kits to magnetic polishes, matte nail lacquer is no longer the radical idea it once was. That doesn’t mean it’s not still a palate-cleanser, though. The latest from Illamasqua offers a mixture between a matte formulation and a jelly polish, which its product development team has ingeniously dubbed “rubber varnish”. Available in six, shockingly bright shades, like the lime green Nurture and the bright turquoise Serenity, two coats provide you with a textural, shine-free effect that is nothing short of a conversation starter.
Rihanna Rebelles; Illamasqua, From Makeup to Moonflowers; And More…
Katy Perry isn’t the only celeb making quick work of fragrance empire building. Rihanna has just announced plans for a second signature scent following the debut of Reb’l Fleur earlier this year. Her new effort will simply be called Rebelle. [Billboard]
Speaking of empire building, the cult-favorite British makeup brand Illamasqua is branching out into scent. Centered around moonflower extract, its first olfactory offering is called Freak and features a silver snail affixed to an asymmetrical purple-y black glass bottle. [Basenotes]
Queen Latifah is getting some company as the face of CoverGirl’s Queen Collection. The mass beauty giant has just signed actress Paula Patton to join the hip-hop icon as an ambassador for the makeup range. [HuffPo]
A new study indicates that a skin cancer diagnosis could come from the unlikeliest of places: your hairdresser. The report published in the Archives of Dermatology found that haircare professionals can be a necessary link between clients and their doctors, as they often examine guests’ necks, faces, and scalps while wielding their shears. [ABC News]