Illamasqua Gel Sculpt & Gel Colour for your Cheeks

Illamasqua Gel Sculpt & Gel Colour* (£22) | available from Illamasqua 

Contouring has been quite the buzz word in the beauty world for so so long now! Faking those cheekbones, chiselling and defining the contours of your face with the clever trickery of makeup is a skill favoured by a plethora of celebrities (cough, cough Kim Kardashian) and is something that we have probably all tried to emulate, with varying degrees of success! Sometimes hours and hours of blending out your favourite bronzer just doesn't cut it and you are left feeling powdery and slightly muddy-looking, with a contour line that is anything but subtle and natural.

Illamasqua might have got this contouring business sorted however with the launch of their new Gel Sculpt contouring stick in Silhouette which is described as a sheer sophisticated coffee shade and is a uniquely light, gel-textured product. This innovative new launch is set to revolutionise the way we contour, not only with the gel-like, water resistant formula but also the way Alex Box, creative director, suggests you apply it. Matte, flat and clearly obvious are the big no-nos when it comes to contouring so the Gel Sculpt promises to give you a sculpted look that is natural, light and reflective on the skin. Alex Box suggests you apply the stick onto the fleshly pad of skin at the bottom of your thumb and then rub it between both hands to even distribute the product. Bring the hands to your face and feel for the hollows of your cheekbones using the palm of your thumbs to press and blend the colour along. You can build this up accordingly for a flawless and surprisingly natural finish. The formula makes this product easy to move and blend out and recreates your natural contour shadows perfectly.

In conjunction with their new contouring stick Illamasqua have also released two Gel Colour cheek tints which are highly pigmented and add an instant, convincing flush to your complexion. These two Gel Colours in Fluster (delicate poetic pink) and Charm (fresh wash of apricot) have the same water-resistant and gel-like texture as the Gel Sculpt and mimics a natural flush of colour by allowing the skin to be seen through the colour unlike your average cream or matte blushers. It is the transparency that makes these cheek tints feel incredibly fresh and real and they work really well applied after your contour for a pop of colour. Again you could use the palm of your thumbs trick to apply the product or simply use the tip of your fingers to blend the colour out. When it comes to Summer time makeup it is all about light, fresh products that look natural on the skin and last so these new cheek sticks from Illamasqua are just perfect for the job!

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Illamasqua To Be Alive Collection

You can always rely on Illamasqua to push the boundaries where makeup is concerned and continue to bring up fresh new ways of approaching beauty. Illamasqua has always been a bold brand that makes us question what is 'normal' when it comes to choosing a lipstick shade or contouring our cheekbones and this is why I love everything that the brand stands for.

Their latest launch could possibly be one of their boldest statements yet and although I might not be sporting a blue lipstick anytime soon, the concept and the products are definitely worth a second look. To Be Alive is described by Alex Box (Creative Director) as "a raw state full of living, movement, life, feeling, spirit and emotion. It is the freedom to surrender and to be still. A maelstrom and a moment. The forces that move us to be chaotic yet peaceful. We are always in emotion and in motion." To Be Alice celebrates the colour blue - a colour that is synonymous with a pure mind, healing clarity and stillness.

This new collection* (launching 1st May) comprises of four new products, all tainted somewhat with the blue hue. First up is the Eye Palette in Spirit (£34) which includes a mixture of cream and powder finishes to help create a variety of looks. There is an iridescent white to highlight and a rich royal blue which would work well to line the lower lash line for definition and a slight change to a generic black liner. The matte navy shadow is probably one of the most wearable from the palette and works perfectly to create a smoky eye with a slight twist. Finally there is the cream shadow in Awaken which is a shimmering icy blue. Great if you just want a little pop of colour to help ease you in to the blue movement. There is also a new nail varnish in Prismatic (£14.50) which offers a highly pigmented, two-tone effect on the nails and is a gorgeous aqua shade with slight shimmer that is a lovely choice for a fun, Springtime manicure. The new Shine Lipgloss in Iridesce (£18) is beautiful new formula from Illamasqua that gives the lips a reflecting, spell-binding shine. It is a clear gloss with flecks of blue shimmer that enhances colour and adds definition. It can be worn alone or over another lip colour to add a slightly icy shimmer and glossy veil without a tacky finish. Finally the product that everyone will be talking about is Illamasqua's new Glamore lipstick in Vendetta. (give it a google) It is an electric blue lip colour with an intense satin finish. It is the ultimate cobalt blue statement and you know what, it oddly works. Just look at my gorgeous Zoe embracing the blue!

Makeup is meant to be fun and sometimes it is nice to throw away the rulebook and enjoy colour, embrace something a little different and realise blue shadow shouldn't just be stuck in the 90s! I see so many girls executing awesome makeup looks filled with colour and excitement, I just know that this collection will definitely appeal to many of you.

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Illamasqua Kitsch Glamore Lipstick

If I had to tell you my all time favourite Illamasqua product I know I would struggle. Their pure pigments are amazing and fun for adding instant glamour and twinkle to your eyes, their skin base foundation is an absolute makeup staple and I love the cream to powder finish of their velvet blushes. But most recently it has all been about Illamasqua's Glamore lipsticks! Remember their dreamy Glamore Nude collection? Or that gorgeous fiery red lipstick created specifically to compliment the iconic Virgin Atlantic pantone red airline uniform? The Glamore lipstick gives you all the vibrancy and intensity of their original lipsticks but with a much more flattering formula that feels silky and moisturising on the lips. The texture is smooth, similar to a MAC satin finish, and gives your lips a plump look with a pretty sheen.

One of the latest lipsticks from this Glamore range I have been hooked on is a new addition called Kitsch* (£18.50, available online) which is described as a "rose pink". The colour is so fun and unique and instantly perks up your makeup when paired with simple, feline flick eyeliner and a lightly bronzed face. This shade is stunning and is a lovely cool toned pink with just a hint of bright lavender-magenta which makes it a real showstopper lipstick for a glam night out!

Have you tried the Illamasqua Glamore lipstick range? Which is your favourite shade?

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Illamasqua Multi Facet Palette in Aura

Last month Illamasqua launched their Facets Collection which celebrates beauty in all its dimensions.   It takes you on a creative journey throughout the season with alternate sides to the same story, portraying the many sides and moods of the individual. The stars of this new collection are the two limited edition Multi Facet palettes which include a stunning selection of eye and cheek colours to create a range of looks for any occasion and have the addition of a cream highlighter, cream pigment to contour and an eye brow cake as well as a powder blush and four complimentary eyeshadow shades. Alex Box, Illamasqua's Creative Director, describes these new multi-functional products as the palettes of possibilities and I was very keen to give them a whirl.

The Multi Facet Palette* in Aura (above) is available online for £45 and is housed is a sleek, black compact with a handy mirror and double ended angled and blending brush. It contains eight of Illamasqua's "must-have" shades to create a variety of looks for your cheeks and eyes. For the cheeks there is Powder Blusher in Tremble, Gleam highlighter in Aurora and Cream Pigment in Hollow to contour. Then there is the Eyebrow Cake in Thunder to define and colour your brows to perfection. Finally there are four beautiful eyeshadow shades in Vision, Servant, Feint and Machine to add a base  to your lid, then to colour, define and line your eyes. I love the fact that this palette contains a mixture of cream and powder products and has all bases covered including a product for your brows and to add radiance to your makeup as well as a pigment to fake those cheekbones perfectly! It really is the perfect item to pop in your makeup bag for a weekend away or when you really don't want to pack a plethora of different palettes and products - simply throw in a foundation, mascara and your favourite lippie and you are good to go!

Have you seen anything from the Illamasqua Facets Collection that has taken your fancy?

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Illamasqua Virgin Lipstick

The very British makeup brand, Illamasqua, have taken to the skies with the very British airways company, Virgin Atlantic, to bring us a sensationally sophisticated new red lipstick in their beautiful, satin rich Glamore finish. To celebrate Virgin Atlantic's 30th birthday and the recent redesign of their infamous scarlet uniforms, Illamasqua has been welcomed on board and are now the proud makeup brand for the cabin crew, enhancing the renowned glamour and style that Virgin Atlantic so effortlessly exudes.

Illamasqua have created Virgin lipstick (£18.50)* in their new Glamore formula which gives you a long-lasting, satin finish with an intense shock of colour. I love, love this creamy formula and am so happy to see a bright injection of colour to the range following on from the gorgeous collection of Glamore Nude lipsticks launched earlier this year. Virgin lipstick has been created to perfectly match the stylish, pantone red image that Virgin Atlantic is so widely recognised for and paired with softly defined eyes and brows with subtle contouring, it gives the staff their truly iconic hot-red lip look. This shade of red is just the right side of cherry-red with blue undertones meaning it will compliment all skin tones and make your teeth look beautifully white and gleaming. The consistency is smooth and comfortable to wear and won't dry on your lips or become patchy which is ideal for Virgin Atlantic cabin crew and staff who are too busy serving G&Ts at 10,000 feet to check their makeup every five minutes! This classy red is seriously lovely and oozes elegance and sophistication so I couldn't think of a better brand partnership that with Virgin Atlantic to celebrate their big three-O. I will definitely be sporting this lipstick a lot over the imminent party season but think I will need to invest in the perfect complimentary lip liner to get that polished finish - Illamasqua recommend using their lip pencil in Lust.

Also, if you are a big fan of Illamasqua and love watching the magic of makeup in motion then this weekend is the Illamasqua Distinction in Makeup Artistry Awards which will see professionals, students and amateurs alike showcasing their skills on stage in front of a formidable judging panel - Alex Box, Julian Kynaston and Spob O'Brien. It sounds like an amazing experience and I just wish I could make it but if you fancy popping along then you can read more about it on the Illamasqua website and purchase your tickets here.

What do you think of the new Illamasqua Virgin lipstick?

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Illamasqua Glamore Nude Lipstick Collection

When Illamasqua launched a selection of new Glamore lipsticks earlier this year in a rainbow of bright shades, I was hooked. The new improved formula made these lipsticks a joy to apply and wear with their silky, moisturising texture and a lip plumping lustre and sheen. But the trio of show-stopping shades might not have been everybody's cup of tea which is why Illamasqua have now returned with their new Glamore Nude Collection boasting seven deliciously nude shades to flatter every skin tone and suit every style and preference when it comes to wearing a more neutral lip colour.

The satin texture and long-wearing formula makes these lipsticks an absolute must for any nude-lipstick-lover like me. From an earthy warm brown hue to a very pale, creamy peachy shade - there is definitely your perfect colour nestled amongst this collection and I think I have found my new favourite lipstick colour of the moment - Rosepout, which I am wearing above. It is such a lovely soft, rose-tinted nude. From left to right we have, Starkers (soft flesh pink), Rosepout (a neutral pinky-brown), Tease (pink beige) and Naked (creamy nude) and it is quite exciting to see just how many different variations of nude shades you can get and how they don't all have to be that strict concealer-lip look. I love them!

The Glamore nude lipstick collection (£18.50 each) is now available online and on the counters. I would love to know which is your perfect nude?

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Illamasqua Matte Lip Liquid

Illamasqua Matte Effect Lip Liquid* £18.50 in Exotic (vivid orange) and Surrender (warm peach)
available on counters and online

Is it a gloss? Is it a lipstick? No, it is the new matte lip liquid from Illamasqua and boy are they good! Coming in three exciting shades the matte lip liquid come with an innovative formula which allows easy precise application - letting it glide on like a gloss but within seconds drying to an intense finish with a strikingly vibrant colour. The shade is long lasting and completely water-resistant once on the lips and will literally last for hours, through tea breaks, warm walks to work and more. Literally no feathering, transfer or budging. It really did take some elbow grease and a lot of Bioderma to take the colour off at the end of the day!

The packaging is new and improved from Illamasqua's previous lipgloss tube and doe-foot applicator. The 4ml gloss is housed in a chunky cylinder tube with a flexible brush applicator which makes it easy to fill your lips in precisely and build up the colour to an intense pop of colour. The texture is thick so a little goes a long way and you do have to work quite quickly before the lip liquid dries to a completely matte finish. I like wearing matte lipsticks so the feel on the lips was quite comfortable for me but if you are more of a lip gloss and balm kind of girl then the new matte effect lip liquid might take some getting use to. I think these are awesome, absolutely perfect for an easy, long-lasting lip option for the upcoming summer festivals and I am excited to perhaps treat myself to the third shade in this trio, Forbidden - a sensual, lavender pink colour.

Have you tried these new matte lip liquid from Illamasqua?

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Illamasqua Fatale Eyeshadow Palette

wearing MAC Snob lipstick

Illamasqua Fatale eyeshadow palette £34
available online

This eye colour palette from Illamasqua has been lurking in my collection for a few months now and only now have I gotten around to testing out this gorgeous quartet of highly-pigmented shadows and love the effect they have on the eyes, worn alone or blended together. The Fatale palette comprises of four intense powder shadows with a shimmer finish and silky texture making them a pleasure to apply and blend out. For the top left clockwise we have; Bronx (a medium warm gold/copper metallic) Ensnare (a medium bright warm pink/cranberry metallic) Mystify (a dark cool brown shimmer) and Charm (a light duochrome lilac frost).

At first I was a little nervous to use these shades all together but after a little play I seem to have found a really nice way to use this daring shades to compliment each other and add a pop of colour to my lower lash line which is a look I have been loving lately. Firstly I placed Bronx all over my lid and then added Mystify through the outer corner and in the crease to darken and define the look. I then used Ensnare and and then Charm layered over the top to line my bottom lash line to give the eyes a lovely, fresh lilac finish - perfect for a fun, summertime look.

Have you tried this palette from Illamasqua?

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Illamasqua Glamore lipsticks in Luster and Soaked

NEW IN! Illamasqua satin finish Glamore lipsticks in Luster and Soaked*
£18.50 available online and on counters

Over the past few years I have coveted, swatched and adored my fair share of Illamasqua lipsticks and love their vast rainbow of shades and incredibly intense colour payoff. The only thing that ever stopped Illamasqua's lip colours being absolutely perfect were their slightly drying, tricky formula to apply and their very true-matte finish so it really delighted me to hear that they were launching their new Glamore lipsticks. These three new lipsticks have a much creamier, satin-finish formula which makes them a lot nicer to apply and gives the lips a plump lustre and beautiful sheen. However with this new, some may say improved formula, the colour intensity has not been compromised and you can still expect that phenomenal vibrancy and long-lasting finish that Illamasqua are known and loved for.

The two shades I have here are Luster, described as a "candy pink" and Soaked which is a vibrant orange. Luster is a stunning blue-toned pink and is a little similar to MAC Candy Yum Yum whereas Soaked has those warm reddish undertones which reminds me of MAC Morange. Both are stunning shades and with such a satin-rich formula and pretty finish it wouldn't surprise me if these were the first of many to join the new Glamore lipstick range.

Have you tried any of Illamasqua's new lipsticks?

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Illamasqua Fire Rose Shattered Star nail varnish

Illamasqua Fire Rose Shattered Star Nail varnish* from the new Glamore collection
£15, available online and on counters

"More colour. More texture. More beauty."

Last month Illamasqua launched their latest beauty collection to take us into Spring with a celebration of timeless textures, bold shades and strong definition. Glamore is an exciting range of new products for the lips, nails and brows to embrace and evolve a new era of glamorous beauty. It gives us a chance to celebrate the classic whilst introducing vivacious shades and multi-dimensional finishes that challenges and provokes a whole new brand of glamorous and I absolutely love the new products that Illamasqua have introduced.

Along with three new satin finish lipsticks and an eye brow cake and brush, to help define and and sharpen your brows, comes the new trio of shattered star nail varnishes. Trilliant, Marquise and Fire Rose (featured) are rich, dense shades ladened with multi-dimensional glitter giving your nails texture and a captivating colour and finish. Fire Rose is described as a shattered pink and is a lovely rose pink studded with various sized flecks of silver glitter that is completely opaque after two coats. It is very unique and absolutely perfect if you love you outrageous, pink glittery nails for a fun, girlie look. Despite the fairly chunky shimmer suspended in the pink polish, the application is smooth and easy and is really nice to use however, as to be expected, the removal of Fire Rose is a little bit arduous...but completely worth it!

Have you tried anything from Illamasqua's new Glamore range? What do you think of this shattered star varnish?

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