Ask An Artist: Black And White Shades

My daughter and I are freestyle dancers. I usually use black and white face paints on the eyes but would like to use an eyeshadow. Could you recommend any black and white colours that are dramatic on the eyes that will stay on and give a strong bold colour.Thanks a million - Sinead

*above - Lucy from Selfridges Trafford works the dark smoky eye look by using a similar technique to the one that Jay has outlined *

I asked James from Selfridges Birmingham to answer this question...

"Use Concealer 350 as a base all over the lid - I love using this for any smoky/ dark eye look; the staying power is incredible and of course the high levels of pigment give you a great base for any powder shadow to grab on to. I love to apply this with Illamasqua Eyeshadow Brush and use a pressing action to apply the concealer to the lid.

Next, take your choice of Powder Eye Shadow - I love 'Machine' for dark, sparkly drama - but you could use 'Lestat' if you prefer a more matt finish. Alternatively, Pure Pigment in 'Android' would look amazing if you want more of a sparkly effect.

Use the same Eyeshadow Brush to press the colour on top of the Concealer.

If you do want to create a more "winged" effect, you can use the tape method as shown in the Golden Goddess video, or you can use the edge of any Illamasqua compact as a stencil.

Use Blending Brush I to soften the colour into the crease of the eye.

Next, take Pure Pigment in 'Tingle' and press onto the brow bone. I would also add a dot of this onto the centre of the lid, this will stop the eye looking too heavy and add dimension to the look.


Line the waterline with either Medium Pencil in 'Elate' for a more wide eyed look or use the Sophie pencil for a dark, intense liner.

Line bottom lashes with the Sophie pencil and smudge over with your choice of black eyeshadow [as detailed above]

For intensity and a feminine flutter, apply False Eye Lashes - I love number 21."

Mika Comes to Cardiff!

Mika will be making a highly anticipated guest appearance on the Debenhams Cardiff counter on Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st November.

If you would like to meet the Selfridges London National Make-up Artist, star of the Dystopia collection adverts and infamous mainstay of the London club scene, give the Debenhams Cardiff Illamasqua counter a ring on 02920342278.

I grabbed a quick word with Mika to find out more about the Dystopia photoshoot, his favourite products and his excitement about visiting Cardiff...

Hey Mika! How are you?

"Really well - looking forward to meeting the girls at the Cardiff counter tomorrow. They have all offered to take me out on the town and I haven't visited Cardiff before so it's all very exciting."

Your always out on the town! How do you think the Cardiff night-life will compare to London?

"You'll have to ask me when I'm back! I am currently running a weeky club called Vogue at Willa's in Mayfair. The theme of the night is always the current issue of Vogue - inspired by the photo shoots or the adverts running in the magazine, the night is an artistic melting pot of fashionistas, club kids, models, socialites and a variety of people from the fashion, beauty and art worlds."

I have been dying to ask you what the Dystopia photoshoot was like - it must have been fabulous!

"You were there?!"

For about half an hour! How long did your day last?!

"The call was 8am and when I got there, Alex Box was already in 6 inch heels, which she lasted on all day - what an icon! Even I can't manage that - the whole shoot, from start to finish was 13 hours. Alex created three looks on me and each took about two hours to complete. My favourite look is the black and white one, with the swirly face patterns. Alex did all of it in one go and I was amazed at how little post-production there was. I've always assumed that everything was airbrushed for weeks after the photo shoot, but I saw the final images a few days after the shoot. You can't airbrush art; you would lose the point of it."

Too right. So, what are your favourite products from the Dystopia collection?

"I adore the Pure Pigment in 'Android' - the dark, sultry shimmer is just such a versatile product. I love to layer it on top of Cream Eye Shadow in 'Debauch' or 'Entangle' or even the Concealer in '350' for a really gorgeous, but quick and easy, smoky eye.
I also love the False Lashes 21. They are stunning."


Will you be wearing them on the Cardiff counter?

"Perhaps, but I am currently rocking the Limited Edition Decadence lashes - the silver ones. At Halloween I put them in my eye brows for winged brows!"

You'll have to send me a photo. What has been your defining moment working for Illamasqua?

"That's a tough one! The past year has been absolutely amazing for me, both professionally and personally. I think that the crowning glory would be the advert that is going to run in next months iD magazine - a double page advert of the back-to-back image of me in the Dystopia ads. I am so excited to see that I can barely contain myself! I also loved that the Sunday Times Style featured a picture of me and of course the Dystopia shoot was just the best day ever."


Here is a photo of Mika and myself - we bumped into each other at Gay Pride in the Summer... his pout is substantially better than mine!


Book now for a lesson with Mika - £20 redeemable against purchases made on the day.

Lucy's Lippy!

Eliza recently left us a comment, asking about Lucy's lip colour in the below photograph. Lindsay, our guest editor last week, asked Lucy about the colour. Lucy - being Lucy - couldn't just use one product, that would be too easy...

"It was Lipstick in 'Brink', with Concealer pressed into it and a little Pure Pigment in 'Furore' pressed into the cupids bow."

Thanks, Lucy!

Saturday Night FOTD

I will get a full run down on the blogger events up tomorrow, including some great photographs - but I thought I would just share a tip that Lucy from Selfridges Trafford shared with me.

For a really inky black smoky eye, layer Concealer in 355 [the black one] onto the eye lid and press Pure Pigment in 'Android' [the gunmetal/black] on top. I then finished this with False Lashes in 14 [my new favourites] and a smudge of Medium Pencil in 'Sophie' all around the eye. I have never worn black all over before, but I absolutely loved the effect, even if it did take about 6 Simple wipes to get it all off!

I also used Cream Blusher in 'Rude' [I think I need to join an addiction group for this blusher, I can't stop using it!] on my lips. It looks like an apricot/pink/nude on the lips for a 60s style finish.


What do you think - sorry about the dodgy camera angle!

Ask An Artist: Vitiligo

Leena from Selfridges Trafford has very kindly answered this weeks question. Leena has worked for Illamasqua since the counter launch at Selfridges Trafford back in February and has unbelievable product knowledge. She has worked with brands suc as Oasis, Al Saints and USC as well as at the Clothes Show Live. She also wrote some tips and tricks for Anjana Gosai's [the Beauty editor of Asiana magazine] 'Ultimate Guide to Beauty'. To book a make-up lesson with Leena, call Selfridges Trafford on 0161 629 1187 and to read her full biography click here.


I have vitiligo, so my skin is beige with patches of white. What do you recommend I use to match my original skin tone and completely cover the white spots while still looking natural and not made-up?

Leena says: "Basically, you need your base to look as natural as possible. I'm a bit of an expert at camouflage make-up as I myself suffer from vitiligo."


I'm Asian, with a very tanned skin tone, so the white patches are very white - I've helped many people with vitiligo and other skin problems whilst on counter and I have got it down to a fine art now! I use Light Liquid Foundation to give me a sheer, natural even base rather than using a heavy foundation which people seem to think will cover up skin problems.
Then I use our high-definition ready Concealer with Blending Brush 1 or 2 and buff over the vitiligo patches using a small amount of the Concealer in small circular movements.


After setting with a powder [I love our Loose Powder for it's finely milled texture] go over the patches again using the same Concealer and brush, but this time stipple the Concealer over the top to camouflage completely. Re-set with powder if necessary.