Valentines Day At Selfridges...

Selfridges Trafford, Selfridges London and Selfridges Birmingham will all be hosting some fabulous Illamasqua theatre this coming Saturday 13th February.

For one day only [and between the hours of 12 and 6pm] we will have our top artists on counter creating some vivid and glam body art on some gorgeous male models. Those of you who are fans of Illamasqua on facebook may re call the voting procedure!

Using the classic Eye Liner Cake and Sealing Gel combinations to create some fabulous water resistant tattoos, our artists will be on hand to show off their calligraphy skills. Perhaps you would like to have a Valentine's message painted on for your loved one? Just come down to the counter and get artistic...

We will be giving away an exclusive Coco de Mer blindfold with every purchase of Eye Liner Cake and Sealing Gel.

Halloween Looks From Illamasqua!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! I almost forgot about it as we had been concentrating on the first anniversary of Illamasqua, so I loved it when some of the pictures from Propaganda's [our creative partner] Halloween party started to sift through to my inbox!

I am loving what our Account Manager Natalie did - an evil ladybug! Inspired choice, Nats!


I gave the normally platinum blonde bombshell a call to find out what she used...

"Well, the lashes are from a fancy dress shop," she tells me, "but everything else is Illamasqua! I used the Cream Foundation in 100 and topped it off with Loose Powder in 100 for a semi-matte glow. I used Powder Eye Shadow in 'Forgiveness' on the cheeks to sculpt the look and defined my eyes and eye brows with Eye Liner Cake in 'Mislead'. I love mixing this product with the Sealing Gel for maximum longevity."

What about those high impact lips? "I lined them with Medium Pencil in 'Spell' and painted over the top with Intense Lipgloss 'Besotted' for a juicy red lip!

Natalie also spread the art to her fingertips, using Nail Varnish in 'Ruthless' for a rich red base and blobbing on Nail Varnish in 'Boosh' for the ladybug effect.

Here is Natalie with Jo, Julian Kynaston's PA. Jo is rocking the new Birthday Lashes in 'Decadence' as well as plenty of Dystopia! On her lips is the shocking pink Lipstick in 'Avenge' and she has Powder Eye Shadow in 'Matter' smudged around her eyes for a sexy smoky eye.

Dystopia Look On Counter

So, you've placed your first order of Dystopia and now you have them sitting in front of you at your vanity unit.

So. What to do?! Well, one of the beauties of this collection is the versatility that it provides - an array of looks from robotic, smokey and stylistic, romantic, soft and shimmery through to full on, glitz and glam.

Our lovely artists on counter are here to give you inspiration for your new products and Krystle at Selfridges Trafford has sent in some photos of her work - Leanne from the Newcastle counter was her model!

So what products did she use?

Eyes

Concealer in 350 as a base with Pure Pigment layed on top. This was then followed by Pure Pigment in 'Lust' on the inner third of the eye for a romantic effect. Pure Pigment in 'Furore' kept the shimmer levels on full and was lightly dusted under the brow and across the cheekbones. Powder Eye Shadows in 'Virus', 'Maybe?' and 'Sex' were also used to add a multi dimensional look and to mix up the textures. Eye Liner Cake in 'Mislead' was mixed with Sealing Gel and a bold eye line created both under and on top of the lash lines.

Cheeks

Cheeks were sculpted using Powder Blush in 'Primal' and a subtle flush added with Powder Blusher in 'Unrequited'.

Lips

The lips were shaded in using Medium Pencil in 'Titivate' - a bright fushcia pink and coloured in using Intense Lipgloss in 'Petulant' mixed with Intense Lipgloss in 'Galactic' - my new favourite combo - for a vivid 80s twist.

Nails

Krystle's nails are a mix of Nail Varnish 'Obsess' [as the base colour] Velocity, Boosh and Glory - don't they look fantastic?!

Anyway, hope this has given you some ideas and I will keep posting new looks from the collection!

House Of Blue Eyes - Get The Look

The androgynous/ futuristic/ Cleopatra/ Babylon/ Blade Runner-esque make-up was a work of art in itself. Alex Box tells me how she created the look...


Face

Smooth, glowing, glistening skin was the way forward. "As there was so much gold on the eyes, I needed to complement this with sparkling skin." Says Alex, "I mixed a small amount of Powdered Metal in 'Bebhionn' with Cream Foundation for the paler girls and Powdered Metal in 'Thalia' with Cream Foundation for the olive/ darker skins."

The face was heavily contoured with the Powdered Metals - 'Thalia' was used for a golden highlight whilst 'Erzule' was buffed in to cheekbones for an 80s, sculpted look. "These are the most versatile products" explains Alex, "They can be used on the body, face, cheeks... mixed with lipgloss creating a wonderful sparkling lip colour."

Eyes

The eyes were liberally painted with Liquid Metal in 'Solstice'. "We used a template by cutting some tape to mask the areas we didn't want to cover and then painted over this template. We then piled on the Liquid Metal in 'Solstice' with a foundation brush to create a smooth, even base of colour with which to contour on top."

Contouring was done with the Powdered Metals and a mix of Powder Eye Shadow in 'Lestat', 'Wolf' and 'Fallen' to create depth. Illuminator in 'Halcyon' was used to highlight under the brows and down the bridge of the nose and on the cupid's bow to catch the light.

Alex's trademark brow completed the look. "Mix a drop of Sealing Gel into Eyebrow Cake in 'Vehement' and stroke over the natural line of the brows using the Eyebrow Brush. Then go back over it and take the colour above and beyond the natual brow for a real Cleopatra look." Explains Alex, "balance this with the strong eye. We used False Lashes in number 15 on top for the spidery effect, and number 13s below to create a very open, framed eye."

Lips

To soften the effect of the strong eye, the lips were painted with a mixture of clear gloss [try Sheer Lipgloss in 'Brilliant'] and Cream Foundation. Some of the models had extravagant head gear on, and these guys had Liquid Metal in Solstice painted on for a pure molten mouth.

New York Fashion Week Beauty Looks Part 1

Oh my goodness, is style.com just the best website ever for fashion?! All the looks get uploaded so quickly it's unbelievable! Anyway, I stumbled across the Doo.Ri show, who I have never heard of before, but this dress has my name written all over it. Actually, if that was true, my bank manager would chase me out the country... but I'm smitten all the same.

I love the make-up, too. Chiselled cheekbones give a nod to the trend of everything 80s and the purple lips give it a very cool, individual twist.

I'm not a big fan of winter - no more throwing-on-a-sundress and sunglasses moments, we now have to *gasp* layer...! - and I hate the rainy days and leaving my house in the morning [and it's dark] and leaving the office at night [and it's dark] and having to take an umbrella on nights out... you get my drift. However, the one thing I love about this season? More excuses to turn the make-up a notch! Dark, thick brows and smoky gothic colours are what winter is all about.

I would use Lipstick in 'Fetish' for this look and for the gorgeous, statement brows I would try mixing a drop of Sealing Gel with Eyebrow Cake in 'Vehement'.

Francesco's Personal Appearance at BT2, Dublin 27th-29th August

Francesco Lo Cascio is a ten year veteran of the beauty industry. He began his studies at the London College of Fashion, where he studied make-up artisty. On completion of his formal training, he lent his crative skills and expertise to such various projects as the MTV Music Awards, the Academy Award nominated film Billy Elliot and as a freelance make-up artist with a client stable including Christy Turlington, Eva Herzigova, Destiny's Child, Kate Moss, Isabella Blow and the Sugababes.

Francesco's artistic talents also extends to the world of fashion, where he was worked behind the scenes at Fendi, Alexander McQueen, Alessandro Dell'Acqua and MaxMara.
Francesco has also contributed his talents to creating beauty looks for editorial features in publications such as Vogue Italia, Marie Claire (Italy), Vogue Bambini, You Magazine and Vogue Espana.

As an artist, Francesco acts as a liaison between the high fashion and consumer
worlds. His immense talent and experience enables him to understand and
exemplify all that makes Illamasqua truly unique, and his technique and
understanding of this brand trademark style make him an integral part of the team. I grabbed a quick word with him to find out a little more about him...

So Francesco, what is your favourite Illamasqua product, and why?

I love the Cream Foundation, as you can use it day or night because of the variable coverage. I buff it into the skin using the amazing Highlighter Brush.

Sealing Gel, used with the Eyebrow Brush with any coloured Powder Eye Shadow creates a great coloured mascara. Stroke the brush through the lashes to seperate and colour.

Who are your inspirations in the world of beauty/ fashion/ popular culture?



It would have to be Sophia Loren, Madonna, Gwen Stefani and Linda Evangelista. I have been very influenced by artists that I have had the pleasure of working with; Alex Box, Pat McGrath, Topolino... they are true artists.

What is your top tip?

I use the Medium Pencil in 'Sophie' thickly across the lash line. I then take some Pure Pigment in 'Fervent' and smudge all over the eye lid with the Eye Shadow Brush to create a smoky, elegant sparkling eye.

I also love to mix the Medium Pencils with Pure Pigments on the back of the hand prior to application - this creates so many new colours!

What would you say is your personal style?

I am a very minimalist make-up artist - I like to use as few products as possible to create a lot of different looks. I like products that are versatile and I love to use vibrant colours.

I have had many inquiries as how to best use the Illuminators. Can you give our readers some advice?

Yes - you can mix the Satin Primer with the Illuminator in 'Halcyon' to create dewy, glowing skin. On it's own, I would recommend smoothing the Illuminator down the cheekbones, nose and across the T zone to pick up and reflect light without making you look 'greasy'. I also especially recommend 'Fondle' [the peachy pink colour with gold particles] for black skin. It's the best!

Francesco will be making a personal appearance at the Illamasqua counter at BT2, Grafton Street in Dublin from the 27th - 29th August. To book, call +353 1 (0) 6056666 and ask for the Illamasqua counter.

Impulse Swatch!

Influenced by the changing weather [ie monsoon followed by blinding sunshine] I considered how my make-up this morning [bright lip, peachy blush and dewy skin] suddenly didn't seem to fit when it began to rain [for some reason, I always wear more make-up when it's miserable outside and then just seal it all with Sealing Gel...]

So I roped Lucy into helping me pick out some blushers that are great for sunny weather and some blushers that are perfect for the more overcast days...

SUNNY DAYS

I love Cream Blushers for warmer weather as they reflect light beautifully and give a lovely dewy sheen to the skin. I cannot live without Cream Blusher in 'Rude' [see below] which is a warm apricot/ pink. If you do not own this blush and are of similar colouring to me - you must! Sorry about the product photo, too - you can see this is a favourite at HO!


Here is Lucy modelling her favourite blusher for when the sun has got his hat on - Cream Blusher in 'Sob'. This is a light but bright blue pink that turns almost mauve when used with a light touch.




RAINY DAYS

I tend to stick with matt Powder Blushers when the weather takes a turn for the worse as I like to add shimmer of sparkle to my eyes or lips. I really like the effect of Powder Blusher in 'Beg'. Sehpora.com describes this as a 'muted warm rose'- love that description! It warms up pale/ medium complexions really nicely. I have used it quite sparingly below - you can see how warm it can get in the product picture below, although in reality it actually looks slightly duskier.

Lucy looks great with a bit of sculpting with Powder Blusher in 'Create' - it gives a lovely matt beige contour and if, like me, you do not like bronzers with any hint of shimmer or sparkle, then you could give this a try...


For a flash of unexpected colour, try Powder Blusher in 'Sin'. This is a deep violet shade but can be blended out to a mauve/ pink finish. I think 'Sin' is one of those unique colours that would work on pretty much every skin colour depending on how it is used!

Illamasqua Icons: Karen O

Lucy, our Product Development intern, has chosen Karen O as her beauty icon.

We are all massive fans of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's at Head Office [we frequently have the amazing 'It's Blitz!' playing through the speakers] and their lead singer, Karen O, has become a style revelation with her unusual half polish, half korean looks and unmistakable voice.

With her dark, tom boy hair cut and pale skin she can pull of a variety of make-up looks but tends to rock her trademark red lip.

To recreate a Karen O look, prep your skin with Matt Primer + SPF20 to help even out skintone and lightly mattify oilier areas. This will also allow your foundation to sit on top more evenly and achieve that flawless finish that Karen O has. For a nod to the 80s, apply a contour colour [Illamasqua has a great selection of contour specific Powder Blushers for all skin tones] such as 'Mischief' Powder Blusher just under the cheekbone to define and sculpt.

This is a very matt look, so dust some Loose Powder in '010' for a translucent finish to the skin. Add a little more to the lips to help lip products 'grab' on. Line lips with Medium Pencil in 'Spell', a gorgeous, rich pillar box red and fill in with Intense Lipgloss in 'Besotted' for a rich, edgy red that is both intense in colour and juicy in finish.

Line all around the eyes with Fine Pencil in 'Classic' which is a lovely dove grey and then smudge with Illamasqua Eye Liner Brush to break up the line and give it a Rock N Roll edge. The look is very matt, so try Powder Eye Shadow in 'Incubus' all over the lid and contour under the lashes and in the crease of the eye socket with Powder Eye Shadow in 'Lestat', a very buildable matt black.

Three coats of Volumising Mascara in 'Harness' will give you dark, fluttering lashes and apply a touch of Sealing Gel with your Eye Liner Brush around the lash lines to give the colour ultimate staying power. Add some False Eye Lashes in '17' if you want maximum impact.

Exclusive New Sirens Product Launch 8th-11th July at Selfridges Trafford

Wednesday 8th July through to Saturday 11th July sees Adam, one of our fabulous London based make-up artists [and personal make-up artist to the likes of Fergie, Rihanna and the Pussycat Dolls when they are in the UK!] is travelling to launch the next installment of Sirens products exclusively in Selfridges Trafford.

I can't give away too many details at this point... but it's a product that can used on the face and the body! To be in with the chance of winning this fabulous product, enter the Mizzworthy/ Illamasqua Alter Ego competition by following this link.

I grabbed a quick word with Adam this afternoon...

Alex - Hey Adam! How is the counter today?

Adam - Really busy, darling, but it's fabulous!

Alex - Are you looking forward to going to Manchester?

Adam - Of course! I love the Trafford centre and I love the clientele - everyone is so fabulously stylish and avant garde. I also love the night life; I will be heading to Canal street to party with the beautiful people! I will also be creating some beautiful Sirens looks on some gorgeous models and really showing everyone how versatile our products are. Did you know that Liquid Metal looks so glamorous in your hair? A bit of a gold highlight with 'Solstice'or a bronze low light with 'Enrapture'.

Alex - Thanks for the tip! Any other products you are loving right now?

Adam - Oh... Sealing Gel, as always! This is my absolute Holy Grail product - it automatically pretty much waterproofs any product you use it with - if you have naturally weepy eyes this is the ultimate product for you! I use it with every type of eye product.

Alex - I have already waxed lyrical about Sealing Gel. Any kooky way of using it that our readers might not have considered?

Adam - If you were a bright or bold lipstick and it tends to feature, swipe a little of this on a brush around the edge of your lips after applying lipstick and it will not budge.

Alex - Will definitely try that on a night out! So you have a great celeb clientele... do any of your clients love Illamasqua?

Adam - I use Illamasqua on all of them! I know for a fact that Nicole from The Pussycat Dolls loves Muse and Fern Nail Varnishes and that Kimberley adores Filth Lipstick. Rihanna has been known to work Maneater Lipstick, too!

To read Adam's bio click here or to book a make-up lesson with him at Trafford [8th-11th July] call 0161 629 1187 or at London 0207 318 3788.

Thanks to vexinthecityx.blogspot.com and makeupandbeautyblog.com for the swatches!

Product of the Week: Daemon Powder Eye Shadow

The wearable red eye shadow...

Red eye shadow was once considered a complete no-go area for everyone but the bravest make-up artists, however if applied in a balanced way, it can look very flattering and is certainly attention grabbing! Krystle Clayton, one of our artists from the Selfridges Trafford counter tells me more:

“Red eye shadow can be used a block colour, but looks best when softened with other colours – it looks great when mixed with browns such as Powder Eye Shadow in 'Jules' or 'Faith' to create a rusty, smoky eye look.

In the past, I have found it very hard to find a true red eye shadow, but Illamasqua have hit the jackpot! 'Daemon' has great, intense colour that is very buildable – lightly press an Eye Shadow Brush into the powder for a light wash of colour and build from there or mix with Sealing Gel and use an Eye Liner Brush to create body art or a dramatic liquid line on the eyes.”

“You can see here that I have used the product not only on my eyes but down the cheekbones, too. It makes a fabulous blush!”
To read Krystle's full bio, click here. To book a make-up lesson with Krystle please call 0161 629 1187.

Ask An Artist

This series will strive to answer any questions that we receive from our Facebook fanclub, Myspace, Youtube channel or here on our blog! We will then ask one of our talented professional artists to answer them personally in this weekly series. Feel free to email askanartist@illamasqua.com and put forward any query you might have, be it about the brand, general make-up tips or related to a specific product and we will do our best to give you a great answer!

To kick off this series, I have taken a question from Youtube channel and put it forward to Aga, one of our Selfridges Oxford Street based artists. Aga has provided looks for such prestigious designers such as Alexander McQueen. To read her full biography click here.

This weeks question, taken from our Youtube channel, is:

What is Sealing Gel and how do I use it?

Aga: “Sealing Gel is basically a make-up fixer. If you love a particular Powder Eye Shadow but don’t have an eye liner in that colour then mix a drop of Sealing Gel into the corner of the eye product and it will create a thick, strong paste which can be applied directly to eyes using a thin brush [try Eye Liner Brush]. The Sealing Gel will guarantee that this colour will stay true until you want to take it off. I also suggest mixing it with Pure Pigment to get a sparking liner. It’s an invaluable product to have in your make-up case.”

To book a make-up lesson with Aga, call 0207 318 3788.

Illamasqua Icons: Maggie The Cat

This series will be homage to the great female icons of history. From Boudicca to Bridget Bardot, Zsa Zsa Gabor to Zeta Jones, this compilation will look at the life and style of these colourful characters – chosen by our Illamasqua team, both counter artists and Head Office.

First up this week? Well – me!

Alex Cummins, marketing assistant chose Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie The Cat…

Out of all the gorgeous women in the world, my favourite has got to be Elizabeth Taylor. From sassy child star [always seemingly playing second fiddle to an animal star… Lassie Come Home and National Velvet were among her early hits!] through to sultry starlet, Elizabeth was the media darling of the 50s and 60s for her stunning looks and turbulent love life. I particularly love her in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof [1958].

Get The Look

As Maggie the Cat, Elizabeth played a woman who was frustrated by her husbands complete disregard for her on a personal and sexual level even though she was undeniably beautiful and spent time perfecting her beauty. This was mirrored in the make-up that Elizabeth wore for the role.
Dark, arched brows [try Eye Brow Cake in 'Vehement' mixed with a drop of 'Sealing Gel'] were created using an angled eyebrow brush [try Eye Brow Brush]. A dark, smoky look enhanced her bright eye colour. Powder Eye Shadow in 'Lestat' and 'Gimp' would be perfect.

A contouring blush enhanced killer cheekbones; I love Powder Blusher in 'Create'. Add a light dusting of Powder Blusher [try 'Tweak'] for a sexy flush.

Strongly lined lips were typical of the 1950s. Medium Pencil in 'Ascend' is a very similar to the colour on Maggie’s lips and with a dab of similar nude coloured Sheer Lipgloss in 'Enchant' completes the look. Blend with a Lip Brush.

“If someone's dumb enough to offer me a million dollars to make a picture, I'm certainly not dumb enough to turn it down.” – Elizabeth Taylor