Illamasqua Summer 2012 Collection - Naked Strangers

Earlier in the season, we looked at the update to the Human Fundamentalism collection, this collection was originally the big spring release from the company and they updated it at the beginning of the summer in order to keep up with the trends of the changing season.  With this update, I wasn't sure that we would see a full summer collection from Illamasqua, a fact that depressed me since I have bought more products from this company in the past few months than every before.  At the end of last week, a full summer collection from this company was finally released.  This collection is named Naked Strangers and Illamasqua had been putting sneak peeks of the Nail Varnishes on the website for an entire week before the official collection release.

Naked Strangers is a collection of products and shades that will work very well in the summer months but will also transition well into the fall months.  This collection consists mostly of neutrals and lots of foil finishes.  This a very easy collection to wear, many of the shades can be used for multiple occasions and will work all the way into the fall months.  This collection consists of shades for lips, eyes, cheeks, and a new series of my favorite nail polishes.  Of course, the nail polishes caught my eye first but I am excited for the whole collection.

"Uncover the Naked Strangers collection; a place where alter egos are laid bare and naked flesh is a source of unashamed inspiration.  In this delicate tipping point between intimacy and pleasurable detachment, we reveal in the unknown; exploring the distance between pure monogamous, gilded faithful and unhibited swinger.  Exposed nude tones, adorned with gold, leave you gasping for more.  Don't restrain yourself.  Unless, of course, you enjoy it."  The piece of this collection that made my June Most Wanted list was one of the Nail Varnishes, Swinger is a great foiled gold shade that can easily work its way into my rotation of favorite shades.

Here is the new Illamasqua collection!

Neutral Palette - Create sculpted highlights and stark contours anywhere on your face and body with these four pivotal Powder Eye Shadows.  From our new antique gold shade, Vintage - exclusive to this palette - and matt shades Stealth (creamy buttermilk) and Wolf (rich chocolate brown), to the smoky charcoal depths of the new shade Obsidian (rich black), express your inner light and darkness with riotous glamour.
- Vintage - antique gold shimmer
- Stealth - creamy matte buttermilk
- Wolf - rich matte chocolate brown
- Obsidian - rich matte black

Liquid Metal - A rich and highly pigmented metallic cream that grabs full attention wherever it's applied.  Smooth onto eyes, face, and body with fingers or a brush and prepare to take the spotlight.
- Electrum - antique gold

Powder Blusher - Illuminate, radiate, make your face come alive with the colour and drama of Illamasqua Powder Blusher.  Colour-intense and highly pigmented, use it to shade, brighten, enhance, and define the shape of your face.  Be bold, be daring, be the centre of attnetion.
- Naked Rose - neutral beige pink

Cream Blusher - Tease, hyponotise, use to effect.  Use Cream Blusher to highlight your cheekbones, shape your face, build and blend with fingers or a brush to create the colour intensity you desire.  Use over your foundation for impact, or under for a captivating glow.  However you apply it, be daring.
- Zygomatic - naked pink brown
Sheer Lipgloss - Super glossy, with a sensual, sheer colour designed to enhance your lips.  Use Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss on its own or with Illamasqua Lipstick for added pout.  Add a little more sexiness to your smile.
- Intimacy - nude pink brown

Intense Lipgloss - Come out of the shadows with high-shine, colour-rich Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in a wide range of bold colours.  Create lips that look full and glossy, without feeling sticky with this "liquid lipstick".  Draw attention to your lips, and to you.
- Stranger - platinum gold

Nail Varnish - A spectrum of bold shades with a range of finishes including matt, rubber, and high-gloss.  Award winning, extremely hard-wearing and chip-resistant, there's an Illamasqua Nail Varnish for every shade of humanity.  Apply two coats for intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish.
- Monogamous - creamy flesh pink with matt finish
- Swinger - glistening platinum gold with metallic finish
- Faithful - coppered metal with metallic finish

I just love this collection, this is yet another reason why Illamasqua is one of my favorite makeup brands.  My favorites from this collection are the eye and nail products, the palette in this collection will work very well into my current makeup look and I can wear it all the way into the cooler weather months.  This palette looks very familar and I feel like I have seen it in a recent collection from this company.  The Powder Blusher shade will work very well for me when my skin is pale so I will hold off on this product until the beginning of the fall months, this neutral pink will work well with dramatic eyes or lips.  With the neutral pink blush, I also want the Intimacy Sheer Lipgloss to wear against dramatic eye makeup this fall, many of the shades in this collection work better for the fall and winter than the summer and I am not quite sure why this is considered a summer collection.

And now we are at my favorite piece of the collection, the new Nail Varnishes!  Swinger is still my favorite shade and this platinum gold foil is a great neutral to work all summer and then all the way into the fall.  Monogamous is a great neutral pale and will also work in almost every single circumstance.  I love these two nail shades and I must go to Sephora and see if they are going to be carried on the new Nail Bar.

This collection is not a typical summer collection and I will be more likely to save many of these shades for the fall.  I see lots of great neutrals in this collection and more nail polishes to lust after!

photo courtesy of Illamasqua