Illamasqua Liquid Metal

Over the past few months, I have been using more and more from the Illamasqua product line and it has been heading up toward the top of my favorite brands list, up there with NARS, MAC, and Urban Decay.  Every product that I have tried to far has a fantastic texture and pigmentation, therefore I continue to want more and more from this company.  Gilded eye makeup is one of the hugest trends for fall and is one of my personal favorites and so I am more than happy to buy more shimmering eye makeup.  I first purchased Illamasqua's Liquid Metal product a few months ago, I remember seeing it used as eye makeup in Allure and I loved the finish that it gave.  Then I bought it in New York City (one a few Sephoras carry this line) and was told on Makeup Alley that this waasn't a product to be used on eyes.  Result was that it sat in my traincase unopened for several months...

I do remember that this originally was marketed and sold as a highlighter for the face and body.  This was the description that was given on the Illamasqua website at that time and I then cursed myself for what then seemed as a worthless purchase.  The description has now updated on their website and this product is listed under the eye makeup area so I guess that enough people used it that way instead of as a face highligher.  This product seems to be Illamasqua's version of The Multiple from NARS or Pigment from MAC, it can be used in many different ways depending on the look desired.  I use it on my eyes and I just the finish and pigment that is the result, I am so glad that I tried this product out.

"Feel the heat with this gloriously rich and highly pigmented metallic cream that radiates wherever it is applied.  Use on eyes, lips, face, body, and apply with fingers or a brush.  Release your inhibitions and free your inner siren.", states the Illamasqua website for the product description.  The makeup artists for this company also provided some useful tips on how to best work with this product.  "Liquid Metal provides a highly pigmented metallic finish worn alone and bespoke shades can be created when mixing colors together.  Apply by using fingers, an eye shadow brush, or a small blending brush, depending on the desired finish."

I recommend using this product with the fingertip application, I found that it applies the product smoother and easier that trying to use an eye shadow brush. I used a stiff eye shadow brush once and the application took a longer time and the result wasn't all that different.  This product did need the use of a primer underneath it and I prefer to use the Urban Decay Primer Potion, without the use of primer, creasing will be a major issue. 

Very little of this product needs to be used to create a dazzling, glided finish on the eyelid.  The first time that I used this product, I tried to apply it more like a MAC Paint Pot and used much too much.  I ended up with product all over and it looked way overdone.  The best way to apply this product is lightly rub one finger on it and then begin to dab it on the eyelid and blend with a clean one.  I also used this product as an eye liner on my upper lid with the same type of brush that I would use with Smashbox Cream Eye Liner.  With the used of a primer, this product lasts all day and well into the night.  I used this once as a highlighter in my cleavage (applied with a MUCH lighter hand) and created a light wash of shimmer.  It was very attractive in small doses but I wouldn't do it over larger areas of the body.  I have never tried this out on my lips...

Illamasqua started with this product in very few shades but since the popularity of it grew, they have been releasing it in new shades with many of the recent collections.

- Superior - metallic sapphire
- Resolute - metallic ruby
- Stoic - metallic emerald
- Phenomena - molten silver
- Surge - molten pewter
- Solstic - molten gold

I own this product in Solstic, the gold shade.  It gives the most beautiful gilded golden finish and is one of my favorite gold shades that I have ever used on my eyes.  I also want to buy this product in the Phenomena and Surge shades to add to my fall makeup collection.  Illamasqua makes this product in a palette that offers four of the shades in it, which might actually work better for me to buy.  This compact contains a lot of product and I need to use a very little bit on my eyelids so I will have this product for months to come. 

photo courtesy of Illamasqua