Illamasqua Holiday 2013 Collection

We are right back at looking at the holiday collections today, we have two weeks until Thanksgiving and I am trying to really ramp up my gift shopping.  I don't think that I will find any gifts for others while looking at the holiday collection from Illasmasqua, I am the only one of my friends who uses and love this brand so I will only be shopping for myself while checking this collection out.  I love Illasmasqua lipsticks and blushes and I am excited to see what limited edition shades are available for this holiday season.

This collection contains mostly new shades to create all kinds of glamourous looks for the holiday season and very few gift ideas.  This is a company that is well known for dramatic makeup shades and creating glamourous combinations that will set the wearer apart from the crowd.  I am looking for a few beautiful eye makeup shades and a bright lipstick or two from this new collection.

The newest holiday collection from Illamasqua...

Fatale Palette - Expertly crafted, each new Illamasqua palette features a combination of shades to speak for every age, skin tone or personality, allowing you to create bespoke looks that ensure all eyes are on you.  Use the iridescent shimmers under the brow bone, in the inner corner of the eye, or centre of the eyelid to illuminate and widen your eyes. Combine with a smoky definition across the socket line, building at the outer corners, to create intrigue and mystery.
- bronze gold/berry shimmer/chestnut brown/medium violet shimmer

Sculpting Powder Duo - This formulation can provide up to four to five variations of the same shade depending on how lightly or intensely it is applied. Use wet for a bolder colour pay-off, and it can also double up as an eye shadow. Apply using Blusher Brush 1 for colour on the centre of the cheeks, or using the new Blush Up Brush for more definition and contouring.
- Heliopolis - soft brown matte
- Lumos - champagne gold shimmer

Intense Lip Gloss - Super glossy, with a sensual, sheer colour designed to enhance your lips. Use Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Maiden on its own or with Illamasqua Lipstick for added pout. Add a little more sexiness to your smile.
- Maiden - warm peach

Nail Varnish - A spectrum of bold shades with a range of finishes including matt, rubber and high-gloss. Award-winning, extremely hardwearing and chip-resistant, there's an Illamasqua Nail Varnish for every shade of humanity.
- Blizzard - clear base with white sparkles suspended in it

I think the only piece of the collection that I must have is the Fatale Palette, I love the combination of the neutrals and the berry shade.  Berry is one of the few eye shadow shades that I do not own (unless I have a berry shade somewhere in an Urban Decay palette that I have never used) and I want to try adding it to my crease with neutral eye makeup looks.  I will be ordering this palette pretty soon and working this shade into my eye makeup collection.  The Nail Varnish is a pretty shade and I would like to own it but its not a must-have for me.  I can skip over the rest of the collection, I am a bit disappointed by these shade offerings as I was hoping for something more dramatic for the holiday season.

photo courtesy of Illamasqua

Illamasqua Fall 2013 Collection - The Sacred Hour

Yesterday we looked at the new fall products from a line that I love for subtle, professional makeup shades and today we are turning the tables and looking at the new fall collection from a company that makes shades that would be right at home on a professional dancer's face.  Illamasqua is a favorite makeup line of mine and I wish that it was easier to find at the Sephora stores, I have only seen the actual shades at the store on Fifth Avenue but have to cross my fingers every time that I order the products from the Sephora website.  This line has shades that are very dramatic and these types of shades tend to photograph differently than more muted shades.

The newest collection from this line is named The Sacred Hour, "The Sacred Hour is the time to release your inner warrior" and this collection is about beginning and renewal.  I tend to renew my look at the beginning of the fall and spring seasons so I understand the concept of this collection and want to find more shades to purchase from it.

This collection brings out a new face product and then new shade in some of the current color products.  I am always on the look out for new blush and lipstick shades from this line since I love both of these products already.  "Embrace new beginnings at daybreak and re-stoke
the fire in your heart as the sun sets.", is the description of the newest color collection from Illamasqua. 

The Illamasqua fall collection...

Skin Base Lift - Lift, illuminate and create flawless coverage with this brightening concealer. Infused with warm peach tones to flatter every skin tone, Skin Base Lift blends easily, correcting uneven pigmentation and visibly lifting the eye area. For added brightening effect, custom mix each shade with Skin Base Lift in White Light. Apply using an Illamasqua Brush.  Available in a range of shades to suit all skintones.

Reflection Palette - A combination of four highly pigmented shades and an innovative new water resistant eye shadow formula, the Reflection Palette creates striking washes of colour. With a long-lasting hold, each shadow's silky texture allows for effortless application and blending. Choose from Precipice (Soft Lemon), Acute (Ash Taupe), Graphica (Graphite Grey) or Dart (Toasted Bronze).

Precision Gel Liner - The eyeliner soon to be the mainstay in the make-up bags of every beauty enthusiast, Precision Gel Liner recreates the fluidity of a liquid liner in the ease of a gel. Creating a smooth, rich black line from the first application, the long-lasting and water-resistant formula is guaranteed to stay in place all day.  Apply Precision Gel Liner with an Illamasqua Brush and remove using waterproof make-up remover.
- Infinity - deep creamy black

False Eye Lashes - Handmade and cruelty-free, in a variety of stunning styles to enhance your eyes. Apply with the latex-free glue provided, and combine with Illamasqua eye colours for eyes that hypnotise.
- Lush - long feathery black fake lashes

Velvet Blusher - Create a flush of intense colour with this long-lasting, matte blusher. The lightweight cream texture delivers a velvet soft cream to powder finish. Apply to the apples of the cheek, or across cheekbones to enhance and define. Build and blend with fingers or an Illamasqua brush for added colour-intensity.
- Sleek - dusky coral
- Peaked - dusky rose

Lipstick - With an unrivaled colour-intensity, long-lasting Illamasqua Lipstick won’t give up without a fight. Choose from a range of flawless finishes, from creamy matt to iridescent shimmer. For best results apply with a Lip Brush.
- Shard - red violet with a matte finish

Nail Varnish - A spectrum of bold shades with a range of finishes including matt, rubber and high-gloss. Award-winning, extremely hardwearing 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.
- Hemlock - pale opal green iridescent
- Facet - gray crystal

Angled Brush - The perfect brush to define and create precision lines. Ideal for eyebrow and eyeline definition and for sharpening beneath the eyebrow and around the lip with your foundation.

This is one of the more subtle collections from Illamasqua, I don't see any blue lipsticks or bright green eye shadows and many of these shades would be easy to introduce to someone newer to the collection.  I would start with the Velvet Blusher in Peaked, Velvet Blusher is a different formula than the one that I already love so this would be a new formula for me to try.  The deep rose shade will create a great contrast to my pale skin and this will be a great look for me this fall. 

The Reflection Palette is very pretty and I want to order this palette for fall.  I am not sure that I will be able to work with the pale yellow color in this palette but I can easily work the other three shades in with my Naked Palettes.  I wouldn't mind ordering the gel eye liner but I don't see that it will be that different from the Smashbox formula that I have been using for years now.  I like the red lipstick shade in this collection however I want to find more pictures of it and see how much purple is in the shade.  Another one of my favorite products from this brand is the Nail Varnish and I want the Facet shade of it for fall, I think Hemlock will be too pale for the cool weather months.

I really like this collection however it is not as dramatic as many of the previous Illamasqua collections but this will be an easy way to introduce the brand to new customers.  I have been raving about this brand for several years now and I want to show this collection to all my friends so they can begin to try these products.

photo courtesy of Illamasqua

Current Favorites!

The heart of summer has now arrived and I am all about running outside, eating the best fresh fruit from the farmer's market, and wearing as many shades of bright greens and pinks as I can.  So far this summer I have been adding the gym into my life at least three times a week and am now appreciating products that can easily take me from work to working out and the right into casual playtime.  I feel that I tend to love many of the same products from summer to summer and then just add a few more new ones into the mix.  My newest love for this summer is from Bath and Body Works, my Pure Paradise Fine Fragrance Mist will lead off the Favorites list as it is my new fragrance love for the warm weather!

My Current Favorites!

Bath and Body Works Pure Paradise Fine Fragrance Mist - "Lavishly splash or lightly spritz your favorite fragrance, either way you'll fall in love at first mist! Our carefully crafted bottle and sophisticated pump delivers great coverage while conditioning aloe mist nourishes skin for the lightest, most refreshing way to fragrance!  A summer-chic blend of sparkling star fruit & ocean-kissed frangipani blossoms it's pure paradise in a bottle!  Mid Notes: Luscious Gardenia, Frangipani, Watery Lily.  Dry Notes: White Musk, Blond Woods, Sun-Kissed Coconut.  Top Notes: Fresh Star Fruit, Juicy Guava, Dewy Cassis."  This is new scent that I added about three weeks ago to my fragrance collection and one that I put on my dresser right away, it is very rare that I find a Fragrance Mist from Bath and Body Works that I love and want to add to my collection, normally I either use only their body products or buy the perfume in a scent that I love.  I almost never use Fragrance Mist but this one was so lovely that I bought it right way when I smelled it.  This is the perfect light tropical floral that actually smells crisp and clean instead of strong and cloying.  I have tried tropical florals from Comptoir Sud and have found that many of them tend toward a mixture of Gardenia notes and Coconut Milk, a combination that is very hard to get correct.  This scent is what I have always envisioned when trying out the tropical florals and I loved this one as soon as I first smelled it.  I own it in the Fragrance Mist and all the matching body products, I will wear them all summer long!

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Collide - "A vivacious nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is long-wearing and chip-resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high gloss. Apply two coats for high intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  Collide is a "bright neon pink with a satin finish" and has been a favorite of mine for years.  Anyone that has read this blog for the past few years know that I pull this polish shade out as soon as the weather warms and will be on my Favorites list until the end of summer.  This bright pink shade matches a favorite pair of pink flats and everything that I own from Lilly Pulitzer.  Illamasqua Nail Varnish is one the best quality polishes that I have ever used, they last for about five days with minor chipping and the high shine finish stays just as long.  I will use this shade for both manicures and pedicures all throughout the summer and am considering trying this shade and a bright aqua for new twist on an accent manicure.  A perennial summer favorite!

MAC Cremesheen Glass in Floating Lotus - A lip finish that fuses the creamy, sheen-filled nature of Cremesheen Lipstick with the shine of M∙A∙C Lipglass. Soft, comfortable, non-sticky. Applies with a doe-foot applicator. Use as a top layer to its namesake Lipstick or on its own."  Floating Lotus is a "frosted soft rose" and has quickly risen to the top of my traincase after trying it out for the first time several weeks ago.  I use this lip gloss all the time and it is one of the best shades that I have ever used, the formula is very hydrating and the pigmented formula leaves my lips a great pink shade.  I will be buying more shades in this formula over the next few weeks.

MAC Prep + Prime Skin Face Primer - "An ultra-fluid lotion formulated with special-effect silicones. Calms and soothes the skin, blots away excess oil, and evens out skin redness. Improves the laydown and application of foundation or powder."  I have used this primer several times before and this is one of the few primers that I continue to repurchase over and over again.  This primer works well all year long and somehow manages to prevent excess skin in the summer months and then hydrate dry areas in the rest of the year.  This creates a great base for foundation and Urban Decay Beauty Balm.  I have been using the Beauty Balm for about three weeks now with bronzer (instead of my traditional foundation and powder routine) and I have been very happy with the results from the combination.  I will keep this combination up for the rest of the summer!

Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Maui Wowie -  "Urban Decay’s groundbreaking new eye shadow formula.  This reformulation of Urban Decay’s eye shadow features even softer, amazingly velvety texture; richer, more dense and decadent color; smoother, more uniform pigment distribution and blendability; and longer-lasting, more crease-free wear. The new line of shadows features a completely revamped assortment of shades, new textures, and a totally redesigned token compact.  The secret to the new formula is Urban Decay’s Pigment Infusion System™, a vehicle for color that holds tightly to pigment and gives the formula its glide. The proprietory blend of ingredients allows color to weave itself through the formula resulting in insane color payout, color that stays on your lids, and sparkle that doesn’t fall. The amazing technology works for every shade and finish. Every Urban Decay shade is silky, blendable, and stays put."  Maui Wowie is a "metallic golden beige with silver shimmer" and I have worn it for about two years now.  This is favorite of mine all throughout the year but I especially love this beautiful gold in the summer months, it brightens my blue eyes and complements my fake tan.  I love pairing this eye shadow with a bright pink lip shade for both day and night.

My favorites now area ll about getting the summer started on the right note!

photo courtesy of MAC

Illamasqua Summer 2013 Collection - Paranormal

Last night was my last final of the semester and today I am celebrating the end of the semester by looking at the new summer collection from one of my absolute favorite companies.  I have been hooked on Illamasqua for about two years now and every product that I buy from them makes me love the brand even more, I have never been disappointed by a product from this company and I doubt that I ever will.  The Nail Varnishes are one of my absolute favorites from my product collection, followed very closely by the Lipsticks and the Blushes.  I am very excited to see what new shades have been introduced in these products...and everything else that has come out in the summer collection.

The new collection is called Paranormal and it promises to be one of the most unique collections of the summer.  This company has never produced a dull collection and leads the pack every single season with creativity and trend setting shades.  This is the first collection where Illamasqua has introduced a primer and I am really excited to order this primer, I live for primers and I want to try the newest one from this fabulous product line!

"Illamasqua is opening the doorway to a new dimension. Dare to come in?  Go where you have never been before. Give in as beauty takes control.  It is time to awaken the aura you have repressed for so long, and explore a new universe of unexpected textures and formulas. Embrace the distorted reflection in a cracked mirror; the candle that suddenly extinguishes in a sealed room; a window has opened, allowing you to penetrate the fragile membrane of a twin existence, the paranormal world.  After all, why be normal, when you can be Paranormal?"

Here is the newest from a favorite brand of mine!

Paranormal Palette - This unique water-resistant eye shadow can't quite decide if it's a cream or powder. Instead it combines the best of both worlds, delivering the textured silky appearance of a powder, but with the deep colour wash of a cream.  With a long-lasting hold, each shadow's silky texture allows for effortless application and blending. Choose from Paranormal (vivid cerise), Aura (warm copper), Trance (soft violet) or Possession (cool green).
- Paranormal - vivid cerise
- Aura - warm copper
- Trance - soft violet
- Possession - cool green

Fine Eye Liner Brush with Cover - A fine eye liner brush which is ideal for make-up bags and travel as it is stored in its own detachable handle to protect the brush when stored. Perfect to create a controlled flick eye liner style.

Precision Gel Liner - Soon to be the mainstay in the make-up bags of every beauty enthusiast, Precision Gel Liner recreates the fluidity of a liquid liner in the ease of a gel. Creating a smooth, rich black line from the first application, the long-lasting and water-resistant formula is guaranteed to stay in place all day.  Apply Precision Gel Liner with an Illamasqua Brush and remove using waterproof make-up remover.
- Infinity - deep black cream

Hydra Veil - Create a radiant finish with Hydra Veil's instantly rehydrating, gel formula. Providing the optimal base for your make-up, apply before foundation with an Illamasqua Brush.

Lipstick - Let your lips speak volumes. Indulge in colour-intense lipstick with a highly pigmented formula, available in a choice of flawless finishes, from creamy matt to iridescent finishes. Illamasqua Lipstick glides on smoothly and doesn't give up without a fight for the perfect all-night pout. A must have for professional make-up artists, and those who want to make a statement.
- ESP - vivid violet, matte finish
- Posture - cool mauve, matte finish

Gleam - Back by popular demand, and with a new and improved formula, Gleam's lightweight, iridescent finish sensuously highlights the natural beauty of your face and body.  A solid, cream compact, containing lustrous pearlescent pigments. Smooth Supernatural (warm bronze iridescent) over skin with fingers or a brush for an alluring glow that lifts and highlights wherever it's applied. This is light-reflecting beauty.
- Supernatural - warm bronze

UV Glow Nail Varnish - Take your nails into the next dimensions with limited edition UV Nail Varnish from the Paranormal collection. Alone, each shade delivers bold, high-impact colour with a distinctive shimmer finish. But when worn under UV light they take on a life of their own, emitting a standout glow that cannot be ignored.
- Seance - paranormal bright violet
- Ouija - paranormal bright pink
- Omen - paranormal bright green

UV Glow Paranormal Top Coat - Take your nails into the next dimensions with limited edition UV Nail Varnish form the Paranormal collection. Alone, each shade delivers bold, high-impact colour with a distinctive shimmer finish. But when worn under UV light they take on a life of their own, emitting a standout glow that cannot be ignored.  Apply clear Paranormal Top Coat in Geist over any nail varnish to created a glowing finish.

This isn't my favorite Illamasqua collection, I only like a couple of the products in this collection and there are only two items that I really must have.  The first item is the Hydra Veil, the new primer from this line.  The gel formula sounds as though it will be light enough to use in the warm weather months but will also be hydrating enough to use in the fall and winter.  The description of this product reminds of the formula of my beloved MAC Prep and Prime and I want to order this product as soon as I see it on the Sephora website. 

The seond item that I must have from this collection is the black cream eye liner, I already own one that I love from Smashbox but it wouldn't kill me to branch out and try other formulas.  My pot of Smashbox liner is getting old so i will need to start thinking about replacing it in a few months and I want to try some other brands when I buy new liners.  I get great results from all kinds of cream eye liners and I want to branch out and try more formulas. 

I am only considering one other item from this collection, the UV Glow Nail Varnish Top Coat.  This product will turn any polish into the UV finish and will be a better purchase for me rather than buying the UV Nail Varnishes themselves.  I doubt that I would use these polishes very often and the top coat would be the best bet for me.  I already own bright pinks and purples from Illamasqua and this top coat would turn them into shades very similar to the pink and purple offered in the UV range.  I don't like the green shade and would never wear it so i will be completely skipping over the UV Nail Varnish range.

I really dislike most of the rest of this collection, the palette is much to dramatic for me to ever pull off so I will be skipping over it.  This product promises to be a best seller, it is sold out already on the Illamasqua website and the Sephora website also.  I can see this being a top choice for someone who loves bright eye makeup shades but they are not my style.  Neither Lipstick shade will work for me, this company's Lipsticks are very dramatic and pigmented and therefore I never buy any shade that I am not totally sure that I would love.  So both of these are out.

This might be one of my least favorite Illamasqua collections, I would hoping for a few neutral hues to mix with the brights.  I could only pull off small pieces of this collection and will only pick up a few items from it.

photo courtesy of Illamasqua

Current Favorites!

Spring came pretty late this year and I have mostly been using products that are suitable for the slowly changing seasons, I have not broken any of my warm weather fragrances out yet and am not yet wearing any type of bright shades.  However spring seems to finally have arrived to stay and I already have some new favorites for the beginning of the season.  My bottle of Chloe perfume has been working overtime lately and I may be adding to my list of favorite fragrances, I will be wearing this one for a long time to come yet and it is one of the best purchases that I have made in a long time.  I have also been in love with a new (to me) formula of MAC Lipstick and I am now excited to buy even more shades from this formula, I know that I have a great few months of beauty product shopping coming up!

Here are my current favorite items!

Chloe Chloe - "Capturing the spirit of women, the Chloé vision is not about one singular woman, but rather about the rich and varied personalities of all Chloé women. This fresh, smooth floral fragrance evokes sublime powdery rose. The effect is chic, comfortable, and entirely addictive.  Top notes of pink peony, freesia, and lychee embody subtle freshness. At the heart, midnotes of magnolia flower, lily of the valley, and rose rise to sublimated femininity. A base of velvety elegance comes to fruition through cedarwood, amber, and honey.  Inspired by the details in Chloé's fashion, the flacon's heavy but softly curved and grooved glass reflects femininity and strength. The plated-silver top is embossed with the Chloé mark and adorned with a hand-tied ribbon.  The notes are: Pink Peony, Freesia, Lychee, Magnolia Flower, Lily of the Valley, Rose, Cedarwood, Amber, Honey."  This perfume has been my go to since the beginning of March and I fall more in love with it every time that I use it.  The mixture of the peony, rose, and magnolia notes mix perfectly with the powdery notes and create a lovely floral that I can wear in any environment.  I have worn this fragrance to work, school, and when going out and it just fits perfectly in each time.  I have received many compliments on this fragrance and I have been relying on it for several weeks now.  This one might be up there with Stella McCartney's Stella as an absolute favorite of mine!

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Behave Yourself - "Combining the colour impact of a Lipstick with the shine sheen of a Lipglass, Sheen Supreme creates the perfect hybrid - with no compromise. Lightweight, non-sticky, slick to apply and comfortable to wear. This is a must-have for all those who have craved this kind of fusion."  Behave Yourself is a "light blue pink" that is perfect for both the spring months and my pale skin.  This lipstick formula was one that I had never tried out before but had several people recommend to me, this is one of the most hydrating and softest lipstick formulas that I have ever used, it goes on smoothly and keeps my lips very hydrated without the use of a separate balm.  When I first felt the texture of this lipstick at the counter, I assumed that it would be more of a tinted balm however it is a full pigment lipstick and I love the color payoff so much.  Behave Yourself is a light blue pink that is the perfect pink for me, I get so many ladies walking up to me and complimenting me on this shade whenever I wear it.  I want to try more shades in this formula now!

Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Dab - "A color-rich, water-resistant cream pigment for the lips, cheeks, and eyes that lasts as long as you do.  This versatile cream pigment creates the ultimate in textures on the face, eyes, lips, and anywhere else on the body you fancy. Apply with an Illamasqua brush or simply use your fingers for a buildable and highly pigmented finish that is water-resistant and long-wearing."  Dab is a "pale lilac with a matte finish".  This cream eye shadow is very pigmented and stays all day long (when used with a primer), a little bit of this product goes a very long way.  I pat a bit of this product on in the morning and it is still in place on my eyelids when I go to take off my makeup at night.  Dab is a pretty lilac without a shimmer finish, this is a lovely shade for spring and summer and I have been using it on any warm day that we have gotten so far.  I will be using this shade for the rest of the summer and it is fast becoming a warm weather staple for me.

MAC Archie's Girls Eye Shadow x 4: Caramel Sundae - "An Eye Shadow Quad in four shades: Caramel Sundae, Cheryl Chic, Dreammaker and Showstopper. The highly pigmented powder formula applies evenly, blends and builds beautifully. Limited-edition Archie's Girls packaging.  Shades are: Cheryl Chic (light coral pink with frost finish)/Dreammaker (pale frosty yellow with frost finish)/Caramel Sundae (midtone warm tan with satin finish)/Showstopper (dark cool toned brown with matte finish)."  I have been using this palette very often since I first bought it, the shades mix very well together and then with all the other neutral hues that I already owned.  When I am in a hurry, I know that I can grab this palette and combine three of the shades to get a quick but still polished eye look.  Some people have not been happy with the pigmentation of these shades, I agree that they could have more pigment but this would make them harder to wear and work with.  I can apply and mix these shades with fingers or brushes and they allow me to create a great look in less than three minutes.  I am so glad that I ordered this palette right away!

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Nomad - "A vivacious nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is long-wearing and chip-resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high gloss. Apply two coats for high intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  Nomad is a "bright jade with a glossy finish".  This is a bright jade green that I bought late in the winter when Pantone announced what their new Shade of the Year is.  I started using it as soon as winter ended and have been wearing it at least once a week every since.  This bright green catches the eye and the formula is the top quality one that I have come to expect from Illamaqua.  I will use this one on fingers and toes all the way through the spring and summer months!

I can't wait for the weather to get warmer and then stay warm, I am off to a great start to the spring with my current products and I only look forward to more MAC collections that are on the way and the Sephora Friends and Family so that I can get more goodies for the upcoming seasons!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Illamasqua Cream Pigment

To celebrate both the official beginning of spring and my week of vacation, I decided that I should make a Sephora order for both some new skincare and new color products.  It came in the other afternoon and I spent a great day playing around with my new products and I am going to review each one over the next few days.  I was so excited to make this order because I have been watching the new night cream from Philosophy for the past few weeks and when I went to make an order at the beginning of the month, it was already sold out and I put off my entire order.  I was so excited to see it back in stock that I ordered right away after I got the notification from Sephora's Customer Service and I would have kept putting this order off had this product not been in stock.

In addition to what might be my new favorite night cream, I also ordered two makeup items: Illamasqua's Cream Pigment and the new Beauty Balm formula from Urban Decay.  I still need to play around with the Beauty Balm before I review it (this is my first Beauty Balm formula) but I am ready to go with the Illamasqua product.  I first saw this product two springs ago in the Toxic Nature collection and this is said to be one of their top rated products and was recommended to me on the Makeup Alley Makeup Board.  So what was I looking for that this product was recommended by several people?  I wanted to find the best pale lilac eye shadow and this one was recommended to me by several people and I really wanted to try it out.  Not that it took much convincing for me to order from Illamasqua...

"A color-rich, water-resistant cream pigment for the lips, cheeks, and eyes that lasts as long as you do.  This versatile cream pigment creates the ultimate in textures on the face, eyes, lips, and anywhere else on the body you fancy. Apply with an Illamasqua brush or simply use your fingers for a buildable and highly pigmented finish that is water-resistant and long-wearing."  This product comes in five shades, four of which I believe were with the original release of the product.

The shades are...

- Mould - matte grape
- Hollow - matte toffee
- Bedaub - matte mint green
- Dab - matte pale lilac
- Delirium - matte rose taupe

I ordered the Dab shade from this product and I am already deciding what other shades that I would like from the formula.  This product is made to used on lips, cheeks, and eyes however I have only used this product on my eyes and I doubt that I would use this shade on any other feature.  This formula is very similar to the rest of the Illamasqua products, it is very pigmented, easy to apply, and lasts all day long without budging.  I use this with an eye primer to avoid creasing and I dab my finger in the pot and then pat it on my eyelids.  I then use a clean finger to blend the product in and soften the edges.  This product delivers vibrant color and it never fades throughout the day, I have never once had to touch this product up.  When I go to remove my makeup at night, this product is still in place and I need a separate eye makeup remover to fully get it off. 

If you like cream eye shadow formulas, this is one of the best that I have ever used.  It is very pigmented and will not budge until you take it off at night.  The next shade that I want to order is the pale mint green shade, Bedaub, this shade will also be perfect for spring and summer.  After that, I want to order both Hollow and Delirium for the cooler weather.  Delirium is the only shade that I might be able to wear on more than one facial feature but I would never wear the others as anything other than eye makeup.  There is a very good reason that Illamasqua is one of my favorite makeup brands and this is yet another great selection from them!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Illamasqua Spring 2013 Collection - I'm Perfection

My love for Illamasqua is never-ending and I have been patiently waiting for their spring collection to come out ever since they released their very limited edition Valentine's Day collection (and Raindrops is still out of stock!) and I just received the email that the next collection is up on the website and will be coming to other retailers within days.  I have been hearing all kinds of hype about the new type of Nail Varnishes that will be debuting with this collection and everyone knows how much I love any type of Nail Varnish from this company, I recently tried a polish with their Rubber finish and found a new type of polish to want and purchase.  I really need my local Sephora to carry everything in this color collection, I am happy that my store carries a few of the Nail Varnishes in the Nail Bar however I pretty have bought all of the ones that I want from there and still want so many more items in the line.

I first thought that this collection was named L'imperfection, French for "imperfection" but I think that it could be either of the names and both of them would fit with the philosophy of both the company and this collection itself.  "Stand up and show the world what makes you perfectly imperfect.  We want you to highlight the features that other brands encourage you to cover up.  Beacuse life isn't about finding yourself, life is about celebrating who you really are."  This collection features a huge egg in many of the collection photos but I still don't know that I totally understand the significance of the egg with the crack in it and the pigment that is pouring out of it.  Maybe I will learn more about this as the collection gets more exposure.

This collection looks really exciting, I see a new Blush Duo, a new Nail Varnish formula, and a new bright pink Lipstick shade.  I might as well just get my Most Wanted List out right now and start working on March...

Here is the newest collection from Illamasqua!

Precision Ink - Create looks with attitude that no one can ignore. Precision Ink's fine tip allows for defined application. Long-lasting and waterproof it's perfect for use anywhere on the face and body to bring out your bold side. You can even use it as an nail art pen; simply seal with Illamasqua Top Coat.
- Abyss - gloss black

Powder Blusher Duo - Lover and Hussy - Featuring two beautiful matt Powder Blusher shades, Lover (Soft apricot) and Hussy (Candy Pink), the new Powder Blusher Duo, a first for Illamasqua, comes in a gorgeous compact with a mirror. Illamasqua Powder Blushers are highly pigmented, use them to shade, brighten, enhance and contour. Be bold; be daring and most importantly be the center of attention this party season.
- Lover - soft apricot
- Hussy - candy pink

Powder Blusher Duo - Katie and Ambition - Featuring two beautiful matt Powder Blusher shades, Katie (Candy Pink) and Ambition (Neutral), the new Powder Blusher Duo, a first for Illamasqua, comes in a gorgeous compact with a mirror. Illamasqua Powder Blushers are highly pigmented, use them to shade, brighten, enhance and contour. Be bold; be daring and most importantly be the center of attention this party season.
- Katie - candy pink
- Ambition - neutral

Powder Blusher Duo - Beg and Bronzerella - Featuring two beautiful matt Powder Blusher shades, Beg (Dusky Rose) and Bronzerella (Copper Broze), the new Powder Blusher Duo, a first for Illamasqua, comes in a gorgeous compact with a mirror. Illamasqua Powder Blushers are highly pigmented, use them to shade, brighten, enhance and contour. Be bold; be daring and most importantly be the center of attention this party season.
- Beg - dusky rose
- Bronzerella - copper bronze

Lipstick - Let your lips speak volumes. Indulge in colour-intense lipstick with a highly pigmented formula, available in a choice of flawless finishes, from creamy matt to iridescent finishes. Illamasqua Lipstick glides on smoothly and doesn't give up without a fight for the perfect all-night pout. A must have for professional make-up artists, and those who want to make a statement.
- Immodest - vivid pink with matte finish

Intense Lip Gloss - 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.
- Shoot - leaf green

Blush Up Brush - Challenging conventional blusher application, Illamasqua's all-new Blush Up Brush has an innovative, ellipse shaped head, designed to tuck directly under the cheekbone. Creating a soft diffusion of colour up onto the cheekbone, combine the Blush Up Brush with your favourite Powder Blusher Duo shades for a look that defines, elongates and slims the face in one simple movement.

Nail Varnish - A spectrum of bold shades with a range of finishes including matt, rubber and high-gloss. Award-winning, extremely hardwearing 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.
- Freckle - speckled neutral
- Fragile - speckled blue
- Mottle - speckled green
- Scarce - speckled pink
- Speckle - speckled lilac

I love this collection and the new Nail Varnishes might be among my favorite products of the entire spring season, I must buy at least one or two of these shades.  I found a picture of the egg on the company's Facebook page and it includes a picture of every single nail polish shade on the model holding the object.  I fI have to pick my favorites from the new polishes, I love the Speckle shade (lilac) and the Mottle shade (pale green).  I am without many pale lilacs and mint greens on my polish collection and these are among the most unique that I have ever seen.  The speckled finish is brand new to the industy and I feel that a new trend will be sparking over the next few months.  The Nail Varnishes are my favorite pieces of the collection and I am just so excited to buy some more polishes from this company.

I was really excited for the Blusher Duo however the shades aren't quite what I had in mind.  I have issues with each of the Duos.  Lover and Hussy contains a shade that I already own (Hussy) and wear mostly in the summer when I have some kind of tan, I have barely made a dent in the surface of this shade in the past year and I have no reason to buy a back up especially when Lover is too warm for me to wear.  The next Duo is Katie and Ambition, Katie is one of my favorite shades from this line and if I really liked Ambition then I would order this Duo however I doubt that I would really use that shade.  Beg and Bronzerella won't work on me either so I guess there is just no reason for me to order any of these Duos.  So upset...

The last piece of this collection that gets me really excited is the Lipstick in Immodest, this bright matte pink will fit in perfectly with the look that I am creating for spring and this one will be ordered very soon.  The green Intense Lip Gloss is out, I could never pull this shade off but I would love to own it in a Nail Varnish.

I'm Perfection might be one of my favorite collections of the spring season, Illamasqua always creates collections and products that I end up falling madly in love with and is one ot the only companies that can rival my love for NARS, MAC, and Chanel!

photo courtesy of Illamasqua's Facebook page

Five Favorite - Pink Beauty Products

Today is the first of February and I will try to salute the month of romance and lovers in my own way.  And the only way that I can do this is to talk about my favorite pink beauty products, I love pink lipsticks and matching nail polishes and I later ended up falling in love with the Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon body products (even though I wasn't a fan intially).  I am considering purchasing a little something for this holiday and perhaps this will take the sting out of the day, I will work all day that day and then I have class at night so at least the day will go by quickly and I won't be in a funk about not having a date that night...

Today we are going to look at my Five Favorite pink beauty products.  Ladies, any of these products will be great for a Valentine's Day date and then will still be in style all throughout the spring months.  No matter what your thoughts on the holiday are, you will find a product or two to try from this group!  I may hate Valentine's Day but I love pink lipstick shades!!

Here are my favorite pinks!

NARS Semi-Matte Lipstick in Schiap - "A pure, creamy lipstick formula for bold color.  Nars Lipsticks are enriched with vitamin E to increase wearability and keep true color intact. Sheer finish creates the most natural, stained-looking lips. Semi-matte produces velvety, full-bodied lips. Finally, satin fashions creamy, moist-looking lips."  Schiap is a "semi-matte shocking pink".  This is my favorite pink lipstick and I am not alone in my love since it it sold out all the time at Sephora.  This shade is a bright matte pink, it creates the best bright pink lip and it lasts all day long.  The matte finish keeps this shade looking classy and I wear this shade all throughout the year.  The shade was named after designer Elsa Schaiparelli, an avant garde designer from the 20th Centruy who loved bright pink hues such as this one.  I really love to wear red lip hues all the time but this bright pink actually makes me put the reds to the side and rock the pink.  This is a great choice for Valentine's Day or any day of the year.

Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon Body Lotion - "Our exclusive Signature Collection Body Lotion is fortified with powerful ingredients like super conditioning Shea Butter, fast absorbing Jojoba Oil and protective Vitamin E to hydrate skin with moisture that lasts all day. Our non-greasy formula absorbs quickly and completely to leave skin feeling incredibly soft, smooth and nourished, making it the perfect daily moisturizer.  Our exclusive Pink Chiffon is a light-as-air pairing of soft pink petals & vanilla chiffon icing.  Key Fragrance Notes: Sparkling Red Pear, Vanilla Orchid and Whipped Chiffon Musk."  I hated this fragrance when it first came out, I tried the perfume on and it was so sweet that it turned on my skin.  I cannot wear these sweet fruity-floral scents, they either get much too sweet to handle or go sour, this one went the sweet route and I went on my merry way past this scent.  I stayed away from this fragrance for quite a long time but last holiday I received some small bottles of it and decided to re-try the products.  I got the Shower Gel and Body Lotion and I discovered that I really like the body products in this fragrance, it is light floral on my skin with just hints of sweetness.  This scent is just enough to be noticeable and I went through my small sizes very quickly and will be buying those products in the full sizes to use all spring.  The shower Gel is more fruity than the lotion, I smelled the pear the most but in the lotion, I smell the florals and the vanilla.
Sometimes first impressions need to be re-visisted...

LUSH Bath Bomb in Pink - "Inspired by the delightful Audrey Hepburn, Pink is sophisticated, sexy, elegant, and witty. Fragranced with edgy tonka bean, neroli, and the sweetness of vanilla absolute, it turns baths into candy-scented fantasies with a fragrance that lingers on your skin long after you’re out of the bath. It's sweet, but not overbearingly so, with a subtle bite of something cheeky. Spoil yourself; instead of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, have an indulgent bath with Pink."  This Bath Bomb is a yummy mix of vanilla and tonka bean, it is relaxing and the best way to treat yourself after a long week.  In addition to the wonderful scent and the pure fun of watching the bomb dissolve, this bath product turns the bath water bright pink.  Nothing is more fun than bathing in bright pink water and is the perfect Valentine's Day treat especially for the single girls that crave a bit of pampering this day.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Collide - "A vivacious nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is long-wearing and chip-resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high-gloss. Apply two coats for high-intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  Collide is a "bright neon pink with a satin finish" and matches the NARS Schiap Lipstick almost perfectly and I wear the two shades together all spring and summer.  Illamasqua's Nail Varnish formula is one of the best nail polishes on the market, the formula lasts several days with only minor tip wear and wears glassy without an extra top coat.  I will start using this shade in pedicures as soon as it begins to get warm out and then follow with the matching manicure.  This is shade that I wore the most last summer and I am willing to bet that the same will hold true for this year!

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Flirty Honey - "A glossy, ultra-light lipstick.  Not quite a gloss, and not quite a lipstick, this transparent formula merges with the unique, natural tone of your lips to create a look that's all your own. Its sheer, emollient-rich formula glides on for easy layering."  Flirty Honey is one the shades that was released in early 2012 when Clinique decided to expand the Almost Lipstick range and release a series of shades in this formula.  Flirty Honey is a "sheer bright rose" that delivers a sheer rose look to the lips.  This shade is brighter than many traditional rose hues and is perfect against pale skin or medium skin, it creates a subtle pink lip that is an easy way to ease more into a bright lip look.  Another aspect of these lip glosses that I love is that this formula is very hydrating and is perfect for use in the winter and early spring when I am still battling chapped lips. 

I hope that my favorite pink items have given you some shopping ideas.  I love pinks and am very excited to wear them at the end of this winter and then all the way into spring and summer.  What are some of your favorite pink beauty products?!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Current Favorites!

It has been about a month since I last put my favorites up and I have been trying to stick to a schedule of dong one at least every four weeks.  Last December, I was all about red shades for lips and nails but then as soon as the holidays went by, I really stopped wearing red on a daily basis.  Right now I am more interested in skincare products and mixing more neutral shades into my makeup looks.  I am all about leaving winter behind as soon as possible and beginning to wear shades that scream "spring", I still haven't even really begun my spring beauty shopping yet but I have a huge list of products and shades that I want buy. 

My favorites right now include the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil, which should be no surprise to anyone since I raved about the product in it's initial review and have been comparting every single skincare product that I have used ever since to it.  In fact, I had planned to do a Theme Week of skincare ingredients this month but I am having to push it to next month since I haven't been able to try all the products that I bought and still use the Maracuja Oil optimally.  It it pretty rare that I find a skincare item that has the power to change my whole regime...

My five favorites of right now!

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil - "A 100 percent pure organic maracuja oil.  This undiluted organic and moisturizing maracuja oil quickly absorbs for firmer, brighter, smoother skin. Pure maracuja oil is rich in vitamin C, so skin appears instantly brighter and more radiant, as well as essential fatty acids (EFAs), a requirement for healthy skin cells that the body cannot produce on its own. EFA deficiency can result in the breakdown of essential skin cells which causes skin to appear dry and aged. By supplementing skin with pure maracuja oil, you are infusing life back into dull skin and replenishing EFAs to rapidly rebuild and repair. This potent antiaging elixir that has anti-inflammatory benefits promotes active skin recovery and delivers maximum hydration without any greasy or filmy feel."  I just can't rave about this face oil enough, it is very hydrating and is actually helping my skin to retain moisture in between uses.  My skin just looker brighter thanks to all the Vitamin C in the product and my face hasn't taken on the gray pallor that it often does in the dead of winter.  The only breakout that I had when I started using the oil has compltely gone away and no more have popped up since then.  This oil is the best product that I have used on my skin for the past few months.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in DWS - "A vivacious nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is long-wearing and chip-resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high-gloss. Apply two coats for high-intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  DWS is a "cement gray cream" and is a neutral hue for me this time of the year.  this shade matches pretty much everything that I own and I get three to four days of wear from the shade with very minimal tip wear.  I have been turning to this shade at least once a week for the past month and I will continue to wear it for the rest of the winter and then into spring.

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb - "This floral explosion releases a profusion of flowers that has the power to make everything seem more positive. Magically evocative notes immediately awaken your deepest senses, giving you the impression of living life in your own secret garden, away from reality. Sambac jasmine, centifolia rose, cattleya orchid, and ballerina freesia bloom on a base of patchouli.  Notes: Sambac Jasmine, Centifolia Rose, Cattleya Orchid, Ballerina Freesia, Patchouli."  Flowerbomb is a spicy floral that works best in the cold weather and I have been using it all the time for the past month, I will need to put it away come spring and that actually depresses.  This is one of the few spicy scents that I can easily wear and I love how the rose and jasmine notes mix and produce one of the prettist floral fragrances that I have used. 

Matrix Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray - "Conditions like a lotion. Sprays like a mist. Sunflower Oil, rich in antioxidant, provides 12 instant benefits: Helps protect color-treated hair/Detangles/Helps seal the hair from damage/Helps prevent breakage/Maximizes natural body/Smoothes the cuticle/Deeply conditions/Helps strengthen hair/Delivers instant silkiness/Increases manageability/Tames frizz/Helps restore shine."  I have been using this leave-in treatment every other night and so far have avoided most of the winter hair pitfalls.  My static and flyways are reduced and my hair is much softer to the touch.  This product helps to smooth the cuticle and protect hair from both heat styling and the elements, while keeping color from fading.  This is a great leave-in for dry winter hair and my hair is in much better condition than before I started using it.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Katie - "A powder blusher.  Illuminate and enliven your complexion with the color and drama of Illamasqua Powder Blusher. Color intense and highly pigmented, it can be used to shade, brighten, enhance, and define the shape of your face. Be bold, be daring, and be the center of attention."  Katie is a "light milky pink" and I can only pull the color off when my skin is pale.  This shade gives me the perfect light pink flush and makes me looks as though I have just come in from the cold.  Pink blush shades are my favorite and this is the one that I have been using for the past month.

My favorites right now are all about keeping my skin and hair looking nice and healthy throughout the cold weather months.  Hydrating products for my face and hair are making me look good right now and therefore mean that I will look much better in the spring months.  Usually at the end of this month is when I start thinking about what I need to do my appearance to start getting ready for spring and this year I have been using some great products that will take me into the warm weather very easily!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Illamasqua Valentine's Day 2013 Collection - Broken Heart

Earlier this week, Illamasqua introduced their annual Valentine's Day collection and the bloggers and members of Makeup Alley instantly went crazy.  This collection includes the previously limited edition Nail Varnish shade called Raindrops.  This polish must have come out and become a cult classic before I was interested in this product line since I know that I would have remembered this polish shade.  This collection just came out the other day and this Nail Varnish shade is already sold out on the Illamasqua website and I don't even see it on the Sephora website so I will be stalking the company's website to see when this product comes back in stock.

Each year, Illamasqua puts out a small Valentine's Day collection of makeup shades, this year the collection is called Broken Heart and I think that this will be my favorite of the Valentine's Day-themed products this year.  Being single really annoys me around this holiday even though it rarely does any other time of the year and I am more than happy to buy products that are not pro-Valentine's Day.  This is one of the only companies that will create a non-happy collection for this time of the year and I can see every single piece of it following in the footsteps of Raindrops and selling out very quickly.

"Console a broken heart this Valentine's Day.  A capsule collection of perfect muted pastels including the much anticipated return of Nail Varnish in Raindrops, loved and cherished by bloggers the world over.", is the description of the collection on the Illamasqua website.  Raindrops seems to be the hero product of this Valentine's Day collection and I will now be visiting the Illamasqua website a lot to try and find it.  I have not seen any piece of this collection on the Sephora website so I doubt that it will be coming out anywhere in the United States and I will need to order it from England.

Here is the Broken Heart collection!

Cream Blusher - Tease, hypnotise, 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 foundation for impact, or under for a captivating glow. However you apply it, be daring.
- Rude - warm peach pink with a dewy finish

Lipstick - Let your lips speak volumes. Indulge in colour-intense lipstick with a highly pigmented formula, available in a choice of flawless finishes, from creamy matt to iridescent finishes. Illamasqua Lipstick glides on smoothly and doesn't give up without a fight for the perfect all-night pout. A must have for professional make-up artists, and those who want to make a statement.
- Sonnet - cool peachy nude with a matte finish

Nail Varnish - A spectrum of bold shades with a range of finishes including matt, rubber and high-gloss. Award-winning, extremely hardwearing 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.
- Raindrops - sheer light gray with a jelly finish

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.
- Move - mauved rose pink

False Eye Lashes No 21 - For after-dark drama at its most daring. Illamasqua False Eye Lashes are handmade and available in a range of styles and colours to create different impacts – from the stunning and dramatic to the romantic and sensual. Apply using the latex-free glue provided and combine with Illamasqua eye colours for eyes that hypnotize.

Broken Heart Collection - onsole a broken heart this Valentine's Day. A capsule collection of perfect muted pastels including the much anticipated return of Nail Varnish in Raindrops, loved and cherished by bloggers the world over.

I guess that I don't need to tell you guys again how much I must have a bottle of Raindrops, I love using silvers and grays as neutrals and this looks like it will just be the perfect polish shade for me.  I am even considering ordering two bottles of this polish since I know that I will use this one all the time and I will go through a bottle really quickly.  I have never bought two bottles of the same shade at once before becuase my nail polish collection is so large already but this polish shade is very special and I can see why it is selling out so quickly. 

The Intense Lipgloss is the other product that I really have my eye on from this collection.  I have never used the Intense Lipgloss formula before, the Sheer Lipgloss that I own has more pigment in than many other brands do and it appears like the Intense formula is more like a liquid lipstick than a gloss.  This shade is a neutral pink rose and will work so well on my skin tone and i will wear it now and then into the spring months.  I am so excited for these two products!

Broken Heart is my favorite of the Valentine's Day collections and Raindrops will join MAC's Candy Yum Yum in the products that I will continue to chase down for the next few months!

photo courtesy of Illamasqua

Pantone Color of the Year 2013 - Emerald

I am not pretty much done in my head with 2012 and am ready to move onto 2013 and start checking out the newest looks and trends of the spring season.  The Pantone Color of the Year for 2012 was a bright tangerine color that I completely hated and basically ignored for the whole year, however the color choice for this year is a very different story for me.  The Pantone Color of the Year for 2013 is one of my favorite colors already, I love emerald and I wear clothing and accessories in this color all the time.  And now I can start mixing it into my beauty product routine, there are some visions of emerald manicures and eye makeup colors in my head already!

First of all...what is Pantone?  "Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, is the world-renowned authority on color and provider of color systems and leading technology for the selection and accurate communication of color across a variety of industries. The PANTONE® name is known worldwide as the standard language for color communication from designer to manufacturer to retailer to customer.  In 1963, Lawrence Herbert, Pantone's founder, created an innovative system of identifying, matching and communicating colors to solve the problems associated with producing accurate color matches in the graphic arts community. His insight that the spectrum is seen and interpreted differently by each individual led to the innovation of the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM®, a book of standardized color in fan format.  Since then, Pantone has expanded its color matching system concept to other color-critical industries, including digital technology, textiles, plastics, architecture and contract interiors, and paint. Pantone continues to develop color communication tools for a variety of industries and aggressively adopt new digital technology to address the color needs of design and production professionals.", states the Pantone website in a company description. 

The Pantone website also provides a full description of the color and I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with all of you.  "Emerald, a vivid verdant green, enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight as well as promoting balance and harmony.  Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. Also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity, no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.  The most abundant hue in nature, the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today's complex world. This powerful and universally-appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors."'

I am not looking to use this color in decorating my home but I will be adding much more emerald hues to my wardrobe and I think that my first big purchase of this color will be either a new pair of flats or a great purse.  Sephora is as inspired by this color as I am, they will be launching a full collection from their House brand later on this year.  I am not a huge user of the Sephora Collection color products but being able to find some great hues in this color will inspire me to try a bunch of products from this collection.

As of right now, we will be waiting at least a few more months for that collection and Sephora has decided to tide us over by putting up a list of their best emerald shades in all kinds of makeup items.  The first product that caught my eye is the Illamasqua Nail Varnish that is offered in this shade, Nomad.

"A nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is hard wearing and chip resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high gloss. Apply two coats for high intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  Nomad is a bright jade cream polish with a glossy finish.  I must own this shade and start off my emerald obsession off right!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Illamasqua Holiday 2012 Gift Collection - I'm Not Dreaming of a White Christmas

Illamasqua is a favorite makeup company of mine and I am very excited to see what they release for the holiday season, I have been adding more lipsticks and Nail Varnishes to my collection almost every single time that I order from Sephora.  The new collection from this company is a gift only collection, a fact that I find a bit disappointing as I love collecting all kinds of products from this company but I am am excited to see what types of Nail Varnish gifts are carried for the holiday season.  The collection is named "I'm Not Dreaming of a White Christmas" and since I hate the snow and cold, this collection name made me laugh out loud when I first saw it. 

When I look at this collection, I see a combination of brand new gifts for the season and some products and palettes that I have seen in previous collections.  I believe that the two palettes in this collections were both from collections released earlier in this year and I loved both of them when they were first released.  I agree with this company that they will also make fanstastic gifts for anyone on your list who loves dramatic eye makeup looks.  I also see several different gifting versions of the sole fragrance from this company, Freak.  I would love to see this fragrance available in all the Sephora stores as I have never smelled it and it is said to be very unique.  I would prefer to smell it before I order it as the bottles are huge.  Hopefully, I can smell it the next time that I get into the city and at the Fifth Avenue store where the full line of Illamasqua is carried.

And now to the gifts!

Black Christmas Gift Box - Have a wonderfully Black Christmas...  The Limited Edition Black Christmas Gift Box is the ultimate 9-piece kit for creating a show-stopping smoky eye. In addition to the 9 products, the Gift Box includes a leaflet with step-by-step tutorials on how to create 4 unique make-up looks, created by the School of Make-up Art.  The Gift Boxes include the following: Powder Eye Shadow in Obsidian; Pure Pigment in Zeitgesit; Medium Pencil in SOPHIE; Precision Ink in Abyss; Masquara in Raven; False Eye Lashes in 13; Eye Brow Cake in Thunder; Sheer Lipgloss in Artifice.

Nail Duo - Viridian and Glitterati - Treat yourself or a loved one with this Nail Duo with complementary shades chosen especially for the holiday season to give your Christmas a touch of glamour. Get ready to sparkle, seduce and stand out with this daring Nail Duo set. Sparkle with new Nail Varnish in Glitterati, a stunning Raspberry Glitter & the rich peacock green of Nail Varnish in Viridian.  Award-winning, extremely hardwearing 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.

Nail Duo - Throb and Spartan - Treat yourself or a loved one with this festive Nail Duo with complementary shades chosen especially for the holiday season to give your Christmas a touch of glamour. Get ready to sparkle, seduce and stand out with this daring Nail Duo set. Shimmer with the gold glitter of Nail Varnish in Spartan & the ultimate Christmas red, Throb.  Award-winning, extremely hardwearing 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.

Lip Twin Set - Obey and Plentiful - The bright peachy pink of Intense Lipgloss in Plentiful has been expertly blended to match best-selling Lipstick in Obey. Wear alone or together for a pretty, yet powerful combination that’s guaranteed to last the night.

Lip Twin Set - Sangers and Succubus - Intense Lipgloss in Succubus is the perfect match for the long-lasting blood red of Lipstick in Sangers. Layer this decadent duo to create lustrous lips that demand attention.

Powder Blusher Duo - Lover and Hussy - Featuring two beautiful matt Powder Blusher shades, Lover (Soft apricot) and Hussy (Candy Pink), the new Powder Blusher Duo, a first for Illamasqua, comes in a gorgeous compact with a mirror. Illamasqua Powder Blushers are highly pigmented, use them to shade, brighten, enhance and contour. Be bold; be daring and most importantly be the center of attention this party season.

Lipstick Palette - Treat yourself or a loved one to the new Illamasqua Lipstick Palette this Christmas. Featuring four stunning, best-selling Lipstick shades; Fable, Plunge, Over and Corrupt, let your lips speak volumes and indulge in the colour-intense, highly pigmented formulas. A creamy matt, flawless finish; Illamasqua Lipsticks glide on smoothly and make the perfect all-night, Christmas pout.
- pale pink/bright magenta/bright orange red/deep magenta

Liquid Metal Palette - A palette consisting of Liquid Metals in Enrapture, Surge, Electrum and Phenomena. Liquid Metal is 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.
- copper/taupe/silver/gold

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 new shade Obsidian (rich black), express your inner light and darkness with riotous glamour.

Freak Eau de Parfum 30 mL Coffert - The first fragrance from Illamasqua, Freak is a concoction of dangerously exotic unconventional flowers that Illamasqua has unashamedly blended together to celebrate the night.  The Freak Eau De Parfum 30ml Coffret contains: 1 x Freak Eau De Parfum 30ml; 1 x Baptiste Nail Varnish; 1 x Medium Pencil in S.O.P.H.I.E.

Freak Eau de Parfum 30 mL - The first fragrance from Illamasqua, Freak is a concoction of dangerously exotic unconventional flowers that Illamasqua has unashamedly blended together to celebrate the night. Now available in this travel friendly 30ml bottle.  TOP NOTES:Black Davana, Opium Flower and Belladonna bewitch the senses into uncontrollable lust and passion.  HEART NOTES: Poison Hemlock, Datura and Queen of the Night blossom, caress and kiss.  BASE NOTESAromas of Frankincense, Oud and Myrrh, addictively mesmerises and captures the senses.

Freak Eau de Parfum 75 mL - The first fragrance from Illamasqua, Freak is a concoction of dangerously exotic unconventional flowers that Illamasqua has unashamedly blended together to celebrate the night.  TOP NOTES:Black Davana, Opium Flower and Belladonna bewitch the senses into uncontrollable lust and passion. HEART NOTES: Poison Hemlock, Datura and Queen of the Night blossom, caress and kiss. BASE NOTES: Aromas of Frankincense, Oud and Myrrh, addictively mesmerises and captures the senses.

Freak Extrait de Parfum 75 mL - Our most intense blend yet, Freak Extrait De Parfum is a concoction of dangerously exotic unconventional flowers, brought together by Illamasqua to celebrate the gilded opulence and intense darkness of the night.  Freak Extrait De Parfum is 67% stronger than Freak Eau De Parfum.  TOP NOTES:Black Davana, Opium Flower and Belladonna bewitch the senses into uncontrollable lust and passion. HEART NOTES: Poison Hemlock, Datura and Queen of the Night blossom, caress and kiss. BASE NOTES: Aromas of Frankincense, Oud and Myrrh, addictively mesmerises and captures the senses.

Freak Gift Set - Exclusive to Illamasqua.com and all UK counters and stores, the Freak Limited Edition Gift Set is the ultimate in luxury. Each gift houses Freak 75ml Eau De Parfum and three hand-selected best-selling make-up pieces, whose shades reflect the rare blooms that make-up this most exotic of scents.  Raved about by professionals, bloggers and make-up enthusiasts everywhere, each set includes hardwearing Nail Varnish in Wink (soft lilac), Liquid Metal in Phenomena (molten silver), a sensual Sheer Lipgloss in Tantrum (deep berry pink), and the Freak fragrance.  TOP NOTES:Black Davana, Opium Flower and Belladonna bewitch the senses into uncontrollable lust and passion. HEART NOTES: Poison Hemlock, Datura and Queen of the Night blossom, caress and kiss. BASE NOTES: Aromas of Frankincense, Oud and Myrrh, addictively mesmerises and captures the senses.  

I am so tempted to order one of the Freak fragrance gift sets, this fragrance sounds like a fragrance that I would like and I love that the sets contains both a bottle of perfume and some great color products.  My favorite of the sets is the Freak Gift Set, which also contains the Nail Varnish, Liquid Metal, and a Lipgloss.  All of theose products are ones that I have tried and loved in the past and I like the shades that are offered with this set, I will have to convert the price in pounds to dollars and see how it compares and if it is worth me ordering this set from England.  These sets are not on the Sephora website (at least that I can find) so I will have to order it right from the company.

What else do I really want?  I want to order both of the Nail Varnish sets, I have wanted a bottle of Viridian for a long time right now (I ordered Rampage by accident and thought that I ordered Viridian and was very disappointed several months ago) and this is a great way for me to add more shades to my nail polish collection.  The last item that I want for myself is the Lipstick Palette, I love these shades and I love Illamasqua lipsticks in general.

I am more finding products for myself in this collection, I haven't found any product that I would give as a gift.  This is a hard company to give gift items from, all of the products and shades are very pigmented and dramatic and I wouldn't give them to anyone who hasn't tried their products before.  In my group of friends, I am the only one that really uses products from this company.  Only the Nail Varnish sets are giftable for the people on my list, a shame since this company has such amazing products. 

photo courtesy of Illamasqua

Illamasqua Fall 2012 Collection - Generation Q

Over the past year, Illamasqua has become a brand that I barely used to a favorite brand of mine.  Barely a Sephora visit goes by that I buy a new Nail Varnish from this collection and I am always ordering from the Sephora website so that I can keep adding to my blush and lipstick collection.  I always want more products from this company and I can't want to begin collecting and trying some of the different eye makeup products.  I have been all about growing my eye makeup collection for this fall and I am excited to see that Illamasqua fall collection is out.  As of right now, the fall collection is available on the Illamasqua website but I haven't seen them out yet on the Sephora website, though I am sure that they will be available here within the next few weeks!

The new fall collection from Illamasqua is named Generation Q, normally each of refer to ourselves as being part of a certain generation.  Illamasqua doesn't seem to believe in "generations" and creates products that can be worn be people of all ages and styles.  It has been theme of this company to show their makeup looks on many different types of people and all ranges of skintones and ages.  This collection is no exception to this theme and the models for the collection looks are of all different ages, I wonder if the people featured in this collection are even models at all...

Illamasqua provides a description of the overall collection on their website.  "Generation Q is a celebration of individual self-expression.  Ageless, and without limits or restrictions.  It's our declaration to the world that beauty is inclusive, not exclusive.  In fact, Generation Q is a clear message to everybody, everywhere that beauty is not young, old, black, white, male or female, but anything, everything and everyone.  Illamasqua has become a lone voice in an industry controlled by the world's beauty cartels - cartels, which we believe, have forced their soulless definitions of beauty onto the world.  We are proud to launch our new collection - Generation Q - a new, dynamic range that provides the industry's only antidote to the cartel's homogenised and prejudiced vision of beauty. So in typical Illamasqua style, we have done something that no other brand would or could do.  The Generation Q campaign will go against the industry's despicable taboo, by featuring older models as well as young.  In fact, Generation Q models aren't models at all, but real makeup fans, with a sense of their own beauty.  The future of beauty is changing and we are the voice of a brand new generation - Generation Q, where beauty has no age limits."

I am so excited about this collection!  I see eye shadow palettes and new lipstick shades, as well as new shades of Nail Varnish - I can't wait to shop this collection.

Here is the newest collection from Illamasqua!

Empower Palette - Combine highly pigmented Powder Eye Shadows in Synth (iridescent pale pink glitter), Fervent (reddish brown with multi-tonal shimmer) and Blink (soft beige nude) with the illuminating reflections of Liquid Metal in Slick (charcoal gray metallic), to create a series of defining looks.

Complement Palette - Play the soft, metallic reflections of Powder Eye Shadow in Slink (soft champagne shimmer) and Liquid Metal in Focus (cool brown metallic), against the mysterious depths of Powder Eye Shadows in Forgiveness (rich chocolate plum) and Queen of the Night (blackened plum).

Gleam - Back by popular demand, and with a new and improved formula, Gleam's lightweight, iridescent finish sensuously highlights the natural beauty of your face and body.  A solid, cream compact, containing lustrous pearlscent pigments.  Smooth Aurora (champagne iridescent) over skin with fingers or a brush for an alluring glow that lifts and highlights wherever it's applied.  This is light-reflecting beauty.
- Aurora - champagne iridescent

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 center of attention.
- Allure - dusky rose pink shimmer
- S.O.P.H.I.E. - golden coral shimmer

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.
- Boost - blueberry violet
- Opulent  - rainbow beige

Nail Varnish - A spectrum of bold shades with a range of siniehs, including matt, rubber, and high gloss.  Award-winning, extremely hardwearing 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.
- Charisma - deep raspberry pink
- Creator - magical black

Precision Ink - Create looks with attitude that no one can ignore.  Precision Ink's fine tip allows for defined application.  Long-lasting and waterproof, it's perfect for use anywhere on the face and body to bring out your bold side.  You can even use it as a nail art pen; simply seal with Illamasqua Top Coat.
- Wisdom - antiqued gold

Lipstick - Let your lips speak volumes.  Indulge in a colour-intense lipstick with a highly pigmented formula, available in a choice of flawless finishes, from creamy matt to iridescent finishes.  Illamasqua Lipstick glides on smoothly and doesn't give up without a fight for the perfect all-night pout.  A must have for professional makeup artists, and those who want to make a statement.
- Magnetism - deep raspberry pink
- Underworld - iridescent blueberry violet

This is a very strong collection for Illamasqua and I see potential for almost all the products and shades to be sell-outs.  My favorites are the eye shadow palettes, I love the Complement Palette and the potential that it holds to help me create a plum smoky eye.  The look of the plum smoky eye is my preferred look for the fall months and I started out the season having very few shades to create this look and I have been on the watch for palettes that will help me easily create this look.  I like the other palette in this collection too, Empower is a more neutral palette but I already own many shades that look like the ones offered in this palette already so I don't really need to buy it but I would still like to.

I am not crazy about either of the blush shades offered with this collection, all of Illamasqua Blushes are very highly pigmented so I only buy them when I love the shade.  This product has too much pigment and appears too vividly on the skin for me to buy shades that I am not 100% in love with.  From the lip product line up, I must have the Lipstick in Magnetism, this raspberry shade will be a pinker version of all of my beloved red shades and will be a bit more a subtle red look.  Both the blue violet shades are too much for me to pull off and I would never buy either of these shades.  Of course, I want both shades of the Nail Varnish and I will be ordering these and the Complement Palette as soon as they are available on the Sephora website.

Illamasqua is still one of my top three favorite makeup companies and this collection just added to my love of the brand.  I would love to be in the Illamasqua campaigns at some point in my life...

photo courtesy of Illamasqua

Illamasqua Rubber Brights Nail Varnish

Everyone knows that I love Illamasqua Nail Varnishes and now a new line of them has been released for the fall season.  As of right now, this line is a Sephora exclusive release and I do not know if it will be in all stores or only in select stores and the website.  I can honestly state that I will be chasing these polishes down, whether or not I can quickly find them in my local store or if I have to order them online, this polish formula is one of the best in the industry and the shade range is unmathced by so many other companies.

The Rubber Brights shade range introduces a new finish to the Nail Varnish range.  If I remember correctly, this company introduced a series of rubber finish polishes with their limited edition collection last fall.  I believe that those shades are still available but this is the first time that this company has brought more polish shades out with this finish.  So few shades were introduced in this finish that they never really got the praise that they deserved and were somewhat forgotten about after the collection was no longer new.  I am glad to see that this company has added more shades to this finish so that I have another group of shades to add to my Nail Varnish line up.

Since this collection is a Sephora exclusive, all of my information about the finish and shades will be pulled from this website.  "A highly pigmented matte nail varnish with an innovative rubber-like finish.  Go beyond ordinary nails with this chip-resistant rubber-finish nail color that contains the finest high-grade color suspension materials for creating a fast and buildable waxy rubber finish."  As of right now, Sephora states that this product is only available online so it looks like I need to begin putting an order together.

The shades look as though they should have been introduced in the spring or early summer as most of them are brights.  The deeper shades are all re-promotes of the original shades in this finish from the last fall release.  I might order some of these polishes and put them aside now or I might wait until late next winter to begin collecting them.  There is nothing that states that these are limited edition so I may be able to wait a few months to make my order.

- Devotee - candy pink
- Aorta - scarlet red
- Optimist - warm yellow
- Nuture - vivid green
- Kink - bottle green
- Serenity - bright turquoise
- Prosperity - rich purple
- Vice - deep cerise
- Faux Pas - blue violet
- Taint - stone brown

Kink, Vice, Fux Pas, and Taint are the original shades in this collection and I would be most likely to order these now and then wait on the bright hues.  Again...why is this collection being released now?!  I would have ordered almost all of them had it been released last April and would have been very excited to wear all the shades in the warm weather months.  I don't know why this bothers me so much but it does for some reason...

Anyway, time for me to get off my soapbox and do some online ordering!  My favorites for right now are Vice and Aorta, both of these reds will make a great manicure or pedicure shade for the fall and will be my first round picks (Fanstasy Football is coming soon - so excited!).  Devotee and Serenity are both lovely shades and I will want them for next spring so I bet that I will order now and put them away...temptation all winter long!

I am happy that Illamasqua is expanding their Nail Varnish shade line, I can't wait to order four of these shades and I am hoping for more Varnishes when the big fall collection is released!

photo courtesy of Sephora