My first Illamasqua mini haul.

Illamasqua's a brand I've been meaning to try for quite some time now. I'm always seeing their breathtaking collections online but I've never "needed" anything enough to warrant placing an order. When i shop for makeup especially higher end i generally like to go have a look and a play around with them in store. Sadly we don't have a counter here in Southampton (along with Nars and Mac, boo!) so I've never had a real chance to give the brand a proper look.

I love BB creams. They are a staple in my makeup routine and i honestly do not know what i did before them. I was quite impressed that Illamasqua was one of the first, non Asian makeup brands to bring out their own BB cream and after a lot of contemplating (and Debenhams 10% off sale) i decided to take the plunge! I've seen a lot of buzz on the Skin Base foundation and a few posts recently on their blushes. I feel my collection is lacking in the blush department and thought it was only fair i remedy that. :P

Panic                                  Thrust

 

Panic                                         Thrust

As you've probably already noticed Panic is the most pigmented blush I've ever seen. You need the smallest amount on a brush and even then need some serious blending. Both these blushes are matte shades, i tried to step out of my shimmery pink comfort zone to try something new and exciting. Thrust is still very pigmented but not to the level of Panic. Being so pigmented i found them (Panic in particular) a little difficult to work with. It's extremely easy to over do it, but saying that I'm actually in love with the colours. Panic is your perfect Snow White flush and really does compliment my super pale skin. These super pigmented beauties will set you back £16.50 each which is on the pricey side but considering how much you don't need to use i don't think it's an overly unreasonable price.

Skin Base Foundation - SB02

Hallelujah! Illamasqua has to be one of the only higher end brands to cater for us pink toned Caspers! I've tried countless foundations from brands such as Mac, Chanel and Dior and have never been able to find a colour match. I've been using Estee Lauder Double Wear in Shell for quite some time now and have been looking for a lighter coverage foundation. SB02 may even be slightly too light for me and i never thought I'd be able to say that! It's got more coverage than your traditional BB cream which is a plus and has more of a matte finish, the only downside is i personally find it a little on the dry side. I was also a little shocked at the bottle, cute as it is it's tiny and at £25 a pop it's not cheap. You do get 30ml of product but for some reason the bottle just looks on the small size to me, but it's a handy size for popping in your handbag. I'm lucky enough to not suffer too much with my skin and this gives me the perfect amount of coverage and easily conceals my redness. I think this will have a firm place in my foundation routine for the foreseeable future. 

Overall I'm pretty impressed on a whole with Illamasqua's products and certainly won't be hesitating on trying more. I'm now on the look out for a real red blush that isn't quite so pigmented and possibly has a little shimmer!


Whats your favourite Illamasqua product?

You can buy these products online here or at your local counter.

Thanks for reading.

xox