March 21, 2014

Giddyup, Illamasqua's Blending Brush

March 21, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

I've been toting around the MAC 217 for years and it's really starting to show its age. Chalk it up to getting wedged inside my makeup bag, as well as repeated use with very few baths between application.

Around my makeup mirror I don't practice what I preach.

Then fate stepped in a few weeks ago right around the same time I was considering buying a 217 back-up; Rebecca of Illamasqua introduced me to the Blending Brush.

Side by side comparison: MAC's 217 (bottom) and Illamasqua's Blending Brush (top)

It was love at first touch.

I heard, "now I'm going to blend out wah wa wha wha wha." In that moment Rebecca sounded like Charlie Brown's elementary school teacher.

The bristles are so silky soft to the point where it feels like each bristle (synthetic and cruelty-free) is skating across the eyelid. The blending brush also enjoys a good windshield wiper motion, patting, tapping and general all over sweeping.

In addition to its smooth moves, those aforementioned synthetic bristles refuse to absorb product. The 217 can be a real b*%@h to clean thanks to the creamy white goat hair bristles -- my OCD goes into overdrive whenever they get stained from product.

MAC 217 don't be offended when you're relegated to the back of the drawer from time to time.

Brushes are always an investment, ultimately choose what feels right (and works) on you.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Illamasqua's Blending Brush:

$35.00 AUS / $32.50 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

9 out of 10 bags — Illamasqua's Blending brush is my little work horse.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

The Shattered Star Nail Varnish in Trilliant gave me pause.

March 09, 2014

How Illamasqua pushed me out of my comfort zone

March 09, 2014/ Nicole McIntyre

Earlier today I visited my local Illamasqua counter after spying Rebecca Romanin. Rebecca is one of Illamasqua's Melbourne-based makeup artists who also freelances when she's not painting pretty faces inside of Myer. To be honest I've been dying to have Rebecca do my makeup for ages since I started following her on Instagram -- all I had to do was quell my fangirl giddiness.

For the sake of recalibration, here's what I look like on any given day of the week.

The initial consultation was brief -- we discussed my skin type (combination), eye colour (hazel) and the sorts of things I typically wear (neutral). Eventually, we both settled on a daytime look heavily leaning into nighttime with a purple theme.

Here's a breakdown of what Rebecca used:

Eyes

Complement Palette
Pure Pigment in Incite; Rebecca also used this to highlight my cheekbones
Cream Pigment in Delerium (used at the inner corners of my eyes)
Precision Gel Liner
Eye Colouring Pencils in Elate (used on my lower waterline) and Seize (used along my lower lash line)
Masquara (mascara) in Raven
Eyebrow Cake in Motto

Face

Matte Primer
Skin Base Foundation in shade 8
Loose Powder in shade 10 to set
Cream Pigment in Hollow to contour
Concealer (sorry, didn't take note of the colour)
Velvet Blusher in Peaked

Lips

Lip Colouring Pencil in Woo
Lipstick in Magnetism

Rebecca was super sweet, talented, worked quickly and educated me while she moved along.

If you're ever in the market for new makeup, book in for a consultation to broaden your horizons. The makeup session was valued at $60.00 AUS (the minimum) which I was able to put toward my makeup purchase after we finished.

September 16, 2012

Illamasqua: Making it affordable for the Aussies

September 16, 2012/ Nicole McIntyre

The first of September was when I broke down and purchased anything by Illamasqua for the first time ever. The price decrease was the catalyst and I was the willing buyer. I perused the shelves oh so carefully in order to walk away with a few gems to polish and shine.

Hooked on a look, that was me since about, oh, July. Lilit of Makeup and Macaroons reviewed it post-baby - let's face it, she didn't really need the extra glow, but Naked Rose certainly helped to intensify it in a beautiful way. With Illamasqua's Powder Blusher formula, a little goes a long way. Yes, it might be set in a pan, but wow, it sure dusts up easily with your brush of choice.

Naked Rose is a matte, pale pink with tawny undertones and I find it perfect for everyday wear. Lately, I've been popping it in my gym bag for a quick morning pick me up post workout. Whenever I apply Naked Rose, I noticed it carries a light, almost sugary sweet scent -- think hot cocoa powder :) In terms of wear time, Naked Rose sticks around for 8-9 hours.

Important Note: Don't let the thin plastic case fool you, I handled it delicately until I accidentally dropped it; lucky for me the pan stayed in place and didn't break apart.

Glister was a last minute addition. It struck me as fun and I don't own anything like it. Illamasqua describes this shade of Precision Ink as an "opalescent nude" -- put it a better way, a sparkly colour which hides Nicole's mistakes; my eye liner skills will get there. Promise!

Before applying Glister, make sure you shake the tube. I couldn't help but wonder why the formula was running thin and watery when I first applied it. Once Glister was in place I looked to the mirror and then peered down for a few beats; this exercise allowed my lids to close without crinkling. This manoeuvre also gives the product a moment to set and dry; the last thing I want to do is open my eyes only to transport the liner to the crease.

The only off-putting thing about Glister was the removal process. Once Glister sets, it really has no intention of going anywhere -- I know that's what anyone would want in a good liner. At the end of the day my eye makeup remover was able to loosen Glister and break it into chunks, which I then had to peel off my lash line. I likened this experience to picking glue off of your fingertips after completing a messy arts and crafts project.

Let's bow our heads together and observe a moment of silence for a few fallen lashes.

Like my lippie and eye makeup? I'm also wearing Bite Beauty's Velvet and a few shades from Urban Decay's Naked palette.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Illamasqua's Powder Blusher in Naked Rose & Precision Ink Liner in Glister:

$ 28.00 AUS / $24.00 USD and $26.00 AUS / $27.50 USD
Total savings after the price cut: $31.50 AUS - that's 36% off!

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

9 out of 10 bags for Naked Rose – I love Illamasqua's blush formula almost as much as NARS
5 out of 10 bags for Glister – yes, it's a beautiful and unique shade, but I don't want to lose my lashes

Likelihood to purchase again:

With the money I saved I should go back and buy another blush. Thoughts?

Has anyone else experienced difficulty with Glister? Can you offer any pointers in terms of application and removal?

Illamasqua Naked Rose Blush Review, Photos, Swatches

Illamasqua Wisdom Precision Ink Liquid Eyeliner Review, Photos, Swatches

September 07, 2012

A quick hello and update..

September 07, 2012/ Nicole McIntyre

Hey Everyone! Scott and I are about to embark on a weekend together in Sydney for our wedding anniversary and my birthday. Yeah, we eloped two years ago today :) Crazy how time flies so quickly. But before we jet off, I wanted to leave you with a few tasty morsels from my week.

First up, the Too Faced lippie I purchased last week was I want Candy. Jury is still out on performance, however, I've been enjoying its creamy texture.

On Wednesday night I attended Melbourne Spring Fashion Week and had a blast playing with my new camera. During the 30 minute show I took over 2,000 photograph - I viewed the whole event through the camera! For the night I wore this shirt from Sass & Bide, I lined my eyes with Illamasqua's Glister and applied Naked Rose on my cheeks.