Sunday 12 July 2015

I love Illamasqua

Hi Guys,

As you may or may not know from the constant ramblings that I have about this company, I love Illamasqua. I am a Illamasqua Junkie and I couldn't be happier! Today I just wanted to talk about why I love Illamsqua and how much the company itself means to me, this may get mushy? 
I first discovered Illamasqua properly over 5 years ago and Ive been pretty much inseparable from them ever since. If you don't know much about them they are a British brand, quite a baby in the industry as they've only been around for 7 years now. Based on the 1920's and just being alternative compared to what else is on the market. They're old slogan was "Makeup for your Alter Ego" which I think sums up how Illamasqua started really well. They were and are different and encourage you to be experimental and express a whole new side to yourself.

Illamasqua have done just that for me, I was sort of very stuck in what I liked makeup wise, aka neutral, neutral and more neutral. Which I still love but I just felt like it wasn't creative enough for me and every time I tried colour at 14-15 with no idea what I was doing, well it didn't end all that well... 

I was massively into watching the latest tutorial on youtube and the whole community and I wanted to be a part of that, which is what led me to start this blog. But I found myself with such a love to do makeup and Illamasqua really encouraged me just to go for it and gave me more confidence to do it, along side doing this blog. This is such a huge thing behind why I love them, they teach you so well with how to do makeup, Ive learnt so much from them over the past 3 years, that I couldn't imagine not knowing now. I cannot recommend just going to a counter and asking them for tips enough.

Illamasqua stands for so many great things as well as expressing yourself, such as the S.O.P.H.I.E Charity and they're also against animal testing. They hold their own awards called the Distinction Awards, which is basically a competition that you can enter, wether you work for them, are a student or makeup junkie or just a makeup artist. Then they get you to create a look to a brief if you are successful and get to the final, the thought of being recognised by the brand like that, I personally find amazing. I cant think of many other brands, if any that do that for the community.
I of course cant not talk about the products that Illamasqua offer, which I can safely say, there is not a single product I have tried from them which I haven't loved. Which made choosing my Top 15, one of the most difficult posts I've ever written. The first products I ever tried from Illamasqua were the Medium Pencils, which are now discontinued *sob*! But all of their products are fantastic, as they're designed to be useful to makeup artists, yet still be easy and accessible to others outside of the industry too. I really cant fault them, between the range of colours to the pigmentation and lasting power, they dominate my holy grail products!

I am also in love with their imagery, Alex Box, who creates the images, think's so out of the box (no pun intended!) with the promotional art she creates and it is art! Two of my all time favourite sets of Images have to come from their Toxic Nature and Theatre of The Nameless ranges. 
Another reason why I love them, at 14-15 it was daunting going to a makeup counter, I'd had bad experiences with some and it really put me off. At Illamasqua though it was the complete opposite, Ive never had a bad counter experience and everyone I've met has been so lovely and helpful. As well as such an inspiration! I will probably go and do another post on the specific lovely ladies that have inspired me to no end from the company, as if I get into this now its going to be an even longer post! But if you want to take a peek at who I'm talking about, go and have a look at Leena, Zoe, Jamie, Alex Box and Spob. There are quite a few more, but sadly a lot of the staff I used to know moved onto other things and I cant link you to their work.

The interaction they have with their followers and customers is fantastic, they used to hold free masterclasses called Beauty School Drop In. Which was one of the most useful things ever, as I learnt so much, they will still teach you all of those things if you ask them and can book in to see masterclasses and have your makeup done (which I must admit I do quite a lot just for the fun of it!) But I just enjoy being around such an inspirational company so much, Im surprised they're not sick of me yet haha. 
The whole reason that I kinda finally wrote this post, as Ive been putting it off for quite some time! Is because I had quite an amazing experience on Twitter a few weeks ago. Where Julian Kynaston, the fantastic founder of Illamasqua! Recognised my achievements from college, now I do get quite excited every time Julian or Spob or Alex notices me on twitter as to me that is such a huge deal. Even with Illamasqua favouriting tweets, I just cant believe it. The reason this mention from Julian though meant so much was because without his brand I might not of had the courage to become a makeup artist and without that I wouldn't of achieved what I have at college. It is such a honour to know that the founder and the brand that I love so much acknowledged that. The amount of lovely things that Julian and all the other amazing ladies I've interacted with have said and done for me is just amazing. It gives me so much more confidence to go out and actually do what I want to do as not only a career but what I love. 

I just cant thank them all and the brand for what they've done for me. Which probably your thinking, she's lost it, what can a brand actually do for you. But seriously without Leena for starters showing me how to do my brows! I don't even know what I did before that! From simple things like new makeup tricks to giving confidence and just being such great sports, I cant thank Illamasqua enough! I also cant thank Julian enough for creating the company as I cant imagine not having Illamasqua in my life and I never want to imagine that ever again as its horrifying! haha

I hope this post made sense as I get so excited over Illamasqua I cant think straight haha. I hope you've liked this and it maybe explains a bit more about why I just won't shut up about them! Plus well done if you've gotten this far!

Eloise x

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3 comments

  1. I love Illamasqua too, they push the bar and I like that.

    Sarah | sarahinwonderland.co.uk <3

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  2. I always wondered how you could express your Ilamasqua obsession in words, think you have done it beautifully!

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  3. I've heard of Illamasqua but I've never ordered anything, and I don't really know why! HA, I may have to take a nosy around the website now and pick something up! Fab post :)

    Emma XO

    www.sewemma.co

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