Illamasqua’s autumn/winter 2011 collection is Theatre of the Nameless, and most of it is available stateside in Sephora — though, as usual, we didn’t get the most exotic pieces. The story behind the collection is a fantastic version of the dark and wild night scene of 1920s Berlin, and the “theatre of the nameless” is a dark den of illicit hedonistic pleasure — a version of “Cabaret.”
The lipsticks are $22 each, full coverage and matte. Resist is a very blue rose (and I think it’s a “Sephora pick” for this collection). Kontrol is blue-purple.
There are two Intense Lipglosses ($20 each, full coverage). Facade is a soft taupe (super nude!). Belladonna is very blue rose, and I think it’s another Sephora pick. Not available in the U.S. is a dark green shimmer gloss called Violate.
Precision Inks are Illamasqua’s waterproof liquid liners, and they feature the same fine conical-sponge-tip as Lancome’s Artliners or MAC’s Superslick Liquid Liners or Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Liners. Havoc is a maroon/red-brown the color of dried blood. Abyss is black. Both have that liquid-vinyl consistency, and they’re $27.50 each.
Illamasqua’s Pure Pigments are very much like MAC pigments: loose powder that can be used in a variety of ways (eyeshadow, tapped on top of lipstick, face and body highlight, hair, brows — wherever you care to use them). I swatched Beguile and Zeitgeist dry, though I think they would benefit from a cream base (Illamasqua recommends their Liquid Metals and Cream Pigments especially).
Beguile is a sparkling, twinkling fairy dust of super-fine pink and green sparkles. Zeitgeist is matte black with silver sparkles. The U.S. didn’t get the third pigment in this collection, an “auburn shimmer” called Berber. These are $24 each.
There are two blushes in this collection, and they’re Shimmer Blush. Ambition is a warm pink with tiny gold sparkles. Morale is a blue-pink with a violet sheen and tiny gold sparkles. These are $24 each.
And the collection introduces a new “rubber finish” nail polish ($14 each). Taint is a Particuliere-esque cool chocolate brown. Kink is muted, blued emerald green. Vice is berry, and Faux Pas (pronounced “fo pah”) is royal purple.
Also worth mentioning: Illamasqua’s new Masquara ($23). Currently available only in Raven (black). The U.S. did not receive the two new cream pigments, coral Androgen and magenta Depravity.
Violate was the one item from this collection I was really interested in, go figure. I like the color of Havoc, but not the shiny finish. Thanks for the swatches!
I really love the way you do your swatches - so helpful!
The nail polishes are my favorite. Rubber finishes are really unique. Taint seems like a winner for fall/winter.
Karla- Do you happen to know if Sephora will ever carry Illamasqua’s new(er) foundation, called Skinbase, stateside?
Thanks for the swatches! After seeing these I think I might need Beguile. I had a feeling Violate wouldn’t make it to the US, so I got it from Illamasqua’s own site when the collection launched. It was so intriguing that I couldn’t resist it.
I am so bummed we’re not getting Berber. I know the federal government doesn’t want us blinding ourselves with pigments, but it’s such a pretty color.