An Alternative to Red for the Holidays

If you’ve been reading Temptalia for a few months, you probably know I have an obsession with Illamasqua’s Intense Lipglosses (see reviews of ten other shades here). They’re ultra pigmented with a high glossy shine in bold, bright colors. They last awhile and never feel uncomfortable on lips.

Illamasqua Hermetic Intense Lipgloss ($20.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a new shade launched with the Art of Darkness collection for autumn/winter. It is unique in its finish, from my experience with the Intense Lipglosses, because it has a high shimmer, nearly metallic finish (all Intense Lipglosses I’ve tried are creamier, very subtle if not zero shimmer). It’s a welcome addition, since I do enjoy shimmery glosses, too. The gloss comes in a thin, squeeze-tube with a slanted applicator.

Hermetic is a bold burgundy brown with lighter burgundy shimmer. It’s very deep and takes very little color to get opaque results. It feels very holiday to me, which I think owes to the slight metallic-ness of the finish. It’s holiday without being a full-on red. I see subtle red-brown undertones, but it’s definitely not your typical holiday red. It seems a little on the cooler side to me, though it worked well on my warmer skin tone, so don’t let that dissuade you from checking it out.

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• Product: 29/30
• Value: 8/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: If you like burgundy, browns, or deep reds, I think Hermetic might be worth checking out.

AVAILABILITY: Sephora

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Illamasqua Hermetic Intense Lipgloss

Illamasqua Hermetic Intense Lipgloss

Illamasqua Hermetic Intense Lipgloss