First Blush of Spring:  Illamasqua Lover Blush

Illamasqua Lover Blush ($23.00) is one of the better blush shades I’ve tried from Illamasqua since its stateside launch. Lover is an orange-apricot color with a matte finish, but it’s matte without being chalky or powdery (which can sometimes be the case with matte blushes!). The color looks smooth and natural with nice color pigmentation. It has rich color that can be layered and built up for greater intensity or used with a light hand for a subtle flush.

I still don’t love the packaging, since it feels bulkier than it needs to be. I do like that the lid is clear, so you can see the color without opening the compact or reading the label. The price point is near similar priced brands, but it is a little higher than I’d expect (or at least, you get less than I’d expect for the price tag), but if you’re like me, you’ll never finish a blush in your life so it’s not a deal-breaker.

More Illamasqua Blush reviews…

• Chased
  
• Hussy
  
• Katie

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 28/30
• Value: 7/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 3/5

Recommendation:  If you love yourself some matte blush, try swatchin’ Illamasqua next time you’re at Sephora.

Availability: Sephora

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Illamasqua Lover Blush

Spring Makeup: Gold, Green, & Teal with Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette

I love the lips for this look.  It’s my new favorite lip combo, and as soon as I slipped on Le Metier de Beaute Apricot Creme, I completely remember why I shelled out $36 for it.  In fact, I think I’m going to place an order for a few more later this week!

My major criticisms of the Urban Decay palette (aside from the lack of new shades) were: lack of matte/satin finished eyeshadows and lack of a highlighter. The glittery shades definitely leave a nice mess of glitter beneath the eye — so I recommend applying your eyeshadow first and then cleaning up afterward, at which point you can apply your face makeup (foundation, blush, etc.). I used Lancome Bi-Facil on a cotton round to remove the majority of the glitter, and then my tinted moisturizer covered up any remaining bits. Just for fun, I included a photo of the glitter that fell out during application.

Even though I love me some shimmery, frosty eyeshadows, I do like more variety in finishes these days, even if it’s only a subtle difference in the end result. I kind of felt like this look was too frosty; maybe if the brow bone had a semi-matte or satin eyeshadow instead, it wouldn’t have been the case. As always, I deliberately tried to use only the eyeshadows found in the palette, but going forward, I just don’t think I can do that. I need a less garish highlighter (there are only two potential highlighters: White Rabbit, which is too glittery and white on me; and Drink Me, Eat Me, which can lean frosty). Even still, I ended up throwing on a little MAC Nylon to yellow-up the brow bone (in the full face photos), because the peachy champagne shade wasn’t working on my skin tone as a highlighter (at least not with these shades).

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion (eyeshadow base), Urban Decay White Rabbit (Polyester Bride) Eyeshadow (white gold), Urban Decay Wonderland (Maui Wowie) Eyeshadow (tarnished gold), Urban Decay Absolem (Homegrown) Eyeshadow (grassy green), Urban Decay Alice (Painkiller) Eyeshadow (aqua blue), Urban Decay Drink Me, Eat Me (Sin) Eyeshadow (peachy champagne), MAC Nylon Eyeshadow (white-gold), Urban Decay Flipside 24/7 Liner (aqua blue), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face:  Kiehl’s Tinted Moisturizer (medium)
• Cheeks: Illamasqua Lover Blush (peachy orange)
• Lips: Guerlain Corail Passion KissKiss Lipstick (coral-orange), Le Metier de Beaute Apricot Creme Lip Gloss (creamy soft apricot-peach)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes:  For MAC substitutes, consider Phloof!, Patina, Swimming, Aquadisiac, Nylon

For eyes, start by applying Primer Potion as your eyeshadow base all over the lid with the 249. Using the 239, apply White Rabbit eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid. Next, apply Wonderland eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with Absolem eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Lightly blend Alice eyeshadow, with the 239, on the outer corner and lid. Lightly tap and brush White Rabbit eyeshadow directly above the crease to soften. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Drink Me, Eat Me eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. (I also later added Nylon eyeshadow on the brow bone to make it look less stark on me.) Bring everything together by applying Flipside eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Lover blush to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Corail Passion lipstick first, and then layer Apricot Creme lipgloss for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

FALLOUT! And that’s not the name of the latest band to sweep the nation!