Archived Post

What book would you love to see embodied in a makeup collection?


What book would you love to see embodied in a makeup collection? Share 🙂

I think Harry Potter could be a cool concept – there would be lots of interesting choices! Actually, change my answer: Ender’s Game.

Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.

77 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Emily Avatar

I think the Hunger Games would be super cool for a collection–I’d really like to see what color “Girl on Fire” would be! Maybe a red with black glitter?

Eva Avatar

China Glaze have a “Hunger games” collection, I am wearing Fast track right now.

Ender’s game – cool, I never figured you for a Sci-Fi reader. I’d love to see this as well.

John Avatar

Oh God. Someone’s going to say Twilight… LOL.

Okay, there’s no point in laughing at that supposed purpose because I quite enjoy the books and movies. They have their purpose and value, even if they may be singular in focus.

But seriously, I’d love to see something based off the River God series of books by Wilbur Smith. With its vivid descriptions of Ancient Egypt, battles, love, hatred, etc… I’d imagine that collection to be full of vibrant and iridescent golds and browns, intertwined with the rich hues of imperial blues, crimson reds, and deep sea greens that Egyptians (apparently) love–yes, those descriptions allude to the book’s style of writing! It’s a rather romanticized idea from which I would in no way benefit. But still, I’d admire the collection from afar AND up close. 🙂

Veronica Avatar

“A Scanner Darkly.” I’d love to see designer eyeshadow pans similar to the NARS Andy Warhol collection in the art style of the movie adaption. 🙂

Megan Avatar

I know it’ been done, but not properly; Alice in Wonderland. I’m obsessed with it. Also The Hunger Games could be amazing if they focus on the districts and then have a huge Capitol collection. Any Edgar Allen Poe would be vampy and Victorian.

Nikky Avatar

My first thought was A Song of Ice and Fire. It’d probably be huge, though, with all the different houses you could take inspiration from (I really like the idea of an eyeshadow quad for each house). Lord of the Rings would be awesome as well.

Annamaria Avatar

Game of thrones was my first thought, too. I love your idea of an eyeshadow quad for each house.

I’m going to start the ball rolling…Stark: shimmery white, matte charcoal grey, matte dove grey and a dark shimmery green for the old gods.

Femme Fatale did a LOTR inspired collection of shadows, I think.

Chiara Avatar

Ooh I love books that are set in another era. I’d love to see a Great Gatsby collection, or a Gone with the Wind themed collection. Mac already has a blush called Franky, Scarlet 😀

Mariah Avatar

I TOTALLY agree, Harry Potter would be AWESOME! (I mean if stinky Twilight can get a set, then HP should knock it out of the park!) Maybe a pallet based on each house??? YES!

Also, I’m gonna just say it (even though everyone probably will too…) A Song of Ice and Fire! I mean, house colors and shimmery dragons and … yeah! I mean, doing it now would be cool because the show has gotten so popular! So it’d sell like hotcakes as well!

Chris25 Avatar

Anne of Green Gables. It could include a bottle of the dye that made Anne’s hair turn green, and it would be fun to have it packaged in replicated cosmetic packaging for that time period.

Amy Milder Avatar

I love Anne of Green Gables! I actually have a literature inspired nail polish line called Literary Lacquers and I released a collection of Green Gables inspired polishes last week!

Susan Avatar

Harry Potter for sure. Just imagine the shadows! Deep, dark burgundies and classic golds for Gryffindor; earthy, rich bronzes and navy blues for Ravenclaw; bright, sunny yellow and matte black for Hufflepuff; and gorgeous forest greens and icy silvers for Slytherin! Oooohhh, a sheer lip gloss with tons and tons of green shimmer called “Floo Powder”… I could go on for days. I think Urban Decay could do that well. Plus with their tendency to go all out with their pop-up packaging, imagine what they could do for HP!

Or Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk! I would loooove a lipstick called “Aubergine Dreams”. Actually, can we just make all books into collections? I’d go with that.

Alison Avatar

Oooh, I’d love me a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor eye look. Gorgeous!

Love your idea for the Floo Powder lip gloss, too! I think that’d be a hit!

Stacey Avatar

I really LOVE this question! Another great series to be imagined into a makeup collection would be Stacia Kane’s Downside series. Really dark and edgy but at the same time it could be otherworldly. Wow Just thinking about it is fun!

Karen Avatar

There are so many book series to choose from for this! Harry Potter would be fun and so would the Hunger Games. Right now I’m reading A Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones) which would also be interesting because region and city is so unique plus there’s magic.

Rebecca Avatar

I’ve always loved Wuthering Heights and I could see a lot of deep, muted, dramatic colors. Even though it isn’t always raining in the book, I always see a misty English countryside in my head. I think it would be stunning!

Julia Avatar

I agree that Harry Potter, LotR, Hobbit, and Hunger Games would be cool.

However, I would love to see a Poison Study by Maria V Snyder or The Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. If you haven’t read them you are missing out.

Or Lireal by Garth Nix which is the sequel to Sabriel.

If I had to pick one, then I would definitely say Poison Study. It would be such a gorgeous collection with varying brights and neutrals.

Lauren Avatar

I’ve always loved “The Neverending Story” and “1984” would be kind of cool for looks. Just thought of this, “The Pillars of the Earth” would have a lot of looks as well.

Jackie Avatar

Game of Thrones, Gatsby, Lord of the Rings are all awesome ideas.

The Scarlet Letter – Super vampy edition(think of all the reds!) and a wrongly accused innocent version.
A Wrinkle in Time – Loved this book as a kid and think the different places they travel to are good inspiration for mini palettes.

Not books, but I’d love to see some palettes inspired by plays and mythology.

Amy Milder Avatar

I LOVE this question! I actually have an indie nail polish line that is all literary themed. So far I’ve done Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dracula, Gift of the Magi, a collection based on erotic fiction and my latest, Anne of Green Gables! Next up, is a collection based on literary cocktails and then Poe’s The Raven.

VickyM Avatar

An unusual suggestion, but I would love to see a collection focused on the works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. A collection about Cthulhu would be amazing, imagine how interesting it could be if it could capture the nature of the Cthulhu mythology or even his other work At the Mountains of Madness, the colors would be dark and vibrant, the packaging could be so incredible and crazy. I would be so happy if this happened 😀 , a girl can dream.

Meiya Avatar

Fight Club – “I Am Jack’s Complete Lack of Surprise”
Devil in the White City
The Great Gatsby
Slaves of New York – 80s style
Bright Lights, Big City – same, 80s style
50 Shades of Grey – just for the pun alone
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Waiting to Exhale – looks based on the various characters’ styles

xamyx Avatar

Not so much “books”, but a collective work of Tennessee Williams plays. I’m thinking more specifically Seraphina (The Rose Tattoo), Blanche (A Streetcar Named Desire),& Maggie (Cat On a Hot Tin Roof). While the characters are technically from the same era, the primary characteristics can be updated to fit into contemporary translations of the characters, since the three women are so different.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe series would translate well into a makeup collection, as would the Hans Christian Anderson version of The Little Mermaid. Bram Stoker’s Dracula could be fun, too, with separate Mina & Lucy collections.

Leigh Avatar

Oh good lord, let’s see…The Ramayana, The Odyssey, Greek mythology in general, Nordic mythology books, ummmmmmmmmmmm The Tales of Chrestomanci vol 1-6. Oh, incidently, are we counting Graphic novels? In which case I would add Fushigi Yugi, Anatolia Story, Bride of the Water God, Escaflowne, Howls Moving Castle (they made a graphic novel of the movie version), and Cowboy Bebop.

Julia Avatar

I loved Chrestomanci when I was younger. The first two are my favorite. Did you ever read House of Many Ways? It is a sequel to Howl’s Moving Castle. It is amazing! I’m so sad DWJ passed away because I would love more books about Howl and Sophie.

VickyM Avatar

I love your Greek Mythology and Norse Mythology idea that could be amazing if done right 😀 also if it is a manga or anime nothing would sell more than Naruto lol 😛

Daniel Avatar

Anything cyberpunk, but I would prefer William Gibson’s ‘Idoru’ or ‘Neuromancer’, or a collection for James Tiptree’s ‘The Girl Who was Plugged In’. I second Harry Potter, Lovecraft, and any of Chuck Palahniuk’s book. My favorite book, Survivor (by Palahniuk) would have a palette called “Palette of Very Common Makeup” or something like that. Illamasqua would be great for that Survivor palette.

Nekona Avatar

The Horus Heresy series would be amazing. I’d love to see Warhammer 40K inspired makeup palettes. I’ve already combined some shadows to do a look to match my army. (Space Wolves: Urban Decay Mary Jane eyeshadow on the lid, Sephora Let It Snow from crease up to browbone, Urban Decay Deep End in the crease, LSD liner on the upper lid, Urban Decay El Dorado on the lower lid and water line. Top with mascara and you have makeup that Russ himself would approve of)

However since Games Workshop just barely started offering women’s cut shirts, this is a not in a million years thing. XD

amy Avatar

I love your idea of “Ender’s Game”!! The movie is coming out soon! I would also think the book “The Shadow of the Wind” would be great since it’s mysterious, dark and romantic.

Anna Avatar

I think Harry Potter would make for a really great collection with all of the different colors they could use. It’d be hard on my wallet though-I’d have to buy it all! Otherwise The Great Gatsby could be a fun collection too

Stacie Avatar

Oh Gosh. Gone With the Wind. That would be amazing. Any of Anne Rice’s novels. Particularly The Witching Hour or Blood and Gold. The Great Gatsby. Macbeth. Every awesome book ever made would suit me just fine!

andrea Avatar

A Song of Ice and Fire would be amazing. I can only imagine what the Targaryan stuff would look like. I’m pictures lots of duochromes.

Amy Avatar

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy! Can you imagine the Zaphod Beeblebrox shade? That aside I’m all about gold at the moment and I love the idea of Greek Mythology. It would be all bronze and gold with a muted forest green eyeshadow called Athena…

Ashlee Avatar

I’d give my left foot for a collection based on A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones. I’d probably buy five of everything without hesitation.

Lauren Avatar

I think some of Philip K. Dick’s stories would translate well, especially “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” (what Blade Runner is based on) and, as some people have mention. “A Scanner Darkly.”

Isabell Avatar

‘Vurt’ by Jeff Noon. It would be cool to make an eyeshadow palette with all the colors from the feathers. I think the packaging could look neat too. Illamasqua, make this happen!

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!