Illamasqua

by Jessica Cruel

Pressed and loose powder can save makeup from dripping during a sweltering day. But did you ever think to wear powder under and over your makeup look to create a budge-proof base? Double up on the product to stamp out oil before it starts. "Powder your face before makeup to absorb sebum before it can get to your foundation," recommends David Horne, Director of Product Development for Illamasqua. "Then, press a Kleenex against your face before applying another layer of powder to remove any extra oils in the foundation."

Horne also recommends avoiding gel and wax eyeliner formulas during the hottest months. Instead, mix your favorite product with a sealing gel to avoid "candle wax" liner later in the day. And when you're shopping for a crease-resistant eye shadow, test on your wrist where the skin wrinkles naturally. Now you can focus on more important things than melting makeup … like an afternoon outing for frozen yogurt.

Source: Flickr user ejmc

by Miriam Lacey

Illamasqua is known for its fabulously over-the-top cosmetics, and its latest foray into fake nails is even more extravagant. The duo-toned nail quills ($55), designed by nail artist Mike Pocock, are exclusive to the brand's website, its flagship store in London, and at Asos.com (and only then in limited quantities).

With the talon nails Lady Gaga popularized last year still influencing high fashion, quill-tipped nails are a cool, but not out of the blue, next step. If you could (literally) get your hands on these, would you wear them?

by Miriam Lacey

If you dread the idea of going into the afterlife without perfect eyeliner, makeup brand Illamasqua will now let you plan out the makeup you want to wear at your own funeral. "To wear the most fabulous makeup applied by a professionally trained makeup artist for your final journey is the ultimate statement of celebration," according to the company's blog, and they're billing the service as "the final act of self-expression."

Leaving a beautiful corpse will cost you about $800, and you'll have to choose Leverton & Sons in the London area as your funeral home, since Illamasqua is providing the service in collaboration with those specific undertakers. Some women won't leave home without their "face" on, but do you think the people who are mourning you will really care if your eye shadow isn't perfectly coordinated with your casket lining?

by Miriam Lacey

Spring, for me, has always meant hunting up a new orange nail polish. There's no color that conveys the renewed promise of the season quite like a bright tangerine or a creamy orange sherbet. So this year, imagine my surprise when the perfect color came across my desk early. Illamasqua, the British brand known for its highly pigmented makeup, has come out with some equally colorful nail polishes for the new season as part of its Toxic Nature collection. To find out what I love about the polish and get a closer look, just keep reading

by Annie Tomlin

How does Patricia Field celebrate Valentine's Day? By hosting a Disco Valentine's Ball, naturally. At Friday's costume party, 14 dancers wore a version of the traditional harlequin mask, designed by makeup artist Kim Anderson for Illamasqua. Now, unless you're hot and heavy with Bozo the Clown, the full face might be a bit much for date night. But the lips alone are foxy no matter what. Anderson created the look with Illamasqua lipstick in Sangers ($22), slicking on Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Succubus ($20).

by POPSUGAR Beauty

It seems like every beauty brand has to have a prestige short film lately, whether it's Lancôme Creative Director Aaron de Mey's sparkling short, or Chanel's impressively atmospheric film from Martin Scorsese. Now, UK cult brand Illamasqua is throwing its hat into the ring with a work of its own, "Poem." The short features actress Vicky McClure applying some serious makeup, and it's interesting to see how a woman does her own maquillage. The video is certainly pretty, but do you think it's in the same league as its competition? Watch and decide for yourself:

by POPSUGAR Beauty

We Bellas love a good whacked-out nail polish name. They're funny, creative, and one of the last refuges for shameless punning outside the New York Post's front page. But sometimes, the quirk and whimsy go too far, leaving us with polish names so bad we refuse to tell our friends what color we're wearing. So to see our picks for the most (hilariously) wrong shade names, just keep reading.