Surprise Package!

Today i woke up to find this big box waiting for me:

I had no idea what it could be because the only thing i've bought recently was a few bits from the Asos sale, and they always have 'ASOS' written across their boxes. So i wondered if i'd bought something and forgotten. I opened it up and inside there was:

 

Another box! A pretty pretty black box tied up in a bow! 

I still had no idea what it could be, so i was desperate to open it up. So i did. Inside was (no, not another box :P):

  

Aha! Finally i knew what it was! My surprise present from Illamasqua! I couldn't believe how beautifully it had come, it really felt like opening a special gift box.

So inside (as well as the great lime green lining and iridescent packing... stuff which i shall use in sculptures) There were two of the new Illamasqua products for me to try as well as a new brochure, poster and information about the new collection.

 

Gorgeous poster

 

Postcard with a little message on the back, brochure and infomartion leaflet (I absolutely adore the picture on the leaflet. God i wish i had that kind of talent!)

And my presents :)

I recieved the new Liquid Metals palette, which i was so, so happy about because it was one of the things i was most excited about buying from the new collection! And it is just great, i love the new colour, Surge  and am very happy to finally have Phenomena which i've wanted since the Dystopia collection. I also think that having smaller amounts of each colour is just more sensible for me as a little bit goes a really long way and i love all the colours.

 

Here it is, you can see the lovely large palette packaging made of sturdy, shiny black plastic with a really good quality mirror. One problem with the packaging though is that because the products are cream when i used my finger to swatch and apply the product gets onto the casing and can look messy. However i don't think there is any way around this, and it won't happen when i apply it properly with brushes.

 

Left to right: Phenomena, Solstice, Surge, Enrapture

And here is Surge worn on my lips

 

You can see my previous review of the Liquid metals here

I absolutely love the new colour, Surge. It's such a unique colour, to me it seems like a silver but with tiny hints of gold and green. And Phenomena is just a perfect pure silver. Beautiful. I can't wait to try out proper looks with them!

The other item i recieved was their new bronzer in Writhe which is not available on their website yet and they describe it as a 'golden tan'. They describe their bronzer as a whole as such: 'shape, define, tempt and tease. Illamasqua Bronzer contains crushed pearl powder, for a smooth, even finish that leaves skin begging to be caressed. Apply to face and body for a beautiful bronzed glow that will last until dawn'.

  

(these photos have bleached it out a little and made it look more pink. In real life it's slightly darker and more golden, though it does have a pink undertone.)

I haven't swatched this as i'm not sure what i'm going to do with it. I never use bronzer as, quite frankly, it looks rediculous on me. I'm just too pale and pink, wearing bronzer just looks silly. It could be used for contouring, but i prefer a matte finish for that and am happy with what i already have. Still it's a very pretty colour. Hmm.

Also in the new brochure i learned that their foundations have been reformulated. The light foundation has had its texture and finish perfected to look even more natural and they have also made sure that the colours in the range are now consistent across the range. I'm hoping i might be able to find a match for my skin now :) I've also heard that the cream eyeshadows have been discontinued due to their creasing problems but they are being refomulated and should hopefully come back soon and be much better than the ones i reviewed.

Anyway thank you Illamasqua! You really are too kind. And as i said in my last post about them they were so sweet and good at contacting me. I can't wait for it to arrive on counters so i can test out the other products in the range :)

Illamasqua Body Electrics collection is out now!

So i did mention a while back that i was invited to the Illamasqua London bloggers event, but as you may know, due to unforeseen circumstances (damn you british transport strikes!), it was cancelled :(

But still i just wanted to take a minute to talk about how amazing the customer services team have been. The event suffered some problems and was initially changed from two dates across the country to just one in London, I had already replied to say i would be attending the London event but Halimah from Illamasqua sent me an email just to make sure i could still come after the change. Then before the event had been cancelled, but after the strikes had been announced, the team contacted me again, this time asking roundabout where i live so that they could help work out my travelling route during the strike, if possible. After the event had to be cancelled they contacted me again to inform me, give their apologies and offer to still send me a product from the new collection to try. Finally today i recieved another message just to tell me the new items were online as well as sending me some information and pictures about the collection. All of this was done off their own backs, not in reply to emails i had sent and they were all personalised emails, written especially for me, not just copy-and-pasted. Absolutely amazing. 

Anyway their new collection, Body Electrics, was just released today and it looks stunning. Just take a look at these promo images:

 

 

You've outdone yourself again Illamasqua my darlings! 

This collection is based around the idea of the body in movement and the products are made to help contour the body all the more to emphasise the curves, shadows and peaks of the body. It contains Illamasqua's first products designed for use on the body as well as some new nail polishes, liquid metals and face products. The products are mainly different sorts of highlighters and bronzers, and include a lot of iridescent finishes.
Personally i am not 'into' bronzing, preferring to stay pale and interesting, but there are still a lot of products i'm very interested in. 

I'm most excited by their Illume oil in Volt, which is a dry oil made for the body ( i assume it can be used on the face too, but i'm not sure) with a violet iridescence to it which illuminates your skin and makes it glow. To me the blue glow just reminds me of neon lights and clubs and i just love the idea of my skin shifting colour in the light. I also like the look of the nail varnishes (though at the moment they're far too pricey for me) and the new 4-colour palette of liquid metals. The palette retails as £29 which seems very good to me as the single liquid metals cost £17 each. Me and Claire already own one a piece, but i thought it might be a good idea to buy the palette and sell or swap the two we already have. I can't imagine either of us using a whole pot of the stuff, i've wanted the silver shade, Phenomena, since it came out and i love the look of the new one, which is a green tinged pewter colour. So the idea of a palette with all the colours for less than the price of buying the 2 colours i don't have is very apealing.

The collection boasts an illuminating cream, some bronzers, a large body brush and another Illume oil which leaves a bronze shimmer.I

All in all i must say this collection doesn't have as many products that i am personally interested in than last Autumns Dystopia, but i think it's a really exciting and innovative new range. I can't wait to try the Illume oil and am very excited to see what i will be sent to try. The promo images are absolutely stunning and overall i think this is a wonderful collection, and will probably be even more exciting to people who like a sunkissed look!

Cadburys Flake and Benefit and Illamasqua

So i've just found out that Cadburys Flake (still delicious though they've been bought out by Kraft, boo hiss) has a giveaway with Benefit going on (presumably only in the UK). They're giving away 1 million Benefit Lipglosses and Lipsicks. I found out because i sent Claire out to buy me chocolate and she came back with one for me because she'd seen the offer and knows about my makeup obsession. I ate the yummy yummy chocolate and then entered the code online and guess what, i won! :D
There are about 8 shades you can choose from (i picked Flirt Alert, what looks like a bright red) and they say it should be with me in less than a month. The offer goes on until Halloween.
I have a great girlfriend, she brings me chocolate to make my tummy feel nice and with it a lipstick to make my mouth feel nice :)

In other makeup news the new Illamasqua collection is coming out in April (sneaky peak here ) i am SO excited about it. It sounds amazing, i love the ideas behind it, but then i love the ideas behind all of the Illamasqua collections so far. I just love the idea behind Illamasqua really! In honour of this i am declaring next week Illamasqua week so i shall be reviewing all of the Illamasqua products i have :)

Apparently there will be some blogger events to celebrate the new collection. I so so wish i could go. I always get a little envious seeing people at Bloggers events because they just look so fun, meeting people you've only spoken to on the internet in the flesh and hearing all the exciting new things from the brand and getting to try things out before the public, it just seems like a lovely perk of being in some secret special club. And the Illamasqua ones just look amazing and so much fun, and as they are pretty much my favourite brand these days it would be such an honour to attend. But then because of my shyness i would probably die of nerves so it's probably for the best that i don't get invited.

Just saw Lady Gaga on Jonathon Ross. Love her so much and i want so many of her clothes. Today she was rocking an amazing 'living dress' and a hat shaped like a telephone that i desperately want. Now 'Clue' the film of Cluedo is on and i am very happy.