Put simply - the new Illamasqua beauty counter at BT2, Dublin, is a beauty addict’s dream.
There’s an assortment of multi colored eye shadows, luscious lipsticks, sparkly nail varnishes in red, silver and gold and long pink false lashes for those who really want to make a statement.
Launched just 9 weeks ago, the hip new British cosmetics brand is already creating a buzz and is being hailed as one of the most important make-up launches in over twenty years.
It’s easy to see why.
Illamasqua gets its inspiration from “the dark and illicit 1920s club scene” I’m told, and it and combines that with the influence of film and theatre makeup as well as “alternative scenes” that tend toward the dramatic.
This is a make up brand with a strong colour line but, most importantly, the focus is all about bringing out your unique beauty. Aimed at creative types, this is the first Illamasqua beauty counter in Ireland and it’s already causing quite a stir.
For manager Jennifer Tyrell, 36, from Howth Co Dublin this is an exciting time. “This is one of the most creative make up brands you are going to get. Illamasqua is all about individuality and, as they say, ‘finding your alter ego’”. She admits.
For fashionistas, it’s hugely wearable, daring and the choice of colours for every product seems endless. Blushers come in shades of vibrant pink and orange to deepest plum. And powder eye shadows are available in over 80 different colours.
There’s eye shimmer creams, false lashes, a sealing gel, brow and lash gels, eye brow cake for defining brows, eye liner cake, volume mascaras, cream eye shadows, pure pigment which is a metallic, high-shine, pure-colour powder, and liquid metal, a highly pigmented metallic cream.
And that’s just for eyes…
“It already has a celebrity following. Sienna Miller, Lily Allen, Alison Mosshart of rock band The Kills and Courtney Love are all fans” Jennifer tells me.
“We give customers a make-up lesson rather than a makeover.” We’re teaching people how to be expressive with their make-up and empower them to have the confidence to experiment. It’s very artistic.
"The team at BT2 is all trained make up artists. They not only show customers how to apply the make-up, but they encourage them to try applying it themselves and they can also get a DVD of their visit so when they get home, they remember what to do.”
But the key to Illamasqua and the thing that binds the whole range together is the product’s high performance and great packaging. Without that slick finish, many of the shades would be un-wearable and the range would seem to be a gimmick.
Instead, these products are very special. And ,after all, there aren’t many cosmetic lines that can boast David Vanian, punk rock legend and lead singer of The Damned, as a creative director.
If you want to get creative with your look, it’s well worth making your way to BT2 to take advantage of the expertise of their make-up artists.
