Illamasqua Glamore Nude Collection - Naked, Buff and Rosepout

Following on from the launch of their new Glamore formula with the Glamore collection earlier this year, Illamasqua have done the unthinkable and released a collection of nude lipsticks.  It's somewhat of a departure for the brand who previously brought us teal lipstick, dark red eyeliner and glow-under-black-light nail polish.   I'd like to revisit the days of the dark, smoky, theatrical collections from the brand's early days.

Packaging is the usual shiny black casing we've come to know and love from Illamasqua - it's medium weight in the hand and feels neither cheap nor super expensive.

Top to bottom: Naked, Rosepout, Buff

The shades have been grouped into three categories - Nude Corals, which have a neutral base and a pop of colour; Rosy, with a cool pink base; and Earthy Rose, with more brown for warmer skintones.  Choosing a nude that works for you is as simple as knowing your undertones.  Since I'm generally cool to neutral, I expected that Rosepout would work best, as it's a Rosy shade - Naked and Buff are both warm, and I generally look terrible in anything warm.

Naked

Naked

Case in point.  Bad bad bad bad BAD.  Way too warm.

Rosepout

Rosepout

Much better.  I don't normally wear lip shades this pale, but I'm quite liking the super nude look of Rosepout.  I'll definitely be trying it with some very smoky eyes.

Buff

Buff

Also, very very bad.  And a bit 90s.  Double bad.

Anyway.  You can see that the shade category system really helps you to narrow down to a nude that works for you - it does take some of the guesswork out of what's usually quite a difficult choice to make.  The right nude lip looks understated and sophisticated, but getting it wrong looks awful and wastes money.

The formula of Glamore is, as usual, absolutely lovely - it's lighter, creamier, and with a soft sheen compared to Illamasqua's usual high pigment, super matte offerings.  It's also more comfortable and easier to apply sheerly if that's your bag.  If you're in the market for a nude shade this summer, pop down to an Illamasqua counter to try these out - I reckon you'll like them.  You can also use the undertone trick to take your chances online.  They're available from 10th July, and will cost £18.50.

Disclosure: PR sample

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