First of all, can I just admit to the internet that I love David Horne, Director of Product Development at Illamasqua? Last night the brand held a press preview for their spring 2013 collection and David is just the best to listen to when it comes to makeup. First of all his skin and eyebrows are beyond (it’s like he was the first one ever to try Blue Plasma). Second, he comes up with THEE coolest makeup ideas. I mean, it IS his job as director of product development for the brand, but seriously David comes up with some really cool stuff. I mean, REALLY cool.

So first of all I’ve loved Illamasqua since forever for making Thrust, Tweak, Excite, Beg, and other Powder Blushers (and Cream Blushers!!) because the color payoff is completely awesome and I love the matte finishes. But I love the brand even more after spending the evening talking makeup imperfections with David.

I mean, as a makeup artist I would go CRAZY to make sure makeup I did for a bride was like absolutely perfect—as it should because women pay good money to look good on their big day—but when it comes to my own makeup, I’m pretty laid back. I love that David talked about how your makeup doesn’t have to be perfectly symmetrical to be great—I mean who the heck has the time to perfect winged liner when you’re running 20 minutes late?

Another thing I loved about David (ha—don’t you love how this is like the David Horne post?) is the way he comes up with new products for the brand. This spring’s new Speckled Nail Varnish was totally inspired by some dirty cardboard he saw on the street (that’s SO Mugatu’s Derelicte campaign from Zoolander, right?). One of the colors (I believe Mottle) came from his prediction of what it would look like if Hello Kitty laid an egg. OMG—don’t you just love him!!! He gets his inspiration for products from everywhere including sweet shops (a term I’m now soooo gonna start using because it’s so much more fitting than “candy store.”)

Among other things, David also talked about the speckled theme for makeup—which you can totally see in the new Speckled Nail Varnishes, but he challenges us to take it further with speckled liner, too. He demonstrated how cute (and easy) it is to add little dots to your liner for a really striking look. I got a quick demo on video on how he created the look. Check it out…

And on dark skin, he used Illamasqua Precision Ink in Glister which is a beige nude with slight lavender undertones and sparkle that looks so gorgeous on! Check out this quick demonstration on the gorgeous Merli of Miss Merli in NYC:

If you have monolid or so-called “Asian” eyes, David said to try a reverse with the speckled liner under your lower lash line.

And last but not least, let’s get into the new Illamasqua Blush Up Brush ($40). At first glance it looks a lot like a counter brush, but it’s meant to be used to apply brush. Don’t be scared! This is David’s way of making makeup application fun and different. Like other Ilamasqua brushes, it’s synthetic which David explained is more hygienic since it doesn’t absorb product and it also falls into the brand’s strict no-animal-testing policy. Check out a quick demo of the tool in action:

It’s always so great to know the history and the process behind how brand’s come up with products and it was such a treat chatting beauty with David. It was so comforting to talk about going outside the box with makeup and celebrating your imperfections :)

P.S. New shades of Powder Blusher are available now, too!

Speckled Nail Varnish will be in Sephora stores, sephora.com, and Sephora Inside JCPenney stores this month. Freckle (a gorgeous light tan with blue speckles aka my favorite color so far of the bunch) is a Sephora Inside JCPenney exclusive.

Freckle

Prices and where to buy: (see widget below)

More Illamasqua…

P.S. I’ll have reviews up of the products pretty soon—NYFW just started AND I have a really cool project I’m working on that I can’t wait to share)

About Danielle

New York City freelance writer, Image Consultant, Makeup Artist, Fashion and Beauty Producer for Bag Ladies Radio, and President of Urban Glamour, LLC. I'm a Hofstra University and Fashion Institute of Technology grad with a penchant for pretty and enjoy bringing out the FIERCE in everyone through personalized thorough image and makeup consultations. Think of me as your style and beauty entourage all wrapped up into one bubbly brown package :) I have had the honor and privilege of working backstage at NYC Fashion Week shows like Karen Walker, Jayson Brunsdon, Sabyaschi, Altuzarra, and Bridal Market Week for Vera Wang. You can also find me running around photo shoots doing makeup and styling. If you have a style or beauty question, contact me. Your question could be featured on the site!

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