Illamasqua Metamorph

There are very few brands that can make nudes and neutrals seem edgy after the glut of beige over the past couple of years. But, the Illamasqua Vital Palette has done exactly that and I think it’s the fact that they’ve included a slate grey and kept everything matte that’s given nude a new aspect. Mixing warm and cool shades in a quad is quite unusual, but you’re supposed to push boundaries with this brand and high pigments mean that there is nothing wishy washy about Vital (£34) at all.

In context with the rest of the collection, some of which I don’t have (but think baked and gleaming highlighters against a strong brow with peach and pink accents), it really works as a ‘look’.

The best thing about the Illamasqua Metamorph Gain Mascara (£20) is that it progressively tints the lashes as you use it, using walnut actives as a natural dye. I already noticed a budget version of this so I think we can expect to see more ‘dye as you wear’ mascaras emerging over the coming months. This is all kinds of good for no make up days when you might actually be able to truly wear no make up! As a volumiser, it’s not great, and one coat isn’t nearly enough if you want a full mascara look. If you prefer to keep things light, then it’s game on.

Finally, I have the Brow Build (£18.50) – a fibre-full liquid to coat over brows for a fatter effect. I can’t recommend this one – I see what they tried to do, but I just don’t think, against other formulas that it matches up. For a start, I think it’s off-putting if your tube looks like there is product missing from the get go – there’s a big empty space at the top of the tube after the product settles and it looked kind of wrong to me.

When I applied to my brows, the fibres seemed to collect together into a clump (as above) rather than give an even distribution through my brows. The mascara wand is too fat to be easily and accurately applied on sparse brows, so I’d say it’s a product for fat brows that want to be even fatter! Brow Build did stay all day, I will give it that, but I think there are better brow products out there. The bonus is a grey shade – Amplify – presumably aimed at the fashion greys out there, but all kinds of handy for natural greys!

I’ve yet to see the Beyond Powders- baked highlighters – and it can’t be just me that thinks it’s strange there is no lip product at all in a collection. Nonetheless, there are some very cool aspects to the Illamasqua Metamorph collection. Alex Box is quoted on my press release, so I’m guessing this is her last collection for Illamasqua because she left in January.

This collection is scheduled for a 21st April launch.