Is the U.K.’s Illamasqua the new M.A.C?

By Melissa Barlow on October 9th, 2009

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The beauty industry is all a flutter with the arrival of Illamasqua, an edgy, U.K. based cosmetics line, that is now available in the U.S. on sephora.com with a limited 25 store release launching this month.

I, for one, am thrilled at being able to finally try this much buzzed about line for myself. For everyone that hasn’t heard of Illamasqua (Sienna Miller is a devotee) the Sephora website really explains it best so I’m going to “borrow” this from them:

“Known for their intense colors and dramatic makeup, Illamasqua is your go-to brand for nighttime makeup—whether it’s an evening out at the opera or the dance club. Conceived amidst the dark drama of Berlin in the 20s, Illamasqua was developed by professional makeup artists and launched in 2008 in the U.K. Embraced by celebs and alternative cultures alike, their colors allow you to express your most daring, boldest, and most intense sides with professional nighttime makeup that’s richly pigmented and long lasting.”

Illamasqua is for those of us who like to experiment, for those of us who want to embrace our inner rock star. I’ve read that Karen O. and Lily Allen are also fans and you know Lady Gaga is sure to have more than a few Illamasqua items in her purse. Imagination is everything with Illamasqua and they want you to discover your “alter-ego” and flaunt it.

For now, only the top 200 bestsellers are going to be available in the U.S., but I really think that Illamasqua is going to give M.A.C. a run for their money. I’m lucky enough to have a Sephora near me that is carrying the line so expect a review from me soon.

Has anyone tried any Illamasqua? Do you have any recommendations on what I should try?