The Brand

Our Heritage

Illamasqua is the product of a heady mix of influences. Its roots stem from the dark and illicit 1920s club scene, and combine a rich heritage in the manufacture of make-up for film and theatre. It also takes inspiration from members of the ‘alternative scenes’ for whom self-expression is paramount. Alternative cultures have always dared to be dramatic. They have an emotional attachment to making up. It’s an expression of their darker side, a release for their alter ego. Illamasqua is for the bolder person hiding inside all of us. It is an act and an attitude. A symbol of tolerance. A celebration of idiosyncrasies. A confident statement of self-ownership.

Illamasqua Today

An exciting new London-based brand, Illamasqua celebrated its first birthday in November 2009. And the success of make-up for your alter ego has been phenomenal. Self-expression through make-up is an idea that is spreading outside alternative cultures. Illamasqua’s mission is to provide high-performance, professional make-up to anyone who wants to self-express and accentuate their look beyond the norm. Developed by leading chemists, manufacturers of stage and screen make-up and make-up artists, Illamasqua brings truly professional make-up to the high street for the first time. Designed to be colour-intense, colour-true and long lasting, Illamasqua offers an unprecedented range – giving you a huge palette with which to express yourself, whoever you are and whatever look you want to achieve. Illamasqua brings its rich heritage to life by providing make-up lessons rather than ‘makeovers’. Illamasqua’s make-up artists spend time getting to know individuals, helping them explore their alter ego and create the look they want to achieve. This is self-expression at its most creative, allowing women and men who dare to be different to create a look that can be achieved confidently at home and flaunted at night. We're also a brand with a conscience, and are proud of the fact that none of our products, from blushers to brushes, are tested on animals.

The Art Team

To ensure that Illamasqua remains true to its roots and heritage, we have enlisted the help of three uniquely talented individuals, who we call our Art Team. Within the team, the worlds of alternative music, art, film and fashion collide, resulting in a melting pot of ideas and experiences. The role of this team has been fundamental to the development of Illamasqua and our mission to champion individuality and push the boundaries of creativity and self-expression.

Anja Huwe

An iconic musician and a hugely talented, successful contemporary artist. Born in Germany, Anja now lives between Hamburg and New York, though her work takes her all over the globe. Her art is music on canvas. “I paint music, I hear colour. My work is the synaesthetic translation of sounds and tone. My paintings can be heard with the eyes,” says Anja.Her canvasses come together in a burst of textures and movement as she explores the sound of different colours, and creates harmonies and rhythms. In the 1980s, Anja was the lead singer and front-woman of German band ‘X Mal Deutschland’, and significantly influenced the avant-garde days of the European New Wave culture. Anja travelled extensively, playing with her band all over the world. She soaked up different cultures and explored some of the world’s most influential underground scenes. She has also worked successfully as an editor and producer for a German music channel, shooting films about music, people and art.

Alex Box

A ground-breaking make-up artist with a strong alternative voice. For her degree show at the Chelsea College of Art, Alex Box exhibited installation art exploring the relationship between the body and the environment. Later, her make-up went on to explore this relationship between art, science, nature and the magical. Alex has since become one of the most influential make-up artists of our time. She creates looks for designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, McQ, Peter Jensen and Gareth Pugh. She was also the lead artist at 2007’s Fashion Rocks event. Alex’s work has featured in Vogue in Italy, France, Japan, China and Britain. Her work is also regularly seen in titles including Numero, W, Another Magazine, Dazed & Confused, 10 and i-D.

David Vanian

Lead singer of The Damned, inventor of UK punk, a legend in alternative culture. David Vanian is a legend as much for his individuality as for his music. As lead singer of The Damned, his was the first British punk band to release a single, put out an album and tour the United States. David also fronts his own band, David Vanian and His Phantom Chords.  An icon for alternative cultures, David brought the Gothic image and lifestyle out of the shadows with his distinctive style, being one of the first men in music to wear make-up on stage and off. David’s interests, however, go well beyond the life he has on stage – ranging from renaissance art to film noir. He has recently finished scoring the soundtrack for the Neo Noir film, ‘The Perfect Sleep’.

The Illamasqua Distinction in Make-up Artistry Awards 2011

Illamasqua is a brand that has always encouraged self-expression in its purest form, without inhibitions or constraint. That’s why we are proud to be launching the biggest prize in professional make-up art. If you are a student or recent graduate of make-up artistry. If you see yourself as the next big name in make-up art. If your future lies working on international photo shoots or an award-winning TV series. If you dream of rubbing shoulders with the fashion elite, then this is where you make your mark.


The Illamasqua School of Make-Up Art

Come and learn the secrets of professional make-up at the West End's first ever premium branded make-up school. Situated within Illamasqua’s Flagship Store at 20 Beak Street, London, the School of Make-up Art has proved extremely popular since opening its doors in September 2010. Whether you're a qualified professional, student make-up artist, a beauty blogger or simply a lover of self-expression, Illamasqua's new School of Make-Up Art can help you master a diverse array of professional techniques, with a range of courses designed to suit all skill levels.

Each course has been expertly put together by our in-house professionals, Spob (Head of Professional Development) and David Horne (Head of New Product Development). Between them, they have over 45 years of industry experience, and understand the best approaches to teaching make-up artistry education at all levels. There are courses for all levels of ability and interest from the 2 hour ‘Night Time Diva’ to the ultimate five day make-up education programme, ‘Mastering Professional Make-Up.’ Which will your alter ego choose?

Experimental Colour, building expertise and confidence, creative couture lash, drag star, art of self indulgence, boudoir circus starlet, night-time diva, bridal and beyond, art and the alter ego, maturing beauty, building creativity, vintage glamour.

S.O.P.H.I.E

On 11th August 2007, 20 year-old Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend Robert Maltby were kicked, stamped on and left unconscious – for nothing more than looking different. Sophie later died from her injuries. The S.O.P.H.I.E. Lancaster Foundation was set up by Sylvia Lancaster, a youth worker and Sophie's mother, in her memory, and is dedicated to educating young people in our society about acceptance and tolerance towards others through interactive youth workshops. As a brand that promotes the right to experiment and self-express through the way you look, Illamasqua have continually supported the Foundation's work and remains committed to changing attitudes towards subcultures. To mark the 4th anniversary of Sophie's death, we have created a new film in association with The S.O.P.H.I.E. Lancaster Foundation to further raise awareness and celebrate their work.

The Final Act of Self Expression

Illamasqua and family funeral directors of 220 years, Leverton & Sons, have collabortated to launch an innovative service bringing ritual beauty to the final act for those who love to self-express. Offering professional funeral make-up transformations applied by a specially trained Illamasqua make-up artist, the Final Act of Self-Expression encourages people for whom making-up is an intimate part of their identity to plan their final transformation - one that pays tribute to who they were in life and how they want to enter the afterlife. Leverton & Sons is one of the oldest and most respected funeral directors in Britain. The company's longevity combined with Illamasqua's truly professional make-up products ensures a distinguished service of quality and dependability. Illamasqua encourages people to self-express and embrace their alter ego in every way. Why should this be any different when you pass away? It is a celebration of life, and one that should be indulged for your last glamorous look. The rite of passage to the afterlife has been of central importance to human culture for thousands of years. To have the best mahogany, the finest lining, the best stallions... are today chosen in tribute to the life lived. To wear the most fabulous make-up applied by a professionally trained make-up artist for your final journey is the ultimate statement of celebration.