Glamour gone Twisted with the Illamasqua Dystopia Collection

Dystopia is the opposite of Utopia. It is what you get when in your quest for perfection, you create a perfect chaos. Everything just goes terribly wrong, and you get something that is dark, twisted, cruel, sinister, and yet, eerily beautiful, all at once.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that I am a HUGE fan of everything Illamasqua. The newest fall collection, Dystopia, has me positively giddy with excitement as I ponder all of it's intense incarnations and endless possibilities. Taking the edgy feel of strong metallics, sharp angles, and lots of smoke, Illamasqua added key pops of neon color to create something twisted, unexpected, and beautiful.

I have a few key pieces from the collection so far, and am waiting on the quads to be available to snatch up the rest. Here is a selective review:

Intense Gloss in Galactic

Not for the faint of heart, Galactic is an intense (and I mean intense) metallic silver gloss that packs one heck of a punch. On close inspection, the gloss has a superfine silver glitter particle that gives it such an intense, metallic shine. This literally looks like you poured molten silver on your lips! While it may be too gothic for some, I highly recommend giving it a chance on top of your favorite red lipstick. The end result is both unexpected, and beautiful.

Sheer Gloss in Explode

Explode is one of the milder pieces in the collection, designed to add versatility to your lip arsenal. To me the name conjures up images of a brilliant star, bursting in the sky. Explode a stunning icy pink with a strong lavender tone to it, and on close inspection you can really appreciate the lavender pearl. Beautiful on its own, Explode is also perfect for adding life to a pale lip, or toning down a bright lip. This has literally become my new favorite lipgloss.

Pigment in Android

Android is a complex blend of black, blue, and silver that morphs depending on how much you apply, and what you wear with it. My first experience with Illamasqua pigments have me craving more. Android applies smoothly, blends beautiful, and adds instant dimension to any smoky eyed looks. The glitter is superfine, and the pigment itself has no grit or chunk.

Nail Varnish in Velocity- Another first for me, this nail varnish is a beautiful shade of dirty lavender. Wear is exceptional, and the color is nothing short of beautiful.

Some more swatches:

With flash:
Without flash:
Dystopia is one collection that is not to be missed. While you can't get it stateside at Sephora, it is available on Illamasqua.com. Hurry, because this is one collection that I could see easily selling out.