Yes, we know that polished puckers are poised to be a big thing this year – and make no mistake, we fully endorse this trend– but nothing warms the cockles of our cosmetic heart quite like a skillfully smoked eye.
British beauty brand Illamasqua has an eye thing going on: It’s even “patented” a signature way of scoring the sultry smoky look. So when the cult cosmetics company set up shop at the gorgeous Robinsons Orchard late last year, we decided to pick its beauty brains for tips on how to nail the so-called Sophie-I technique, Illamasqua’s “alternative” take on the traditional smoky eye.
As it turns out, “alternative” is an adjective that’s an integral part of Illamasqua’s DNA. Makeup junkies will no doubt be aware that the out-and-proud company is a consummate champion of the underdog, but even we were a little surprised to discover just how big a heart the brand has.
Here’s why we think Illamasqua is so awesome. The Sophie-I is named in honour of Sophie Lancaster, a 20-year-old girl whose life was cut short in a senseless paroxysm of violence – all because her attackers thought she looked “different”.
Today, £3 (S$6.30) from every Sophie Pencil sold at Illamasqua counters is donated to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, a charity founded by Sophie’s parents that focuses on stamping out ignorance about subcultures – goth, punk or otherwise. Talk about feel-good beauty!
Lest you think the Sophie-I is all hand-holding and singing kumbaya around a bonfire, it’s most emphatically not. It works. Incredibly sophisticated and surprisingly easy to execute, the Sophie-I gives you the sensational drama of a traditional smoke without the racoon-like smudges you risk when “smoking” the entire lid.
The ravishing results can be admired for yourself in our video tutorial below. If you’re in town, we urge you to pop by the Illamasqua cabin at Robinsons Orchard for a look-see – the brand really does have some of the best colour-true pigments on the makeup market – and bookmark herworldplus.com’s Beauty section and YouTube channel for more face-friendly tips and tricks.
Enjoy, and in the spirit of Sophie, feel free to go wild and experiment. Have fun!
The Illamasqua products listed in the tutorial are available exclusively at the Illamasqua counter at Robinsons Orchard. For more information, visit www.illamasqua.com and follow Illamasqua Singapore on Facebook.