Tuesday 18 February 2014

Illamasqua Hydra Veil




Illamasqua Hydra Veil - £27

I consider Illamasqua to be one of the greatest innovators in the cosmetics industry. Their products & campaigns always think completely outside the box. You're unlikely to find such a fantastic array of colours & textures from any other brand. Hydra Veil is one of their most amazing creations. It's kinda like a hybrid between a skincare product & a primer. It has a thick gel texture that feels incredibly cooling & refreshing upon application. You only need a tiny bit for your whole face, the little spoon included in the pot picks up the perfect amount. If you take a chunk of the gel out, it will actually resurface itself so it'll look brand new again next time you use it! It immediately floods your skin with hydration & features firming marine algae to reduce inflammation. It makes my skin feel much plumper & smoother. You can even use it around your eyes to de-puff the area. However these skincare benefits are not long term which is why it acts more like a primer. You put it on just before your base and as a result your foundation will apply more smoothly & easily, with a much fresher appearance.

Whenever I've had my makeup done at an Illamasqua counter they've applied it using their highlighter brush & then used the same brush to apply Skin Base Foundation but I prefer to apply Hydra Veil with just my fingers. I'm a big fan of the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation (read my really old review here) but I always had a bit of a problem with it clinging to any dry patches on my face. Even though my skincare routine has improved over the past few years I still had the same problem until I tried using Skin Base with this product. I kinda wish that Skin Base could've been originally formulated with this stuff mixed in, although I doubt that would've been possible. Hydra Veil doesn't just work with Skin Base (although they are a magical pair!), you can use it before applying any foundation for an instant hydration boost. If you have any foundations that cling to your skin or become patchy throughout the day then this will sort them out a treat. It smooths over any dry or flaky areas allowing you to get a truly flawless finish to your foundation.

My base makeup simply glides over my skin whenever I use this product. I find that I can blend out my foundation faster with it & my face looks much better in the end. It totally stops any cakeyness in it's tracks. If silicone primers aren't your thing then this is a brilliant alternative. It feels so much lighter on the skin. The watery consistency means that it is suitable for all skin types. Anyone with dry skin would probably benefit most from it though. Unlike a traditional primer, Hydra Veil does not claim to greatly increase the longevity or adhesion of your makeup. However by temporarily treating any drier patches your foundation will stay looking fresher for longer. Skincare products with hyaluronic acid are your best bet if your skin is chronically dehydrated but if you need a quick fix then you can't get a better product than Hydra Veil.


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24 comments:

  1. Mmm, wanted to try this for a while. Lovely review, as always xx

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    1. It took me a while to buy it but it's really great stuff! xx

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    1. It's so cool. I'm not sure many people have heard of it or know exactly what it does but it's well worth trying xx

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  3. This really does sound super good, I wouldn't mind trying it myself to see what it was like. Sounds like a quick fix to dehydrated patches, handy if you don't suffer from them normally.
    Amy x | A Little Boat Sailing

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    1. It's definitely something you have to try out for yourself. Yeah it's especially good in the Winter when I get a bit dry. I've got a cold at the minute so my nose is really dry. This stuff is making my face look normal again! xx

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  4. I've always been so unsure on what this actually is! I'm dying to try it, but I just wish that it was a skincare product that worked to reduce imperfections and improve skin over multiple uses instead of just a quick fix :)

    www.ceejayell.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. I don't think many people know what it actually is haha :) It is great if you're feeling a little dryer than normal or a foundation doesn't glide over certain areas. It would be really cool if it worked like skincare though! xx

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  5. I've been eyeing this beauty up for a few months now and you're reminding of that fact! Great post Sweetness, great to hear how you got on with it before i parted with my pennies.

    -Jade
    Gracious Silhouettes

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    1. It took me a few months to buy it too because I wasn't sure if it was something I would use. I'm glad I went for it though, it's so great on any dryness xx

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  6. Although I want to try this I don't think I need it.. maybe after payday haha!

    http://ambertypes.blogspot.co.uk xo

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    1. Haha yeah I think that was one of the reasons it took me a while to buy it. The pot lasts for ages though because you only need a tiny bit & the gel always levels out! xx

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  7. My skin isn't the best with all this horrible weather so I'm tempted to try this in hopes of a "quick fix" hehe

    SAMI★SPOON

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    1. It's the best quick fix you can get :) Great if you've got a cold! xx

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  8. I bought a primer from Nivea which I thought would be similar but I'm not too sure after reading this review. I love the one from Nivea all the same and so I don't think I will be picking up this one, considering it is so expensive, any time soon.

    http://www.cupcakesandskirts.blogspot.co.uk

    xx

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    1. It is pretty pricey but the pot will last a long time. I'm not sure there's anything else like it out there. If you're happy with your current primer then theres not much reason to buy it I guess :) xx

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  9. This sounds intriguing, Id love to try it out. I suffer fro dry skin so this is like a wonder product <3

    http://sparklyghosts.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Definitely! It won't cure your dry skin but it'll make it look a whole lot better under makeup! xx

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  10. I really want to get some of this. :)

    http://theremightbecoffee.wordpress.com/

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    1. You should! It's such a strange but cool product xx

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  11. I have re-bought this twice now, absolutely love it! :) xx

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    1. Glad to hear you love it too Ayden, it's fab stuff! xx

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  12. You've made me reeeeeally want to give this a try!

    Jennie xo | sailorjennie.com

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    1. It's seriously good. If you're ever near an Illamasqua counter you should definitely get them to use it on you :) xx

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