An Honest Review of Il Makiage

I tried Il Makiage and this is what I thought about it.

When it comes to makeup, I mostly stick to what I know, especially when it comes to foundation. I've been using the same brands pretty much the entire time I've been wearing makeup. A lot of that has to do with the fact that my skin is super sensitive. Like to the point that I can't wear perfume or scented lotion. I also have a moderate dairy intolerance that affects my skin when I overindulge.

I recently had a really bad reaction to some apple cider vinegar gummies. Apparently, I am allergic to apple cider vinegar, something I was not aware of before trying them obviously. Unfortunately it took me too long to put two and two together and connect the breakout to the gummies, and now almost two months later I'm still correcting the damage.

You can see some of the lingering signs of that damage in my 'before' picture.

You're probably wondering what that has to do with a makeup review, but I assure you it plays a role in my decision to try something new.

You see, it's almost as if that reaction triggered something in my skin, and suddenly my usual favorite makeups stopped getting the job done. They were too dark, too light, too dry, too oily...you get the picture. Bottom line, I was seriously starting to hate the way my face looked, to the point that one morning I had what can only be described as a breakdown.

Something had to give or my sanity was going to break.

 

I've been seeing ads for Il Makiage all over my social media for years now, but never felt the need to deviate from the routine that's worked for me for the past decade or so. However, after two months of struggling to feel comfortable in my own skin - with and without makeup - I decided now was a good time to take advantage of their 14-day free trial.

So here's how it works... I went to their website and took a color-matching quiz. It was unlike anything I've ever taken, and I'll be honest - I was 1000 percent skeptical. As a redhead with freckles, finding a true color match has been a struggle since I first started wearing makeup.

I was matched with the Woke Up Like This foundation in the shade 20 and the F*ck I'm Flawless concealer in the shade 2.5. As part of a promotion they had going at the time, I received a free foundation brush and a black eyeliner marker (which I haven't used yet because I rarely wear eyeliner).

To my complete and total surprise, the foundation was basically a perfect match. I have no idea how they managed to do that through an online quiz, but the proof is in the pudding as they say.

In addition to the color being perfect, it also feels amazing. It goes on smoothly, and I only needed one pump to do my entire face.

The concealer is, to put it simply, amazing. I have never used a concealer that covered my under-eye circles and looked so natural.

This is the finished product on my first day using it...complete with my usual Mellow blush/bronzer, eyeshadow, and brow powder, and my Cover Girl Lash Blast Clean Volume Mascara. I'm pretty sure I used my translucent Cover Girl Clean Fresh powder to set it.

It lasted all day - through magazine distribution, afternoon car line, and after-school activities. Plus, it was hot and I sweated, but at the end of the day my makeup still looked great.

The foundation is blendable and buildable. It's streak-free and has a special ingredient to blur fine lines, redness, and blemishes. It also has light-defusing spheres to deflect attention from any imperfections you might have.

It comes in 50 shades, has a natural-looking matte finish, and is infused with Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid for anti-aging and hydration.

I've used the foundation and concealer every day this past week, and I've still got a few days left in my free trial, but I definitely plan on keeping both. I'll also probably be adding some powder and maybe even primer in the future.

Other products in their lineup include highlighters and contours, lipsticks, eyeshadows, liners, and mascaras. They also have a line of brushes, eye lashes, serums, sunscreen, and self-tanner.