ILLAMASQUA PRO: NEWSLETTER, ISSUE 9

LET’S TALK

We caught up with our Director of Artistry Pablo Rodriguez to talk about the journey of bringing a new product to life from the initial concept. This new product development process calls on Pablo’s expertise paired with current trends and industry needs. Learn more about the new product development process below.

Can you tell us a little bit about the new summer collection?

This collection is purely based on colour theory and how opposites attract. It’s all about what makeup artists do to get the perfect shade we are looking for. Sometimes we mix strange colours to get the right one.

How did you come up with the concept?

It all started with creating a bronzer that was colour correcting too, so the green that tones down redness was incorporated into a trio which contains warm and cold shades that can be used separately or mixed together. After we discovered the bronzers, we decided to start exploring lip colours. While these dual-tones tints are not colour correcting, they do create a new, bespoke shade when you mix them on the lips. They are a lot of fun to play with.

What are the key stages of creating a new product?

It’s a long process, but to give you a rough idea, we start discussing what we want to add to our product lineup. Then we come up with a concept of a product that is different to what we already have or is out in the market. At this point, I start deciding shades, and I will mix my own colours as well as choosing from Pantone shades too. Then I send my benchmarks to the labs. They always send back the first samples and, usually after a few rounds of tweaks, the product can go into final production. At the same time, we are already making decisions in terms of packaging, campaign ideas, models casting, and a lot more.

How long did it take to bring the summer campaign to market from the initial idea?

Haha, good question! Around two years.

Can you give us any hints on what new products we can expect to see this year?

Absolutely not! Everyone will have to keep their eye peeled. There’s a lot more still to come this year.

What trends do you think we will see this summer and do you have any top tips?

I think there’s going to be a colour explosion, after one year of the pandemic and being mostly at home, we all want to have fun again with makeup. Show our identities and express ourselves with artistry.

MEET OUR ARTISTS

With Covid lock down easing in England and retail stores now open, our Selfridges Oxford Street Business Manager Shan tells us more about how shopping Illamasqua is easy and safe whether you’re back in store or shopping from home. 

“I’m so excited to be back in the store with the Selfridges Illamasqua Oxford Street team from the 12 April. 

We will be on hand to support customers coming into store with any product or makeup-related queries, we can also give you assistance with colour matching and product swatches while sharing the relevant advice with tips and tricks to fulfil your beauty needs. 

Due to social distancing, we are not able to perform any touch services, which include makeovers or artist applications. Skin swatches are set up by the artists, then passed on to you to carry out the swatch on yourself while the artist is at a safe distance, for guidance.  

For customers who would still prefer to shop at home or can’t make it into store, we are still offering our virtual consultations. These have a wide range of appointment options to choose from, whether it’s a colour match, full glam look or just to amp up your makeup bag in preparation for life returning to normal - we have a team of brilliant artists to help you get back into makeup. We also have an online chat function on Illamasqua.com if you have any on-the-go questions or need support with a product. We are here to help you get back to life as usual while feeling your most confident.”