Illamasqua Charisma has a lot to live up to with a name like that. But guess what? It totally does!

This is 1 of the 2 nail-polish shades in the Illamasqua Generation Q Fall & Winter Collection that’s coming out on September 6th.

It’s one of those Wow Polishes that kept me interested all day long because it looks different depending on the lighting. I really love shades that have an ‘identity crisis’.

I was so excited to wear this that I even trimmed my nails really short because I enjoy wearing dark shades on short nails the most.

Illamasqua Charisma Pictures

Illamasqua Charisma Ingredients

Illamasqua Charisma Swatches

All swatches have:

• CND Stickey Anchoring Base Coat
• 2 coats of Illamasqua Charisma
• Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Natural Light Photos

Flash Photos

Illamasqua Generation Q Fall/Winter 2012 Collection Promo Information

Claim: TRUSTED

√ Deep raspberry pink

Key Notes

• Name: Illamasqua Charisma
• Collection: Illamasqua Generation Q Fall/Winter Collection 2012
• Nail Polishes Available in the Collection: Charisma & Creator
• Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
• What I Paid: Nothing! (This was provided by Illamasqua.)
• Where to Buy: Illamasqua website, Sephora stores & Sephora website (Collection is available starting September 6)

Illamasqua Charisma Review

Colour

Charisma by Illamasqua is really special. In some lighting, it looked like a dark cherry type of red…a rich ruby. But then in certain lighting, I could see a tinge of a purplish-pink cast on top of the red, which gave it a very seductive, glowy look that’s magical.

This colour really gets me in the mood for autumn because the decadent shade is rich and crisp.

Finish

I love the super shimmery finish on Charisma. It’s very fine, so from far away, it looks like a regular shimmer finish, but when you look at it up close, you can see each little piece of shimmer catching the light.

Application & Formula

This baby applied like a dream come true. Even with a single coat, I got a lot of coverage, but with 2 coats, it achieved full opacity.

As is typical of Illamasqua lacquers, the formula is excellent – easy to control, smooth, even, and highly pigmented. Polishes like this make it easier for you to get professional-looking manicures even if you’re just a nailphile like me.

And…Illamasqua Continues to Impress Me

Remember in my previous blog post about Illamasqua Nurture, I mentioned how much I appreciate the personal touch of the company’s marketing and PR team? Well, I continue to be impressed!

When I got home from work, I was really excited to see a black box waiting for me. I rarely get black boxes in the mail, so whenever I do, I immediately think of Illamasqua. And then my heart races to the finish line like Usain Bolt.

Then I opened up the box and saw a sweet, personalized envelope with my first and last names on it. Inside was a note from the two wonderful people I’ve been in touch with from Illamasqua!

The inside of the box was full of purple and maroon petals. I just love how dramatic and theatrical Illamasqua is with their presentation! I don’t know any other company that goes the extra mile like this to give you a full experience and not just press samples!

The promo information was even carefully rolled up and secured with a sticker! This goes to show you the personal touch and effort that the Illamasqua team puts in.

I couldn’t resist photographing Illamasqua Charisma with the petals in the background.

“Ohhh, I wanna layyyy you down on a bed of Illamasqua roses…”  The below photo is NSFW…hehehehe!

And…although the collection only drops on September 6th, there’s a cool opportunity that Illamasqua has arranged for an early release!

All you have to do is like, tweet, or pin your favourite item from the Generation Q Collection between August 21 to 28.

Then, on August 28, Illamasqua will release the top 3 favourite products for an early release exclusively on their website! (See all the details in the 2 photos below.)

Pros Interesting raspberry shade with some purplish pink Gorgeous fine shimmer catches the light Easy-to-control formula that’s smooth & highly pigmented

Cons I have to really reach for a Con. Hmm…it’s pricier than a typical polish. (But it’s worth it for the quality!)

Final Verdict: 9.5/10

Charisma by Illamasqua is a hit in my makeup book! It’s not a straight-up ruby red. You get some purplish pink undertones that gives it dimension, personality, and edge.

Does anything from the Generation Q Collection call out to you? Will you be getting either or both of the nail lacquers?