Preparing for the Thunderdome is a pain in the @ss.

There, I said it.

So many things to consider! First, there’s the whole post-apocalyptic desert thing, with the lack of potable water and modern dentistry, and the roving mutant gangs. Then, as if the mutants weren’t bad enough, I spend half my time collecting enough pig poop to fuel my ride!

Ridiculous…

Oh, and on top of everything else, I have to stay fit and makeup ready at all times, because I never know when I’m going to be called up to fight in the Thunderdome.

Seriously, who wants to go toe-to-toe with a giant mutant wearing black studded-leather chaps without at least looking the part?

Right?

Needless to say, I’m pretty stoked about the new seven-piece Illamasqua Naked Strangers collection for cheeks, lips and nails…

The futuristic warrior princess modeling makeup for the Naked Strangers campaign looks all kinds of fierce! — like she’d be all, “Thunderdome? Sure, sign me up.” Her makeup mixes nude, pink, gold and beige shades for cheeks, lips and nails with a pair of seriously smoldering smokey eyes.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this whole Thunderdome thing…and I’ve mapped out a plan that utilizes tactics that usually worked for the girls who got into fights back in middle school.

1. Remove any dangling jewelry, like hoop earrings and necklaces, to maximize combat efficiency
2. Grease up with Vaseline, so that my opponent’s claws can’t get any purchase on my arms/cheeks
3. Trash talk, trash talk, trash talk
4. Apply Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Intimacy (a nude pinkish brown) and Cream Blusher in Zygomatic (also a nude pinkish brown) from the Naked Strangers collection before, during and after the fight

Generally, one never wants to look too overdone for a Thunderdome duel (it’s just not professional), and both of these two neutrals should be perfect for that.

Sheer Lipgloss in Intimacy and Cream Blusher in Zygomatic

Cream Blusher in Zygomatic

See those dots of gold on the top? Purely for decoration. I dug into the pan to see if there were more pieces hiding beneath the surface, and as far as I could tell, there weren’t.

As much I like seeing them on the blusher itself, I ended up flicking them off… I just couldn’t get used to seeing myself with one random piece of gold on my left cheek.

I really like this pinkish brown because, unlike death matches, it’s pleasantly easy. The slick, thin texture melts into my skin, lasts between 6-7 hours, and I think it looks natural on both a bare face or atop foundation.

The finish also has a hint of shine to it that gives it some extra dimension, which I
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A

Sheer Lipgloss in Intimacy

Tame by Illamasqua standards (remember Human Fundamentalism’s teal and purple lips?), this sheer pinkish brown gloss, which has a sprinkling of shimmer and comes with a brush applicator, has everyday color written all over it.

Thick and sticky, the consistency reminds me a lot of MAC Lipglasses; I clock the wear time at between 4-5 hours.

I’m not crazy about the fruit punch flavor and scent…but both are faint and fade within about a minute. They definitely don’t ruin the color for me, and I fully expect to finish this tube.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+

Cream Blusher in Zygomatic
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Purple lipgloss? So totally my thing, and it has been ever since at least my 27th birthday, when my BFF Jen gave me a tube of Benefit Kiss Me Gloss. I haven’t turned back since.

But to be honest, the first time I swatched Illamasqua’s latest lavender-ish lippie, the appropriately named Fierce, I gasped before I squeed!

It’s just so purple. And opaque. And…purple.

Part of Illamasqua’s new Human Fundamentalism collection, it’s probably not what I’d wear to Easter mass (imagine the look on the padre’s face during communion!), but I do think it’s more wearable than teal blue Apocalips, another loud lippie from the same launch.

The notables

• Packaging: I think I would have preferred a doe-foot applicator to the brush that comes with Fierce. The fibers are a little long and unruly; some of the ones at the edges tend to splay out.
• Texture: I love it. It’s somewhere between a MAC Cremesheen and a Lipglass — moderately thick and just slightly sticky.
• Flavor and scent: Pop Rocks? Remember those? That’s what the scent and taste remind me of. A little weird…but I like it. For what it’s worth, both of them fade pretty quickly.
• Application: Still pretty easy despite the brush. The gloss itself applies smoothly and lays down nice, even color.
• Finish: It has a subtle shine (much shinier probably would’ve taken it over the top).
• Wear time: About three hours on my lips. It doesn’t last through a meal, but it will tolerate a cup of tea.

Intense Lipgloss in Fierce, $20

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When proper pink lipgloss and basic brown eyeshadow just won’t do, there’s the Illamasqua Human Fundamentalism collection.

Here’s a quick peek at a few of the products in this brash launch of bold colors for eyes, cheeks, lips and nails.

The Illamasqua Fundamental Palette

Fundamental Palette, $42.50

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