Hailing from the height of the Instagram makeup era in 2018, Il Makiage remains highly sought after today, especially with its bestselling viral woke up like this flawless base foundation, which is available in 50 shades, the f*ck I’m flawless multi-use perfecting concealer, and two of its most popular mascaras.
Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Ilia, Makeup By Mario, and Hourglass, Il Makiage is a mid to high-end brand, with products ranging from $30 to $45, and mascaras costing $29. You can’t buy its products in-store, so you can’t swatch beforehand. This is where the brand’s shade-matching service, which has been designed to help you find a color match at home, comes in. And, reassuringly, there’s a 30-day no-questions-asked free returns policy — so if you don’t love what you’ve ordered, you can always send it back.
To help you find the Il Makiage products that are actually worth your money (and see if the brand’s bestsellers really are worth the hype), I ordered the brand’s bestsellers. I also put the shade-matching service to the test to see how accurate it was. Here’s how I got on.
Read more: 9 best drugstore mascaras, ranked by a beauty editor
How I tested
I assessed finish, color payoff and staying power (Ava Welsing-Kitcher/The Independent)
I first researched to find the highest-rated Il Makiage products on social media and its website, and chose one product within each category, from complexion to brows to lips. After applying my usual water-based serum and sunscreen, I tried the products for a week. I did one minimal makeup look with just concealer, blush, and lip products, and a second full-face look using the cult ‘woke up like this flawless’ base foundation, plus products for eyes and lips. I took note of each product’s staying power throughout the day and evening. I also assessed the brand’s color-matching tool to see if it actually works.
