Linda Mason Method Kit in Aries

Linda Mason is an absolutely fascinating make up artist who doesn't get talked about nearly enough. She was responsible for the runway makeup looks of Gaultier, Mugler and Commes des Garcons in the early 1980s, and was one of the pioneers of the movement to see the make up as an integral part of the show that should be in harmony with the clothes. I can see a lot of her influence and legacy in the work Alex Box is doing at Illamasqua (interestingly, Linda Mason is also an artist in paints as well as cosmetics, and Alex Box's background is originally in art too.) If you're interested in make up artist books, I thoroughly recommend Linda's 'Make Up, the Art of Beauty.'

Although I'm actually a Cancer (and was meant to be a Leo - I was a month premature,) I picked the Aries Kit because the colour/feel of it appealed to me the most (and also because I really wanted that black lip gloss. Linda Mason has been making and using a black gloss to dull/cool other colours for years.)

The packaging is a CD case, which doesn't feel particularly luxurious, but you are getting a full kit of quality products for $54. It's not terribly portable for touch-ups, and it is worth considering purchasing a couple of lip colours and a gloss separately to throw in a bag; the Earth Lip Trio, which contains the brown and nude lip colours and the black gloss is a good buy.

This is an excellent neutral kit; if I was being really picky I'd say the blush is a little too dark on my pale skin and I do have to be careful not to overcook it. The lip colours are brilliant; I can get any colour from a nude to a rose to a deep burgundy red. The eyeshadows are all matte, apart from the taupe/mushroom, which has shimmer.

Do check out the website; http://www.lindamason.com. I think they will ship outside of the US if you email; I had a friend in the US help me get hold of this instead.