If you've been reading GLG since the earlier days, you might remember one of my first ever raves was about Illamasqua's Hydra Veil - which is one of my all time ultimate holy grail products. A hybrid of skincare and primer, the brand has now expanded the 'Veil' range with a Matte and Radiance option, so I decided to put all three to the test...
I fell in love with the Illamasqua Hydra Veil on first use - it was that good. It hydrated my dry dehydrated skin, primed it for makeup and most definitely kept my makeup on several hours longer. I originally bought it to use with my beloved Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation, but found through experimentation that it worked with pretty much every other foundation I owned. When the brand announced the arrival of the Matte Veil last year, I wasn't too fussed thinking it was just another one of these mattifying balms that were all the rage in the industry. Then about 6 months back Illamasqua brought out Radiance Veil and I got to thinking that it would be really nice to compare all three, even If I didn't necessarily think they all suited my needs at the time.
While the three Veil products come housed in the same black jar packaging (minus the Matte which has a matte black finish to the jar) they most definitely have different textures and appearance. The Hydra Veil is a clearly jelly, while Matte Veil is more of a milky gel-creme, and Radiance Veil is nearly opaque pearl cream.
The finish of these products is of course different as well. The Hydra Veil leaves a plump hydrated look minus any sort of extra dewiness, but rather preps the skin so foundation stays looking hydrated. Matte Veil has a non surprising velvety feel but didn't leave an overly matte/silicony. I was surprised that I liked this, given mattifying isn't a concern I have with my skin, but it made for a really nice smooth base for foundations that normally aren't as forgiving when it comes to settling in pores and fine lines (like water based formulas). Radiance Veil had a very strong pearly pink/gold shimmer to it, which I found worked better tapped onto cheekbones and high points after application of foundation for highlighting, rather as an all over primer or skincare product, which personally I think would be just too overwhelming.
The great thing Illamasqua did when designing their Veil products was to not market them as only for one skin type. For example, the Hydra Veil will work well on someone with oily skin, just as the Matte Veil will not make someone with dry skin feel drier. While I'd say the Hydra Veil is still me personal favourite, the Matte Veil really surprised me. I thought I'd adore the Radiance Veil alike to something like Becca's Backlight Priming Filter (which I adore), but actually found it too far into the sparkly side of things when it comes to all over.
Overall, I adore these and think Illamasqua has a real gem on their hands with their Veils. I'd use Hydra Veil every day if it weren't so hard to get ahold of in North America now. Since the dollar value is poor, I'll be hoarding mine and using it for special occasions until I can stock up again!
