05 July 2011

The Final Act of Self-Expression

We have collaborated with established family funeral directors Leverton & Sons to launch an innovative service bringing ritual beauty to the final act for those who to self-express...

This unique service encourages people for whom making-up is an intimate part of their identity to plan their final transformation - one that pays tribute to who they were in life and how they want to enter the afterlife ...


Illamasqua encourages people to self-express and embrace their alter ego in every way - why should this be any different when you pass away? It is a celebration of life, and one that should be indulged for your last glamorous look.

The rite of passage to the afterlife has been of central importance to human culture for thousands of years. To have the best mahogany, the finest, lining, the best stallions ... are today chosen in tribute to the life lived.

To wear the most fabulous make-up applied by a professionally trained make-up artist for your final journey is the ultimate statement of celebration.

This service is available from Illamasqua and Leverton & Sons in the London area only from July 2011. The Final Act of Self-Expression service can be booked as part of a pre-arranged funeral by calling Leverton & Sons on 0207 387 6075

Prices starting from £450 subject to availability.

33 comments:

  1. Its odd how much I love this idea. But bravo for taking such a leap.

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  2. beautiful idea!

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  3. very interesting, I think people would love their last look to be a good one

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  4. Wow, that is quite a brave and unique step, but one which I admire.

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  5. the dead don't care

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  6. A very bold move. Taking glamour to the grave, really interesting idea! Will it bring open caskets back into fashion do you think?

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  7. I've got to admit it's something that will make a lot of people wonder if you've gone too far, but I think it suits the brand with the ballsy looks. Why not provide a service like this if there's a market for it. It would make me sad, as a client, not to see what the final look would be though ;)

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  8. I have to say this is the most brave move a makeup brand ever did, and for that i love this brand so much!

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  9. I find this idea rather comforting!

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  10. wow great idea
    plus horse drawn carriage!!!!

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  11. wow, only Illamasqua would come up with something like this... and strangely enough I'm not mortified by it.

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  12. I genuinely love this idea, funeral management/undertaking is basically my "back up plan" as it were, so being able to fuse my two biggest passions is something quite incredible.

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  13. A brave move , but not suprising that it's coming from Illamasqua.
    As much as i love to be glamorous daily , I would really love to be as glamorous when i'm dead too :)

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  14. I think the price is way too high, funerals cost enough as it is.

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  15. It's definitely a bold move but with prices starting at £450 I think that a great deal of people wouldn't be able to afford the service. Some people who would go for an open casket when they die might love the idea of having this service but (and this is just my personal opinion) I'd much rather see a sum of money like that be given to charity if anything were to happen to me.

    One thing I am intrigued by is the make up artists that will provide this service and the products they will use. A friend used to do this job and would say how difficult it was...not only in dealing with the dead but also applying the make up as the skin changes so much in death that application can not always be done in the same way. Out of curiosity...are the MUA's experienced in dealing with the dead and have they had a lot of hands on experience at applying make up to a dead body?

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  16. Brilliant idea. I absolutely love it.

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  17. If this is what you want, everyone should have a choice and to be honest, I just said to my hubby "I want that, let me look like that when I go" But it is a lot of money ! Brave move !

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  18. Seriously, this makes me reconsider cremation. lol

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  19. i think that this is the last and final way to try to guarantee capital for the company... as they say... there will always be money in funerals...none of us get out alive. is the company going down hill to have to resort to something like this?

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  20. Symbolic, to me this appeals to a spiritual death,,,marks a new beginning :') Victory!!!

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  21. This would be a great idea if it was done in collaboration with a charity, or at a lower price but £450+ for effectively a makeover is too expensive.
    Unfortunately this reminds me of the Mac Rodarte controversy.. I really hope this idea came from the heart and not just an idea to make money out of the dead.

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  22. This is sick! Nothing, nothing has changed since Jessica "Decca" Mitford of the famous Mitford Sisters wrote "The American Way of Death". The funeral business (all over the world) is only after one thing: making more money:-(
    That's why sick ideas like yours pop up!

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  23. Very interesting idea. I love it! So much so, I gave y'all a mention in my latest blog post.

    http://www.jennysuemakeup.com/2011/07/fun-friday-hair-and-funeral-makeup.html

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  24. As someone who deals with many brands,I love that Illamasqua burst on the scene with SUCH ferocity! The success of the products has not only been,in my humble opinion,because of the brilliantly edited colors,formulations,and applications that allow one to "express their alter ego" but because the art and use of cosmetics AS a medium unto itself for the sake of makeup alone has seldom been represented in such ways as Illamasqua have given us all...
    I have been delighted by each expression,each blog post,and each look whether or not it's something I'd apply or wear myself BECAUSE Illamasqua isn't afraid to take a stand,support,encourage,shock,re-invent and allow us define that unique "beauty" that lies within each of us whether or not the conventional standards of "beauty" apply.
    I think this "Final Act of Self Expression" is relevent and simply continues the TRUE mission statement of the Illasmasqua brand without fear of repression or to take a bold step into an area where mundane or basic has perhaps been represented for too long? No doubt most of us have seen atrocious makeup applications in funeral settings and I for one applaud and admire the fact that such a service,at any price is offered to those among us who DO wish to be as finely expressed in death as we have been in life...possiby even more so :) KUDDOS!

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  25. Oh, i love this a very good friend of mine for years has said this is what she wants to do, its stemmed from the fact she never goes anywhere without her makeup and would hate to be seen dead looking dead - as she is always glam.. as with anything in funerals, it’s all personal choice - we are all different and it takes all sorts to make up this wonderful world we live in

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  26. This is the greatest thing ive heard of. Is there a way to preorder a snake make up'd on my weiner post death.. hopefully rigamortis will set in and we can make it look like its about to attack

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  27. Hi, why don't you come and exhibit at the Bournemouth Six Feet Under convention? http://www.sixfeetunderconvention.co.uk

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  28. well... any clients yet? :-) :- )

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  29. If you would like to talk to a funeral director before the death of a loved one, or to make advance arrangements for yourself, funeral directors are there to help at every stage of the planning process. They will be able to advise you as to what happens next and what considerations should be made. Everything from details for the service, floral tributes and memorials, and estimations of costs are able to be discussed beforehand. Please use this site to find the right professional for you.

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  30. Horrible Idea. Comment I wrote on an article about this below

    Hey Stephanie, You're absolutely right about the effects this may have at the casket. I know this is a bit dramatic for a beauty post but it's so appropriate for the story. My mother died of Lupus complications when I was 14. More importantly she was only 35 and it was 1984.The hair and makeup person working in the funeral parlor didn't look at her info nor the picture given. She assumed my mother who was coming straight from a two week stay in the hospital was older. So she did standard helmet wash and set,, heavy blue shadow and bright pink lipstick! Needless to say I was traumatized much more so than I should have been. Thank goodness this was at an earlier private family viewing. It troubled me(along with the rest of the family) that I went home got my the blowdryer, curling iron and her makeup. I softened her hair to the slightly feathered style she wore, washed off the horrid makeup, and applied her lt brown shadow, liquid liner on top eyelid, and light mauve lipstick all before everyone else arrived.
    I think this is a horrible idea. The entire purpose of a viewing along with saying goodbye is to make it more real. To look down and see the unfamiliar would be hard enough on an adult let alone children.

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  31. I LOVE this! Would love to learn how to do it! I think this is a great move for Illamasqua, thinking outside of the box and beating every other company to it as usual! ♥ everything about your brand! Hope to work for you someday :)

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  32. So if looking good in your casket is a concern for you then you should probably thinking of getting cosmetic surgery for your funeral.

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  33. I love this idea, I would love to pursue something like this my self.

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