I've been meaning to do this overview of Inglot cosmetics for a while and I'm finally getting around to it! I've been using Inglot for about 18 months now so I've had a good opportunity to try out some products extensively, although there are lots of other products from the range that I haven't been able to try yet. Before I talk about the products themselves I'll just give a little bit of info about the company, for anyone who hasn't heard of them or hasn't tried them yet.
Inglot originated in Poland (I read that before somewhere but now I can't find a link to it!) about 25 years ago but has only come to our attention in Western Europe in the last 2-3 years. It is quite similar to MAC in terms of the range it has; the lipsticks and eyeshadows come in a vast array of colours and shades and there are also products that you wouldn't normally find in a drugstore makeup brand, such as liquid highlighters, products for liquifying eyeshadows to use as eyeliners, pigment powders for use on face and body; I know the likes of MAC and Makeup Forever stock products like this but the point I'm trying to make is that they are not really widely available and may be aimed more at makeup artists for professional use. The difference between Inglot and MAC is the price; Inglot is significantly cheaper while still being just as good if not better quality.
Inglot also has the unique Freedom System, which is perfect for makeup artists and anyone who really loves their makeup. How it works is, you buy a blank palette (and I love their palettes, they are magnetic and nifty and not like your typical makeup palette at all!), and you fill it with eyeshadow or lipstick or blusher of your choice; there are different palettes for different products. The beauty of this system is, the refills for the palettes come in a slightly smaller size than the products that are sold as singles and are therefore cheaper, so you can get maybe 2 eyeshadows for your Freedom palette rather than one eyeshadow in a container. They may be smaller but they are still generous enough and won't run out too quickly.
So now I'll talk a little bit more about the products themselves. I have mostly positive things to say with just a couple of small negative points.
If you click on the link I put for the eyeshadows you'll see just what I mean when I say they do a massive range of colours! Loads of variations of colours from slightly warmer to slightly cooler; matte, pearl and shimmery finishes. The shadows themselves are quite highly pigmented so a little goes a long way, they don't fall down onto the cheeks really badly (obviously darker colours will always have a tendency to fall down, in any brand) and they are very easily blended. I think the only thing they are really missing is a few colours that are unique to the brand; MAC has colours like Club that are hard to find duplicates of and I think Inglot would benefit from some standout colours.
Again, I can't get over how many different shades of lipstick they have, colours to compliment all skin tones whether you want a nude pink or a bright coral. Some of the lipsticks have a pearl finish but most are just creamy and moisturising with a slight sheen. They are also fairly well pigmented and can really be worked into the lip for longevity. Click on the link and you'll see just how cheap they are too, absolutely excellent value for money!
The Inglot concealers for the Freedom System are more on the creamy, pigmented side so I do think they are more suitable for covering spots and blemishes rather than for use in the eye area. Inglot do a specific under-eye concealer with is lighter, more liquid and moisturising for under the eyes. The cream concealers are available in light to dark shades with warm and cool tones, and they also make green, yellow and pink colour correctors which can be sold separately or fit into the Freedom palettes. They also contain salicylic acid so help clear up spots as well as disguising them.
I have used two of Inglots foundations, the AMC Cream foundation and the YSM cream foundation. I found the YSM is more suitable for oily skin like mine as it had slightly heavier coverage and a more matte finish. The AMC is better for dry skin as it has a slight luminosity to it and is more moisturising. I have to say though, Inglot foundations aren't the best I've ever used. They are a good standard foundation and the range of colours is brilliant, but even the YSM foundation didn't have quite enough coverage for me and I didn't find they made my skin look fantastic. Even my sister who has pretty much perfect skin wasn't overly impressed by it. The one thing I will say is, the colour I used in the YSM foundation, number 41, is perfect for my skin tone, which is not something I find very often with foundations.
Now the range of gel eyeliners Inglot is something that puts other brands to shame! They are matte finish and come in no less than 20 colours, from jet black to bright yellow to deep aubergine, and they are one of the best products Inglot has in their collection! They can be used as a base for eyeshadows, as a standard eyeliner or even as body paints; the pigmentation and consistency of them makes them perfect for so many different uses. They are waterproof and and can be worn in the water-line and will last pretty much all day; I've worn them on many occasions and I usually suffer with watery eyes if it's windy or sunny out and they haven't let me down! The pencil eyeliners from Inglot come in a few different types, some shimmery and some matte, and they come in bright colours and deep, complimentary colours.
Inglots pressed powder blushes can be bought as singles or as refills for the Freedom System; the latter are actually very generous in size. They come in lots of pretty colours from shimmery peaches, soft pinks and earthy neutrals. They are finely milled so blend easily into the skin with a very natural finish; they don't sit on top of powder or foundation and look cakey. One product I'm loving at the minute is Inglot cream blushers; they have a cream-to-powder formula and blend so nicely into foundation and are perfect for a no-makeup look as they give a natural healthy flush when applied to the apples of the cheek. They can also be used on lips as sort of lip balm although I recommend applying them on top of a more moisturising lip balm as they have a more matte finish and can be a bit drying.
I have used several others of their products but not as much as the aforementioned ones so I won't go into as much detail. The liquid illuminators come in a pump bottle and have a more watery consistency so are good for oily skin; they come in 8 colours that range from light to dark so everyone should find one to suit their skin tone. In terms of finishing products, I have only used Inglot's translucent loose powder, which actually does come in a few different shades so people with darker skin tones can also find one that won't make their skin look ashy. The Inglot lipliners come in 13 colours and I think they could add a few more to that as it's a bit limited, but they are pigmented and creamy and make a good base for lipsticks as they last quite a long time. The mascara I used was the Long & Curly mascara, which I don't feel made my lashes particularly long or curly, but it is a good mascara for defining lashes and the depth of colour is quite good, it's not that wishy-washy charcoal color that claims to be black. Pretty much the only Inglot primer is the Under Makeup Base, which is a clear gel-like formula which contains silicone to help it smooth over the skin; it's a good standard primer that doesn't provide too much moisture or too much of a mattifying effect. I recommend warming it up in your hands before applying. Inglot has one eye makeup primer product, the Eye Makeup Base, which also has a soft cream-to-powder finish. I use this quite a lot and find it does help my eye makeup to last a bit longer but it only comes in one colour, however it takes out any redness or darkness on the eyelids and provides a good blank canvas for all colours and products used on the eyes. The only Inglot lipgloss I have used is a clear one from the Sleeks range, it has a light and non-sticky consistency with a yummy smell but I find it absorbs into the lips quite quickly, which is a side effect of the light finish and may not be a problem for some people.
So there is my fairly in-depth overview of Inglot Cosmetics! I know it's a bit longwinded but I haven't seen any other reviews that cover many products in a bit more detail so hopefully anyone who's interested in Inglot will appreciate this and find it useful. On the whole I will say I really really like Inglot and will definitely be investing in more products for my makeup kit in future. The downsides I've mentioned are more personal ones and don't mean that the products they're referring to are bad products, someone else might love them! The one big downside of Inglot is that it's not more widely available in shops in the UK! It has taken off in a big way in Europe, Australia, the US, Dubai and lots of other places but seems to be struggling to find the same success in the UK and I can't understand why. Ireland alone has 5 standalone stores which is a lot for such a small island, and it's going from strength to strength there! I know I can buy the products online but sometimes I like to see the products in the flesh, especially when it's a brand that's still relatively new to most people.
Either way I hope this blog post will inspire someone to try Inglot out, and if anyone has tried it out and wants to share their views, likes or dislikes about Inglot, please leave a comment! I'm only too happy to read them and hear other people's opinions.
Thanks so much for reading!
Suzie
xxx
