Illamasqua, the UK beauty brand helmed by edgy makeup artist Alex Box, is dealing with a very vocal customer backlash today over its new holiday ads.

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Last night I went into the Illamasqua makeup Master Class thinking that a bit of teal eyeliner is very bold and statement-making, and came out thinking that yes, perhaps blue metallic brows could work at the office.

Illamasqua–“makeup for your alter ego”– is a two-year-old UK cosmetics company with roots in the theater and alternative lifestyles. What this translates to in the collection is bold color, makeup that bucks any sort of trend, and an exhortation to express yourself.

The line is launching exclusively at Sephora stores and on its own website this February. The brand held a demonstration last night at the Soho Grand to introduce its potential.

Illamasqua spokesperson/makeup artist Alex Box, a charismatic Brit with scarlet lips, cat eye glasses, and a Cruella de Vil platinum stripe in her hair, led the class last night. She has worked for Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, McQ, Peter Jensen, and Gareth Pugh. Her work has also been featured in Vogue Italy, France, and Japan, and in other mags like W, i-D, and Another. Her demonstration was absolutely fascinating and she made a compelling argument for self-expression and breaking the conventional beauty mold.

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