I got into Illamasqua late, only just last year, and then, as is my luck, not a few months later the company started to pull out of North America! On the positive side, Canadian department store Hudson’s Bay started to clearance their remaining Illamasqua products, so I have been able to accumulate more at discounted prices (there’s still some stock left, so go check it out!). To my initial purchases of Alarm and Boosh Nail Varnishes, and Lover and Hussy Powder Blushers, I added a whole bunch more of both products, as well as some powder eyeshadow singles and a powder brush. I would have bought lipsticks, too, but I checked out their lipsticks in store and wasn’t a fan of the super matte formula.

I aim to eventually review everything of theirs that I have, so here’s Stagnate Nail Varnish, to start!

Stagnate is described by Illamasqua as a “grey mauve.” This is a pretty spot-on description: it’s a midtone mauve-grey cream. I know nail polish companies came out with a million variations on grey shades several years back, but I still dig it! It’s comfortably conservative for an office look, yet, like many Illamasqua shades, it still has an edge to it.

This one is by far one of my fave greige shades that I have. The formula is also excellent. I tend to do thinner coats, so I used three, but you could definitely do two slightly thicker coats.

The packaging is very nice and sleek. The square cap comes off and there is a smaller, ridged, round cap inside that makes application very easy.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish retails/retailed for GBP£14.50 / CA$17 and is 0.5 fl oz / 15 mL. It does not contain toluene, formaldehyde, or dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The Nail Varnish is made in Australia. Illamasqua is cruelty-free.

Illamasqua is a private company based in London, England.