Illamasqua may sound like it comes from some old, foreign language, but it’s actually a made up word. While coming up with the name for his “dark, alter ego” makeup line, founder Julian Kynaston favored the words “masquerade” and “illusion,” but still couldn’t decide on an official name. It wasn’t until he read Anne Rice’s “Interview with a Vampire” that he came across the word Talamsca. “I loved the way the word sounded when you said it. It wasn’t a big leap in taking the “ill” of illusion and the “masquer” of masquerade and forming them with the same sound of Talamasca,” he explained.

And, if you think naming your company after a vampire secret society is creepy, keep in mind Illamasqua is known for doing funeral makeup — a service they call “the final act in self-expression.”

Click on the video to hear the correct pronunciation of the beauty product.