Cult cosmetics brand Illamasqua has teamed up with a family funeral firm to offer "ritual beauty" to the deceased.

The service - titled "The Final Act of Self-Expression" - is run by Illamasqua make-up artists in conjunction with Leverton & Sons, one of the oldest and most respected funeral homes in the UK.

Potential clients are invited to pre-plan their "final transformation" and "last glamorous look" with a tailored post-life makeover. The service is particularly aimed at people "for whom making-up is an intimate part of their identity." Smoky eyes and scarlet lips are just a few of the options available to transcend elegance and self-expression in the afterlife.

Starting at £450, the post-life makeover is carried out by Illamasqua beauty professionals who have been specially trained by embalmers at Leverton & Sons in the art of working with the deceased.

"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," Illamasqua, whose celebrity fans include Courtney Love and Lily Allen, said in a statement.

The service certainly gives a whole new meaning to looking like death...