Thursday, July 4, 2013

Spotlight: Stila Cosmetics *GIVEAWAY CLOSED* WINNER HAS BEEN CHOSEN

All Products In This Post Purchased By Me

Spotlight: Stila Cosmetics

Stila Cosmetics is a cruelty-free brand that I use a lot.  I reach for their products the most during the summer months because of their large amount of waterproof choices. It is a brand that has had a place in my makeup stash for a long time.  Many of their products are cult classics in makeup land, and you will be hard pressed to find a makeup artist that doesn't carry at least a couple of these cruelty-free staples in their kit. While Stila is probably most recently known for their palettes, and fun lip products, there are some staples that I've used for a while now that don't get as much press. However, these stellar products are basics that truly stand the test of time.  

Here is a look at some of my favorites from the brand: 

Stila Beauty Balm: Stila's original formula, their Stay All Day 10-in-One HD Beauty Balm with Broad Spectrum SPF 30, is one of the first American BB Creams I tried. If you have oily skin, this is the BB Cream for you.  It applies like a tinted moisturizer, but dries to a powder finish.  This paraben free formula only comes in one shade, but it's one that happens to work for my skin tone.  If you are someone who likes a bit more coverage, this can still work for you as a tinted primer worn underneath your favorite foundation. With a sun protection factor of 30, this offers more protection from the sun than a lot of other makeup products on the market. If you are looking for a BB Cream with a matte finish, this is a good choice.

Stila also makes a more glowy version of this multitasking product called Stila Stay All Day 10-in-One Illuminating HD Beauty Balm with Broad Spectrum SPF 30.  This is a great choice for mature skin, or those with a slightly drier skin.  The illuminating, paraben free formula helps to create that lit from within glow, without leaving you looking overly greasy or shiny. This beauty balm is oil free, so it won't bother those with acne prone skin. Stila's Illuminating Beauty Balm is also water resistant, making it an ideal choice for the summer months. 


 Pictured above: some of the benefits of Stila Illuminating Beauty Balm
 Pictured above: The benefits of the Stila Beauty Balm (original formula)
Above: On the left side is the original beauty balm blended out, on the right, the illuminating version

Stila Convertible Color: This is a makeup artist must-have!  These creamy compacts hold color that can be blended onto eyes, cheeks or lips leaving behind a non-greasy sheer tint.  These are truly mistake proof. If you are looking to try a cream blush, and never have before, these are a good place to start. They are sheer, but the color is buildable so you can blend on a little and then add more as needed to achieve the desired look.  I especially love these for summer. Two of my favorite shades are Peony and Lillium because they work on a multitude of skin tones. I have nearly every shade, because I'm a big fan of the dewy finish these leave on the cheekbones. Peony is a bit more sheer and dewy, while Lillium is more opaque.

 These creamy compacts come with a mirror included (pictured above)

Swatches Above: On the left Lillium, On the right Peony

Primers and Liners: Stila eye products are among some of my favorites in my collection.  I love starting eye looks with their Prime Pots or Smudge Pots, which are creamy little tubs of stay-put waterproof eye base.  Their prime pots are matte finish creams that prime the lids for eyeshadow.  I love Taffy for fair to light skin tones and Caramel for medium to deeper skin tones.  Their Smudge Pots can be used as eye liner, or blended out over the lid as a base.  On day where I wear limited makeup, I may just take a touch of Taffy Prime Pot blended over the lid to cover up any discoloration and create a smooth look. I've been using their Prime Pots for years, and they do not crease or budge once set. The only down side is that if you don't screw your cap on tightly, they will dry out, but I find this to be true of most cream products.  

If you are a fan of the Smudge Pots, but prefer a pencil format, try Stila's Smudge Crayons, which deliver the same waterproof color in an easy to apply stick. These are my favorite for a simple smokey eye. You can just draw along the base of the lash line and blend up with a domed shadow brush.  The precision tip also makes it easy to place color along the lower lash line.  One word of caution, be sure to do one eye at a time, and blend as you go, because once these set, they will not move. These are completely waterproof. I have tested them time and time again, and they absolutely can not be removed without a waterproof eye makeup remover or wipe. Dazzle is my favorite shade, as it really works well solo.  I also love the classic shade Kitten as an inner corner highlight. These also contain vitamin E to protect and nourish the delicate eye area. 

If liquid liner is your thing, Stila's version is a cult classic and with good reason. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner is one of those products that has been around forever because it just works. It's precision tip, makes for super easy application. The felt tip marker like feel of this liner is what makes it an ideal choice for first timers and old pros alike.  Plus, I find that if capped properly, it doesn't dry out. These last me for months so you don't have to worry about wasting your money.  The quick dry formula means no smudging.  These are available in a whole host of colors, but Jet Black is still my favorite.







 Pictured Above: Stila Prime Pot in Taffy, Stila Smudge Pots in Kitten and Bronze

 Swatches from left to right (above): Prime Pot in Taffy, Smudge Pots in Kitten & Bronze 


 Stila Smudge Crayon in Dazzle comes complete with a built in sharpener


Pictured Above: Swatch of Stila Smudge Crayon in Dazzle


 Pictured Above: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner in Jet Black

Powder Eye Shadow: Stilla eye shadow is a classic! Their formula is so easy to blend, and they offer so many amazing colors and finishes. Kitten is one of the most famous eye shadows ever. While their new "In The..." palettes have gained a lot of attention, I think some of their eyeshadow singles that have been around for a while sometimes go unnoticed.  Three of my favorite shades from the brand are Moonlight (shimmery white), Starlight (very similar to Urban Decay Virgin and Milani Pearl), and Golightly (shimmery bronze, very similar to Urban Decay Smog). Their shadows are pigmented, easy to blend and the shimmery shades are grown up shimmer so they look good on eyes of every age. I really can't ask for more. The performance of these shadows never lets me down, which is why they are a go to brand when I am creating a makeup look on others. 

 From Left to Right: Moonlight, Starlight, Golightly
Moonlight is the perfect white shimmer shade for an inner corner highlight. I'll often use this as an allover lid color as well.  Starlight has the most brightening effect on the eye, and it works great on so many skin tones.  I love Kitten, but admit it does not work for everyone. If Kitten appears slightly off on your skin tone, give Starlight a try.  Golightly has been a favorite contour shade of mine forever. If you like Urban Decay's Smog, but can't deal with the fallout, Golightly is a great pick. 

Mascara: If you've read any of my other posts, you know that Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Volumizing Mascara is a true favorite of mine. The formula is super volumizing, and the brush is a unique triangle shape, which helps comb and lift the lashes creating separation and definition. This is a paraben free formula so it won't irritate those with sensitive eyes. One word of warning, this is extremely waterproof. You absolutely need a good waterproof eye makeup remover or you will not be able to get this off. 


 Note the unique length of the bristles on the mascara brush


I hope you enjoyed this look at some of my favorites from Stila Cosmetics. If you haven't tried this brand yet, the items mentioned in this post are a good place to start. With summer here, waterproof makeup is important, and this brand does it better than most!  Stila products can be purchased at Sephora or StilaCosmetics.com

If you would like a chance to win some of the products seen here, directions on entering are below:


Giveaway Rules:
  1. You must be at least 18 years old to enter 
  2. You must subscribe to this blog
  3. You must leave a comment below (please be patient, comments are approved individually)
  4. By entering you agree to terms and conditions below 
  5. Do not leave any personal contact information in the comments. 
 Winner will be chosen on July 15, 2013.  Winner will be chosen at random.  Prize is a selection of Stila products purchased and chosen personally by me. Don't forget to check back on the 15th to see if you are a winner!



Terms & Conditions:
Winner will be notified by email, Twitter or this blog.  Winner must respond within 5 days, or a new winner will be chosen. All federal, state, local or international taxes associated with the prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.  By entering the giveaway through this blog, you release Liza Chung and Makeup Matters by LNC from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action , related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the giveaway or delivery, misdelivery or acceptance of any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, right of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional, whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory.
 

*GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED WINNER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED*


*All products pictured in this post were purchased by me. All opinions are my own. I do not get paid to write reviews.  I do not receive any compensation if you purchase any of these products.






8 comments:

  1. i've been curious about the beauty balm because i've yet to find one that i like. i need to try the mascara as well - need a go-to waterproof.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love your blog.really interested in trying their smudge pots.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The first Bb cream would probably work well for my skin. Love the bronze cream shadow, too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I absolutely love the Convertible Colors too! I was so scared of cream blush, but they are really easy to use and they last pretty well too! I love the "Kitten" Smudge Stick for an inner corner highlight too! So quick and easy! :) Wonderful choices!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love Stila & their lip glazes but their convertible blushes are on my wishlist. How awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just bought my friend the regular stila BB cream for her birthday, and from what I've heard, she LOVES it. Personally, I think I would love to try the illuminating or the bronzing stila BB cream. Ah, I love stila products!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Stila Convertible Colors look awesome. Nice post! I just followed you and shared your giveaway on my G+ page.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The winner was chosen this morning. She has been notified. Thank you for reading. There will be more giveaways to come!

    ReplyDelete

Comments/Questions are highly encouraged. However please refrain from posting links to other sites. I cannot always respond personally to every post, but appreciate and read them all.