Calming My Fragile Nerves: Stila Shadows (review)

Remember how on Monday I told you all about my sad automotive situation? Well it’s gotten even sadder. Turns out that Sylvia (aka my car) has been deemed a “total loss” and cannot be saved. So not only am I sad (and furious at mr-hit-and-run-with-no-regard-for-anyone-else); but now I’m all nervous and wound up waiting to find out what my settlement will be.

And what does a beauty junkie do when there’s nothing to do but wait and over analyze everything? Well yours truly spent the evening trying out eye shadows. (Although, now that I think of it, there’s a pretty good chance I might have played with eye shadows all night even if I wasn’t a nervous wreck.)

Honestly, there’s never really a bad time to check out eye shadows. Especially if they're shadows from Stila.

Convertible Eye Color (Dual Shadow and Liner)

Blurb: Stunning color and unbelievable ease is what you can expect with stila's convertible eye color. This versatile, dual-ended eye color wand is a sleek, pen-shaped makeup ace that has an eye pencil on one end and a smudging tool on the other. Twist the middle and there you have the perfect coordinating eye shadow ready for application. Perfect for the stila girl who is looking for no mess, no fuss and no worry color-coordinated lids in a flash!

Another item from the Land of Really Good Ideas. Each is a shadow, with a matching liner and blendable tip. Of course, both the shadow and liner have serious staying power. And since it does double duty, it’s perfect to stash in your bag. The liners were soft and lined really well; but I think they looked truly outstanding applied in the crease and outer corners of the lid. I was able to get much more precise application than with a powder shadow (and the blender tip was perfect for smoothing everything out).

Slate – The shadow is a dark slightly silvery gray and the liner is a deep matte grey (similar to the grey Smudge Pot). This is probably the most versatile combo since grays go with absolutely everything.

Berry – This makes a little more of a statement. The shadow is a pale soft raspberry and the liner is a deep magenta. The combination is really striking. I really loved the effect of creating a “berry smoky eye” with these two colors.

Eye Shadow Pans

Blurb: Inspire your inner artist and create a palette of color with stila's award-winning eye shadows. Our assortment offers something for every Stila girl - from classic neutrals to the hippest, trend-setting shades in mattes and shimmers! Our award-winning shades are known for their high-quality formula and texture which can be worn wet or damp. Each sold in pans so you can create your own custom kit!

What else is left to say about Stila shadow pans? They’re like an assortment of gorgeous little...bon bons (the kind your dentist and dietician would approve of). The colors are amazing, the formula is smooth, weightless and lasts all day. You can put them on with a dry brush for sheer buildable coverage, or use a wet brush to get creamy saturated color.

Kitten (shimmering nude pink) – The quintessential Stila color. I have kitten eye shadow (and kitten silk shadow wash and kitten lip gloss). This shade is fresh, dewy and looks great on every complexion. It's pretty all by itself and makes a fab highlighter.

Flicker (shimmering apricot) – Another fresh, feminine color. Gives a really flattering glow. It’s slightly more pigmented than Kitten. Looks pretty and ethereal when dry, and when applied with a wet brush it creates a beautiful apricot wash of color.

Diamond Lil (shimmering metallic platinum) – This is a soft, burnished metallic shadow. It almost seems to have a bit of olive in it. It’s very pretty dry; but I thought it looked extra cool applied wet. It’s not a dark shadow, but it’s got a rich deep glow.

Mambo (shimmering lavender) – The website describes this as a periwinkle blue, but I would place it squarely in the purple family. No problem, since purple is my favorite color. Love this shade - it’s got a little bit of a 60’s “flower power” vibe to it.

Cha Cha (shimmery sheer sea foam green) – Super duper pretty! A delicate, pale green. Looks great with my dark brown eyes; but I think this is another universally flattering color. I liked it best with a dry brush (really emphasized the sheer, delicate qualities of this shade).

I could go on all day about Stila eye colors. Don’t worry I won’t – I need to take a break from blogging so I can do some quality obsessing about my car situation. But while I’m busy over thinking everything; you go right ahead and take a look at some of the Eye Shadow Duos, Eye Shadow Mattes or maybe a palette or two.
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