If you're a makeup lover, you've probably spent hours (okay, maybe not hours but, you know, a good long while) at Sephora playing with all the goodies in the Stila section. You might've even done some sneaky isht and fixed your whole makeup while "testing" different Stila products, leaving a trail of Q-tips and sponge applicators behind you. Yup, I know that trick well (guilty as charged) -- if you have an event or you're meeting someone special, you just waltz into Sephora, pretend to try on different shadows, powders, glosses, and liners until — voila — you've got fresher makeup than a runway model (without paying for any of it). Not that I'm condoning the practice -- as a matter of fact, ladies, it's time to act like adults and stop trying to get over on people. And, not to be the bearer of bad news, but Sephora emloyees have gotten hip to this type of trickery, which is why they now saunter down the aisles like overeager hall monitors. Besides, if you've done your makeup at Sephora using Stila products, chances are you got so many compliments that you went back to buy a few goodies for your makeup bag (hey, there's no way to do touch-ups otherwise!)
See, what makes Stila so amazing (at least to me) is its color offerings. From its Lip Glaze hues (and big props to them for being one of the first lines to include liplosses with brush tip applicators) to its eyeshadows, Stila manages to capture the subtle distinctions between various shades of pink, purple, blue, gray, etc. They don't tend to mess with really bold colors (the deep reds and neon greens/yellows that are so big with Vincent Longo and Nars), but that's what makes them so practical for everyday use and so great for occasions when you want a natural, no-fuss look.
Sweetness and innocence are what Stila's all about, and this spring they're adding more honey to the pot with the debut of their eye shadow quads. The compacts alone are gorgeous -- small, square, matte silver cases embossed with flower vine designs. But of course, it's what's on the inside that counts ;)
Two palettes are currently available: the Marrakesh, which is a warmer assortment of earth tones (a warm pink, a cool pink, goldn apricot and golde brown) and the Montemart, which has cooler colors in a lavender base (light pink, soft lilac, soft orchid and rich plum). Both are stunning, especially the Montemart (those lilac colors will make you look like a spring blossom).
$38 each; Visit http://www.stilacosmetics.com
