The Stila Summer 2015 collection introduced a new Aqua Glow Perfecting Primer (US$28), Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush (US$26) plus five new vibrant shades of their Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick (US$22). I loved the look of this collection with its unabashedly bold hues and the elegant matte gold packaging that's a welcome departure from the brand's usual boring black and silver. Stila's quality has been highly erratic and uneven, since it left the Estee Lauder stable and changed owners a couple of times, so it's useful to check up on their product reviews so that one can avoid the absolute stinkers like their Eyes Are The Window palettes.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the Aqua Glow Perfecting Primer and Watercolor Blush are made in South Korea - yet another indicator of Korea's current influence in the Western beauty marketplace. The Perfecting Primer is a water-based stick primer that helps to hydrate, cool and smoothen the skin while reducing the appearance of pores and redness. The cooling sensation is refreshing and the light balmy formula melds into the skin without feeling heavy or clogging, although the pore and redness reduction effect wasn't that significant. It was a good base for my Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion Foundation, but the combination did not offer good oil control (which is not unexpected as the foundation is a more hydrating formula). This would be great for travel, as the packaging is sturdy with an inner plastic cap to help keep the primer from drying out. The gel stick can be a lint magnet though. It has a light aquatic scent that disappears quickly after application.
Below is the list of ingredients, which does include alcohol and silicones. There is also a host of plant and fruit extracts, including lemon, pumpkin, carrot, corn silk and aloe lead.
The Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush in Water Poppy is a cheerful translucent coral red without any shimmer. The waterproof gel formula is also designed to be cooling on the skin with buildable, color-true pigments. The mesh net dispenser is supposed to help deliver the appropriate dose of product for one application, but I usually just take a small dab from the product clinging to the underside of the cap so as to avoid touching the mesh net. The pot comes with a sticker advising one to shake well before opening.
Water Poppy looks very vibrant in the pot but it is actually quite easy to work with as it sheers out nicely to give a healthy, natural looking pop of color. It also layers smoothly without rubbing off the foundation underneath or any flaking. If you are intimately familiar with Korean brands, the Perfecting Primer and Watercolor Blush won't look particularly groundbreaking but they still feel relatively unique and fresh in the Western marketplace.
Below is the ingredient list. This contains carmine, so it's not vegan-friendly.
The Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Amalfi was the dud of the trio for me. The shocking pink shade is similar to MAC's famous Candy Yum Yum. It dries down matte without making my lips feel uncomfortable or overly dry. However, the shade was too loud for me, even when patted on with a fingertip to sheer it down. The dealbreaker was that it clung way too tenaciously to my lips and required frantic, vigorous rubbing to remove after a meal caused some of it to wear off. If you don't plan on eating, it might suit you for all-day wear.
Swatched below from left to right are the Water Poppy blush (blended out and unblended), and the Amalfi lipstick.
Other product used for this look include Innisfree Ampoule Intense Cushion Foundation #21, YSL Full Metal Shadow #3 Taupe Drop, Addiction Eyeliner Pencil 01 Blackjack, Kate Lasting Eyebrow W BR3 and Butter London Iconoclast Mega Volume Lacquer Mascara.
Libellés : blush, FOTD, liquid lipstick, primer, Stila, Summer 2015
