Stila Holiday 2017

Stila Holiday 2017 gift sets, including Play It Cool Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick Set, Sheer Delight Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick Set, Big Shots Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner and Huge Extreme Lash Mascara

I've loved Stila Cosmetics since my early twenties, when their Lip Glazes were much coveted and my most-used eyeshadow palette was a neutral trio I'd picked up at Urban Outfitters that included Stila's cult-fave shimmery peachy-pink shade, 'Kitten'. Over the years as I've grown up, Stila has too. Today they offer more sophisticated shades and formulations, but they've still managed to retain the charm and femininity that infuses Stila's DNA. This look at their holiday 2017 offerings is going to be a lot of fun—be prepared to covet everything!

Stila holiday 2017 Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick gift sets Play It Cool and Sheer Delight

First, can we talk about the packaging on the holiday 2017 gift sets? Each set comes in a gold-and-white box styled to look like a glamorous travel case. Definitely fun and feminine. The Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick trios—shown below in 'Sheer Delight' and 'Play It Cool'—are a particularly good way to build up your lip colour wardrobe, whether you're a longtime Stila fan or a lipstick wearer who's new to their Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, like I am.

Three shades for $20 is an excellent value and the mini sizes will still last you a long time, especially considering how long-wearing this formula is. It truly stays all day—I'm wearing 'Fiery' as I type this post and although some pigment transferred onto my tea mug, the colour has remained vibrant and hasn't budged. The lip colour feels creamy and glides effortlessly when you apply it with the doe-foot sponge-tip applicator, and it dries down to a weightless, velvety veil of colour. Resist the urge to press your lips immediately after application to allow the formula to set.

Stila holiday 2017 Sheer Delight Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick gift set includes new sheer shade Morello, Patina, and Fiery. Swatches photographed in natural light.

Of the liquid lipstick trios available this holiday season, Sheer Delight ($20) is my pick because 2 of the 3 shades look gorgeous if you're a fair-skinned, dark-haired Asian with a cool undertone like I am. 'Fiery' is an intense red that's nicely balanced. I'm not too crazy about 'Patina', a cool pink with a matte, completely opaque finish. However, I adore sheer 'Morello', a purple shade that's not too dark and just sheer enough to let your natural lip colour inform the undertone of the shade. Sheer Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks are actually a new permanent addition to the range come spring 2018; Stila's creative artistry director Sarah Lucero explained at a recent media preview that they like to offer a teaser of new launches as part of the holiday collections. Consider the Sheer Delight gift set your chance to try what's new right now!

Stila holiday 2017 Stay Cool Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick gift set includes Baci, Patina, and Bacca. Swatches photographed in natural light.

Matte, opaque pinks are usually hit-and-miss with me, which is why I'm not as excited by the shade range in the Play It Cool set ($20). But maybe they're your cup of tea? Swatched from top to bottom: 'Bacca' (cool magenta), 'Patina' (cool medium pink), and 'Baci' (cool light pink).

Stila holiday 2017 Big Shots gift set includes Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner and Huge Extreme Lash Mascara

If picking out perfectly complementary lippie shades for someone on your list feels too daunting, you can't go wrong with the Big Shots gift set ($33), which features Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara (a $23 value) and Stay All Day Liquid Liner (a $22 value) bundled together. Black mascara, black eyeliner, great formulas, great value—like I said, you really can't go wrong.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner has been my all-time favourite black liquid eyeliner since I reviewed it in 2013—it was even the eyeliner I used on my wedding day. Given how oily my eyelids are and how close my lash line is to the crease, most eyeliners disappear on me or dissolve into a smudged mess within an hour or two. But Stila's version dries down to an intense, slightly shiny black and literally stays all day. Plus, the precision tip makes drawing thick and thin lines a cinch.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Eye Liner swatches
Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara brush

I was skeptical of how Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara would hold up, especially considering I've tried so many disappointing mascaras lately. But this one was a pleasant surprise. The fluffy, hourglass-shaped brush delivers good volume without clumping, and while the formula goes on a bit wet it doesn't smudge once it dries, and it removes easily with micellar water. Definitely a keeper.

Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows in Kitten Karma and Diamond Dust

Finally, there's Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow ($24), shown here in 'Kitten Karma' (a peachy-pink with gold shimmer and a spin on Stila's cult-fave 'Kitten' shade) and 'Diamond Dust' (a clear base with silver glitter). No primer, no fancy brushes, no painstaking artful blending required—these are swipe-and-go, long-lasting, stay-put liquid eyeshadows that deliver a concentrated glitter payoff. In other words, they're the perfect easy product for kicking your holiday beauty looks up a notch, especially if you're getting ready for a party in the office bathroom.

Detail shot of the sponge-tip applicator for Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows

The paddle-shaped sponge-tip applicator is designed to deliver enough product for one eye with a single swipe of the flat side. Apply from the lash line to the crease, letting the product dry down and resisting the urge to push it around with your finger. This is one of those formulas where the less you do to it, the better it looks. (If necessary, you can smudge the outer edges with your ring finger to soften any jagged lines afterward.) The eyeshadow removes easily with micellar water, but you have to be meticulous to get every last speck of glitter. Or maybe you leave the residual sparkles on your skin and you roll into brunch the next day looking a bit more festive than usual—how decadent!

Swatches of Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows in Kitten Karma and Diamond Dust

The Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in sheer 'Morello' and 'Fiery' are going to be in heavy rotation this holiday season; Huge Extreme Lash Mascara has wormed its way into my makeup bag of essentials; and I can't wait to sport the Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadows at upcoming soirées. How about you? Do you see any new favourites?

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