I sort of have a love-hate relationship with this product. I am only 15 years old and I started using the Stila IPF last year when i was 14. It is perfect for a natural look.

PROS:
Very easy to use
I feel really safe with this product.
Nice, soft coverage
Doesn't look cakey
Looks good on top of concealer
One lasts me 6 months, so thats only 2 per year :)
Shade matches me :) I have Asian Skin and I use 70 watts in the summer, and 60 watts during the rest of the year.


CONS:
My face will get SUPER oily by the end of the day.
It is pretty expensive ($24 at my local Sephora plus tax)
Compact is expensive and sold seperately
A powder brush will not give good coverage. I use the sponge that came along with the powder . (I wash it every week to keep it clean)

& that's pretty much it :)
I feel pretty safe with this product <33 It's my first love. I'm running out though so I have to go back to Sephora and get another one.
-___- I can't believe I didn't sign up for a Beauty Insider Card yet.

Oh and btw, whenever I first apply this, my first looks really matte and made up. However, after about 10 minutes, the powder will sorta "sink in" to my skin and give a more natural look.

=) continued >>

This product looks nice and natural, and I usually apply it two times a day, morning and late afternoon. It gives a nice finished look when I put it on over my liquid moisturizer/foundation. The only downside of this powder is that if my skin is not exfoliated or moisturized, you can see every bit of dry skin because of the powder.

Update--I'm going to replace this with a loose powder. I don't think the staying power of this powder is worth the huge price tag on it. However, I would buy it again if it were cheaper, and I applied it with a brush instead of the sponge it comes with.

Generally o.k. if you have great skin and like to have that "no makeup" feel. It didn't provide enough coverage for the slight rosacea I have on my cheeks, and tended to buildup around my nose and chin creases about 3 hours into the wear. The packaging is ridiculous because you have to buy their $23 compact to have protection for the pan. It's cheaper just to de-pan a used powder compact and place the Stila pan into it.
Will not repurchase due to the poor coverage factor.

Finally. Something light enough and neutral enough (i use 10 watts) for my skin that feels like skin and not makeup. Where has this been all my life? Yes, it's on the expensive side but i've wasted so much money on foundations I'm just happy to find one that works. I use the sponge that comes with it and kind of gently buff it in, over concealor for the "bad" spots. It's not full coverage, just makes your skin look better. Will repurchase. Will tell all my friends. ;-)

I have been using this product for over two years now, with the occasional "break-up" to try another product ... but I keep coming back! I love it because it does not wear off. I did take away one lippy because when my eyes have had a bad day (crying, sleepless night, etc.)basically, it shows the dry skin etc... it definitely has no mercy under my eyes on those days, so basically if my under eye skin isn't doing well, it will show, so I'll apply moisturizer on those days to keep the application smooth! But that's not it's job, it's job is to provide coverage, and it does. I love wearing it because it is semi-sheer and does seem to make my skin glow! It also has great staying power as you go through the package...no matter how old the powder is, it doesn't change color or texture. The sponge does have to be replaced after a couple of months...But in trying different means of application, you can use a brush to spare the sponge and it will look just as great. Overall, I'm guessing this powder is something special if I keep coming back! By the way, other powders I've tried include Jane Iredale, BE, Alima. (only one that came close to it was Alima).

UPDATE - tried yet another foundation in place of this one, but alas, I came right back to Stila Illuminating Powder Foundation ... it's officially my holy grail of powder foundations and I've changed my rating to FIVE STARS!!! Great stuff.

Sometimes it looked great and perfected my very imperfect skin. Other times, I looked ashy and gray (NC35, using 50 watts). Guess it depends on my skin's condition at various times and lighting? Anyway, I use to use StudioFix and it never looked bad on me, but has bad bad bad ingredients. Oh well. No rebuy.

I have re-purchaed this product a few times to use as a base powder under and sometimes as a finishing powder over liquid foundation as I like the finish this product gives. It applies smoothly and does not accentuate dry areas. However recently I have found it has irritated my sensitive skin and and my skin has improved since switching to everyday minerals foundation. I don't think this product provides enough coverage on it's own (unless you already have clear skin with no redness etc) so is best combined with liquid or stick foundation or concealer depending on how much coverage you need. If you apply too much of this product your face may appear a bit "ashy" and mask-like so I would say it is only good for light coverage. Because this product contains ingredients may irritate sensitive skin such as Bismuth Oxychloride, I don't recommend it to those with skin sensitivities, otherwise it is a good product to use in combination with liquid or stick foundation. This product is best applied with a big brush, the sponge provided is not very good.

I tried many powder foundations but this seems to be one of better ones out there. It's not perfect but considering the quality, size, and cost... it has earned it's place in my makeup bag.
I'm a MAC NC30, BB Warm Sand, and LM Sunny Beige with black hair and eyes. I have decent skin but I have uneven skin tones around my nose and a decent amount of freckles. I hate anything that is thick and overly matte. I was looking for a natural matte foundation that is easy to apply in the mornings. This is a great fit to use on top of the Illuminating Fluid Foundation. It gives a natural medium-sheer coverage AND a hint of shimmer. I find if you use this too much, it looks really unnatural (like MAC Studio Fix) but a good buffing brush on the cheeks and forehead makes my skin look luminous without the obvious glitter.
I like affordable refill... whether it was thought out to be environmentally friendly, I dunno but I like it for that point. The sponge is ok but I find the finish with sponge is mediocre at best. I highly recommend to use a dense and fluffy bronze brush for that polished finish. continued >>

I hate that you have to buy the compact separately. It makes it too expensive. I wouldn't buy it again. It was just ok.

I'm not a fan of powder foundations, but this is one of the better ones that I have used. It makes my pores look invisible and although it looks quite pale and chalky when I first apply it, by the time I have finished my makeup it settles down and looks quite natural. I'm fair but I'm 30 watts in this, so this is a great foundation if you're really pale (I'm the palest shade in most other foundations I have tried).
UPDATE 3/12: This is now HG status for me since I started using it with Stila's #24 brush. Gives me a flawless, but natural looking finish, plus it's really quick to apply this way.