Stila • Illuminating Liquid Foundation • Liquid

rated 3.6(320 reviews)

Average Rating.3.6
Would buy this product again.58%
Package Quality4.1
Price3.7
Ingredients

rated 3 of 5 elleerie on 12/28/2012 9:19:00 PM more reviews by elleerie

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I bought this liquid foundation because I have difficulty finding neutral toned foundations. While the foundation is a good match for my skin tone, it is very very sheer. It will help even out any redness that you have, but it will in no way cover up blemishes - if you need to cover something up, you will have to buy a concealer. The formula is not buildable at all. This luminous foundation also comes out very very shiny and oily. It might be a very good formula for someone with dry skin but it wasn't right for my skin type.
It has an interesting smell, it smells a little medical to me? It's not overpowering but it is noticeable.
Finally, I stopped using this foundation because the silver on the pump tube started flaking off, and every time I would attempt to put foundation on my face, I would end up with tiny silver pieces all over my face.

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rated 2 of 5 *TOP REVIEWER* Quilley on 11/3/2012 9:12:00 PM more reviews by Quilley

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I'm sad. This was on sale $3.85 at Apothica and I jumped on it. Jumped too fast it seems. I really should have researched the ingredients list first. Water is the first ingredient, mineral oil the second. My skin cannot tolerate mineral oil, but that's just one aspect of this foundation that is a negative for me.

Okay. The shimmer is over the top. I know it's called illuminating, however there is a ton of shimmer in this product. I'm middle aged and need a glow, however this appeared too shiny - as if I'd applied a light layer of oil. The shimmer really seems to be more intense than the pigment which is not a good thing for me.

I do like the packaging a lot. It's sanitary, it measures the amount for you and the bottle is beautifully shaped and designed. I work in packaging so I appreciate what goes into this. The stem is curved so you can get more product out of the bottle. The screw off top is handy for checking how much is left.

I'm so sad this did not work out. It is perfect for the NC40 skintone, but only if you are not sensitive to mineral oils and need minimal coverage.

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rated 2 of 5 Czarcasm on 7/20/2012 11:01:00 AM more reviews by Czarcasm

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I went to sephora, told the SA I wanted: something with decent coverage, long lasting, won't break me out and will give me a healthy glow. This is what she recommended, she applied it to my skin, and it looked nice initially so I bought it.

Fast forward to a year later. I have the same bottle I bought with less then a 1/4 gone. I wanted to like this. But I have some problems with it.

negatives :
-its soooo sheer (I find I get very little coverage)
-It can look greasy (especially if you want some kind of coverage with this)
-It breaks me out a bit
-Lack of lasting power (primers break me out, I need something that can stand on its own)

Positives:
- Glass bottle w/ pump makes it very sanitary.

** I recently experimented mixing this foundation with my very flat medium coverage, Revlon Colorstay foundation.I take a pump of stila and quater size of CS and mixed together well. Results its looks pretty decent. It gives a nice glow to my very flat very pale CS. I have decent coverage, I don't look greasy or glittery.The staying power again leaves a lot to be desired and this doesn't stand up against heat, but its ok.And this is pretty much the only way I can wear this.



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rated 5 of 5 beautyglitter on 6/10/2012 12:36:00 PM more reviews by beautyglitter

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

This foundation is the best foundation i have ever tried. It matches my skin color exactly, gives me a glow, does not make me look greasy, and wears all day on me. I have had no issues with this product whatsoever. It just really makes me look like I have beautiful skin. I mean it doesn't even look like foundation when I wear it (you know the look, caked on, makeupy, pancake face!). I have really dry skin and this does not dry my skin out and does not make any flaky patches, and stays looking great the whole day!! And that is really saying something when it comes to my skin. I mean even TM couldn't do that for my face! It covers enough so that, like I said, it makes me look like I have the most beautiful skin ever. I mean even my concealer looks great at all day with this (exactly like it does in the morning). Wow. I will buy this foundation forever, and as long as I continue to absolutely LOVE this product, it will be the only foundation that I will ever wear.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

rated 5 of 5 kiki005us on 4/17/2012 7:05:00 AM more reviews by kiki005us

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

This foundation is the best foundation i have ever tried. It matches my skin color exactly, gives me a glow, does not make me look greasy, and wears all day on me. I have had no issues with this product whatsoever. It just really makes me look like I have beautiful skin. I mean it doesn't even look like foundation when I wear it (you know the look, caked on, makeupy, pancake face!). I have really dry skin and this does not dry my skin out and does not make any flaky patches, and stays looking great the whole day!! And that is really saying something when it comes to my skin. I mean even TM couldn't do that for my face! It covers enough so that, like I said, it makes me look like I have the most beautiful skin ever. I mean even my concealer looks great at all day with this (exactly like it does in the morning). Wow. I will buy this foundation forever, and as long as I continue to absolutely LOVE this product, it will be the only foundation that I will ever wear.

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rated 2 of 5 hancid on 4/7/2012 1:18:00 PM more reviews by hancid

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

This foundation will only do you favours if you already have decent skin. It only works with normal and dry skin so if you have oily or combination skin don't even bother because it wont even adhere to your skin. It does not diffuse or cover flaws effectively. It has the worst lasting power of any foundation I have ever used, and I have used many many many different foundations in my life. I was lucky to get even 3 hours of wear out if this foundation before it would oxidize, darken, get oily and melt...which is horrible considering my skin is quite dry already. It does illuminate the skin very beautifully, looks wonderfully dewy and fresh, but after 3 hours you will wonder what the hell happened to your face after you see that your skin is now 2 shades darker and incredibly oily and all your flaws are magnified, it also makes everything you placed on top of it melt off as well (blush, eyeshadow, contours, concealer and highlights). I've tried using different powders to stop it from melting but nothing seemed to work for me, I just wish I hadn't lost the receipt so I could return it. I give it a 2 because it does look nice for a few hours before it turns you into a greasy troll. Packaging sucks too because it's glass so don't drop it!

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rated 2 of 5 cat1201 on 3/28/2012 4:03:00 PM more reviews by cat1201

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I really wanted to like this foundation, I bought it online from a beauty store for about £6. It is light in both texture and coverage, but the bottle I bought was a little bit too... shimmery is the only word I can think of. Because I bought it online and discounted I can't help but think I got a discontinued formula or something, people who know stila more would know if they changed the formula, because this foundation in Boots in the UK is around £25 but the formula that I have used certainly doesn't justify that price... When I did use it it was in mainly in summer just as a light base but it made my skin too glowy. Those with drier skin than mine (I'm quite oily) will probably enjoy this more than me. I did use a bit as a highlight now and again and it did a good job of this.

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rated 5 of 5 VictoriaHat on 3/25/2012 9:07:00 AM more reviews by VictoriaHat

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I only wish I would have tried this years ago. It is the best foundation I've ever used. Prior to this I wore Laura Mericer, Bobbi Brown and MAC. Stila Illuminating in 20 Watts is the best color match I've ever had -- now I know why Paula Begoun raves about Stila's foundation colors. The formula goes on sheer but you can build coverage easily. It actually feels soothing on my sensitive skin and doesn't turn into a greasy mess after a few hours like some I've used in the past. The shimmer is very subtle so I have a nice glow, not obvious glitter. I do dust a light layer of Clinique Blended powder over this. If you have oily skin, I'd probably stay away from this but on me it is simply gorgeous.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

rated 5 of 5 samk22710 on 2/15/2012 9:02:00 PM more reviews by samk22710

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Green    

Love this foundation. It leaves my skin looking flawless and hydrated. I love the fact that it starts out quite sheer, and you can build it up for the level of coverage you need. I have had quite a few compliments since I started wearing it. I think this foundation would be best for dry skin, as I can imagine it could get quite oily if you already have an oily skin type.

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rated 4 of 5 jennadev74 on 1/25/2012 12:11:00 PM more reviews by jennadev74

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I like the texture of this foundation and it does what it says its suposed to do. It illuminates very nicely, you don't need alot, I dfound a very small amount did my whole face. my new favorite...althugh 20 watts still a bit light on me, im light but not that fair..going to get the 40 watts.

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rated 4 of 5 kwallis88 on 1/10/2012 4:30:00 PM more reviews by kwallis88

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I like the consistency of this foundation. Good, but natural coverage. Gave a nice glow. However, I did find it a little oily looking on a hot summer day.

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rated 5 of 5 catah21 on 1/9/2012 7:23:00 PM more reviews by catah21

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I finally found a good quality product that provides med coverage and gives me a nice GLOW! Im in love with this product.. I am on my second bottle and i have my mom using it too.

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rated 3 of 5 *TOP REVIEWER* katushka37 on 12/24/2011 7:00:00 AM more reviews by katushka37

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I've pick it up on sale, I wanted to try illuminating foundation for a while. I like the frosty glass bottle, matte silver lid and pump. Foundation itself is ok but not great, it gives very light coverage and you face will look quite shiny. I don't like the smell and it is important for me (I either want it to smell nice and be fragarance-free).
However I really like using it with other matte and flat foundations (like Revlon Colourstay and EL Double Wear) to give them more dimention and glow.

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rated 5 of 5 spritzensprite on 12/2/2011 2:49:00 PM more reviews by spritzensprite

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I'm on my third bottle of this, and that is amazing for me, as I change products all the time. This isn't much more than a tinted moisturizer, but for those of us with dry skin, it does a great job of evening out color and brightening the face just like I want it to. Sure, it isn't a lot of coverage, but they have full cover fdtns for that.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

rated 3 of 5 jedela on 9/21/2011 11:38:00 AM more reviews by jedela

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I bought this product for around £6, quite a while ago. I got it in 20 watts which was a perfect shade. The coverage wasn't great but I loved the way it made my skin look in the winter. As summer came around, and my skin began to get oilier, the dewiness just made my skin look greasy. This foundation contains sparkles than do show up in the light but are not over noticeable. I wouldn't recommend this for people which acne, I don't have acne-prone skin but I do have some blemishes and this does absolutely nothing to cover them up, I find I need to use concealer to cover up any blemishes, but to be honest it doesn't bother me. I love the packaging, when I finish using this foundation I will keep the packaging to use it for another foundation with a pump. The pump allows you to adjust how much product you want and this does exactly that. Overall, I think this product is worth a try, especially for someone with dry/normal skin with minimal blemishes.

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rated 4 of 5 rockin_amigo on 8/4/2011 7:53:00 AM more reviews by rockin_amigo

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Tan   Hair: Black, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

This is great for me. I have trouble finding a foundation that doesn't cake on my face, as my skin is really quite dry. The lady behind the counter applied a lot on my face the first time I tried it. Which I didnt like as it felt like it sat on the surface of my skin and I could feel it when i scrunched up my face. So instead I only use a thin layer, and it gives me a hint of dewiness, which is what I want. I can gradually build it on problematic areas and it covers great. Next time I purchase this, I will definitely buy it online- I ended up spending 90 AUD, a bit much for a poor student like myself.

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rated 4 of 5 clausie on 7/21/2011 6:26:00 PM more reviews by clausie

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

After using lancome, i had to tighten my budget and tried stilla illuminating foundation it was only 5 pounds, did not have high expectation but hey i love this foundation it goes on like a tinted moisturiser, as i like my freckles to still show. It gives your skin a glow with the illuminosity just fab the price is great i will be ordering more to stock up. Bearing in mind i am 49 years of age with fair complexion, i used the shade 20.

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rated 4 of 5 *TOP REVIEWER* prettyseaeagle on 7/19/2011 3:49:00 AM more reviews by prettyseaeagle

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

This is a sheer liquid foundation with shimmers and dries down to a tacky dewy finish. The texture is lightweight and is liquid-y without being too runny. It is excellent for those days when you want to look polished without looking too made up. Oil control is fair though, and I'd see this working best on people with dry/combination skins rather than oily skins. Although the shimmer is invisible once applied, I can still spot subtle shimmer bits on my skin in direct sunlight. I'm not a fan of shimmers in my foundations so I will not repurchase but I genuinely love the texture and coverage of this LF because it made me look like I have naturally flawless skin.

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rated 2 of 5 clarabeau on 6/20/2011 2:53:00 AM more reviews by clarabeau

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This makeup did not work for me at all. While it blended pretty smoothly, the dewy finish was not good for my skin. I actually have dry skin too, but this made me look shiny and weird. The color was way too yellow as well (I am NW15 and used 10 watts)- and my complexion skews slightly yellow so finding something that's too yellow for me doesn't happen very often.

I applied this and promptly didn't love the finish- it was oily-looking and I could see glitter particles sticking to my skin. A bit of luminosity is good, but this was too much and the shimmer was not fine enough at all. When I saw my self in the mirror, in what is usually flattering lighting, my primary thought was that I actually appeared kind of ill. Sallow and clammy! Eww, not quite what I was going for....

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rated 3 of 5 fatpenguins on 6/9/2011 9:34:00 PM more reviews by fatpenguins

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Although this foundation applied smoothly and produced even coverage, I found that throughout the day my skin became oily, and the dewiness of the makeup turned into a mess of shine. Like some of the previous reviewers, I found that the makeup oxidized on my skin and changed colors. Definitely not a foundation I would wear during the summer months.

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