Lip glazes
Cherry Blossom*: I love Stila lip glazes but this was a miss all around. Frosty, glittery, '80s porn-star pink is not a flattering color on anyone. The pink was so over the top that it actually made my teeth look yellow. The bubblegum scent was very unappealing as well. Normally scented lip products, including Stila lip glazes, don't bother me at all but this was slightly nauseating. Even the texture was off - Stila lip glazes are sticky but shiny and long-lasting, this was just thick, goopy and glittery instead of shiny. If you couldn't get this one because it was LE, don't despair.
Cranberry: This is basically a deeper version of Strawberry lip glaze. It's a neutral red without shimmer so I think it would be a flattering shade on almost anyone, and it's a suitable red for day time - not too bright or dramatic. This would be good even for those who don't like scented lip products, as the scent fades within minutes of application. It's a nice red with good staying power but nothing spectacular, so I'm giving it 4 out of 5.
Gingerbread*: I have to admit I have a hard time wearing this on its own, it's a bit pale for me. It shows up a sheer shimmery gold, which for an everyday look isn't great on me. The only time it looks right by itself is if I pair it with super smoky eyes. That being said, I love it mixed with a more beigey nude lipstick or gloss because it adds some shimmer and warmth to the color - it looks amazing over MAC's Apres Sol lipstick, for example. I could also see mixing this with a red lip color to sheer it out without turning it pink. The scent is nice too, albeit artificial, and it does fade within a few minutes of application.
Honeydew*: This is a very pretty and wearable shade, a sheer peachy pink with gold shimmer. It's very similar to MAC Enchantress l/g but maybe a shade lighter. Because of that I only gave this a four out of five, but it's a nice color with good pigment and would suit most skintones.
Lemongrass*: Such a gorgeous shade in the tube (peachy-nude with golden shimmer) but no color payoff - it doesn't really show up on my lips and they're pretty unpigmented. I do like to mix it with pale peach/nude lipsticks, particularly MAC Awaken and Nars Belle du Jour, but for me it's unwearable alone.
Lychee*: I absolutely love this lip glaze, it's definitely one of my favorites. It's a sheer cool pink with the tiniest bit of shimmer to it, and it's a great MLBB shade. I'm not sure what lychee is supposed to smell like, but the scent of the gloss is a little like bubblegum mixed with a fruit scent. In any case it's not overpowering or unpleasant (at least to me). To intensify the color, this can be paired with the lip glaze liner in Pink, it looks fabulous. Overall I'm really happy with this gloss!
Mandarin*: This is a sheer nude/light terrocotta shade with gold shimmer. I would prefer more pigment (it barely shows up on my lips, which are very light) but it's great for when you need a subtle nude lip, and the shimmer makes it a more interesting color. There is a very slight sweet orangey scent that fades very quickly. Overall I think this is a good shade and would be most flattering on warm, medium skintones.
Mango*: I was so happy to finally track this down. It's a neutral shimmery pale pink that gives just a hint of color to my unpigmented lips. If you have pigmented lips this may not show up so I wouldn't recommend it for everyone, but it's a nice versatile pink.
Peach: Not one of the better lip glazes in my opinion - way too sheer. It looks so pretty in the tube, a light milky peach with no shimmer, but it goes on basically clear on me. This may work better for those with pigmented lips. All of that said, I still wear it pretty regularly over lipstick to add some shine.
Peppermint*: This is a sheer pale warm pink with very fine sparkles in it, it's very shimmery compared to Stila's other lip glazes. The scent is a nice peppermint candy-type scent at first but develops into a strange plastic-y smell similar to Nars Lip Lacquers (at least according to my nose!) But it's not overpowering and the scent fades completely very quickly. Overall it's a versatile color and would work with both cool and warm eyeshadows.
Pomegranate: This one of the more pigmented lip glazes, a vibrant purply pink without shimmer. It's a bright color but nothing over the top and looks great paired with grey or silver eyeshadow and pale pink blush. It would probably suit cool-toned ladies the best but I'm neutral/warm and it looks good. The scent is nice, a little artificial but fades quickly anyway. Overall it's a pretty shade but nothing earth-shattering, hence my four out of five rating.
Raspberry: I wear this when I need cheering up. It looks scary neon pink in the tube but goes on sheer. It's still a bright cool pink, but very wearable and perfect for spring and summer.
Red Apple*: This looks like a bright orangey-red in the tube but goes on very sheer, so if you're afraid of reds this is a great gloss to start with. The color isn't all that unique (very similar to Nars Babe, just sheerer and with a tiny bit of shimmer) so I took a lipstick off, but it's a nice color. I like pairing it with bright red blushes (Nars Exhibit A or Taos) and neutral eyes.
Spiced Cider*: While this isn't the most unique color I like this lip glaze a lot. It's a neutralish subtle plummy pink with a hint of shimmer. It looks especially pretty paired with rose or bronze cheeks (or a combo of rose and bronze like Nars Lovejoy) and gold or neutral eye shadow. Since it's not as dark as it looks in the tube and not overly warm or cool many skin tones could wear it, but has enough color to show up on pigmented lips.
Spiced Ginger*: This is a great color to transition into the fall months, a warm pinky reddish shade with very subtle shimmer. It's more sheer once applied than in the tube but definitely shows up on my lips, giving them a pretty, healthy reddish glow. I think it would show up on pigmented lips as well and since it's a relatively neutral shade and not too dark or red it would be flattering on lots of skin tones.
Spiced Rum*: It's a nice sheer bronze, not too brown or dark so pretty much any skintone could pull it off (fair skin here.) My main problem with this gloss is the texture - the gold microglitter makes it gritty. The other problem is that while it's a pretty shade it's nothing outstanding or unique. If you missed the release of this I'm not sure it would be worth tracking down.
Tangerine: If you find Peach lip glaze too sheer, try this. It's a warm corally peach with subtle shimmer. I like it on its own but the problem is that my lips are so mauvey it actually doesn't look nearly as peachy as it does in the tube - it goes on more of a peachy pink. So I usually end up layering it over a warmer lipstick or mixing it with a warmer gloss to get it to show up the way it does in the tube. Still a gorgeous shade though, and would suit a variety of skin tones.
Blush
Cherry Flush: I'm loving these cheek gels! Like the others this is non-sticky and applies evenly, stays put all day and looks totally natural. This shade is a cool fuchsia-pink and seems to be the most pigmented of the three, so a little goes a long way if you're fair-skinned. This is also the least versatile color of the three in my opinion; you can basically only wear it with cool colors on lips and eyes, but the texture alone makes it worth getting.
Dahlia rouge pot*: This is an orangey peach that looks very similar to Gladiola Convertible Color when applied, at least on my skin. While it looks scary in the pot, it goes on fairly sheer. I'm light and it's a little bright but not clownlike - such a happy springy color! This would also be great on darker skin, I imagine it would be more natural on medium to dark skintones. Texture is great too, lightweight and non-greasy, and it lasts all day even on my oily skin. There's no shimmer, and while I tend to lean towards shimmery blushes since matte can look flat on me, there's no need for shimmer with this. It's a gorgeous vibrant shade all on its own.
Jasmine rouge pot*: This is beautiful bright pink shade with a tiny bit of coral. On my cheeks it shows up cooler than it looks in the jar. I was worried about the shimmer initially, but when I tried it on I realized it was very subtle and didn't make my already-gigantic pores look even bigger. I'm very fair so I didn't have to use much, but I think those with darker skin tones may have to apply 2 layers to get it to really show up. As with all the rouge pots the texture is light and non-greasy, and the color doesn't budge.
Mango Crush Lip and Cheek Stain: I love, love love this as a blush. I only need one or two clicks of the pen for each cheek as this is pretty pigmented and a little goes a long way, particularly for fair-skinned people like me. Colorwise this is a lovely pinkish coral with a bit of pearly shimmer, although on cheeks it just shows up as a soft glow. It's basically a muted, much more subtle, slightly warmer version of Nars Cactus Flower (I swatched them side by side.) And it's so easy to apply. I was a little worried because some stains (like Benefit's Benetint) can look blotchy no matter how much I blend, but this went on perfectly. I just dabbed a little on and blended with my fingers. While I like the color on lips the pearl finish looks odd on me - it's a tad frosty, which I wasn't crazy about so that's why I'm giving this a four out of five. Still, it's a beautiful color and wears really well on lips and cheeks, even on my very oily skin. Now I want to try Cherry and Pomegranate!
Melon Flush: This is an amazing product! It looks slightly reddish when you first squeeze some out, but when you blend it in it's a lovely subtle peach. One of my very favorite peach blushes.
Pink Flush: This is a gorgeous pale neutral pink, neither too warm or too cool. The secret to applying these is to pat them on gently, not rub the way you would a cream blush. If you rub, the color doesn't show up as well. I'm fair-skinned so I only need a small amount, but if you have darker skin you may need to layer a tiny bit more on. If you have redness in your cheeks this color may accentuate it, so use it sparingly if you're ruddy. Texture is excellent, I was so pleasantly surprised to see that it's not sticky like some gels (Tarte cheek stains, this means you), or blotchy (are you listening, Benefit Benetint?), it just leaves a glowy, even, natural-looking veil of color. I was also astonished to see that it stayed put. I have very oily skin so I was wary about staying power, yet it holds up beautifully all day. These gels really are a great addition to the Stila line.
Pomegranate Crush lip and cheek stain: I got a mini version of this in Stila's Couture in a Can set from Ulta. It looks fairly dark when it first comes out of the pen, but shows up a cool, slightly purple-tinged pink, which gives my cheeks the perfect just-in-from-the-cold flush. (I love pairing it with a sheer wash of shimmery white shadow and dark grey liner for a wintery look.) If you apply a small amount it's identical to Stila's now-discontinued Cherry Flush cheek gel; applied more heavily it becomes slightly more purple with just a hint of fuchsia. I love this equally on cheeks and lips and didn't find it drying at all, even without gloss on top. And it lasted all day as a blush even on my oily skin - so glad I was able to find a good substitute for my beloved cheek gel. It's probably best suited to pale, cool/neutral skin tones, but applied heavily this may work for darker skin tones as well.
Sugarloaf duo*: I didn't think I would love this blush as much as I do. And it's different from my other favorite peach blushes, Nars Deep Throat and Shu M Peach 44. Whereas Deep Throat has obvious shimmer and the Shu is matte, Sugarloaf has a very subtle sheen that gives a beautiful glow - it's somewhere in the middle of those two finishes. The colors themselves are gorgeous too, one a dark apricot and the other a pale peach, and they look great by themselves or swirled together. On my fair skin it shows up almost a rosy peach, if there is a such thing! Plus it's pigmented enough to show up on medium and dark skin tones.
*Limited-edition item and no longer available.
