The Fancy Face: SWATCHES | Stila Cosmetics Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes

Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes

Eyes are the window to the body, mind, spirit and soul.
This year, Stila celebrates 20 years of infinite style. Create endless looks with our new Eyes Are The Window™ shadow palettes. Inspired by the spiritual notion that true beauty is revealed from within, each palette is curated with 12 luxurious eye shadows to illuminate your inner beauty. Encased in exquisite, jewelry-inspired compacts-a precious mix of rose, yellow and white golds-the shadows will inspire intrigue and delight.

Each palette comes with a look book curated by Sarah Lucero, Stila’s Global Executive Director of Creative Artistry.

Size: 12 x 0.051 oz

Price: US $49.00

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The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes retail for $49 for 12 x 0.051 oz of product. Keep in mind that typical small eyeshadows on the market are 0.05 oz each - think MAC and Urban Decay eyeshadow pans.

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes fall middle of the road when it comes to price point and has a competitive price tag when compared to other mid-end makeup brands. They also contain the average amount of product for eyeshadow palettes with 12 eyeshadows at the same size as a full sized MAC or Urban Decay eyeshadow.

One thing to note, is that these palettes do not come with a bonus item such as an eyeshadow brush or deluxe primer sample, etc. Some more pricey palettes do include these add-ons which somewhat 'balance out' the price. There is, however, a look book in each box which shows a variety of inspired looks with guides on how to achieve each look from the shades in the palettes.

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are currently available for purchase in store and online at the following locations:

Select Sephora Stores and on the Sephora website
Select Ulta Stores and on the Ulta website
On the Stila website
Any other location that sells Stila Cosmetics

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes come in beautiful metallic rose and yellow gold themed hard plastic palettes. Each palette is color coded with a different shade of gold or rose gold lid which makes it easier to differentiate among the 4 palettes.

Mind - white gold

Body - rose gold

Soul - yellow gold

Spirit - pale rose gold

Inside each palette is a full sized mirror (in the lid) and the eyeshadows (in the base) are housed in a gold grid of 4 rows and 3 columns. The lid itself opens via a hinge which pivots at a 120º angle rather a full 180º. This comes in handy when you use the mirror in palettes for makeup application.

The eyeshadows are not individually labeled with names inside the palette. However, there is a label on the back with all the eyeshadow names in the grid layout. Be careful not to flip the names (I only mention this because I did)....the names read as if your were looking at the eyeshadows from the top rather than matching them from the bottom....that may not confuse anyone else but myself :(

Another thing of note - the eyeshadow pans are embedded a bit deeper than the divider grid which actually helps to keep the extra powder from mixing into neighboring shades as you use the palette. Or maybe it's just me that can appreciate the separation? Yes? No? :)

While the palettes are gorgeous on display, they will hold on to fingerprints due to the metallic finish of the palettes. Some people may find this bothersome....but they are quite easy to wipe clean so I have no worries.

Oh yea....there's a clear protective plastic sheet inside each palette with a quote from a renaissance or modern scientist/engineer/philosopher/artist...'cause you know beauty and science and stuff *wink* ;)

Overall I think the jewel themed compacts were beautifully done and are solid without being bulky. There is a feel of luxury without the overly expensive price tag.

"Each palette inculdes 12 luxe eye shadows that range from calming, soft shades to smoky hues that can be mixed and matched and worn wet or dry."

COLORS/SHADES

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes come in 4 different color themes ranging from brights to neutrals. Overall the palettes tend to lean toward more wearable everyday shades rather than in your face brights.

Body: A colorful collection of 12 bright and neutral shades

Mind: A well-edited assortment of 12 matte eye shadows

Spirit: A stunning palette of 12 of Stila’s most iconic shades

Soul: A luxurious palette of 12 sumptuous, everyday eye shadows

TEXTURE & FINISH

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes feature various finishes from matte to satin to frost and glittery shades. The Mind palette is, however, an ALL matte palette.

PIGMENTATION

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are overall nicely pigmented with/without a primer or eyeshadow base. The shimmer shades have the best color payoff with the matte/glitter hybrids being the least pigmented. We will talk more under the swatches.

APPLICATION & WEAR

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are nice palettes with good color payoff and are blendable without being overly patchy. I did not have issues with fading or creasing when I used these palettes.

The glitter shades will undoubtedly have fall out so be careful when using these shades. The matte shades can be on the drier side so they do kick up some powder and can cause fall out as well.

The shimmer shades are the best performers and they are really creamy with excellent pigmentation. They are not highly frosted shades which is a plus for all ages, skin tones and tastes.

We will talk more under the swatches.

The Stila Eyes Are The Window Shadow Palettes are some great palettes that don't get enough recognition. But alas in the ADHD world that is makeup what can we do? They are nicely pigmented and easy to work with. And they come in a good selection of wearable shades with a decent price point. I enjoy them a lot and I do recommend them....except maybe the Body palette.

Have you tried these palettes? Interested?

Body: A colorful collection of 12 bright and neutral shades.

“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.”
-Michelangelo

Shades:

Pink Diamond Topaz Garnet

Rose Quartz Aquamarine Emerald

Amethyst Tanzanite Midnight Quartz

Moonstone Sapphire Black Diamond

Save the worse for first? Yea why not?

This palette, while very pretty, has a few shades that are dry and patchy when applied to the lids - Amethyst, Aquamarine and Tanzanite. Pink Diamond, Rose Quartz and Topaz are so-so in pigmentation and the textures are drier than I would like. Garnet, Emerald and Midnight Quartz require a bit of work to build up even color payoff and they can come off patchy as well. Sapphire, Moonstone and Black Diamond are the best performers with Moonstone being the creamiest. Black Diamond and Amethyst are prone to fall out with the glitter particles in the formula.

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Mind: A well-edited assortment of 12 matte eye shadows

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
-Albert Einstein

Shades:

Brilliance Instinct Reason

Imagination Observation Thinker

Genius Wit Creativity

Understanding Perception Intellect

All matte shades!

The matte formula for these eyeshadows are not the creamiest or softest on the market. They are a touch drier and so will be slightly powdery. Even so, they blend nicely with each other and other colors as well. They also build up decently without being overly patchy.

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