Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, my review

Managing to create a huge buzz with glitter eyeshadows two months after the holiday season, it’s kind of a big achievement… Well, mission accomplished for Stila and their Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows!

If I had to take a wild guess, maybe Stila was behind with its production schedule and late on the launch date because releasing a glitter eyeshadow in January, just after the most “glittery” period of the year, it’s pretty risky, don’t you think? So maybe it was out of their hands, or it was totally deliberate, and it’s pretty genius. The least you can say with glitter eyeshadows in January is that it’s pretty different from the usual spring makeup launches! wink

This is not the first time for Stila with very glittery/ foiled eyeshadows. They already have similar kinds of products in their range, but in a pan format, which must be mixed with a liquid primer to recreate the liquid metal effect (these are the Magnificent Metals Foil Finish Eye Shadows). I saw them last September in Sephora in Montreal, and I was tempted, but I found them a bit complicated to use, so it was a pass.

And that’s exactly why I was attracted to their new Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow. These glittery liquid eye shadows looked much easier to use. You have the same super glittery/ liquid metal effect in just one layer with the applicator on the eyelid. Pretty magical, isn’t it?

And as the glittery, shimmery, shiny, metallic eyeshadows are very trendy at the moment, a lot of beauty bloggers and YouTubers are raving about these Stila eyeshadows. I heard the British YouTubers first talk about them in January, but as usual, the ecstatic reviews of the Americans beauty bloggers lead to them being sold out everywhere. So at the moment, they are a little bit complicated to find online! But I’m sure they’ll be back in stock very soon! wink

So I chose three shades: Rose Gold Retro, Smoldering Satin and Bronzed Bell.

Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, presentation:

What the brand says about them:

“This brilliantly long-wearing sparkle eye shadow combines the perfect mix of pearl and glitter to lavish eyes with incredible luster and shimmer.
With its uniquely lightweight, water-infused texture, Glitter & Glow glides on effortlessly, then dries down smoothly, locking in maximum sparkle with minimal fallout, for eyes with a real “wow!” factor.“

They’re liquid glitter eyeshadows, in a bottle with a flat foam applicator.

The formula is water-based, very lightweight on the eyelids, you can barely feel them. The Stila Magnificent Metals eyeshadows contain moisturizing ingredients that create a barrier between the skin and the glitter to maximize the comfort when you wear them. No heaviness or sticky feeling on the eyelid with this product.

The range includes 13 shades, including three limited-edition duo-chromes colors, exclusive to the Stila US website (for now only?)(fingers crossed, because these new shades are stunning!!!).

Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, my test and thoughts:

– Color range: I really like the color range. There are mainly neutral colors in addition to the traditional golden and silver, so they are quite easy to wear. There are also some true colors (pink, purple, blue), including a new range of duo-chrome shades that look absolutely stunning! Honestly, I had to restrain myself so hard from buying the whole range! (But Kitten Karma and Sunset Cove are still on my wishlist wink )

– Pigmentation and coverage: they’re rather well pigmented and opaque. I love the super shiny effect, they look like liquid metal on the eyelids. With the glitter, the finish can quickly look crumbly and not very elegant. But here, it’s not the case, the glitter particles are fine and very pretty. I just adore this finish! And I love the fact that they’re pigmented, they’re not just glitter, they provide color as well.

– Texture: you can feel that the texture is water-based. It’s a liquid texture, which must be allowed to dry (about 1 minute).

– Application: I use them after I have applied all my powder eyeshadows and I don’t blend them too much. Otherwise, they tend to fall out a bit. Of course, you can always do your eye makeup before your complexion and clean the fallout, but personally, I don’t like doing it in that order. I usually do my complexion first, so I work around it.
So basically, this is how I use them:

– 1: I first apply my powder eyeshadows, and I do my usual makeup,
– 2: I then apply a thin layer of Stila liquid eyeshadow directly with the applicator on the eyelid,
– 3: without waiting for the product to dry, I use my fingertip and tap to blend the edges and set the product. Or, if I want a more intense effect, I just “paint” the entire eyelid with the applicator trying not to layer too much product (the applicator is very precise and easy to use),
– 4: I leave my eyelid closed for about 1 minute to allow the product to dry and avoid the transfer of glitter on the upper eyelid.
Et voilà, I have a super glittery eyelid! smile

– Finish: the finish is super shiny, glittery, like liquid metal. If you like this kind of finish, these are awesome!

– Lasting power: they last quite well, but under certain conditions. When you apply them, it’s better to avoid layering the product too much because otherwise, there will be a few fallouts during the day. And also, if you touch your eyes when they’re dry, the glitter tends to detach itself a little. But if you apply the product in a thin layer, if you let it dry properly (I usually wait a good minute with my eyes closed), the fallouts are very minimal and your makeup won’t move. Also, the mini glitter fallouts are very easy to remove. Just swipe them with a fan brush, and they go away. I used other glitter eyeshadows with “stickier” fallouts, really.

– Value for money: they retail for $24. Not cheap for just one eyeshadow but for me, it’s a unique product, very innovative, easy to use and I find the finish so beautiful that I find they’re worth their price.

Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, the shades:

– Rose Gold Retro: a very pretty rose gold shade with silver glitter. This is my favorite of the three. It’s very subtle and easy to wear, even for a day makeup.

– Bronzed Bell: a pretty bronze with copper and silver glitter. It’s a rather versatile shade. It’s day and night appropriate because it’s super shiny, but its color is still very neutral.

– Smoldering Satin: this one is the shiniest of the three shades. It’s so glittery and luminous! It’s a browny taupe with silver glitter. I love it!

Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, the swatches and my makeup looks:

Rose Gold Retro:

On this look, I wear MUG eyeshadows and the Stila Rose Gold Retro eyeshadow.
And on my lips, it’s the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick.

Bronzed Bell:

Here, I wear MAC eyeshadows and the Stila Bronzed Bell eyeshadow.
And on my lips, it’s Velvet Teddy also by MAC.

Smoldering Satin:

And finally, on this last look, I wear ABH eyeshadows and Stila Smoldering Satin eyeshadow.
On my lips, it’s the Fig Amuse Bouche lipstick by Bite Beauty.

In summary:

[wprs-pros][wprs-cons]

I absolutely love these liquid glitter eyeshadows! They’re easy to use, and their finish is pretty impressive!

The Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow are available on the brand website and sephora.com for $24. (You can also find them on cultbeauty.com and camerareadycosmetics.com.)

And you, have you tried the Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadows? Do you like to wear glitter on the eyelids or do you find it too much?

Photo credit: bonnie-garner.com