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Ilia’s Eye Stylus Shadow Sticks have been long-awaited, especially within the beauty editor community. The clean beauty brand, which is known for its skincare-infused beauty products and minimal packaging, has been a staple in my makeup rotation for years. Ilia was initially meant to launch the eyeshadow sticks back in 2023, but due to packaging issues, the brand decided to take a minute to rework the eyeshadow sticks packaging. Now, they’re finally here – and dare I say better than ever.
I’ve been a huge fan of the clean beauty brand’s Limitless Lash Mascara – it’s truly one of the only options that isn’t clumpy and doesn’t leave me with raccoon eyes after a few hours. The Cleanse Soft Foaming Cleanser is also elite and takes off all your makeup without your skin feeling super tight afterwards. Given my love for the brand, you could say I was quite excited to test out the Eye Stylus Shadow Sticks. The product finally made its debut at Collina Strada’s New York Fashion Week S/S '25 runway show back in February and launched to the public shortly after.
Keep reading for my honest review before you make your purchase.
We like
- Come in 20 different shades
- Foolproof and easy to apply
- Long-lasting wear 12+ hrs
- Smudge and sweat proof
- Includes antioxidant-rich ingredient
- Fun to use
We don't like
- Would love a shade extension in fun eyeshadow colors like purples and blues!
- A little hard to wash off at the end of the night
The Story Behind Ilia’s Eye Stylus Shadow Stick
The product itself is a creamy eyeshadow stick that comes with an angled tip. The long-wear eyeshadow stick was inspired by Renaissance oil painting – hence the names like Venetian, a shimmer cool pink shade, Relic, a matte deep sienna hue, and Opulent, which is a shimmer soft pearl colorway.
Most Ilia products are infused with skincare, and these eyeshadows boast the unique ingredient of upcycled grape extract. The product is touted to be zero-waste, contains antioxidant-rich ingredients, and is meant to reduce fine lines for smoother-looking skin. As for the benefits, it’s meant to last for up to 12 hours of wear, be waterproof, sweatproof, and crease-resistant. It’s also vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for those with sensitive eyes.
Choosing The Right Shade
After taking a look at the various shades on Ilia’s website and Sephora, I couldn’t figure out which shades I wanted to try. So, I scoured Instagram and TikTok to see what they looked like on real people versus models. I was sent a variety of shades from the team, but I was most drawn to the shimmery shades Patina, Brocade, Regal, and Devine. All of the shades are actually very blendable when applied, plus you can amp up any shade you like by swiping on more product.
How To Use:
This formula is meant to be super easy to use and essentially foolproof. You can use it in three different ways: glide it over your lids for a wash of pigment, use it to create precise lines on your lids, or use it as a highlight on the inner corners of your eyes to brighten.
Since I’m all for easy makeup products, I decided to start with simply gliding it over my lids for a touch of color. I decided to blend it using my fingers to give a more natural look.
My Honest Review:
Upon first glance, the colors were in shades darker than I am usually used to. I do wish there were more shimmery colorways like blues and purples, but I’m sure that’s in the pipeline. I started swatching my top four colors onto my hand before landing on the shimmery golden shade called Divine.
In terms of ease, I will agree that they are *in fact* super easy to use. When I applied it, it glided right on with ease and felt super smooth on my eyelids. I didn’t feel like I was wearing anything on my eyes, which was great because some eyeshadow just feels so powdery on my lids. The product is very blendable even when you’re just using your fingers. After wearing it for a few hours of wear, I didn’t notice any smudging or movement.
When I was trying to wash off the swatches on my forearm, the product didn’t budge or want to come off, even with makeup remover, which was a little alarming. Interestingly enough, when it was time to wash off my makeup at the end of the night, the eyeshadow did wash off my eyes with ease somehow, which was a relief.
The Final Results
If you’re looking for an easy eyeshadow stick that takes minimal effort to apply, Ilia’s Eye Stylus Shadow Stick is for you. I love that they’re so small that you can pop three or four different shades into your bag without it taking up too much space when you’re on the go. Whether you want a shimmery or matte shade, there’s plenty to choose from and, most importantly, they’re all very buildable. The best part? They’re so darn easy to apply.
Shop the products online at https://iliabeauty.com and Sephora.
