June 1, 2010

Stila Pro Artist Palette No. 1 Review and Swatches

Ahhh Summer would not be complete without some uber awesome palette from Stila to fill my warm, humid days.

The new Stila Pro Artist Palette No. 1 fits the bill perfectly. Six exciting Stila eyeshadows in one palette? Yes, please, I’ll have one.

Jump!

What Is It?

A palette that contains six Stila Eyeshadows created and designed with pro artists in mind.

The Good…

Price wise this is a damn fine value as you’ll get six shadows to play with so it ranges out to around less than $5 per a shade. Likey!

Shades included are:

  • Prize (soft gold shimmer)
  • Sparkle (golden bronze shimmer)
  • Kitten (shimmering nude pink)
  • Grand (taupe shimmer)
  • Lucky (deep teal shimmer)
  • Moxie (vibrant purple sheen)

If you have no prior introduction to Stila Eyeshadow this is the way to go as you do get a fair bit of variety in the palette. It follows the normal Stila Palette graduation as it starts off with warm, sandy shadows for Summer and ends with more vibrant, bolder shades so you can go really natural or fun and funky depending on your mood. The shadows are typical Stila fair with a super buttery formula which borders the realms of a cream. Stila shadows are one of the most unique formulas in the US market as they do sport a really lovely texture which is rich in pigmentation plus a formula which feels like a cross between a cream and a powder. The warmer shades in the palette lean towards being more of a frosty finish where as the darker shades (Lucky and Moxie) are more of a velvety finish. The shades all have a bit of sparkle but nothing glittery or shimmery just a subtle twinkle. I’m partial to the warmer shades in the palette since they all pair up well together or used separately to create a friendly beach look.

The Bad….

Packaging sadly turns into a sad affair. This is a matchbox style which has a flip top that tucks into a flap towards the bottom of the palette to keep it closed. It’s a real struggle to keep it closed since the lid doesn’t fit into the flap without struggling, lifting it, and just causing major damage to the entire thing as you fight with it to get it closed. I don’t mind the cardboard much as I own many palettes that are cardboard however if it would close I’d be more than happy with it but the constant struggle to lift the lower flap so I can tuck the lid under it is a pain.

If you’re more than familiar with Stila you may feel the shades in the palette are a bit of a rehash particularly Kitten which makes an appearance in ALOT of Stila Palettes. The shades are the typical sandy beige versus vibrant colors so it does lean towards being a tad uneventful if you’ve collected alot of palettes from the brand already.

One thing I’m not keen on when it comes to some of Stila’s light shades is the frosty finish. I really can’t pull off frost too well and many of their more lighter, prettier shades (such as Kitten) have a frosty finish I’m not keen on.

Who Might Like It?

  • Stila Palette Fans (It’s a given that you’ll want it if you’re a Stila fan like me!).
  • Anyone who never tried Stila before and wants a variety of product to work with (Hey, six shades is a great way to tackle the brand and get to know their shadows!).
  • Anyone who wants a lot for a little (Price wise this works out great!).
  • Anyone who wants lighter, warmer shades of color beach-y colors for Summer (this has at least four to choose from!)

Who Might Not Like It?

  • Anyone who isn’t keen on cardboard packaging or packaging that proves difficult to pack and travel with.
  • Anyone who already owns alot of Stila shadows.

(Prize on the lid, Sparkle in the crease)

Final Thoughts….

I’m actually glad I own this as I really like the shades included and I believe, to my knowledge, I only have Kitten (I’ll have to check around to see if I have any of the other shades but I don’t think I do). I actually love the shades as they remind me of the beach however, as I said, the packaging really is a bit of a deal breaker for me. Overall, quite a nice palette but could use some packaging improvement to get my complete seal of approval.

Anyone haul it?

Loves it?

Wanting it?

Share!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Larie

    Love the swatches! And too true, the packaging is a bit of an annoyance – I totally had the same problem with trying to close it! When I tried it on at Ulta, the lady used the purple shade, wet, on me (I never use my eyeshadows wet, mostly because…I’m lazy, hahaha) and it was stunning. I haven’t really played with the palette yet though – it’s still sitting in my makeup kit, closed…mostly because I’m afraid that if I open it, I won’t get it closed again!

    • the Muse

      LOL larie you prob won’t! LOL! I have a dickens of a time getting it closed 🙁 It’s a really pretty palette but the packaging is a little unforgivable!

  • Karina

    i saw this about 3 weeks ago at my local Sephora and i was going to buy it.. BUT i must agree the packaging is a BIG disappointment .. i mean it does take a while to do ur makeup but if u leave the flap open long enough it will just stay that way and u will have a hard time putting it back to place… =[

    • the Muse

      karina it’s impossible to put the flap back. it drives me CRAZY! I literally have to bend down the lower flap so I can tuck in the upper one 🙁 totally a bummer!

  • PJ

    I DETEST the packaging and actually returned it. That made me sad because i liked the teal color, but I already own Kitten and I would have been pissed if the flap came up and any shadows fell out.

    • the Muse

      pj I can’t blame you 🙁 I LOVE the palette but the packaging is DRIVING me NUTS!

  • Comrade_Garlic

    I love Stila and don’t know why. I’m sick of getting Kitten in everything and I hate the packaging. But if I find this at Costco, I’m buying it. I like Moxie, but I think only because of the name. Darn you Stila!

    • the Muse

      lol comrade just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water!

  • Jen

    I googled “how do i close the stila pro artist palette”. I’m so glad it’s not just me who struggles with closing this thing! 🙂

    • the Muse

      ha jen! ;-D funny it led you too me. what a pain in the butt right? I struggle with it every time I use it 😛

  • Andrea

    I just got my order in from the Stila warehouse sale and this palette was included in my grab bag. I love the shadows, but I got so confused/annoyed with the packaging! I ended up using rubber bands to keep it closed.

  • Tigress

    This just came in the mail the other day and I absolutely love the shadows! This is my first time owning Kitten and I adore it – it works great with my fair skin, green eyes, and (fake) red hair. It’s pretty much exactly what I’ve been searching for.

    I was super into Stila in high school and just recently got back into it (that was over 12 years ago, I’m getting old). You’re totally right about their eyeshadow formula, it is really unique. What you are also right about is the crappy packaging! It’s like a matchbook of doom, I barely have the patience for it. Good thing it houses such a lovely product or I’d rip it apart.

    • the Muse

      that’s awesome tigress glad to hear you’re enjoying it and totally hear ya, packaging made me want to throw it out the window ;D

  • vada

    I loved this palette! Definitely one of my favorites. The packaging isn’t hard for me because i’ve gotten used to it, slightly bending the flap and sliding it in. The shades are beautiful although i can’t decide if I like the texture or not, it’s a love/hate relationship. My favorite combo is applying kitten on my lid over a thin smudged line of black liner, and grand on my outer lower lash line.