August 13, 2010

Stila One Step Correct Primer Review and Swatches

Gather round silicone primer hates and rejoice in the new Stila One Step Correct Primer. It might look like a DNA sample but it’s actually a silicone-free primer, color corrector, brightener, and anti-aging skincare serum all in one wonder.

God, I love makeup so hard that promises me the universe. It might not deliver but I eat it up like candy and completely buy into anything they tell me.

Jump!


A primer that works as a color corrector, brightener, primer, and anti-aging serum all in one!


On the heels of its success with One Step Makeup, Stila created this little primer to settle all sorts of issues you want to address and packaged it up in a single bottle.

Here’s the deal….

It’s supposed to correct, brighten, prep, prime, and keep your skin from aging with Stila’s Youth Revival Bio-Available Mineral Complex plus it will reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and it’ll hydrate and control oil. Ok, hold it, WAIT….you’re throwing too much at me here.

That’s a whole lot of stuff this one little bottle performs….

What does it really do?

Well the formula is made up of green to neutralize redness and conceal blemishes, lavender to contractor sallow undertones and make your face appear more vibrant, and peach to brighten and illuminate plus a clear base which gives it a nice hydrating feel. Formula wise it’s awesome particularly for dry skin types like me or those who prefer a primer sans the itchy, powdery dry down of a silicone based product. It absorbs in a snap and it makes my face feel dewy to the touch. I can’t speak for redness so I’m unsure if that green is really taming anything and I can’t speak for wrinkles or fine lines since I have neither nor do I have larger pores. I will say I’m slightly doubtful this will be your fix for redness since it’s not terribly pigmented to do major concealing. Does it make my face brighter is really in question but I will say my face looks considerably less duller when I use it.

The consistency is a gel but it doesn’t fill heavy enough or thick enough to do a fine job of filling in pores or finer lines but don’t quote me on that because I suffer neither problem. As I stated above it dries down to a dewy, hydrated finish which I prefer since it aids in making my BB Cream or foundation apply easily without drama or fanfare. My skin is in combo mode at the moment thanks to the warmer weather so my forehead is oily as well as the sides of my nose and I didn’t notice any major difference in either when using this so in the ways of mattifying skin, I’d say nay. However, in the Winter, when my skin is considerably more drier this will prove a very nice treat to prep and prime with because it does lean towards being highly moisturizing and an ideal prep for foundations and powders.


It does absorb quickly so I’m not left with anything for my foundation to adhere so it acts more as a prep than a prime simply because it’s not creating a barrier for my foundation to stick to for longer wear. I didn’t experience any major long wearing after using this.

If you’re shopping it because you have larger pores or oily skin and think it’ll be the solution for both, I’d probably lean towards saying no. It won’t mattify major oily skin but may work on smaller problem areas where oil crops up.

In the ways of being a super OMG cure all primer…again, I’d say that’s a no. It makes my face look nicer but it could be my mind playing tricks on me in the long run.

  • Anyone seeking a prep that’s moisturizing!
  • Anyone who hates silicone based primers!
  • Anyone seeing a hydrating primer that makes foundation application easier!

  • Anyone with oily skin!
  • Anyone with larger pores or finer lines that need filling!
  • Anyone with redness in need of something to conceal the problem!


I like it ALOT and I’d buy it again simply because it preps my face wonderfully for foundation and it seems to ease dullness a fair bit however try not to buy into the entire marketing scheme of it because I seriously didn’t think it DID all the things it claimed it could. Someone had mentioned that it cast a whitish cast on their face after use but I didn’t experience that at all. As a prep this is ace but as a primer and all in wonder pro, well, let’s just say that it’ll walk but it probably won’t chew gum at the same time.

Nice stuff and well worth checking out but don’t get too disappointed or surprised when it doesn’t sit, heel, or give you a high five when you ask it to!

Anyone try it?

What did YOU think?

Share it!

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

  • kelly

    I tried this and really liked it. I was surprised at how bright it made me skin. I did see longer makeup wear with this primer. I do agree however, it’s not a one stop wunder product, but it is pretty darn good. I would def buy it again.

    • the Muse

      i’d DEF buy again kelly. No doubt. I think I seen quite a nice pick me up when using it. Not bright so much but def eased my dullness. However no way does it do all it claims too!

  • Emily

    Darn! I was so excited about this when I saw it in Sephora but I wanted to see your review first. I don’t think I’ll buy it because I’m completely obsessed with Stila’s illuminating foundation so I don’t need a brightener. I was so excited for a cure-all though

    • the Muse

      mmm not so luck Em sigh! But loves it anyway 😀 I really like the illuminating foundation too, makes my skin looks so creamy!

  • tina

    hmmm probably pass since my face is a greaseball…
    thanks for your indepth review!

  • KristyQ

    When I first saw this, I highly doubted (but also hoped) it would live up to all its claims 🙂 Glad you liked it…will probably pick it up once fall is officially here and the weather is colder! P>S> You can walk and chew gum at the same time?? 🙂 haha

    • the Muse

      ha but of course and twirl around too kristy hehe! 😀 Def worth it for the cooler weather, very hydrating :-D!

  • Gia

    I loved this! The bottle is awesome looking and when you pump it out it looks really swirly and cool. It amused me soo much I kept using it without actually looking at my face. But I saw pics of me wearing it and now i’m in love with it. It does make your face look brighter! and my makeup appeared to apply more smoother.

  • Laura

    I have fine lines and some small wrinkles and this was a FAIL. So sad as I really wanted to like it.

    • the Muse

      laura def not so great for finer lines imho or pores but def love how hydrating it is 😀

  • Nia

    The only question I currently have is how do they get the stuff in the bottle w/o it all smooshing up?

    Thanks for review, I might even give this one a try 🙂

  • Vonvon

    I saw this in Sephora today, thought it was cute….looked like the DNA double helix indeed. Was fascinated by it, tried it but good thing didn’t get it yet. Thanks for the review.

    Was actually thinking of exchanging my faulty Peacock Smudge stick liner for this….guess need to look for something else.

    • the Muse

      my pleasure vonvon 😀 how is the peacock shade? been debating if I needs!

  • Steelnpurple

    Ok, I have been interested in this but I do have some enlarged pores on the front of the cheeks so I think I’ll just skip this.

  • Jen

    I purchased this a few days ago and was very excited to try it out because of it’s claims. I have all of the above problems that it claimed it could correct (i.e. redness, larger pores, fine lines/wrinkles and combination skin). My assessment after two uses is that yes, I think it helps even out some of the redness in my skin, but is not a cure all. I did not see much in the way though of helping with my pores but I did see a slight improvement in helping with fine lines. Also as you had mentioned in your review, I did not see an improvement in helping with my oily T-zone, as I did need to reach for my blotting papers later in the day. My skin did have an overall brightened appearance so I do like that. I will continue to use it because I do appreciate to moisturizing properties without it feeling heavy and the fact that it counteracts some of my redness and fine lines. I do wish it helped more with minimizing pores a bit and controlling that pesky shine, but hey….nothing is a miracle product, right?? 😉

    • the Muse

      hey jen thanks for sharing your review. I experienced a little brightening and def like how hydrating it is but it’s def not a miracle 😀 but I’d totally buy again 😀

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts, totally helps everyone decide if they need it or not 😀

  • Krista Hebridean Sprite

    I might need to get a sample of this to try for winter. My face hates silicones, so that is great. I’d like to try this on my skin because it’s so different from yours. Thanks for the great review

  • Jenny

    Is it just me or do you guys get mesmerized by the swirls suspended in gel? I always just want to break those open and…mkay, I’m a weirdo. I always try to figure out how they do the swirls…probably three nozzles extruding the swirls while the clear gel is simultaneously pumped in.

    • the Muse

      lol jenny 😀 definitely. kinda reminds me of aquafresh toothpaste!

  • Helena/LipGlossBitch

    It looks awesome, I would love to have it on a shelf and just look at it from time to time 😉

    • the Muse

      a bit of everything tbh zang, no HG’s as I’m constantly rotating lately testing out new stuff 😀

  • sara

    hey thanks for the review!
    i’m really curious to use this.
    i don’t wear makeup, so i was wondering if once applied it needs to be removed at the end of the day or if you can just leave it on (until of course you shower or whatever?)

    thanks! 😀
    -sara

    • the Muse

      my pleasure sara. logically speaking you should remove any and all makeup at the end of the day. Makeup isn’t something you want to wear to bed or once you’re at home with no plans to go out. properly removing it and embracing a daily skincare regime is highly suggested to avoid skin problems.

      Hope this helps.

  • Sharon

    Thank you for the review. I think I am going to buy it.

  • Elise

    hey, good review!
    I have terribly dry skin, and I have trouble finding a lot of products to use to help me hydrate it properly. I have stopped using any primers as such simply because they all feel plasticy and wrong on my face. Would you definitely recommend this as something for me and my dry skin? 🙂

  • Sarah

    I’m so late jumping on this comment wagon, but I just wanted to give my two cents – I’m in love with this primer.

    I’m prone to breakouts, and my skin can be so oily at times and drier than the Sahara at others. I have had no problems with this primer at all re: breaking out and oily skin (which is something I’ve been battling for years with other primers)… So in saying that I would recommend this to people with semi-oily, problematic skin. I also suffer from some redness; it’s nothing major, but it bothers me enough to want to address it instead of leave it – and the green in the primer is surprisingly enough, and is able to counter it.

    I love this primer =D

  • Amber

    I have very oily skin & LOVE this stuff. It is my favorite. Makes my makeup last soooooooooooooo much longer. I love the way it feels on my skin. It keeps my oil at bay very well! I even use it when I am not wearing makeup, just to brighten my skin. I have sensitive skin and I have never had a problem with this stuff. It is great!