Review & Swatches: Stila Color Wheel Eyeshadow Palette

I just came to the realization that I’ve been a Stila girl for over a decade! I was thinking about all the vintage Stila products I was hooked on back then—the Rose Shine lip gloss that came in a small silver paint tube (remember those?), the lipsticks that came in silver cardboard tubes…the memories! And what about the original Stila nail polishes? I couldn’t keep those things on my nails for anything, but I kept buying them because the colors were pretty and the bottles were so darn cute!

Things may have changed over the years, but I’m still very much a Stila girl at heart. So out with the old, and in with the new! As part of their holiday collection this year, Stila introduced the Color Wheel Eye Shadow Palette, 37 shades of eyeshadow in complementary colors that work great within their little color stories, or for mixing and matching. When I first sat down with this palette, I honestly played with it for HOURS. I would have kept going, but it was late and I had to get to bed! I don’t think my husband even bats an eye anymore when I’m prancing around the house with one eyeshadow shade on my left eye, and then my right is a totally different color. If you could have seen me though, you probably would have laughed. Every time I was finished creating, I would use a wipe to take it off, only to apply another look all over again! So it goes without saying, the options within this palette are practically endless.

The palette itself is slim, considering the length and width of it’s exterior is about the size of a dinner plate (imagine a rectangle one). I don’t think it’s too bulky—especially with holding 37 shadows, it’s just right. The large shadows are a tad larger than a quarter, with the smaller shadows ranging in size from about the size of a dime, and then get smaller from that point.

There are 12 color combos and one black shadow/liner. I am happy to say that most of these are up to par with the Stila eyeshadow quality we’ve become accustomed to in the core collection, and they’re very velvety to the touch. The one thing I have noticed is that I do get some fallout, but nothing that would drive me away from these in that respect. Most of them have a shimmery finish, with a few mattes and a couple of sparkling shades (very small, not chunky glitter) thrown in for good measure. As far as pigmentation goes, they are consistent—but you might notice a difference in some of the mattes looking a little washed out. As with any shadow, I recommend the use of an eyeshadow primer to get the maximum color payoff for best results.

Check out a few of the swatches, shown in their suggested trios:

With it’s current price at $30 (originally $38), it’s about 82¢ a shade. Score! Also included are some tiny brushes (which I skipped), and an artistry lookbook with step-by-step instructions for creating 12 eye looks. But the allure here is all about the color palette, as it is substantial without being overwhelming. The shades don’t have names per se—but on the back of the lookbook, the colors are listed by number and correspond with the description of the color itself. Peach, copper, teal, periwinkle…you get the point!

If you like experimenting with color, like the idea of eyeshadow palettes but are often disappointed in their performance, or just need something to get you out of an eyeshadow rut—this is a good buy!

$30; stilacosmetics.com, Sephora, sephora.com

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