Stila Fall 2011 Collection - Backstage Beauty

The trend for fall collections to be heavy on the eye makeup products continues with this new collection from Stila.  This collection is more well-rounded than some of the others however the key products are all focused on eye makeup instead lips or face.  The model for this collection is wearing more of a natural makeup look, something that we haven't been seeing so far this.  The collection is named Backstage Beauty and I am thinking that Stila is going for a natural look like the ones that are often seen at fashion shows before the makeup and hair teams start working their magic.  This collection contains a beautiful eye shadow palette and new shades in both types of eye liners.  It contains one blush product and two lip gloss sets.  I haven't used much of Stila's eye makeup however what I have used has been of the highest quality so I am looking forward to checking out this palette and the rest of the eye makeup products!

Backstage Beauty from Stila...

Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner - Finally a waterproof liquid liner that glides on with ease, won't smudge or run, and stays on place until you say when!  The thin, marker-like tip is easy to use even for the least experienced, and delivers a defined thin line to a dramatic bold line with precision.  Goes on smoothly without skipping, smudging, or pulling, and lasts all day!
- Moss - deep forest green
- Alloy - medium charcoal gray

Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner - Obsessed for Smudge Pots?  You'll go crazy for Smudge Sticks!  This highly pigmented, waterproof eye liner glides on to deliver intense, vibrant color with staying power.  These easy to apply eye liners have it all: long lasting, waterproof, easy to apply, several shimmer-intense shades to make eyes stand out, vibrant colors, and self-sharpening propel pencil.
- Triggerfish - gunmetal with multipearl
- Bluefin - black with cobalt blue pearl

In the Light Palette - The new In the Light palette is a beautiful collection of Stila's award-winning eye shadows in wearable, neutral shades for every skintone that can be worn wet or dry.  The palette also includes an exclusive Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Damsel, a matte chocolate brown, and a 6-page lookbook with detailed how-to tips and tricks.
- Bare - matte ivory
- Kitten - shimmering pink champagne
- Bliss - matte beige pink
- Sunset - shimmery canyon pink
- Sandstone - matte light coco
- Gilded Gold - golden brown with shimmer
- Luster - dark aubergine with gold shimmer
- Night Sky - blue with shimmer
- Ebony - black

Custom Color Blush - This shade extension of the best-selling Custom Color Blush includes a hint of golden shimmer, and gives your cheeks a youthful flush.  This perceptive one-shade-fits-all powder blush reacts with your skin tone to create a one of a kind customized glow perfect for you.  The weighless powder can be layered to achieve just the right amount of color and coverage.  No more guessing or wearing the wrong color blush.  Reacts to the wearer's pH levels to create the perfect shade every time.  Harmonizes with your own skin tone to enhance your natural beauty, not overwhelm it.  Leaves skin with a luminous, flawless flush with a touch of shimmer.
- Coral - warm tone with a hint of golden shimmer

Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color - Introducing an easy-to-use, waterproof brow color that stays on all day!  With a specially-designed brush tip, Stila's new Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color leaves your brows looking naturally defined.  The formula glides on with ease; won't smudge or run, and stays in place until you say when.  For natural-looking and defined brows.  Unique formulation mimics your brow.  Two shades: light and medium.

Lip Glaze Trio - Show your Lip Glaze love with this gorgeous set!  This set features three shades of Stila's most popular lip gloss - two new hues and one bestselling color - to keep your pout glossier and sexier with high-shine color!  Choose from an array of delicious shades that add a splash of color and shine to your lips (and boost delectable matching flavors and scents) with one easy click of our famous pen.  Cosmetics experts agree - this top seller is an essential addition to any beauty bag.
- Warm - Apricot (melon nectarine)/Creme Bouquet (medium nude)/Chocolate (deep warm bronze)
- Cool - Grapefruit (frosted pink)/Seashell (cool pale pink beige)/Raisin (deep chocolate with red undertones)

Again, it seems that the eye makeup is the best part of this collection.  I can take or leave both the lip and cheek products, many of the shades are too warm for me and the only cool toned lip shades don't interest me that much.  I would be more likely to purchase Grapefruit and Seashell by themselves in the full size than buy the set because I will never use the Raisin shade.  Also, Stila Lip Glazes are one of the smallest tubes of lip gloss on the beauty product market today and I would go through mini sizes of them in less than three weeks.  I feel like lip and face products have just been complete losers so far with this crop of fall collections...

That being said, I feel that my stash of eye makeup is going to grow considerably this fall.  The eye shadow palette is lovely and will indeed work with many skin tone and hues.  None of the shades is all that unique so if you already own a large amount of eye shadows shades, then you already own half of the palette somewhere in your collection.  I will buy this palette because most of the shades will be great neutrals for me and since Stila has very high quality eye shadows.  I love the Trigerfish shade of Smudge Stick Eye Liner to use in a charcoal smoky eye, a look that I plan to work with this fall.  The charcoal shade in the liquid liner is lovely and will work equally well for a neutral day look to a dramatic evening look.

There are some very nice products in this collection but nothing is a complete stand out in my book.  I would purchase the eye shadow palette and both of the eye liners that I noted above but there is nothing that is one of a kind and a can't-live-without shade.  I have just come to the conclusion that fall will be amazing for eye makeup choices and nothing else...

photo courtesy of Stila