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Let’s Go Backstage with Stila’s Latest Eye Palette!

by 45 Comments

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are,
Up above the world so high,
Like some Stila in the sky!

Like the brightest stars on a crystal clear night, the shadows in the new Stila Backstage Eye Palette twinkle just a little brighter than every other fall product that crossed my path at Sephora yesterday.

Affordable ($28), and filled with fun colors, Backstage looks lovely in its pretty purple packaging.

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

Girls who like brights might love how intense these colors are and appreciate the thought that clearly went into picking the mix of shades.

Backstage’s frosty shadows sure love to shimmer in the light, and while I think frosts like these can be a lot of fun to play with, these particular ones aren’t the easiest shades to wear. They can be a little messy.

All six of these shadows feel noticeably loose and airy compared to other Stila shadows I’ve tried — like fluffy whipped cream as opposed to smooth cream cheese (yep, I’m hungry).

After applying and blending them, I detect some shadow below my eyes, on top of my cheeks and even on the tip of my schnozz.

Not a problem to clean up with a makeup wipe, but it’s a potential extra step, for what it’s worth.

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review
Swatches on NC35 skin from left: Chiffon, Flamingo, Pacific, Luster, Poetic, Coal

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

stila backstage eye shadow palette swatches review

Because of fallout, I don’t see myself rushing through many looks with these, but when I do have the time for them (and some makeup wipes nearby), I’ll be going Backstage again soon. 🙂

If you like frosty brights and don’t mind cleaning up wayward eyeshadow fallout, consider going Backstage with Stila this fall. Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B/B+

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • I’ll try! They take a lot of time… hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze a few things in soon. Is there a particular type of look you’d like to learn?

      Reply

      • I’d like to learn how to contour better and how to create eyeshadow looks with more than just three colors (that’s all I’ve been able to manage). I love how you did this eye and how it has the gradient effect all the way from the lashline to your eyebrows so I’d like to recreate something similar!

        Reply

  8. I iz back in Houston … after a supershort visit to the Hubs’ parentals.

    Oh my I am liking the colors on that palette – Stila has never disappointed me and I kinda fell out of the loop as far as Stila is concerned, but this and the Travel Palettes are pulling me right back in!

    Reply

      • The trip was fun but tiring … ive a bit of a cold now.

        I did find a present (yay for that!) and I also swatched this palette today at Sephora. I didnt come home with it …. im still thinking about it.

        I was in a weird no makeup mood today so I ended up buying the Stella McCartney perfume that I love! 🙂

        Reply

  10. I *almost* bought this at Sephora today, but the colors are just a bit outside my “every day” range I need to make quick & easy makeup looks. It’s very pretty though! I was tempted to pick up one of Stila’s new liquid lipcolors too but decided to wait til you review them first. 🙂 Besides, I didn’t have time to play with the shades to see which looked good on me (the Coral one looks like a winner though!)

    Reply

  11. OMG HELP!!
    I’m new to the make-up world (very sad as I am in my mid 20’s!) and I am dying for your help
    I have a presentation night coming up and I would love some help with a sexy yet classy look. The only problem is my makeup kit contains only 4 shadows! *Lame I know* A black , silver , sheer cream and gold (that I have a lot of trouble with as it is very bright in the pan but takes a lot of layering to get the colour to stand out) Can any of you ladies help me out with a simple eye look that will stun and amaze??

    Reply

    • Hi OzAmanda,

      I’d go with something fool-proof and easy. Practice applying your makeup this weekend (or any time you have before the presentation… just don’t leave it to the last minute). I’d go with something classic that photographs well, like the sheer cream over the entire lid from lash to brow and then the black shadow applied wet as liner (or if you can swing it as cat liner) along the upper lash line.

      Another idea: before your presentation make an appointment to get your makeup done at a MAC counter. Bring in a picture of a look you like and ask the make up artist for something similar. Most counters offer free makeovers, but it’s courtesy to purchase at least one thing when they’re done.

      Reply

  12. You look great all Stila’d out! I really like their fall line more than many I’ve seen. The colors are nice and it actually fits in my budget. 😉 Love the lipcolor too!

    Reply

  15. Oh, the pinks and blues bring me back to high school – of course they look much better on you than anything I did with them back in the day!! 🙂

    You’ll be proud to know that when I walked into work today, one of the gals yelled “HEY! You’re wearing make-up!”. I kindly reminded her that I actually do wear make-up everyday… except for liner… and shadow. 🙂 She laughed and said they made a big difference. I went with the brown neutral shadow pallet and my splash of color was the feared purple liner (lower lash line). Thanks for recommending that as my baby-steps toward more color. It’s a hit! 🙂

    Reply

      • Is it telling that I gasped and put my hand to my mouth while thinking “oooh, teal? I don’t know…”?! I think I’ll have to throw caution to the wind and say HECK YEAH! 🙂

        Reply

  19. I concur. I noticed a lot of fall out from my beloved Barbie palette. That’s when I decided I’m not buying Stila shadows anymore. Also, I loved the line more when Jeanine Lobell was still the owner.

    Reply

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