#MOTM // MAKE UP OF THE MONTH:

The Stila “Mind” Palette

Welcome to the first #MOTM post! Each month, I’m going to share with you a new makeup product that I love. If you’re looking for a little inspiration or just want to try something new, I’ll walk you through everything from purchase to first use.

The Scoop- 

This warm palette from Stila is fairly new (mid 2014). It is ¼ of the “Eyes Are The Window” collection (The others are Body, Spirit, and Soul). I chose this palette in particular because it includes 16, ALL MATTE, shades ranging from warm browns to shades of pink to charcoal black. I snagged this beauty at my local Ulta for $49, however it is available wherever Stila products are sold (Stila Online, Sephora, etc).

The Overview-

It’s easy to go from a natural daytime look to a smokey night out with this palette. Every color can work together to create the look you want to achieve. Warm shadows are trending, and if you can pull it off, consider this palette your perfect match. Although you may like to save the reds, purples, and oranges for Fall, this palette is my new must have year round.

Shades (From left to right)

Reason, Instinct, Brilliance, Thinker, Observation, Imagination, Creativity, Wit, Genius, Intellect, Perception, Understanding

The Look-

Look #1 / Daytime

Colors used:

Reason (Brow bone, inner corner)

Thinker (Base for lid)

Wit (Allover crease, lower lash)

Observation (Outer crease, outer lash line)

Creativity (Center lid)

Focus: Highlighting

I wanted to try out two different looks with this palette, since it’s so versatile. This first is what I like to call my “Sunset Eye.” I used these colors to create a daytime look with dimension by focusing on highlighting my brow bone and inner corners with a bone white color, and using the orange and browns in my crease and lower lash line to create depth and bring the look together.

-Additional products used:

The key to any shadow is blending, I used my it Cosmetics blending brush to pull the look together, as well as my Real Techniques shadow and crease brushes.

I primed my lids with Urban Decay primer potion.

Daytime brow created using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown.

Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes in Blackest Black.

Lip is NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in London

Look #2 / Nighttime

Colors used:

Reason (Brow bone and inner corners)

Creativity (Base for lid)

Wit (Base for crease)

Understanding (Allover crease and lower lash line)

Genius (Outer crease and outer lower lash; smudge)

Focus: Shading

For this nighttime look I wanted to achieve a sultry smokey eye look utilizing the red color in the palette, Understanding, which is why I made it my crease color. I really used the dark brown to give the eye the depth I was looking for, and smudged my top liner into the outer corners.

HINT: I used scotch tape on the sides of my lids to avoid messy fallout and create slick lines!

-Additional products used:

Same brushes as Daytime Look w/ addition of MAC 239SE Eye Shader Brush

Urban Decay primer potion

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown.

NYX Wonder Pencil in Medium for waterline.

Maybelline Define-A-Line twist up liner in Ebony Black.

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Black.

Loreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara in Blackest Black.

Lip is MAC Prolongwear Matte Lipstick in Taupe

The Review-

This palette is everything I love in an eyeshadow palette: All matte everything, easy to blend out and wear everyday (or night) and for any occasion, and a wide range of shades. It’s an awesome buy if you’re into the neutral mattes like me. The only downside I can think of is that the shadows are not highly pigmented, which isn’t necessarily a negative, because it makes them easy to blend out and soften your look. But if you’re looking for high pigment you’re going to have to apply a little heavier than you normally would.

I give this palette a 4.5/5 !!

Xx Sarah