Holy Grail Makeup : Stila Magnificent Metals

Stila Magnificent Metals Review

For those who know me well, this blog post title will come as no surprise. The Stila Magnificent Metals were launched earlier in the year, I tried one, and now we’re here… at 14 shades. The ones I don’t have I’m not too interested in adding to my collection, so unless there’s a crazy good deal on and I see them at a silly price and can’t say no, or there’s some new shades launching then this is my collection complete (y’all know they’re going to launch some more colours and this isn’t going to be complete). Whilst I absolutely love these, there are a few duds and they’re not all created 100% equal, so I thought I’d talk through my sizeable collection and give some tips and pointers for working with them.

I’ll start by saying not all of these shades are available in the UK, I had to go out of my way to get my hands on a couple of the Stila Magnificent Metals shades. Some of these shades are miniatures from the Christmas Collection which is already proving hard to find for a lot of people, however the shades are all permanent (bar one), there’s nothing here which is limited edition. I have three different formulas, Glitter and Glow, Mermaid and the new Shimmer ones.

So let’s start from the top, packaging . These come beautifully packaged in a soft gold box which looks much more modern compared to Stila’s older raw cardboard packaging. The tops of the boxes contain a rough guide about what the colour and finish looks like – so for example the shade In a Firenze has a light holographic sparkle which is seen in the top of the box, it’s the little details that count. The sophistication of the box is carried through to the tube, with a heavy clear acrylic tube emblazoned with a chrome gold Stila logo and the same soft gold cap. When I got my first Magnficent Metal I thought the gold would soon rub away and get scratched to pieces, but that shade (Rose Gold Retro) has been well loved and thrown about in my makeup bag and it’s still looking near on perfect for a product that’s almost empty.

Rose Gold Retro and Kitten Karma

Personally I think Stila should sell the miniatures all year around in sets, there’ll be a lot of people wanting to get a couple of shades but who won’t/can’t wear them as frequently as what I have done. I had Rose Gold Retro, and Rose Gold Retro only for around 6 months and in that time I probably used it 100 times, not exaggerating, I couldn’t put it down.  In that time I’ve probably used up about two thirds of it, it’s only now that I’m starting to have to scrape the barrel as it were and I can finally see the applicator touching the sides and leaving a gap.

The Stila Magnificent Metals line is mostly neutral toned shades that fall in the taupe, rose gold, gold, bronzes and silvers. The mermaid collection is mostly soft pinks with the one blue. If there’s one thing this range is missing for me it’s colour – I know in the US they have a bright violet shade which is stunning, but it’s not made it’s way to the UK yet and it was OOS when I placed my UK order. But even so – I’m petitioning for some new shades, how gorgeous would a navy or olive green be in this finish?

One thing the range does have is a few shades which I feel are duplicates of each other, there’s ones I definitely feel like you don’t need both of, one or the other will do as they’re so similar.

So what do I like about these to boldly label them as my product of 2017? (It might even be all time, but I’m not ready for that committal yet)

Simply – they’re easy. The liquid formula is a way to wear glitter that people without makeup skills can easily and quickly do. These for the most part all have great pigmentation, can be worn alone or blended with other shadows, and last all day. They have no fall out (apart from one).

Application

So how best do Stila Magnificent Metals apply I here you ask and I tend to use these in one of two ways. More often than not I will apply directly to the eye and put the product on but not right to the edge of where I want it to end. I then either use a brush or my finger to blend out the edges and make it look less harshly edged. Some of the set incredibly quickly, so I tend to do one eye at a time. If I’m looking to do more of a subtle look with them I tend to take some product onto the tip of a pencil brush and concentrate it in to give me a bit more control.

Next to Notte on Eyes
Rose Gold Retro on the Eyes
Kitten Karma on the Eyes
Gold Goddess layered over a pale gold shadow

Shade Swatches & Reviews

Into The Blue / Mermaid Collection

Sephora Link / Beauty Bay Link

These kind of stand alone in their own category because they’re not the same finish as the glitters. This is kind of like a duochrome shadow with a very fine glitter scattered within it. The finish reminds me a little bit as if I’d used a MAC Reflects Glitter over a duochrome shadow. The pigment on this is also kind of hard to get opaque – the swatch on the right is two layers as it’s kinda sheer and patchy. It either needs using over a shadow or layering up two or three times. I won’t be buying more of this formula.

Diamond Dust / Glitter and Glow

Sephora Link / Beauty Bay Link

I was never really that interested in getting Diamond Dust as a full size, but I may end up using this mini all up very easily. It has a clear sheer base but the glitter in it really packs a punch – it can be layered over other colours, worn in the inner corners for an extra pop or layered up alone. What I like about this is that it’s not a full ‘plain’ silver, it has holographic glitters in it which gives it an extra lift and glisten. Now Stila… can we make one that’s full holo?

In a Firenze / Glitter and Glow

Sephora Link

This one isn’t available in the UK yet, this is so gorgeous in the tube but it just doesn’t translate to swatches or the eyes that well. It has a semi-sheer base, in the tube you can see very fine holo sparkles which just don’t swatch at all. I bought this out of curiosity it was new, there weren’t really any swatches of it online and it looked pretty on Sephora when I was placing an order. I like it, but don’t love this one.

Next to Notte / Glitter and Glow

Sephora Link

I bought the larger minis set specifically for this shade – again it’s not one that’s currently available as a full size in the UK, although it is on Sephora. This is almost fully opaque and looks stunning on the eyes in a gorgeous cranberry red. One thing I like about this one in particular is that it’s monotone, a lot of the glitters have silver glitters but this one is pure red. I’ve worn this a lot already, especially with a red velvet party dress which is getting a lot of love this season!

Peachy Sheen / Glitter and Glow

Probably the mot disappointing out them all is Peachy Sheen, which is supsrising as it looks so stunning in the tube! This is really sheer and just comes off as kind of flaky and sheer on the eye, despite the fact that it’s sheer it feels thick on the eye and doesn’t even layer up well. This is a bit more sparkly than I managed to get in this swatch, it’s one of those you really want to move in the light to see it reflecting – this isn’t available as full size and feels like a prototype that shouldn’t have made the cut.

Kitten Karma / Glitter and Glow

Sephora Link / Beauty Bay Link

Kitten Karma is another that I wasn’t that bothered about buying, The whole Stila Kitten fascination is a bit lost on me and I presumed this one would be too. This is quite similar to Rose Gold Retro below but the glitters and the base is slightly more champagne toned rather than Rose Gold. The Glitter Chunks in this one are a little bit larger and a bit more dense which means out of all of them it’s the sparkliest on the eyes.

Rose Gold Retro / Glitter and Glow (Original Review)

Sephora Link / Beauty Bay Link

Very similar to Kitten Karma, the glitter in this one is a bit finer and a bit more silvery in tone but the base is a tad more orangey. I do love this one, but I feel like you dont need Kitten Karma and Rose Gold Retro as they’re pretty similar in tone. Despite the fact this one in the swatches looks a bit more glittery if you look at the application pictures further up in the post Kitten Karma is more glittery and would get my vote out of the two.

Gold Goddess / Glitter and Glow

Sephora Link / Beauty Bay Link

This one is a completely sheer base and the glitter density with one swatch is pretty light, on this one it’s not necessarily a bad thing as it gives a lot of control. This looks really pretty layered over a gold shadow which can be built up to give a more intense sparkle, however it would take you a lot of layers to get this to be fully opaque by itself – it’s a topper, definitely worth having if you like gold or like the idea of using it over different toned shadows.

Smouldering Satin / Glitter and Glow

Sephora Link / Beauty Bay Link

I know what you’re thinking, woah, that’s glittery and you’re right it is. Unfortunately this one does come with a downside and it’s the only shade that really does it noticeably – fall out which is a shame because just look how sparkly it is! This is a cool toned medium brown (it’s described by Stila as tan, it’s not tan) packed with gunmetal silver glitter that’s very opaque. If you don’t plan to ever wear these in the day for long wear then you could get away with this for evenings out for dinner for example, it starts falling out somewhere between the 3-4 hour mark and when it starts deteriorating it deteriorates quickly.

Smoky Storm / Glitter and Glow

Sephora Link / Beauty Bay Link

Very similar to the one above this one is ever so slightly warmer but on the eye it comes off basically the same. This one requires an extra layer to get it as opaque as Smouldering Satin, but it’s worth it as it’s just much better lasting on the eye. This was another lazy colour dupe from Stila both of these didn’t need to be in the line. This one is one of my favourite shades, pick this one over Smouldering Satin if you’re looking for a cool brown.

Kitten / Shimmer and Glow

Sephora Set x 6 Link

This one is labelled on the tube as being the glitter formula, in the box of six it was labelled on the packaging as the new Shimmer and Glow finish. Either way it’s nothing like the glitters and isn’t available in the core line, it’s like they made this shade, packaged it and realised they couldn’t call this formula the same so re packaged the next two. Stila have said that these will be permanent but as of yet I can not find them anywhere other than the large set of six minis.

This is a really pretty foily champagne, but this one – as well as the two below are all blighted with the same problem. The more you wear them the more they loose the foily finish pretty quickly and within a couple of hours they look like a normal shadow.

Grace / Shimmer and Glow

This one is quite similar to Kitten, and yet again in a set of three it does feel like a duplicate shade which didn’t have a lot of variety in the trio. This one is slightly browner but side by side in the tube they’re almost indistinguishable.

Twig / Shimmer and Glow

In theory this shade is gorgeous – I absolutely love how this looks (I have a dream of owning a metallic brown car, and this is the perfect shade). But on the eye it’s just too dark for me to use all over/mostly over the lid, if it was a tone or two lighter this would.


I’m hoping you can see the similarities a bit better between certain shades with theses swatches

Left to Right: Into The Blue, In a Firenze, Next to Notte, Rose Gold Retro, Kitten Karma, Peachy Sheen, Smouldering Satin, Smoky Storm, Gold Goddess, Diamond Dust


At £23 a pop they’re not cheap but they do offer great value for money – I already estimated I’ve used one of the shades over 100 times and I’d estimate I’ll get another 30 or so out of it. I think if you can pick up a shade or two to create different looks with then it’s money well spent, especially for easy festive makeup.

So there we have it, my Stila Magnificent Metals collection. Let me know if you own any and what your favourite shades are in the comments!

The Stila Magnificent Metals can be found on Beauty Bay for UK customers (they do sell internationally too, but there are certain restrictions on some brands for certain countries) and they’re also available from Sephora US (where you can find Next to Notte and In a Firenze – the shades not available in the UK yet).

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Helpless Whilst Drying

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28 Comments

  1. December 5, 2017 / 6:18 am

    These are so gorgeous, I can see why you’re hooked! Rose Gold Retro, Next To Notte and Diamond Dust are the shades I’m drawn to. The Shimmer and Glow formula looks pigmented and very pretty, shame it doesn’t perform as well as the other shades.

  2. December 5, 2017 / 7:17 am

    These look gorgeous! I’ve been so tempted to getting one, but I’m just not sure which shade or if they’ll look good on me.

    • December 5, 2017 / 7:26 am

      They’ll look good on everyone! Maybe Rose Gold Retro as it’s a bit more toned down compared to the glitteriness, gold goddess because you can pair it layered over any shadow and build it up, or smoky storm as it’s more neutral world work best to start off with if you’re unsure. Or the set of three minis out for Christmas is only a dollar or two more than buying one full size and will give you three shades to try

      • December 5, 2017 / 7:53 am

        I tried getting the set but it was sold out at Sephora last time I checked! I’ll look for Rose Gold Retro. Thank you for the recommendation

  3. Sophie in Wonderland xo
    December 5, 2017 / 8:09 am

    This must have taken you so long! So much detail! Amazing job Stila Queen xxxx

  4. December 5, 2017 / 5:09 pm

    Great post! The only one I have is Smouldering Satin which is a bit of a glitter mess but it’s so pretty and so sparkly! Colourpop have released something similar that I’m waiting to try- it just costs so much to get them to the UK 😓 x

    • December 5, 2017 / 5:12 pm

      Yep smouldering satin is the worst for fall out by far! Don’t let that shade put you off though! Yeah I agree if you under customs charge fee shipping is ridiculous and if you order over then atleast a tenner on customs – I’m waiting out for free international delivery weekend and will place several small orders

      • December 5, 2017 / 5:15 pm

        To be fair, I’d spend all my money if it was cheaper to get here! I’ll try and pick another Stilla shade up if I can find the minis set or when there’s a sale on!

  5. December 5, 2017 / 6:02 pm

    Wow these are stunning! and your photos are amazing! <3

  6. December 5, 2017 / 7:04 pm

    these are so lovely & there’s so many shades! the rose gold retro look you created is beautiful 🙂

  7. December 6, 2017 / 1:02 am

    Wow these look amazing and lovely shades! Very nice pics 🙂

  8. December 6, 2017 / 2:33 am

    I have been wanting to get my hands on these but each time I would shy away from picking them up. Your post has conviced me to just try it!

  9. December 6, 2017 / 3:10 am

    Wow I want your collection. I have Kitten Karma and LOVE it! I wish I had more occasions to glam up and wear it though.

  10. December 6, 2017 / 5:11 am

    Awesome review! It’s too bad you didn’t love Into the Blue, because it’s such a pretty shade.
    I finally got my hands on the set of 6 minis (haven’t had a chance to play with them), but not before I bought the full size of Rose Gold Retro because I couldn’t find the minis at that point, so i’s a good thing you like Rose Gold Retro the best! Super disappointing that Peachy Sheen is so sparse and flaky. Twig is gorgeous – it would probably look beautiful on someone with a bit of a darker skin tone than you.
    I totally agree with you on some of the shades looking very similar. When I was researching swatches online to figure out which one I wanted, so many of them only had very slight differences that I couldn’t tell which one to buy. It would be nice of them to branch out into different shades – like you said, a navy, or maybe an olive green or something.

    • December 6, 2017 / 11:53 am

      Thank you! It is so pretty I just think I could do the same effect with other shadows I already have and it requires more work… not worth the £23 for me!
      Yay – so glad you found them, you’re right actually Twig would be stunning on darker skin tones! Yes Rose Gold Retro / Kitten Karma are my favourites, good choices! Stila’s descriptions of the shades are way off – some are very close in colour to one another. They need to bring out more colours – also craving a bright fuchsia in this formula! Please Stila!!! x

  11. December 6, 2017 / 7:49 am

    Thank you for your kitten karma recommendation – it lasted and wore so well on my Christmas party, I can see why you love them so much! They really are stunning and the photos for this are blowing my mind Rachael! 😍
    You should be an ambassador for SMM! ❤️❤️

  12. lipstickdenimandcoffee
    December 6, 2017 / 2:17 pm

    Omg stunning !!!!!!!!!

  13. December 6, 2017 / 10:51 pm

    Very bold claim to state these are your Product of the Years! 😮 My challenge is… I do not wear such visibly glittery products on a regular basis so I wouldn’t make use of these much. BUT, they are definitely eye candy and I’m glad you found them! Rose Gold Retro is my favourite of all the ones you showed!

    • December 7, 2017 / 10:05 am

      When i bought my first one I thought it would be something that I would only pull out at special occasions/evenings out etc but it soon became something I reached for almost daily!

  14. December 7, 2017 / 5:06 pm

    This is my fave product of the year too! I love Diamond Dust on the inner corners of my eyes and Rose Gold Retro across my whole lid x

  15. Pingback: Beauty Favourites of 2017 – Sophie in Wonderland xo

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