ILIA SKIN REWIND COMPLEXION STICK

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I'm a bit of a creature of habit when it comes to complexion makeup, but there was something about the Ilia Skin Rewind Complexion Stick (21W Abura) | £48 | that piqued my interest... Stick foundations have traditionally been on the heavier, more matte side of things, but with Ilia being more of an effortless, natural-look makeup brand, I was hoping for a more lowkey take on this product format. I love cream stick eyeshadows, blushes, bronzers and - well, I'm sure you get the picture! So, let's see if this is the perfect stick complexion product to add to my 'quick and easy' makeup routine...

This foundation stick isn't cheap, but honestly; all of the complexion products I've been purchasing for years have gone up in price (for example, when I purchased my all-time favourite tinted moisturiser for the first time in 2014, it was £28, now it's £38!) so, it is what it is really. And, now I work from home a couple of days a week, I wear makeup less and so I guess I don't mind spending a little more on products I'll use up less quickly. But it does still hurt a little... (luckily I got this one on sale and put an NDulge reward towards it.) In terms of the shade range, it's not too bad; there are 42 shades to choose from and although the gradient does skew towards more options on the lighter end of the spectrum, when comparing the lightest shade to the darkest shade, there's a really good range.

In terms of formula, the brand touts medium coverage and a seamless blurring effect with a natural matte finish. It also contains some skin-loving ingredients for an added boost to your skincare routine, such as ceramides (lipids that naturally occur in the skin and help it to remain moisturised and free from irritation) and peptides (for hydration and potentially some well-ageing benefits).

In terms of the texture and how this applies; it glides on really nicely when swiped directly onto the skin. I then buff it in with a dense foundation brush, but if you're just spot-applying this; it can be dabbed and blended with the warmth of your fingers. It does have a satin-like finish that's shine-free but definitely not matte and flat. It naturally takes down excess shine in problem areas so I really only need to powder under my eyes to stop my concealer from creasing. It has a sort of soft-focus luminosity to it without having surface shine or overt dewiness. I personally really like the finish; it looks very natural but a little more flawless than my usual, making it a great option for evenings out when I want my makeup to last and not get too shiny.  

I really like how this doesn't sink into and emphasise fine lines and does have that subtle blurring effect that makes it look very flattering on the skin. Plus the shine-free weartime is great. Honestly my only negative is that I have other products that makes my skin look 'better' than this does, and what I mean by that is that I don't think it gives me so much of a fresh, dewy glow as I'd like. It doesn't proclaim to have that finish, so I can't really blame the product, but that's my personal preference and really the reason why this isn't going to be an all-time favourite. However, as someone who doesn't really 'do' foundation these days, it's great to have an evening glam option that still looks nice and natural. This product is also really nice for on-the-go touch-ups even if you didn't apply this as your morning base product; it just gives that little bit more coverage than a tinted moisturiser and the soft matte blurring formula means it always looks flattering. It's not a must-have for me, but I'm enjoying using this product and it delivers on what it says it will do.

See my demo of the product here.

Have you used a stick foundation before?

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