Stila Smudge Pot Collection for Holiday 2009 Review, Photos, Swatches
Stila Smudge Pot Collection
Stila Smudge Pot Collection
($32.00 for 4 0.07 oz. smudge pots) is a limited edition set of four shades of smudge pots (two exclusive to the holiday set, two existing) half the size of the full-size individual versions (which contain 0.14 oz. and retail for $20.00 each).
- Kitten is a soft, shimmering beige with a slight golden touch–but it’s not warm. Stila describes it as a “nude champagne,” and I’d agree on that. It works well as an all-around eyeshadow base, as well.
- Violet is a bright pop of blue-violet with slight glitter/shimmer particles. I found this one was the least opaque of the four, and I noticed some drag when swatching. It was easier to use with an angled eyeliner brush on the eyes than it was to swatch on the skin, though!
- Starry Night is a deep dark navy blue without much shimmer (though there’s a touch). It goes on very dark and pigmented.
- Black is a dark black with no shimmer whatsoever.
With the four miniature smudge pots, this set is like getting two full-size smudge pots for the price of $32.00, which is about $8 in savings, so I’m liking it as far as value goes. The pots are also on the small size, so they’re easy to travel with or keep one in your purse without adding much weight.
I like Smudge Pots in general, because they’re easy to use, have great pigmentation, and they stay on well throughout the day with no creasing or smudging. I personally prefer to use my Smudge Pots for lining rather than as eyeshadow bases, but they’re up to meet either challenge head-on. I love me a multi-tasker!
Bottom Line: The only reason I’m not ultra excited over this set is because the shades themselves just don’t grab me as much as I thought they would. I think I’d have preferred a more distinctly purple shade, rather than a very blue-based violet and a navy blue together — it’s a bit too much blue, you know? Also, if you already own Kitten and/or Black, this set isn’t so high in value any more, either. It’s a blessing for those who haven’t yet tried them, and a curse for those who want to collect ’em all!
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 🙂
- Product: 28/30
- Value: 9/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: If you’ve wanted to try Smudge Pots, here’s your chance to get four different shades for the price of two.
Availability: Sephora
See more photos and swatches…
Stila Smudge Pot Collection: Violet, Black, Kitten, Starry Night
Stila Smudge Pot Collection: Kitten, Violet, Starry Night, Black
Starry night is beautiful but the violet isn’t violet at all to me. It looks more like an electric blue.
I agree, Emm!
violet and starry night are incredible but I’m perfectly content with Kitten in powder form
I don’t have Kitten in powder form, LOL, am I really missing out? 😛
Yessssss!!!!!!!
I don’t have any smudge pots and I almost picked it up during the ff sephora sale. I’ll probably get them now that I read your review b/c it is a great value, like their barbie palette was. But you’re right, the colors are not grabbing me.
A few readers have mentioned more of a berry/burgundy shade in the mix, and I gotta agree, I think that would have really made this pop!
These look really nice. I’m especially drawn to Kitten and Violet.
Kitten is such a great, standby shade!
Starry Night and Violet are too similar for me to be interested. If they threw in something more warm it would be more seasonal to me; Pomegranate would have been a good choice. Is Violet similar to Cobalt from the Stila loves Barbie collection?
I totally agree with you, Alison — I’d have loved to see just a little more variation. Maybe even a bronze or a teal.
It’s similar, but I’d say it does go on a bit more purple. I don’t think you need both, though.
I don’t have any Stila smudge pots, but I’ve been curious about them. I might pick this up.
Be sure to report back if you do 😀
i bought this from the sephora f&f sale. i love them all! 🙂 i think they are the perfect size… it’ll take me forever to use them all up!
Yay! I know — there’s definitely plenty in each pot!
ahh i just won this set in their twitter contest! i was so excited when i got it :). ive never had gel liners before. i felt the same about the violet, i was really expecting it to be soo purple :(, but i still like the set!
Ohh, congrats!!
I bought these and am pretty happy with them so far. My main complaint is because they’re so small I have trouble getting my finger into them! Which would be ideal for putting the color all over my lid. I was also disappointed the purple wasn’t more pigmented.
IT does seem to be a good deal though. It was also nice to get to try them without buying a whole thing, because this was my first Stila purchase! I did end up buying the Barbie pallet with the 12 colors though, because it looked great and your review was such a rave! Thank you!
I love the 249 brush for applying creamy products to my lids 😀 But I am also not really a finger person!
I am sooo happy you bought the Barbie palette. I hope you are loving it!
“Violet is a bright popo of blue-violet”
I read “popo” as poop, ya might want to change that.
But otherwise I am so excited to try these out, never had smudge pots before. Even though I only like kitten and black its a great bargain~
Thanks, Jessica! Fixed it 🙂
i had the black smudge pot a few years ago and remember liking it, but not loving it. and i agree about there being too many blues…stila should have swapped one out for a nice gold-flecked burgundy.
That would have been gorgeous!
You can find so good deals for Stila products on Sephora’s website these days, but sadly they don’t carry Stila in store. At least not in Vancouver. I have no idea wear to find Stila, since Holt Renfrew stopped carrying Stila. BOO! Starry Starry Night is pretty though.
Aww, that sucks! I’m always amazed at how accessibility varies so drastically from country to country.
lovely!!!!
Will you be getting a set for yourself, Laura?
I 100% hate Stila Smudge Pots. I purchased the black one, and within a month or two it started drying up, which forced me to stir it whenever I wanted to use it! I think it also flaked on me 🙁
The Kitten colour is beautiful though, makes me think of Christmas haha.
Oh, no! Where did you buy it from? I’d probably try to return it! I’ve had smudge pots for over a year that haven’t even dried up a bit!
That really sucks 🙁
I bought it from Sephora, but that was almost a year ago. Plus, I threw it out a few months ago. Oh well, no big loss!
Aww, too bad!
I have this set & I luv it! I am pleased to have gotten good liners & eye shadow bases for such a great price!
christine, are these waterline safe?
I don’t think they’re recommended for the waterline, but I don’t know if they’re specifically warned against for the waterline (I didn’t see any warnings).
I’m actually glad to see the Violet is more on the blue side. I’ve been thinking about purchasing a blue cream eyeliner, just wish I would have bought this kit instead of just the kitten smudgepot when Sephora had their sale 🙂
Aww, too bad 🙁 Oh well… something to add to the wish list?
Just found the set on Beauty.com for 20% off – yay! 🙂
YAY@!
This was one of the first things on my list. I’m so excited to be getting them in the mail soon. I didn’t want to spend 20 bucks on one so when I saw this deal I hopped on it. Great review Christine.
Aww! 🙂 I hope you like them — do let me know what you think when they arrive (which I hope is soon!).
I love smudgepots, but this set just doesn’t have amazing colors! I wish they had this for the barbie loves stila smudgepots 🙂
It would be awesome if they did!
I am dying to have kitten smudgepot… but when I looked at this set in Sephora the Violet one was much more purple than in your swatch. Maybe the camera just didn’t like it?
It was pretty indigo/cobalt on me, IMO (as someone who swatched and saw it in person vs. the photo)!
violet doesnt look very violet… but man, that’s a pretty blue
Haha! Yeah, it’s not really violet, but at least it’s pretty.
This sounds great, I’ve been wanting Black and Kitten, and the Starry night is a nice extra, the only thing is violet looks too much like Cobalt Clutch from barbie loves stila, oh well, if i get it maybe i’ll just give it away
Oh, that’s a great idea! Give it away 😀
Now I know I gotta get this. Time for another Sephora order :p
LOL! Did you place your order? Did anything else hop into the basket?
How would you compare these to MAC’s fluid line? I’ve been using fluid line and loving it. I kind of want to try something else. I heard a lot about these and also Bobbi Brown’s gel liner or something like that..
They’re creamier than Fluidline, and they’re often shimmery, whereas Fluidline tends to be flatter. They both last and wear really well on me, though.
i was thinking of getting them but then i decided to get the 24kt black and the barbie little black dress in full size. i LOVE those and i want to get the full size black cat and kitten as well. where besides ulta can i find the “black cat” one? i didn’t even see it on stila’s website….
Aww, yay!! So glad you picked those up 😀
I’m not sure… I think maybe it’s sold out elsewhere?
Seems like the violet smudge pot is leaning towards the cobalt blue hue instead of violet.
Agreed, Chelle!
I’m new to Stila products, and i was just wondering how the smudge pots compare to MAC’s fluid liners? I’m obsessed with blacktrack and stila’s black smudge pot looks like it may be better. Any thoughts?
They’re the same to me, when they’re on. Stila’s are creamier, but I find they look the same.