Stila Smudge Stick Eyeliners Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Stila Turquoise Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is a twist-up pencil eyeliner (no sharpening required) that comes in a variety of shades. Last year (seriously, in June 2014!), I bought a ton of them, and I’ve been slowly working my way through them since. I’m trying to make a serious dent into my backlog (about 13,000 photos), so hope you enjoy this mega-review! 🙂
Stila Alpine Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “matte pure white.” It’s a brightened, medium white with neutral undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque coverage in one stroke an was buildable to mostly opaque coverage in two to three layers. It lasted for eight hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Black Amethyst Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “matte black purple.” It’s a blackened plum with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation in one pass, but it was drier and harder to build up the color–it looked very unevenly and tended to layer on itself so some parts would be opaque and others would be sheerer. It wore well for eight hours before thinning. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Bluefin Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “vibrant blue sheen.” It’s a blackened navy blue with lighter warmer blue and medium blue sparkle and shimmer. The shimmer has a rather metallic sheen, but the base color is uneven and patchy at times. The texture wasn’t as creamy as the best Smudge Sticks. It lasted for eight hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Espresso Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “matte medium brown.” It’s a medium brown with warm, reddish-orange undertones and a matte finish. The texture was creamy and glided on beautifully with opaque color coverage in a single pass. It wore well for nine hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Gilded Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “metallic golden bronze.” It’s a light-medium, golden copper with hints of brown and a metallic sheen. The formula was lightly creamy, and it was incredibly pigmented with full coverage in one stroke. On me, the eyeliner wore well for eight and a half hours before thinning. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Jade Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as an “emerald green shimmer.” It’s a medium-dark, green-based teal with a pearly sheen. It was semi-opaque in one pass, but it was lightly creamy and buildable to full opacity in two layers. It wore well for eight hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Lionfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “deep bronze sheen.” It’s a lightly brightened, medium-dark reddish-brown with burgundy and gold shimmer that gives it a pearly sheen. It had so-so color payoff in a single pass, but it was buildable to opaque color in two layers. It stayed on well for eight and a half hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Metallic Umber Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “metallic grey smoke.” It’s a medium-dark, taupe-brown with warm,r eddish undertones and a pearly sheen with a faint bit of silver sparkle. It had semi-opaque color coverage in one stroke, and it was buildable to mostly opaque coverage in two to three layers. The texture was lightly creamy and didn’t tug at the lash line, while the color lasted for eight hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Midnight Blue Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “matte deep navy.” It’s a muted, navy blue with cool undertones and a mostly matte finish. The texture was creamy with some slip, and it seemed to go on rather unevenly. It lasted for seven and a half hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Midnight Green Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “black emerald green.” It’s a really muted, murky olive green with warm, brown undertones and a satin finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation in a single layer, while it was fairly buildable, it was never fully opaque. On me, it started to thin after eight hours of wear. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Purple Tang Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “dark purple sheen.” It’s a blackened purple with cooler, violet shimmer and sparkle that gives it a more metallic finish. It had semi-opaque color coverage in one stroke, and it was buildable to mostly opaque coverage, but it looked splotchy and uneven to a noticeable degree. It lasted for eight hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Sepia Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “metallic taupe.” It’s a medium-dark, golden brown with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It’s too warm to be pewter nor taupe to me. The texture was very creamy and soft, which helped it yield greater color payoff, but it was almost too soft and required a very light touch or else the eyeliner was prone to breakage. It lasted for eight and a half hours before thinning. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Spice Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “matte mahogany brown.” It’s a medium-dark, red-toned brown with a satin finish. The texture was creamy and almost wet initially, and it glided on well but wasn’t fully opaque in one stroke. It was buildable to full opacity with two layers. On me, the eyeliner stayed on well for eight hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Stargazer Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “black and gold with silver pearl.” It’s a muted black with warm undertones and a dusting of silver sparkle. It had a drier consistency that made it semi-sheer in one pass, though it was fairly buildable to mostly opaque coverage in two to three layers. It lasted for eight hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Triggerfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “steel grey sheen.” It’s a medium-dark gray with silver sparkle that gives it a slightly metallic sheen. It had semi-opaque pigmentation in a single layer, and the slightly drier, more sparkly texture made it harder to build evenly. It stayed on well for eight hours. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Stila Turquoise Smudge Stick Eyeliner ($20.00 for 0.01 oz.) is described as a “light turquoise.” It’s a brightened, light-medium aqua that leans slightly blue (it’s cooler in tone) with a matte finish. It had mostly opaque coverage in a single pass, and the texture was creamy and glided on evenly. It lasted for eight and a half hours on me. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.
Alpine
PPermanent. $22.00.
Black Amethyst
PPermanent. $22.00.
Purple Tang
PPermanent. $22.00.
Sepia
PPermanent. $22.00.
Spice
PPermanent. $22.00.
Stargazer
PPermanent. $22.00.
Triggerfish
PPermanent. $22.00.
Turquoise
PPermanent. $22.00.
Bluefin
PPermanent. $22.00.
Espresso
PPermanent. $22.00.
Gilded
PPermanent. $22.00.
Jade
PPermanent. $22.00.
Lionfish
PPermanent. $22.00.
Metallic Umber
PPermanent. $22.00.
Midnight Blue
PPermanent. $22.00.
Midnight Green
PPermanent. $22.00.
Stila Alpine Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Alpine Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Alpine Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Black Amethyst Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Black Amethyst Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Black Amethyst Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Bluefin Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Bluefin Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Bluefin Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Espresso Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Espresso Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Espresso Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Gilded Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Gilded Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Gilded Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Jade Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Jade Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Jade Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Lionfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Lionfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Lionfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Metallic Umber Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Metallic Umber Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Metallic Umber Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Midnight Blue Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Midnight Blue Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Midnight Blue Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Midnight Green Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Midnight Green Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Midnight Green Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Purple Tang Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Purple Tang Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Purple Tang Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Sepia Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Sepia Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Sepia Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Spice Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Spice Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Spice Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Stargazer Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Stargazer Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Stargazer Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Triggerfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Triggerfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Triggerfish Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Turquoise Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Turquoise Smudge Stick Eyeliner
Stila Turquoise Smudge Stick Eyeliner
13,000? That is mind boggling and amazing! 😀
Gilded is my favorite here, I don’t have a gold liner yet – this one looks so good!
I think I can review wayyy more products than I actually can!
Lionfish is my favouriiiite, its soo pretty
Yayy!
Thanks for the swatches and reviews! I got Lionfish in a kit and love the color, was always curious about other shades, looks like a mixed bag. They do have some very pretty browns/golds
Some of them are really nice! In general, most of them don’t tug but some need layering!
Fabulous! thank you for this! I have quite a few of these. These have been around for ages it seems. I am totally showing my age here. But, I remember wearing these in college and that was 20 something years ago,lol! I don’t like them much for the top lash line unless I am totally going to be smudging(hence the name I suppose). But, I love the unique colors and they are great for the lower lash line and water line . I notice you wear them a lot. I bought a few more a few months ago when Ulta had that sale because you inspired me to bring them back into my rotation. But, there are so many shades that you can’t see on the screen and there are no stores that actually carries the full line of Stila around me any more. This will be so handy! You’re awesome! 😀
They have SO many but looks like only their website carries the full range!
I have the worst time twisting these up! I think you’re supposed to push down, but it shouldn’t be that complicated IMO.
Some required more twisting initially to get them going, but after that, I haven’t had any problems (that I can recall) – and I remember I was watching for it more specifically since I had heard from readers who had trouble, too! I know they don’t twist down, though.
I’m so relieved to hear I’m not the only one who can’t do it! I have one that came with a palette and I just can’t make it move.
You work so hard – time to hire an assistant! LOL
🙂
I have turqouise and I love it! It’s so pigmented and give you direct intense color.
I also one called Mint julep that is not in the list which is also a great one! Love them <3
I love Mint Julep! I reviewed it last year, I think!
I see phalic symbols…they’re everywhere. And sometimes..just sometimes..they make beautiful colorful unfaltering stripes come out. And sometimes.. They’re just impotent. Haha. It’s like a rocket launch going on here in a garden of man things! Cool review! These are some of the products that irk me because if I bought one and it’s great, I’ll expect uniformity but not get it when I go for another color I need. Execution should be consistent. I miss the way older Lancôme pencils. The best white EVER. Formulas change..! And this is why Temptalia rocks. We can see what the differentiations are! 🙂 Yet, we still have to consider it may be different depending on the utensil as we may get one that performs worse or better, obviously these are flawed in consistency not being thorough so can a review help? I love the mints though! 🙂
Their shimmers/pearls seem to be the more consistent performers, but oddly enough, they seem to do pastel mattes well (Turquoise, Mint Julep).
I really like matte pastel eyeliners! Thank you for the heads up! 🙂
very unladylike snort laugh at your post…LOL…I got a visual on the “it’s like a rocket launch going on here in a garden of man things”…. my shoulders are shaking.
Oh dear. My apologies for such a disturbing image sending you into shuddering snorts! On the other hand, I’m glad you laughed! It felt like the Bangkok gardens here.. 😉 Rocket launchers with heads leaving trails.
Gilded looks gorgeous! I’ve been looking for a gold like that. And since it performs so well I’m putting it on my wish list.
It’s a lovely shade!
Mmm, Turquoise is beautiful.
Love it on the waterline!
Bluefin is stunning but that swatch looks so struggly lol. It looks like it’ll be too fussy to work with which is too bad. I do like Turquoise though. That’s really pretty!
Turquoise is nice for brightening!
The problem for me wasn’t so much the product inside the smudge sticks, which I thought was alright for the price I bought my set for, but the packaging itself. The lids didn’t go on securely so I lost more than one smudge stick through it drying up. So that was a deal breaker for me. I rarely use the ones I have left and chances are that since I last used them they’ve possibly dried up too. Are the ones you have the same or is the packaging different?
They’re the same as far as I know? I bought these last June or around there. I still rotate through these and haven’t noticed that they’ve dried out, though — even ones I have from a few years ago are good!
Yep, I have bought Gilded three times because I love the color but the cap cracks every time and the rest of the pencil dries out. I’m not particularly hard on my make up (I don’t travel with it or carry it in my purse or anything) so I’m not sure why it’s such a problem with these.
Wow what a review! I’m curious; how do you decide on which to recommend? I ask because espresso has an A+ rating but you recommended Turquoise with an A-. I’m truly amazed by how much work and effort you put in to all your reviews. I don’t think I could handle it!
“Temptalia Recommended” is a subjective thing – I only give it to products I personally really love, and it isn’t always a reflection of a product being A+ quality!
Thank you for responding! I was a little nervous my question came off as rude but I was genuinely curious! I love your recommendations and have made more than one purchase because of them!
No problem! 🙂 If you ever want to learn more, in the footer there’s a “Review and Rating Systems” link (http://www.temptalia.com/review-disclosures-policies-and-the-glossover-rating-system) that goes over the Glossover and rating system in more detail, as well as Temptalia Recommends.
I can’t imagine you’d see my stamp of approval on a F-level product, but there are times where a B+ or A- could still get it (most likely unique color/formula/in spite of a stupid wear claim, as brands like to do!).
Oh I love Turquoise! Also of course the purples got Cs, when is a company going to come up with a formula for purple eye liner that gets a solid A?
Milani has one that’s pretty good!
Thanks!
Jade <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Yay for teal! Though less what I think of as jade, ha!
Isn’t there a burgundy one too?
Hi Erin,
These are not all of their eyeliners… these are just the ones I have that I haven’t reviewed in the past. I don’t think I said I had them all, but I will double check to make sure I didn’t!
I love Stila’s Mint Julep and Turquoise. I use them on my lower lash line and waterline all the time in the spring and summer.
Me too! They’re both great shades.
I really want that Turquoise one, it matches one of my color pop lippie stixs so well.
Nice! 🙂
The only Stila liners I have are the ones that came in the “In the….” palettes (and were only available in those palettes, which was a shame) but Sepia, Jade and Midnight Green all look really gorgeous and I haven’t anything like Sepia in my collection.
I’m surprised they never launched the liners on their own!
Yay, I love it when you get time between never-ending often mediocre MAC collections to review other things. I’ve been curious about these for ages, so it’s great to finally see some in depth reviews and swatches of them 🙂
Happy to help, Kara!
I love these but I hate how little product you get- $2000/oz vs $500/oz for an UD pencil or $250/oz for a Sephora Collection Contour Pencil. Whaaaaat??????? The formula is really good though, I got a bright gold one on clearance at Ulta once and it stayed put through a full day of airport, airplane and the beach. Not even a tiny smudge or flake. Just wish they were in a pencil so you’d get more, I’ve decided never to buy one at full price.
The pencils you twist-up are almost all 0.01 oz. (some are even less), whereas the pencils you sharpen tend to have 0.04 oz.
So many pretty ones, but we don’t have Stila here, unfortunately. Still I got my eyes on some of the dupes, I will have to go back to the MJ counter soon, Intro(vert) and (Stone)fox!
Intro(vert) !!
I know! It’s so gorgeous!
I’ve always had problems with these. The colors are pretty, but the packaging sucks big time. I bought a few through the years and all of them stopped twisting after a couple of uses. If I can’t use the product, it’s an automatic F for me.
I tried to ask around for help, somebody suggested to hold and press down when I’m twisting the pencil, but that hasn’t worked either. Plus, it’s a pencil, not a safe, I don’t want to put that much effort in such a thing.
I have definitely heard this from readers over the years, Ellie! I’ve always been able to get mine to twist – I don’t know if it’s because I have them standing straight up when I store them or what!
The Turquoise is gorgeous, and I love the looks of Spice. It’s a shame the blues and purple seem lacking. I have Lionfish, and it’s my favorite out of the Smudge Sticks I have. I also have Tetra, Stingray, Damsel, and Starfish. They wear very well.
Turquoise is a fave!
Bluefin and jade are my favourites. But what a range of results! From A to C – it is amazing that the formulas are not consistent across the range. This just shows what reading your blog can do – test the products before we buy them to see what they are like. Thank you Christine.
My pleasure as always, Genevieve!
Argh.. hate when I try to catch up on your posts while browsing on my cellphone. Swatches and photos all look that much better, particularly anything with shimmer. Metallic Umber and Triggerfish look so pretty. Help.
If you keep an eye out, Stila has some pretty good sales. I’m pretty sure when I indulged in all of these, it was 40% off or something ridiculous!
Argh it was payday yesterday and I love coloured eyeliners. Usually the ones I fall in love with from your reviews aren’t available in the UK (or are, but only if you pay a fortune for shipping), but these are so I’ve ordered some of these to try (UK people – there’s a box of 5 on the Stila UK website for only £18!),. Would love to try Canary and it’s sold out 🙁
I’m glad you were able to grab some in the UK, Daisy!
I’m so happy that Turquoise performed so well! Wish Purple Tango would have as well. Because those two are probably the ones I’d pick up. Thanks for the swatches, Christine! 🙂
No prob, Kimmy!
They all look sooo pretty and all of good quality!! 🙂
There are some gems here!
ooh I’m loving Jade 🙂 I have a few of these already and have been really impressed with how long they last on my oily lids once they set.
What are your favorite shades, Bambi?