Here’s my honest ILIA Beauty review sharing which makeup items I love & which ones I won’t buy again! Also sharing my thoughts on their best selling Super Serum Skin Tint!
I’m excited to share this honest ILIA Beauty review with you today! Founded by Sasha Plavsic, ILIA is a brand that has definitely made a name for themselves within the clean beauty space since their launch in 2011. They have a full line of clean, cruelty free, high performing makeup, & can be found in stores like Sephora, Credo Beauty, & of course directly on the ILIA website. I’ve had a chance to now try a handful of products from ILIA Beauty, some of which I LOVE like their Super Serum Skin Tint & their new Lightshift Cream Highlighter! Keep reading for more on my ILIA Beauty favorites & what I’d pass on next time!
ILIA Beauty Review
ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint | $48
I finally was able to try ILIA’s award-winning Super Serum Skin Tint which has SPF 40 & I quickly became a fan! I wear shade Bom Bom ST5. I had a bit of trial & error in the beginning as I was learning to apply but once I tried applying it with a beauty blender vs just my hands, I was obsessed! Applying the skin tint with just my hands made my application a bit splotchy. Like many of ILIA’s makeup products, this skin tint has skincare ingredients & is clinically proven to improve the look of your skin over time. I personally love how healthy & dewy it makes my skin look but it gives very sheer coverage in my opinion. If you have skin imperfections, redness, acne, or hyperpigmentation, you’re going to still be able to see those after applying. This is definitely a “your skin but better” type of product. It’s not going to be the best fit for someone wanting fuller coverage. When I do want fuller coverage, but still want to wear this skin tint, I like to layer my Merit Complexion stick on the areas where I want more coverage. Watch me apply in this reel on IG!
ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara | $28
ILIA’s Limitless Lash Mascara was truly the first clean mascara that I fell in love with & I used it for a few years! It’s a fantastic award-winning lengthening mascara that really does a great job of lengthening, lifting, & separating your lashes. It’s not flaky & it’s super easy to remove. I personally didn’t find that it had the ability to give my lashes a ton of volume, only length, which was fine for everyday wear.
The wand of the ILIA mascara is also super interesting & something I definitely haven’t seen before! They use a patented dual-sided brush (see the photo below) which provides a really natural-looking & beautiful application. One side of the wand has shorter bristles which help to curl & add volume. And the other side of the wand has longer bristles which helps give your lashes shape & lift. The longer bristles also help you really separate your lashes which I love. I do not like the look of clumpy, piece-y, lashes!
For removal, as I mentioned, I LOVE how easy it is to remove this mascara. Like seriously, it melts off with just water!! No scrubbing required! There’s nothing worse than taking off your makeup after a long day & struggling to remove all of your mascara! Also just to note, my eyes are very sensitive & I wear contact lenses & I’ve experience zero irritation or burning with the application, wear, & or removal of this mascara.
Overall, the ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara is a fantastic option for clean mascara & I really don’t have anything negative to say about the formula other than it sometimes smudges in humid/hot weather, but that’s it. It’s definitely was a favorite of mine for over 2 years!
Fullest Volumizing Mascara | $28
I won’t spend much time here because this Volumizing Mascara just didn’t work at all for me. If you struggle with mascara transferring, this won’t be a good fit for you. I had raccoon eyes almost immediately. Thankfully I tried it in the mini version!
Lightshift Cream Highlighter | $38
After Beautycounter closed, I was in the market for a new cream highlighter & was really excited to try ILIA’s new Lightshift Cream Highlighter which did NOT disappoint. It comes in three gorgeous shades, I have shade Arc, which is a peachy gold, which pairs well with my complexion. I love applying this non-comedogenic highlighter as one of the last steps in my makeup routine just with my finger on the high points of my face. The formula shifts from a silky cream to a weightless powder & gives the prettiest radiance to your skin. Big big fan! I’ll eventually grab another shade! Watch me apply this cream highlighter in this reel on IG!
The Necessary Eyeshadow Palette | $40
This talc-free Necessary Eyeshadow Palette made it onto my Best of Beauty in 2024 because it’s STUNNING & so so good for everyday wear! I’m really enjoying powder eyeshadow lately, I just find that it stays so much better than cream shadows. I have the Warm palette & the 6 shades in this palette are perfect whether you want something simple for everyday or if you’d like to get a bit more glam! The shades have a mix of matte, satin, & metallic finishes. The shade descriptions are below! Watch me use this palette in this reel on IG!
Grace: Soft Gold Pearl
Cocoon: Warm Nude Matte
1979: Terracotta Matte
Unite: Copper Pearl
Hunter: Deep Brick Red Matte
Lineup: Rich Warm Brown Matte
Color Block Lipstick | $28
Even though I only have one shade of this Color Block Lipstick, I really love it! The shade I have is Amberlight which is a French Nude with Neutral Undertones. It’s more of a pink than a nude in my opinion, but I still really like it! The packaging is gorgeous, the color is long lasting, & the formula is hydrating so it won’t dry out your lips! Very creamy finish & comes in wearable nudes, reds, & berries! I definitely need to get a new red lipstick!
Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil | $26
Is this Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil a must buy? In my opinion, no. I believe there are better options out there that will provide your lips with more pigment. If you’re specifically looking for a lip oil type formula, this Balmy Gloss is good option because it does leave your lips feeling very soft, but the pigment definitely doesn’t stay long. There’s only 6 shades available & I had the shade “Only You” which is describes as a neutral nude. With that said, I find that “Only You” is more of a pink than a nude. For me, this tinted lip oil looks really pretty when I first apply it but just doesn’t have the wear power I prefer when it comes to lip products.
Liquid Powder Eye Tint | $28
2024 was the year I fell back in love with powder eyeshadow, so I’m not the biggest fan of this Liquid Powder Eye Tint. In my opinion, it’s a bit hard to work with because it drys down quickly. It obviously goes on as a liquid, so once it dries, it’s hard to blend & move, even if you’re using a brush. I’ve tried two shades over the years & honestly they just aren’t shades I reach for. I won’t be repurchasing any more of them. I’ve tried the Mythic, which is a soft rose gold & Burnish, which is a golden copper pearl. I don’t find their shade range practical for everyday wear.
Lip Wrap Overnight Treatment | $26
I’ve found this Lip Wrap Overnight Treatment to have the most interesting texture once applied to your lips. It’s described as a treatment product to help reveal soft & smooth lips. On already smooth lips, the texture of the lip mask is lovely. BUT if your lips are even the slightest bit chapped, it definitely does not have the same appeal. The texture straight out of the jar is very smooth, but once applied, I don’t find it to be very hydrating. I wouldn’t buy this lip mask again & don’t see it as a must-have product, especially for the price point.
Clean Line Liquid Liner | $28
The ILIA Clean Liquid Liner in Classic Black is my go-to for a clean liquid eyeliner & has been for years. I love this liner & have have repurchased multiple times. The flexible felt tip applicator is great because it helps you get a clean & precise line when using it. I will note that sometimes when I apply it I notice a little transfer on my upper eye lid. The transfer isn’t consistent, so it doesn’t bother me too much. Along with the Limitless Lash Mascara, this liner is easy to remove, which I always appreciate.
The only thing I disagree with regarding regarding this product is the description of the liner. The product description on the ILIA website says that this liner is water resistant. I have not found that to be the case at all. Before I take my eye makeup off, I always wet my eyes/lashes with a little water to help loosen up the products so I don’t have to scrub. As soon as I apply water to my eyes, this liner loosens. So in my opinion, although I LOVE this liquid liner, it’s definitely not water resistant.
True Skin Radiant Priming Serum | $52
It’s been a long time since I last used this silicone-free Skin Radiant Priming Serum & it was not a repurchase for me. I liked how it felt silky on my skin, but for the price, I didn’t find that it did anything groundbreaking for my skin or my makeup application.
True Skin Serum Concealer | $32
This Serum Concealer is described as a medium-coverage concealer with skincare benefits & a featherweight texture that blends seamlessly into the skin. It’s also available in 20 shades. Let me first preference this by saying I only tried a sample of this Serum Concealer, but that was honestly enough to show me it just wasn’t a good fit for my skin. I didn’t find it serum-like at all, but instead really thick, a little sticky, & difficult to blend into my skin, but I understand that could be a result of trying it in sample form. After I applied it, I immediately wiped it off.
Other ILIA Beauty Products I’d Like to Try:
- Multi-Stick | $34
- Bright Start Retinol Alternative Eye Cream | $46
- The Base Face Milk | $58
- Sunshift Cream Bronzer | $38
Are ILIA products clean?
ILIA products are formulated without parabens, phthalates, petroleum, mineral oil, talc, BHA/BHT, propylene glycol, PEGs, cyclomethicones, & chemical screens. You can read more about ILIA standards for clean here.
Is ILIA Beauty Cruelty Free?
ILIA is cruelty-free, as well as, Leaping Bunny certified. They also do not sell in countries where animal testing is required.
Is ILIA Gluten Free?
ILIA does have a few products that are certified gluten free including their Balmy Days, Multi-Sticks, & Soft Focus Finishing Powder. ILIA claims that all of their products are formulated without gluten but cannot claim that they are 100% gluten free due to potential of cross contamination during the manufacturing process.
Where can you buy ILIA?
- You can purchase directly from ILIA
- ILIA is available to shop at Sephora, both in store & online
- Credo Beauty also carries ILIA’s makeup & skincare
What are your ILIA favorites? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I keep hearing about Ilia, but the price point always makes me hesitant. Is there one product you would say is absolutely worth the splurge from their line?
Thanks for reading! Love this question! Out of all of the ILIA products I have, the Eye Palette is definitely worth the splurge! It’s such a fantastic palette for an everyday eye look!