Stila Convertible Color in Gladiola: Review, Photos, & Swatches

 Stila's ingenious lipstick and blush-in-one proves to be irresistible.

This versatile favorite brightens cheeks and lips with creamy, translucent color. Tap onto cheeks and press onto lips. The sheer tint adds an inherent glow to the cheeks while lips bloom with fresh, radiant color. Our two-in-one compact holds the key to easy, monochromatic makeup. A must-have in every stila girl's kit.

Winner of Best Cream Blush by In Style Best Beauty Buys 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011

Size: 0.15 oz. / 4.25 g.

 Ingredients:

ingredients: ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, lanolin oil, beeswax\cera alba\cire d’abeille, microcrystalline wax\cera microcristallina\cire microcristalline, octyldodecanol, phenyl trimethicone, ozokerite, caprylic/capric triglyceride, hydrogenated palm kernel glycerides, ethylhexyl palmitate, isononyl isononanoate, c12-15 alkyl benzoate, tocopheryl acetate, hydrogenated palm glycerides, bht, [+/- mica, titanium dioxide (ci 77891), iron oxides (ci 77491, ci 77492, ci 77499), bismuth oxychloride (ci 77163), blue 1 lake (ci 42090), carmine (ci 75470), manganese violet (ci 77742), red 7 lake (ci 15850), red 22 lake (ci 45380), red 28 lake (ci 45410), red 30 lake (ci 73360), red 33 lake (ci 17200), red 34 lake (ci 15880), ultramarines (ci 77007), yellow 5 lake (ci 19140), yellow 6 lake (ci 15985)] 

 Where to Buy: Stilacosmetics.com, $25.00

The Stila Convertible Color in Gladiola ($25.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a cream product that is supposed to deliver sheer color to either the lips or cheeks. This was sent to me from Apothica to review, where they also carry all 9 shades of the Convertible Colors: Camellia, Peony, Poppy, Rose, Petunia, Gladiola, Lilium, Gerbera, and Fuchsia .

Texture:

When worn on the cheeks, the Stila Convertible Color in Gladiola has a tacky texture, and feels slightly sticky throughout the day if its not set with a powder. Due to the sticky-ness, the Convertible Color is quite difficult to blend out and becomes very patchy as you're doing so if you're not careful. On the lips, Gladiola feels so heavy and incredibly drying. Because its so thick, it sits in your lip lines and becomes incredibly patchy in areas. Even with a lip balm underneath, I just feel like my lips are about to fall off, not comfortable!

Pigmentation:

Gladiola is a very deceiving product. In the pan, it looks like a beautiful vibrant orange. Swatched it looks like a beautiful vibrant orange. But this Convertible Color sheers out VERY easily, almost too easily so you're left with barely any color. If I use a stippling brush to apply this to my cheeks, I often have to do two layers before I start to get a color that looks like anything noticeable on the cheeks. The same thing happens on the lips, you get barely any of that gorgeous orange in the pan and that's even after applying it multiple times!

Finish:

With the Stila Convertible Color in Gladiola, the finish on the lips and cheeks is very much the same. Its very dew-y on the cheeks, it never really dries down unless you set it with a powder. On the lips, its not quite glossy but has that sheen that looks like you've just applied a lip balm that fades to a really horrid crumbly finish, like your lips are chapped and peeling (which is highly likely since Gladiola is SO drying).

Scent:

In the compact and even worn, the Stila Convertible Color in Gladiola has no detectable scent, which I'm sure some people will really appreciate!

Staying Power:

You would think since the texture of Gladiola is sticky and quite heavy that it would last long, but I find on my cheeks it only lasts about 3 hours before considerable fading occurs. On the lips the staying power was about the same as the cheeks, but like I mentioned before it turns into a peeling mess once the initial glossy-ness starts to wear off.

Packaging:

I'm a sucker for good packaging, and by all means is this good packaging! The Stila Convertible Colors have exactly the kind of packaging every product should have, its sleek (there's nothing more annoying than when products have packaging that extends more than the actual product) so storage is easy, the outside is the color of the actual product making finding the shade you're looking for a breeze, its sturdy so you don't feel like you'll snap it in two when opening, and the compact has a very cute yet tasteful design. Take notes other cosmetic companies!

Final Verdict:

I was really expecting to be "wowed" by the Stila Convertible Color in Gladiola since I'm a sucker for anything orange when it comes to makeup, but sadly this particular product didn't do much for me. Its such an effort to apply this to my cheeks since its very sheer and doesn't blend well, I'd rather just use something else in my collection that isn't nearly as much work to make look good. As far as wearing Gladiola on the lips goes, its so incredibly uncomfortable and drying even with a lip balm underneath that I would just never use it there. The staying power for both cheeks and lips was pretty poor, and for $25.00 a pop I'd really rather just spend my money on something else that will work better!