I’ve always wished that makeup wore more like skincare. I love putting on a full face of makeup, but I find that sometimes it can look heavy or cakey, covering up my features rather than enhancing them. And when it comes to layering makeup and skincare, things can get dicey—use one wrong product and you’ll end up with pilling all over your face.
Once I started using Ilia, the whole game changed. Every product in this brand is essentially skincare that doubles as makeup. Ilia’s products are infused with good for your skin ingredients like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, shea butter, and even SPF, so you can ensure you’re softening and brightening skin while applying makeup.
I talked to celebrity makeup artist Katey Denno, clean beauty enthusiast and avid Ilia user, to find out what some of her favorite Ilia products are and learn some of her favorite application tricks. Keep scrolling to find out what products by the brand are must-haves in any makeup (and skincare!) lover’s arsenal.
The absolute best Ilia Beauty products:
A few drops of this highlighting serum really lights up the entire face. I like swiping this highlighter on with my fingers and buffing out with a blending brush.
If you're into eyeshadows, Denno recommends the Ilia's Necessary Palettes (both the warm and the cool). "Ilia has done the hard work of choosing the perfect shades, and has chosen the right ones to add shimmer to, making them the most easy to wear and flattering palettes ever, whether you just want a little sparkle and definition, or you're up for a full on smokey eye with a pop of color.
It's tough to find an eyeliner with a clean formula that's as high performing as more traditional makeup, but this one fits the bill.
Use this on the high points of your face (or all over) for a dreamy, sun-kissed glow.
Ilia is famous for their Limitless Lash mascara, but consider this formula its little sister. If your main eyelash goal is volume, this mascara will fan out your lashes (and resist smudging).
For a cat-eye so sharp, it could cut glass.
When it comes to cream eyeshadows, this one is easy to use and dries down like a powder, so you don't get any annoying creases or smears.
This is one of the first Ilia products I tried, and I've been going back to it for years. This is the perfect lip oil and gloss hybrid, and it imparts dreamy color and shine without being sticky or gloopy.
Use this pigment everywhere—eyes, cheeks, or lips.
Not only does this powder offer a seamless finish to your makeup, but it also offers a boost of SPF. "For those who like a more matte finish, the translucent powder pairs beautifully with the serum foundation."
Brow gel is one of my favorite products of all time. This brow gel does this near-impossible job of making eyebrows look natural while still helping fill and shape.
If you don't already have one of these in your purse, it's high time you add this to your collection. Denno says this lipstick is a must.
Along with the High Impact Lipstick, Denno says that the Hydrating Lip Balm is a staple. "I've been using them on lips (and cheeks) my entire career and can honestly say they're the number one item that winds up in my client's makeup bag after I've used it on them."
Avocado oil and shea butter make this multi-use stick super hydrating, and the color is buildable and blendable. A swipe of this offers the kind of healthy-looking flush you get after coming inside from the cold.
This product checks every box—it's a serum, a sunscreen, and a foundation all in one. If you've been looking for an easy foundation for every day use, it's right here.
A concealer that won't settle in creases or accentuate dry patches? Sign me up. This formula even has vitamin C to help even tone and brighten.
"I will forever be a fan of [the] True Serum Foundation both for myself and for my clients," says Denno. "The formula is exceptional. It leaves skin looking glowy—never greasy—throughout the day and is truly skincare-meets-foundation." This hydrating formula is blendable and buildable, and virtually impossible to mess up.
Denno also has application tips that you'll want to steal. "My favorite way to apply is to put one to two pumps on the back of my hand, and using a medium synthetic fluffy brush, pick up a small amount and begin buffing it onto the skin in small circular strokes. Finish by using the press-and-roll method with a barely damp beauty blender to mimic skin texture and create an even canvas." If you need a bit more coverage, use your blender to apply a bit more.
"Is there a person alive who hasn't heard or seen me recommend Ilia Limitless Lash mascara?" Denno asks. "It's been my go-to since it launched, and I wear it every day and am constantly asked, 'Which mascara are you wearing? Are your lashes really that long and thick?' The answer is no, it's the most fantastic formula that makes them look like this! My main tip is to over curl your lashes before applying for an even more wide awake, sexy, fluttery-lash look."
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