Sephora 500 Point Perk: Stila Backstage Best Set Review

I recently redeemed 500 Sephora points for the Stila Backstage Best Set gift. I was hoping to get this post up before this 500 point perk sold out on the Sephora website but unfortunately that did not happen! It may still be available in your local store if you are interested though. The box contains four items: a Deluxe HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara, a Deluxe Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in "Intense Black", a Deluxe Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in "Fiery", and a Deluxe Eye Shadow in "Kitten". I tend to save my rewards for boxes like these that contain a variety of items that I can test out at one time.

The HUGE Extreme Lash Mascara is a decent sample size in a gorgeous gold tube. The brush is fluffy, thicker on the top and bottom, and thinner in the middle. The formula is neither too dry nor too wet and makes my lashes quite thick. I would consider this a thickening mascara more than a lengthening mascara. It doesn't have an offensive smell and appears to wear well throughout the day with no flaking. I don't think I would repurchase it because I prefer my lashes to look long as opposed to thick, but it is a decent mascara and I will definitely use the sample.

I've heard great things about the Stay All Day Waterproof Eye Liner but personally, it doesn't compare to my all-time favourite liquid eyeliner. The tip of the pen seems longer and flimsier which makes it harder to work with and it doesn't have the lasting power of the Kat Von D eyeliner. With a little water and minimal rubbing, I could easily rub away the swatch on my arm. I may pass this on to someone else because I definitely prefer other eye liners over this one.

I was really excited to try the Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in "Fiery" and it's 95% of the reason I decided to redeem my points for this box. I've heard great things about the formula and I personally see pros and cons to it. It reminds me of the Colourpop formula in that it's a bit thin and wet which can make it difficult and messy to apply. It also dries on the lips really quickly but never completely dries down to the point where it doesn't budge. Even after 2 hours of wear time, I could smudge this onto my face from my lips so I highly doubt it would last through a meal. Because of the feathering around the edges, you would definitely need to wear a lip liner, at least with this color. Once on the lips it was very comfortable though, and certainly not as drying as some other formulas. This color in particular is described as a "deep red". I would consider buying this liquid lipstick in other colors, but I still prefer my Kat Von D liquid lipsticks.

Finally, the box contained an eye shadow in "Kitten", which is described as a "shimmering nude pink". Personally, I'd consider it more of a champagne color. It is a really pretty neutral color that could also be used as a highlight. The pigmentation is good and I didn't notice any fall out. I wouldn't wear it alone on my eyelids but it's nice when blended out with other shades. I don't generally buy single eyeshadows but I will continue to use this one.

Top-bottom: Liquid Lipstick in "Fiery", Eye Shadow in "Kitten", Eye Liner in "Intense Black"

I created a quick (very quick!) look using all of the products, which you can see below. I didn't have a red lip liner and you can see that my lipstick lines aren't perfect, so I definitely need to pick one up.

Overall, I liked three of the four products with only one of them being a miss for me. While I may not repurchase any of these products, I am glad that I was able to try them out! Have you ever tried any of these products? I'd love to hear your thoughts!