About the Brand

Ilia launched in 2011 with a mission to transform the makeup industry with clean, skin-centric products. Ilia is unique in the way it treats makeup and skincare as one, creating clean products designed to protect and heal the skin while making it look beautiful.

Ilia’s focus on clean beauty doesn’t stop with the products themselves, however. Makeup products are notoriously difficult to recycle, with their complex components and ingredients. Ilia is not only committed to using sustainable packaging, but they have also partnered with Pact Collective to recycle products that previously would’ve ended up in a landfill.

Ilia’s commitment to ethical, clean products is what led me to make my first purchase. When I switched to a vegan diet, I was shocked to learn that many of the products in my makeup drawer included animal ingredients or were tested on animals! That’s when I found Ilia, which is completely cruelty-free and most of its products are vegan, with the only non-vegan ingredient being ethically sourced beeswax in a handful of products. 

I ordered several of my staple makeup items to see how Ilia stacked up against the products I’ve used and loved for years. Will Ilia become my new go-to? Keep reading to find out.

Ratings Breakdown

Quality: ★★★★★

Ilia’s products are high-quality from packaging to application. I noticed the premium quality in the small details - the mascara doesn’t dry out like my old mascara used to, for example, and the finishing powder absorbs any moisture and prevents that oily feeling I thought was standard with makeup.

Durability: ★★★★★

One of my gripes with many clean makeup products is that they just don’t stay on my face as well as other products. A little bit of rain or an active day outside meant I’d have to worry about those products smearing or smudging. That’s not the case with Ilia at all – my makeup when I get back home after a long day looks the same as when I left the house that morning.

Value: ★★★★

Clean, high-quality ingredients make some Ilia products a little pricier than some of the brands I used previously. Their premium quality means they typically last longer and I found the quality to be easily worth the price, but some who are used to more budget-friendly options may find some of the products outside of their price range.

Variety: ★★★★

Makeup stores can be overwhelming with dozens of varieties of the same product. Volumizing or lengthening mascara? Liquid eyeliner or pencil? Ilia simplifies these choices with just one or two clearly-described versions of each product. However, I found some of their options to be lacking - they have just two colors of bronzing powder, for example.

Products Tested

For this review, I ordered Ilia’s versions of my everyday makeup products: the Clean Line Liquid Liner, Limitless Lash Mascara, Multi-Stick Cream Blush, and a product that was recommended highly by reviews - the Soft Focus Finishing Powder. 

Review

I’m usually cautious when it comes to ordering new makeup products. I chose my current go-to items after years of trial-and-error, and they’re my staples for a reason. If I’m going to make a switch, the new product has to really impress me. Let’s see how Ilia’s versions of my favorite products measured up.

Clean Line Liquid Liner - Eyeliner is one of the most difficult makeup products to master. If you wear a winged style like I do, you know just how hard it can be to perfect the thin lines day in and day out. At first, I found Ilia’s brush made it tough to achieve the perfect look; it didn’t allow for the level of precision I was used to. However, after wearing Ilia’s eyeliner for a few days, I was impressed with its ability to stay on my face. My old eyeliner smudged or cracked if I accidentally touched my face; Ilia’s looked perfect through the whole day. I’m not quite convinced yet, but if I can perfect my style with Ilia’s brush, its durability makes it a strong contender for my new favorite.

Limitless Lash Mascara - Next up on my essentials list is mascara. I have tried several brands and always run into the same issues - the mascara can appear thick and blotchy after applying, and the tube dries up before I’m finished with it (a couple drops of water and a quick shake usually do the trick). However, I was shocked to find that I didn’t run into the same issues with Ilia’s mascara at all. It has a much more delicate application and always looks great from the start, without any of the blotchiness I’m used to. Plus, I’ve gone through a whole tube without it drying at all - I’m definitely reordering this one. 

Multi-Stick Cream Blush - I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about Ilia’s cream blush. I’ve always preferred powder, but that wasn’t an option with Ilia. I can say confidently, though, that after trying Ilia’s Multi-Stick Cream Blush, I’m a convert. It feels so much more natural on my face, and completely gets rid of that feeling of having too much powder caked on to my face. Especially on warm and sunny days where sweat beads my face, the cream feels so much lighter and more natural. This is immediately going into my rotation.

Soft Focus Finishing Powder - I’ve never used a finishing powder before, but enough customers recommended this one that I had to try it. And wow, I’m so glad I did! The rest of Ilia’s products already feel lighter and cleaner than my other makeup products, but their Soft Focus Finishing Powder takes that one step further. It absorbs moisture, softens the skin, and reduces shine. I love that it gives my face a natural look after applying makeup, and especially on warm summer days, this keeps the oil off my face and gives my makeup a soft look throughout the day. This is definitely being added to my daily routine!

Customer Service

If Ilia’s products themselves weren’t enough to convince me to add them to my routine, their customer service certainly is. Girls, we all know that dread of trying to find our shade in a makeup store. How many times have we walked into Sephora or Ulta, applied countless testers to our arm or hand, only to bring a product home and realize it’s still not the right shade? 

Ilia takes all the guesswork out of this process by offering two incredibly easy options to match shades. First, they have an online quiz that features close-up photos and descriptions to match your skin tone to their products. They’ll then show you a personalized list of products that matches your skin tone. 

If that’s still too much guesswork for your liking, Ilia offers personalized skin tone matching! All you have to do is submit a photo of your face, and they’ll send you the exact shades you should use. The best part? If you get a product that’s not perfect, Ilia will offer a free return or exchange on any new or gently-used products within 60 days. That’s plenty of time to make sure it’s the perfect fit!

The great customer service doesn’t end there. Remember that recycling pact I talked about? As expected, recycling your products is a breeze, too. All you have to do is fill out a quick form and Ilia will send you a prepaid label to send back up to 10 products per month. They don’t even have to be Ilia products, in fact - you can send back empty containers of any of your makeup products! 

Is It Worth It?

As you might be able to tell, I’m not one to make switches to my makeup routine lightly. That’s why switching most of my routine to Ilia is one of the highest compliments I can give. I love how much lighter and cleaner my face feels on Ilia, and I’m so happy I get to reduce waste and my impact on the environment by shopping with Ilia. If you’re considering making the switch, I highly recommend trying out some of your staple makeup products from Ilia.