ILIA's New Foundation is the Latest TikTok Phenomenon – We Tried It
April 29 | 4 minute read
Words by Ruby Devlin
Formulated with a ceramide-peptide complex, the Skin Rewind Complexion Stick is designed to leave your skin looking brighter, smoother and more plump even after you remove it. This new release differs from the also excellent Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40, which is serum-like in its consistency and offers lightweight coverage with its makeup-skincare hybrid loaded with SPF.
Speaking of which: the wear time clocks in at 12 hours, made to see you through a full work day and a few post-shift spicy margs – and, as it turns out, award shows too; it most recently graced the complexions of Emma Stone, Lily Gladstone and Greta Gerwig on the red carpet.
MECCA HQ jumped at the chance to try it for themselves. Here’s what they thought…
Laila wears shade ‘38C Jarrah’
Demand Planner Laila’s favourite part of the Skin Rewind Complexion Stick (besides the ergonomic packaging) was its near-endless versatility: “It's not just a foundation. You can use a deeper shade to contour or get a fairer shade and use it as a concealer.”
She adds, “I could wear it to work. I could wear it if I was going out, you could even just chuck it on if you're running errands. It makes your skin look a bit more even, but you can also build it up.”
Dimi wears shade ‘19W Beech’
“I've never used a foundation stick, I've always been a liquid foundation girl,” our Senior Digital Designer, Dimi, told us ahead of trying ILIA’s new release.
However that didn't stop her from loving the new form: “I actually love the way it glides onto the skin, you barely see it. It's almost like part of your skin, but better.”
Dimi also adored the convenience the stick form provided: “I think it's great for travel; something that's compact. And, you don't need to pack a brush with it because you can use your hands to blend.”
Steven wears shade ‘1N Hinoki’
Education Cadet Steven was “pleasantly surprised by its adaptability” and “loved how much it sheered out and that I was able to go back in and build that coverage back.”
A “skin tint purist” with a “dry – quite dry” skin type, Steven was slightly nervous about the stick's promise of a natural-matte finish. But when he glided it on, those worries were quickly eased: “It really settled and married into my skin, even though it had that, like, slightly higher coverage point. It almost looked blurred, but without getting into that really matte area,” he explained.
Ava wears shade '6C Aspen'
Like the rest of MECCA HQ, Influencer Relations Assistant Ava praised Skin Rewind’s packaging – including the smooth stick application and the chic embossing of the brand name.
Plus, extra points were awarded for the product’s lightweight, buildable texture: “A little went a really long way. You would get a lot of use out of it for a long time,” she told us, adding, “I would layer it with my current skin tint to boost the coverage and make it a more full-coverage look.”
Michelle wears shade ‘4N Holly’
The best part of the stick, according to our Creative Production Manager Michelle? “[It’s] weightless.”
“The first day I tried it, I had forgotten I'd put anything on until I looked in the mirror!” she adds.
Michelle raved about how well the Skin Rewind Complexion Stick integrated into her established beauty routine, calling it “easy to apply and really buildable for any areas that needed a bit more coverage,” adding that it “works well over SPF, which is always the first thing I'm on the lookout for with any new products I try.”
