If you’ve spent any time in the clean beauty world, chances are you’ve come across ILIA beauty products. In recent years they’ve become one of the most talked-about clean makeup names in the space, and for good reason. ILIA sits at the intersection of skincare and makeup, with clean formulas that do double duty. They cover and color with a natural-looking finish while actively treating the skin.
Over the last several months I’ve collected a handful of the brand’s bestsellers. Below is everything you need to know about each one, including ingredients what they do, and who they’re for. Read on for my full review on ILIA makeup.
ILIA Makeup Review
What Is ILIA Beauty? The Clean Makeup Brand Overview
ILIA was founded in 2011 by Sasha Plavsic, who built the clean beauty brand around a straightforward philosophy: that makeup should be as good for your skin as it is for your look.
ILIA’s products are formulated without mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, parabens, phthalates, or chemical sunscreens. Instead, ILIA emphasizes active skincare ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, plant-based squalane, and other natural extracts across its complexion and color products.
In short, ILIA makeup is great for those with sensitive skin, or those looking for makeup with simultaneous skincare benefits.
The entire line is Leaping Bunny certified cruelty-free, and many products are vegan (with the exception of those containing ethically sourced beeswax). ILIA is also committed to sustainable practices. They use recycled aluminum and glass for packaging, and responsibly source materials across the product range.
ILIA is especially known for its natural skin finish and everyday wear makeup products, particularly its complexion staples like Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 and True Skin Serum Foundation.
My Skin Profile
- Skin Type: Combination skin
- Skin Tone: Olive
- Skin Concerns: Occasionally acne-prone, fine lines
- Age: 38
ILIA
Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
A lightweight foundation that blurs imperfections and evens skin tone while maintaining a natural, dewy finish.
ILIA Makeup Products I’ve Tried
ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40
ILIA‘s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is the brand’s hero product and one of the most award-winning tinted moisturizers in clean beauty. Launched in 2020, it was one of the first products to combine a hydrating serum, light coverage foundation, and mineral SPF 40 into a single formula. It essentially created a new category of skin-first makeup.
Key Ingredients
- Zinc oxide: The active SPF ingredient. Zinc oxide is a physical, broad-spectrum UV filter approved by the FDA.
- Hyaluronic acid (sodium hyaluronate): A humectant that draws moisture into the skin and helps plump the appearance of fine lines.
- Plant-based squalane: A lightweight emollient derived from plants that mimics the skin’s natural oils, helping to lock in hydration without clogging pores.
- Niacinamide: A form of vitamin B3 that helps to even skin tone, minimize the appearance of pores, and smooth skin texture over time.
- Aloe barbadensis leaf juice: Soothes and calms the skin.
- Bisabolol: An anti-irritant derived from chamomile that helps reduce redness and sensitivity.
What it Does
ILIA Skin Tint delivers lightweight coverage with a natural dewy finish. It evens out skin tone, blurs minor imperfections, and protects against UVA, UVB, blue light, and infrared light while actively treating the skin with skincare-grade actives.
Initial Thoughts
This is the first ILIA makeup product I ever tried. It reminds me of Armani Beauty tinted skin drops they used to make years ago that I loved, but have since been discontinued. If you’re familiar with Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Complexion Drops, this is similar. Both are lightweight foundation formulas, but I do find that this skin tint from ILIA is slightly lighter feeling, and provides a less tackiness on the skin than the Westman Atelier drops. I prefer this formula.
Shade Range and Application
ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 is available in 30 shades. I’d say the formula applies a little lighter at first, then subtly oxidizes due to the SPF, so you may want to consider this when shopping. There’s a shade finder on the ILIA website, but you can also send in a selfie to find your perfect match. The brand also provides free returns and exchanges if you need another color. I wear shade ST8 (Shela).
The formula is easy to apply with fingers and glides on smoothly, providing a natural, dewy finish. It looks like my skin, but with an even, glowy appearance that I really like. Skin Tint does not have any added fragrance, but it’s important to note this doesn’t mean fragrance-free. I find that it does have a distinct, subtly sour scent that disappears after application. ILIA mentions on its product page that it’s the scent of the raw ingredients.
Best For
Anyone looking for a lightweight foundation with the coverage of a tinted moisturizer. It’s also a great product if you want to consolidate your foundation and SPF into a single step.
Not Ideal For
Those who prefer a matte finish or who have oily skin. Although I like the dewy finish, my combination skin tends to get very shiny with this product unless I follow it with a setting powder. If you’re looking for a medium-coverage foundation, you may want to consider ILIA’s Skin Rewind Complexion Stick or True Skin Serum Foundation.
ILIA
Skin Blur Serum Concealer
A self-setting formula designed to cover and blur blemishes, darkness, and redness without creasing.
ILIA Skin Blur Serum Concealer
Skin Blur Serum Concealer is ILIA’s answer to the classic concealer. It’s designed to cover and blur blemishes, darkness, and redness without caking and while treating the skin.
Key Ingredients
- Matrixyl™ 3000 Glyx peptides: Helps to boost elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
- Caffeine: Extracted from coffee beans to visibly depuff and revive tired eyes.
- Sea Fennel Extract: A sustainably sourced retinol alternative that brightens, firms, and smooths skin and fine lines.
What it Does
Skin Blur Serum Concealer provides medium coverage with a smooth texture that blends seamlessly under the eyes and over blemishes. It reduces the appearance of dark circles and energizes eyes with Caffeine, and contains a self-setting formula for crease-resistant wear.
Initial Thoughts
If you’re used to a super creamy concealer, this may not be for you. Although it’s not chalky per se, this concealer is considerably drier-feeling than my other concealer from Kosas. If I had to compare, it reminds me a lot of this Chanel concealer at a lower price point.
Having said that, I enjoy that it stays put and doesn’t crease throughout the day. You can build up coverage if needed and it’s available in a wide range of shade options (34 to be exact; I’m shade 11W). Unlike Super Serum Skin Tint, there is no noticeable fragrance in the concealer and it doesn’t provide a dewy finish. I use this sparingly under my eyes and wear I have redness, and it does provide good coverage. I’m torn on whether I see a blurring effect or not, but I it absolutely lives up to the self-setting, crease-resistant claim.
Best For
All skin types, including sensitive skin. Particularly well-suited to those dealing with dark circles, uneven skin tone, or blemishes (hi, it’s me). This works seamlessly layered over or under your foundation for a complete base.
ILIA
Cream Blush Multi Stick
A cream blush and lip color in one compact stick.
ILIA Cream Blush Multi Stick
I’m all about easy, everyday makeup and versatile products I can travel with, so whenever a makeup brand makes a multi-use product, I like giving it a try. ILIA Cream Blush Multi Stick is a cream blush and lip color in one compact stick. It has won multiple awards including Byrdie’s Eco Beauty Award for Best Multi-Use and the Allure Readers’ Choice Award for Best Blush.
Key Ingredients
- Organic shea butter: A rich emollient that nourishes and conditions the skin, creating the creamy texture that allows the formula to blend seamlessly.
- Avocado oil: A source of essential fatty acids and antioxidants that softens and replenishes the skin.
- Orange peel wax: Helps protect and condition the skin while providing a breathable, non-occlusive feel.
What it Does
The Multi Stick delivers a wash of natural color to cheeks and lips.
Initial Thoughts and Application
The creamy formula melts into the skin on contact, leaving a natural, skin-texture finish. It’s easy to blend with your fingers, regardless if you’re wearing it over makeup or bare skin.
I have two colors, At Last and In The Mood. Both provide a natural, sheer flush, but I find that I have to layer a decent amount of In The Mood onto my cheeks to get color. In The Mood may be brighter on lighter skin though, as I do find At Last to be a little more pigmented. I don’t necessarily dislike these products because they do have a nice texture, but I’m someone who likes a decent pop of color on my cheeks. So, I prefer the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick or Merit Flush Balm. Both are much more saturated, and a little goes a long way.
From Left to Right: ILIA Cream Blush Multi Stick in At Last, ILIA Cream Blush Multi Stick in In The Mood, Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Petal, Merit Flush Balm in Le BonBon
A note on sizing: ILIA Cream Blush Multi Stick is small (only 0.15 oz). At first, I thought I accidentally ordered a travel size and had to double check the website. It’s $36 for 0.15 oz. This feels quite expensive for the size, but compared to Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks ($48 for 0.21 oz), it’s basically the same price per ounce. This size is easy to travel with and fits in small bags for a color touch up on the go.
Best For
All skin types and anyone who wants very minimal color. Ideal for those who prefer a streamlined, minimal makeup routine and want one product that works for cheeks to lips. Since it’s a cream-based formula, it works best applied before any powder products. Given the small size, it also makes a superior product for travel.
Not Ideal For
Anyone expecting a saturated color upon first dab. This product, even the colored shades, are pretty sheer and contain minimal pigment.
ILIA
Limitless Lash Mascara
Formulated to lift, lengthen, curl, and separate without clumping or flaking, and comes off with warm water.
ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara
Limitless Lash Mascara is a cult-favorite, with several industry awards including Allure‘s Best of Beauty for Best Clean Beauty Makeup. It is formulated to lift, lengthen, curl, and separate without clumping or flaking. It’s suitable for contact-lens wearers and designed to come off easily at the end of the day with just warm water.
Key Ingredients
- Arginine: An amino acid that helps fortify and strengthen lashes over time.
- Organic shea butter: Conditions and nourishes lashes without adding weight.
- Beeswax and carnauba wax: Natural waxes that provide hold, flexibility, and the formula’s buildable structure without brittleness.
What it Does
Limitless Lash Mascara lengthens and lifts with 12-hour wear, resisting flaking and smudging throughout the day. One coat delivers a natural, defined look while additional coats build toward more dramatic volume and length. The formula conditions and nourishes slashes with each application.
The brush: ILIA developed the dual-sided wand after testing over 100 brush designs. The shorter side is designed to curl and build volume at the root; the longer, comb-like side lifts, lengthens, and separates with precision. The dual format allows for a customizable application depending on the look you’re after.
Initial Thoughts and Application
I’ve tried a few clean mascaras and have found that most of them flake and smudge throughout the day. That’s not the case with this ILIA mascara. It stays put all day and I haven’t so much as seen a single black flake on my skin. As far as clean mascara goes, this is the winner in my book.
The formula provides a natural, enhanced look to lashes, and you can do a few coats to build it up a bit. I can actually see a difference in my lashes when I wear it. And while I can respect that the brush perfectly separates and lengthens lashes, I personally just prefer very black, thick, and slightly dramatic lashes with a big chunky wand.
Best for: All lash types, particularly those looking for a natural-to-moderate lash look. It’s also well-suited to those with sensitive eyes or contact lens wearers who struggle to find mascaras that don’t irritate. The water-removable formula is a good option for those who prefer to avoid oil-based makeup removers.
Not ideal for: Those looking for dramatic, high-volume, or very thick lashes.
Is ILIA Worth It?
ILIA sits at a premium price point — Super Serum Skin Tint retails for $48, Skin Blur Serum Concealer for $32, Multi Stick for $36, and Limitless Lash Mascara for $29.
What separates ILIA from less expensive clean beauty brands is the concentration and quality of active skincare ingredients across each formula. These are not simply “clean” in the sense of removing harmful ingredients, the brand’s products include active ingredients like stabilized vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and arginine at meaningful levels that deliver measurable skin benefits over time.
ILIA is a good match for anyone who:
- Prioritizes clean, non-toxic formulas without compromising on performance
- Has sensitive skin, dry skin, or reactive skin and needs fragrance-free, non-comedogenic options
- Prefers a natural look with a skin-forward finish over full coverage or matte looks
- Wants makeup that actively treats the skin with skincare-grade ingredients
- Is looking to streamline their routine with multi-tasking products
ILIA may not be the right fit if you:
- Need full coverage or a matte finish
- Have oily skin and prefer longer-wear formulas without setting powder
- Are looking for a more dramatic look
Final ILIA Makeup Review Thoughts
For me, ILIA is a standout amongst clean brands and sits between Merit and Westman Atelier. The packaging is much more premium than Merit but not as luxurious as Westman Atelier (although most ILIA products are less expensive than Westman Atelier).
I find the Cream Blush Multi Sticks to be my least favorite products of the ILIA items I’ve tried. For me, the shades I own don’t provide a huge color payoff and there are plenty of other brands with more pigmented cream-based formulas. However, I really like Skin Blur Serum Concealer, and despite the scent of Super Serum Skin Tint, I like it a lot. And even though I personally prefer thick, black, chunky lashes, Limitless Lash Mascara is a great option for those who want natural lashes without any smudging or flaking. This is the best clean mascara I have ever tried. I may try the brand’s Fullest Volumizing Mascara to see how it stacks up against my beloved Tom Ford mascara.
If you’re looking for a beauty brand that combines skincare ingredients with color products, want a no makeup makeup look with light color, and/or you’re interested in clean beauty products, then you’ll be happy with ILIA.
