Ilia Beauty is, without a doubt, on the Dior/Chanel/Tom Ford end of the clean beauty spectrum. First, there were lip conditioners and lipsticks in sleek metallic bullets. Then, there were multipurpose sticks (think NARS multiples). Finally, the line expanded last year to include mascaras. I held off on the first iteration, as the formula did contain phenoxyethanol. (Let's be honest, the mascara wand is housed in a dark, moist container—the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Mascara is probably the most challenging product for a chemist to create under green specifications.) But I was thrilled to see Ilia come out with a revamped formula, sans phenoxyethanol.
Nightfall, Macao, Shadow of a Doubt, Asphalt Jungle
I have Nightfall, the deep black shade. I did have to wipe off excess product from the wand the first few weeks, but the formula holds a curl wonderfully. It's not goopy, thankfully, as most clean mascaras are. But it does take about 2 weeks to dry out enough until hitting the sweet spot with just enough product on the brush with each plunge. Along with Coleur Carmel, Ilia is the best substitute for Dior Show that I've found yet. And for maximum benefit, pick up a Shu Uemura lash curler.
And can I just say how much I love the other shades? Asphalt Jungle is gorgeous on blue eyes, and I'd like to score a tube of Macao to experiment with using it on lower lashes.
