From the Vault (aka Really Ancient Things): Stila Cool Holiday Trio 2005

I'm getting old. Yes, I am. And, I have this horrible habit of acquiring new things, and then not using them (or using them very little). Yes, I do. This has led me to realize that some of the stuff I collected in the past is now foreign to these young whippersnappers just getting into makeup. So I figure, I must be officially old enough (and hoarding makeup long enough) to do a "From the Vault" series of posts (which will have a frequency depending on my mood). So the first candidate from my vault: The Stila Holiday Seasonal Eye Shadow Trio Shimmer Shadows 2005 Cool.



I think this is what they are anyway. I honestly have had these for forever, and all I know is that they probably came out around 2005, possibly for Holiday season, and this trio was designated a "Cool" Trio (which means there was probably a Warm trio out there too). But if my creaky memory serves me right, then these have been around since 200-freaking-5. OMG, I know. (I actually still remember the Y2K scare). But nevertheless, this is SOOOO PRETTY.


It actually kinda makes me sad, because back in the day when Stila was still under Jeanine Lobell, the brand was notable, among other things, for the quality of its eyeshadows. They were pigmented, with a huge array of colours, and very wearable yet unique shades. Back in my day on Makeupalley (my favourite time-wasting website),Stila had its little cult of followers who appreciated classy, unique quality with a hint of quirk. Now, the brand just seems to have lost its direction - the image changes are many and inconsistent (to use Stila Girls or models?), the product range is confused (low-end $10 palettes one season, expensive $75 palettes the next), and nothing from them feels truly innovative, only gimmicky (like the Stila Makeup Player?). I guess this is what's bound to happen when a brand has been around for awhile - it's a challenge reinventing yourself without losing the original spirit. Here's a snapshot of what I'm talking about when I say old vs new Stila:


And as a consumer, it's not just the image change that jars me, although I do feel like New Stila's image is a tad tackier than Old Stila's. (Classic, classy Stila Girls replaced with conventional models, check. Owner's face plastered on ads, check. Strange, gimmicky items like "makeup player" that don't fit with the brand's image, check.) It's also the fact that product quality seems to have slipped somewhat. All the new Stila shadows I've bought cannot match up to the older shades like this, quality-wise. The newer shadows are just not quite as soft, and definitely not as pigmented. Which is why my vintage Stila stuff from back in the day is so precious to me. Money can't buy it now. Nothing quite like treasuring what you have once it's gone...


And who can forget the inspirational quotes inside the paper lids? Loves it. I do miss the "old" Stila stuff - the cool packaging, with the lovely Stila Girl illustrations, on paper packaging. (Apparently I read in an interview that Stila started off with paper packaging because it was cheaper than conventinal packaging, as it didn't require the use of moulds.)


The trio itself is just three shades of purple - pastel lilac, a mid-tone purple, and a deeper violet. I don't even think the shades are particularly special, but what makes this trio outstanding is the quality. The shadows are silky soft, smooth, and very well-pigmented, even the lighter shades. I kid you not. Looking at the swatches below, this is quite apparent.


And of course, to round off my old lady rant blogpost, I leave you with an EOTD using just this eyeshadow trio. Nothing much in the way of bells or whistles (come on guys, this trio was from 2005!) but it is a very pretty eye look.


So there you have it! Here's something pretty old from my stash of makeup items! What cool items do you guys have in your stash? Let me know!