ILIA Cheek to Cheek Multi-Stick Review & Swatches

Cheek to Cheek

ILIA Cheek to Cheek Multi-Stick ($34.00 for 0.15 oz.) is a medium, peachy orange with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had sheer to semi-sheer coverage that was buildable to medium if desired, which was in line with the brand’s description of the formula.

The consistency felt smooth, more like a solid balm in the tube, which became moderately emollient as soon as I picked up product with my fingertip. Brushes worked but took more effort to get product off of the surface, so I’d recommend using a brush to blend but apply the product with fingertips or directly to cheeks/lips.

It had a more gel-like texture, which enabled it to apply evenly, spread well and without lifting up base products, and diffuse with little effort on my cheeks. It had semi-sheer to medium coverage applied as a lip product, which was a little thin and more prone to catching on imperfections and had shorter-wear at two and a half hours. As a cheek color, it stayed on decently for seven and a half hours on me.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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ColourPop Zip (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery, less glossy (95% similar).
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Tower 28 Rush Hour (P, $20.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Surratt Beauty Parfait (P, $32.00) is more shimmery, cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
ILIA All of Me (P, $34.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
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Milani Nude Kiss (P, $8.99) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Tower 28 Magic Hour (P, $20.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
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ColourPop Under Pressure (P, $8.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).

View Swatches

Formula Overview

$34.00/0.15 oz. - $226.67 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to deliver a "soft wash of color" for cheeks and lips that can be applied with "fingertips or a densely packed brush." The product is best for someone who is looking primarily for a cream blush over a lip color, as the latter can work but it is short-wearing, thin, and didn't always sit well on lips (tended to emphasize texture/catch on flakes). It's by no means an ultra-hydrating lip balm, but it worked well as a cream blush.

These types of multi-tasking products often can be used in more than one way, but so often, they work well for a primary function; in this case, that's as a blush. The consistency was smooth, dense, and balm-like that had to be warmed up slightly with fingertips or held against the cheek. The finish was dewy without being overly tacky, but it never fully dried down, so those who need something more transfer-resistant will want to look elsewhere.

It was moderately emollient with a gel-cream feel, so it spread well over bare skin and wasn't prone to lifting up base products. It was easy to apply and diffuse for a "soft wash of color" as described. They were somewhat buildable to medium coverage if desired. The product wore between seven and eight hours before fading visibly.

As a lip product, they applied best from the tube, as this yielded more even coverage and minimized the product catching on imperfections. The coverage varied from sheer to medium and had higher coverage when applied from the tube. They lasted two to three hours as lip products.

Browse all of our ILIA Multi-Stick swatches.

Ingredients

Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter*, Cera Alba (Beeswax)*, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera/Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Cera/Wax, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil*, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch*, Citric Acid, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), [+/-: Iron Oxides (Ci 77492, Ci 77491, Ci 77499), Mica, Red 27 Lake (Ci 45410), Red 6 Lake (Ci 15850), Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Yellow 5 (Ci 19140)]. *Organic Ingredients. Ingrédients Organiques. This product is certified Gluten-free.

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.