After using Stila products for several years now, many of them have really grown on me. From the fun and flirty lip shine glosses to the soft and wearable collection of eye shadows and blushes, Stila has definitely made its mark in my makeup bag. When I heard the line was coming out with a new powder foundation, I had to know more.

Stila's new Illuminating Powder Foundation with SPF 12 ($22 for the foundation itself, plus $20 for the silver "Stila girl" refillable compact) comes in 8 colors named from lightest to darkest according to "wattage": 10 watts is the lightest, then 20, 30, 40, and so on up to 70. It's clever and fits with the product name "illuminating", but it would have been nice to have the same color names as the rest of their foundations (a, b, c, d). Oh well...

After using this foundation for about a week and a half, I had mixed feelings about it. It is similar to a few other powder foundations I've tried, like MAC Studio Fix, Aveda Dual Performance Creme Powder (now called Dual Base minus Oil), and Prescriptives Instant Face (discontinued around the summer of 1998) - here's how:

• The texture is more silky rather than overly dry, like Aveda
• The coverage is light to medium, like Prescriptives
• The look is matte but not overly powdery, like MAC

For more information about Stila cosmetics, you can contact the company in Los Angeles at 1-800-833-0400.