So many women I know obediently avoid bright shadows, lipsticks and anything that has the potential to look garish. While they’re certainly avoiding any mishaps, they’re also missing out on a whole lot of fun!

This season, I’m all about embracing little pops of color here and there, and these playfully vibrant Barbie Loves Stila Smudge Pots are an easy way to introduce color into your routine. Just a little bit of a vivid color smudged at the lash line is beautifully bright but still subtle.

I’m totally coveting the Purple Pumps, although all three offerings are truly stunning.

Available from Stila in Little Black Dress, Purple Pumps and Cobalt Clutch for $20 each.

This palette, from Stila’s new Indian Summer Collection, contains four fabulous summer shades housed in a stylish compact bejeweled with authentic bindis! And not to be outdone by packaging, the shadows are infused with REAL 24k gold – how’s that for bling? Use the shadows together to create a vibrant, colorful eye or add one shade at a time to a neutral eye for just a subtle burst of brightness.

The palette is available from Stila for $28.

With the designer’s inspiration of the rainforest, Ted Gibson for Beauty.com imagined his favorite insect—the beetle—and created the foundation of the hair at Lela Rose in the shape of what he imagined a beetle might look like. Ted created really beautiful texture with Build It Spray, parted the hair in the center with added volume at the crown, and pull hair into a youthful pony with a twist.

Makeup artist Tina Turnbow for Beauty.com used wet and dewy leaves as her inspiration as she created a look that focused on the eyes backstage at Lela Rose. She created the look with Stila Precious Pearl Palette, Jade Smudge Pot (shimmering green) and Kajal Eye Liners in Emerald and Pearl. “This deep green eye is so rich it works for everyone,” says Tina. To finish off the look, she added Stila Lip Glaze in Praline.

Timed to its 50th Anniversary – and a year-long celebration of events and partners – Barbie® announces Stila as the Official Prestige Makeup Partner for 2009.  Stila will be celebrating all things Barbie®, bringing the doll’s signature beauty looks to life with innovative and whimsical products that are signature Stila.  A limited edition spring collection of beauty cans and a talking palette will precede a larger collection and Barbie™ beauty program slated for Fall 2009.

“As much as Barbie is known for her place in fashion, she is also famous for her beauty, and we are thrilled to bring the Barbie beauty experience to girls of all ages with Stila as our partner.  Like Barbie, it’s a brand loved by both the girly girl and the sophisticated fashionista,” said Richard Dickson, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Barbie®.

Deanna Kangas, CEO of Stila, added, “Stila is so honored and thrilled to be the official prestige makeup
sponsor for Barbie in 2009.  The partnership between Barbie and Stila is ideal as both brands represent the perfect blend of sophistication, fun and innovation.  I am so pleased that Stila will be such an integral part of Barbie’s special year.”

In February, the collaboration kicks off with limited edition Barbie™ Loves Stila offerings that will launch just in time for Barbie’s anniversary celebrations.

The inaugural collection features four colorful “Decades of Beauty™ Cans” filled with Stila favorites that will help Barbie™ girls recreate Barbie™ beauty looks that are iconic of the past five decades.  Each unique palette has two eye shadows and a cheek color or bronzer, as well as a lip product, and a mascara or liner.  A booklet inside describes the beauty and fashion wardrobes for each doll.  Decades of Beauty™ Cans include:
• #1 Ponytail Doll (1959) – Lip Color named Ponytail (red), Liquid Eye Liner, a 3-pan paper-wrapped
compact with 2 eye shadows and a cheek color, and a Look Book
• Malibu Doll (1971) – Lip Glaze named Malibu (pale pink), Lash Visor Mascara in Black, a 3-pan paper-
wrapped compact with 2 eye shadows and a bronzer, and a Look Book
• Foxy Doll (1980) – Lip Glaze named Foxy, Lash Visor Mascara, a paper-wrapped compact with 2 eye
shadows and a cheek color, and a Look Book
• Jewel Doll (2000) – Lip Glaze named Jewel (bright pink), Multi-Effect Mascara, 2-pan paper-wrapped
compact with 2 eye shadows and a cheek color, and a Look Book

The four Barbie™ Loves Stila beauty cans will be available exclusively at Sephora’s 5th Avenue store in New York, international Sephora locations, and at Sephora.com.

Additionally, Stila will launch a new version of its breakthrough, patent-pending talking palette with the tips and the tools to get the Barbie™ look.  A Stila Pro-Artist will help aspiring Barbie™ beauties achieve an iconic look, with the press of a button. This palette will be available exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com.

Finally, Stila will help celebrate Barbie™ doll’s first-ever runway show, held at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in February, as the show’s backstage beauty makeup sponsor.