Date reviewed: February 2025 | Price £9.99
Why the Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks are a game-changer for women over 50
Eyeshadow sticks are one of the most forgiving and flattering formulas for mature eyelids, as they are gentle on thin lids, sit well on pesky texture, and are quick and easy to use.
The stick’s creamy texture glides on without tugging, which is important when the eyelid skin is thinner and more delicate, as it becomes over time.
Cream formulas are also less drying than powders, as they more often than not contain moisturising ingredients. Powder eyeshadow can emphasise crepey texture on the eyelid (yes, we all get it) and settle in lines. A cream, however, is more likely to look smoother and less crinkly once dry, giving a softly luminous, skin-like finish.
Cream sticks don’t produce fallout, so there’s no issue with powder dropping onto fine lines under the eyes and accentuating any texture there. Also, many are long-wearing, so they’re good for heavy, hooded, or slightly sagging lids where shadow can migrate or even disappear.
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Product details
Number of shades: 28
Amount: 1.6g
Price: £9.99
Claims
Kiko says these are stick eyeshadows with a creamy formula and extreme hold. It invites you to enhance your eyes and create a long-lasting look in just a few simple steps. It adds that the formula adheres perfectly to the eyelids thanks to the addition of argan oil, lasts up to 24 hours, and doesn’t transfer.
Lastly, they claim the Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eye Sticks are creamy, super comfortable to wear and easy to apply and blend. Also, the stick format with a round-shaped end makes it perfect for on-the-go application.
How I reviewed the Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks
I have been using these sticks for some time, so I already had plenty of thoughts about them. For this particular test, I used them every day, all day, for two weeks, with and without an eye primer underneath. I went out in the rain wearing them and also rubbed them for smudging both when dry and wet.
The application method
These are lightweight sticks with a push-up mechanism. Handling-wise, it feels like holding a pen, and I hold mine exactly as I would if I were writing with it.
One snag I’ve found is that the cream stick can sometimes pop out of the holder. If you catch it or it lands on a clean surface, it’s easy to pick up and pop back in. If it falls onto carpet or dusty floors, it could be game over.
How are they to put on?
The Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks are so easy to apply, giving lots of control. It’s a case of simply drawing the colour onto the lids and blending with a brush (my preference), or you could use a finger.
You do need to work quickly, though. On timed tests, I consistently got three minutes of blend time before the shadow was set. After that, I couldn’t shift it.
If you are wavering about whether you should be wearing eyeshadow at all now that you’re on the other side of 50, you may like to read my blog post on this very subject.
Longevity test
When I want my eyeshadow to stick fast all day, I’m happy to reach for these sticks. Once on and blended, they aren’t going anywhere. I have never worn them for 24 hours straight (does anyone?), but I have regularly gone for 12 hours when I’m out on day trips etc. So, if I know I’m going to be out and about for a long stretch, I regularly reach for them with confidence they won’t let me down.
Testing the eyeshadow with and without a primer, I didn’t notice any difference in application. It was easy with both.
There was no difference in how long the eyeshadow lasted with and without the primer. However, I was surprised to see that the shadow on the eye without the primer looked smoother and the colour brighter. So, I’ll be going without in the future.
In the instructions, Kiko do say to use a primer, and specifically, its Natural Eye Primer.
Is it smudgeproof?
Yes, once set, even vigorous rubbing (dry) didn’t budge it.
Is it waterproof?
There was no movement in or fading of this shadow when sprayed with water without rubbing (mimicking being caught in the rain).
Rubbing the eyelid when wet did bring a fair bit of the shadow off.
Pigment
Many cream shadows (and the Kiko ones are firmly in this bracket) are richly pigmented, so you need less product to achieve impact. This is great for avoiding the cakey look.
The shades on offer are beautiful and there is a choice of with or without shimmer. I love the shimmers!
Removing the eyeshadow
Although Kiko doesn’t have any ‘how to remove’ instructions on its website, I found the colour whisked off easily with a balm cleanser, a cream cleanser, or micellar water.
The finished look
With 13 of these shadows in my drawer, it’s clear I’m a fan. The Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks stay put, don’t settle into lines or emphasise texture, and don’t come off with normal wear or if caught in the rain. The sticks offer a smooth finish and can easily be topped up during the day if needed – although with their staying power, topping up rarely happens.
I am particularly fond of those with a bit of shimmer. It’s not a ‘can be spotted from space,’ look, but enough to add a touch of glamour. The colours are highly pigmented, and both the shimmers and mattes apply easily.
These Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks will suit:
- Those with hooded lids
- Textures eyelids
- Anyone who wants quick, no-fuss eye makeup
- Women who want long wear without creasing
- A one and done look
Who might not love them:
- People who prefer very sheer washes of colour without having to work at it
- Those who like lots of blending time
- Anyone who hates cream formulas
The useful ingredients*
*The following section is a little geeky. Thankfully, there isn’t an exam at the end and no one expects you to remember these long chemical names. I choose to include them because, as you read more of the reviews, you’ll come to recognise the key active ingredients in a product, which will allow you to make meaningful choices based on a product’s comparative performance rather than just marketing-babble.
What makes the Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks last so well?
The long wear of these sticks isn’t down to one miracle ingredient, but a clever combination that helps colour grip to the skin and resist fading or creasing.
In simple terms, the formula contains:
- Ingredients that help the shadow stick firmly to the lid
- Film-forming ingredients that create a flexible, long-wearing layer
- Oil-absorbing ingredients that help reduce slipping and transfer, particularly useful on hooded or slightly oily lids
This explains why, once set, these really don’t budge.
What about comfort?
There are several softening oils and emollients in the formula, which help the stick glide on smoothly and feel comfortable on thinner, more delicate eyelid skin. This is why they don’t feel tight or drying once applied.
Kiko highlights argan oil in their marketing, and while it does contribute to comfort, it’s not the main reason these perform so well. The real heavy lifting is done by the long-wear and film-forming ingredients. In other words, the formula is well designed for performance, with argan oil adding a nice comfort bonus.
This is a performance-driven formula first and foremost. The ingredients genuinely support Kiko’s claims around longevity, smudge resistance, and ease of application. These sticks are designed to stay put and look smooth on the lid, rather than act as skincare for the eyelids.
All of which makes these sticks very suitable for women over 50.
The ingredient list is genuinely well-formulated for long-wearing performance. The stars of the show for keeping the eyeshadows in place are:
- Lauroyl Lysine, which is high on the ingredient list, helps formulas stick to the skin. It’s an amino acid derivative that creates excellent adherence through flat, hexagonal particles that bind to skin, provides water repellency (preventing sweat-induced transfer), and is used across the cosmetics industry precisely for extending wear time. What a good start!
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate a silicone resin that forms a permeable film over the skin, making formulas significantly more long-lasting while maintaining water resistance and a non-tacky finish.
- Polymethylsilsesquioxane also offers adhesion and longevity while preventing creasing and smudging. Research suggests this ingredient reduces product transfer by approximately 22% when included in formulations, and it’s used by many higher-end brands.
- Disteardimonium Hectorite (a clay derivative) thickens the formula, stabilises it for longer wear, prevents pigment settling, and crucially enhances water-resistance, which is key in preventing transfer.
Multiple complementary systems work together to support this claim of ‘no transfer to the skin.’ In particular, adding silica, which absorbs excess oil and sebum, is important for preventing transfer.
The formulation includes multiple emollients and texture modifiers such as:
- Methyl trimethicone (volatile silicone providing silky feel)
- Octyldodecanol (smooth-spreading oil)
- Caprylic/capric triglyceride (waxy emollient)
- Various silicone copolymers for smooth blending
- Argan oil genuinely contributes to creaminess and comfort
The combination of multiple waxes (synthetic wax, carnauba wax, microcrystalline wax, polyethylene wax) keeps the stick’s structure and creates a super-comfortable, easy to wear texture.
While argan oil is present and does contribute nourishing properties, it isn’t a big player in the ‘sticking to the eyelid stakes’ as Kiko suggests. Along with vitamin E and fatty acids, it’s positioned relatively late in the ingredient list. Its primary contribution here is comfort and skin-conditioning rather than the mechanical adhesion mechanism.
Final Verdict
These Kiko Milano Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks did exactly what I wanted them to – they were easy to apply, lasted all day with no fading, were waterproof and came off with no effort on my part.
The ingredient list supports Kiko’s claims, though the addition of argan oil offers more nourishing properties than longevity for the shadow.
I will continue to buy these for as long as they are available, and at £9.99 each, they easily qualify as a ‘very good purchase’.
Want to try them?
I bought these eyeshadows myself. Kiko has not paid me to write this review, and the brand doesn’t see or approve my content before it’s published.
If you’d like to try them, you can use the affiliate link below. If you choose to buy through this link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me fund more independent, in-depth testing for women over 50.
My aim is always to give you honest, robust reviews so you can spend your money wisely.