Beauty Care: ILIA Songbird Nightlite Bronzing Powder Review & Swatches

Songbird

ILIA Songbird NightLite Bronzing Powder ($34.00 for 0.42 oz.) is a medium-dark, reddish-brown with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation, though it had plenty of pigmentation and wouldn’t be something I’d consider to be that buildable — you definitely have to consciously use a light hand to do so.

It had a soft, lightly powdery texture that was finely-milled and blendable on bare skin. This shade applied evenly to my cheeks and diffused well along the edges. It lasted nicely for eight and a half hours before fading visibly.

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

Top Dupes

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Kosas Deep (P, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
ColourPop Bits and Pieces (P, $8.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
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Dior Deep Bronze (08) (P, $48.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Jouer Sunglow (PiP, ) is cooler (90% similar).
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View Swatches

Formula Overview

$34.00/0.42 oz. - $80.95 Per Ounce

The formula is supposed to be "super creamy" with a "luminous finish" with intensity that you can "dial up" for more color. I wouldn't describe the formula as buildable; it was quite pigmented where a little went a long way, so you would want to use a lighter hand, especially if you wanted more buildable coverage out of this formula.

The texture was soft, smooth, and fairly blendable without being too powdery nor too firmly pressed into the pan. It wasn't as blendable over bare skin as I would have liked, but I didn't have any issues blending it out over matte or set foundation. It is not completely unexpected that a more-matte finish didn't blend as readily over bare skin, but it was an area it could have performed better in. The formula lasted eight to nine hours on me before fading visibly.

Browse all of our ILIA NightLite Bronzing Powder swatches.

Ingredients

Mica, Zinc Stearate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Ethyl Macadamiate, Tocopherol, Malic Acid. May Contain/Peut Contenir (±): CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499 (Iron Oxides).

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.