If it is actually painted, then trim sealant is not the way to go. A product of that type is designed for plastic molding or rubber trim.
Can you describe where the trim is on the car? When you say "pillar" are you talking about the b-pillar between the front and rear doors, i.e. the are where the door meet which covers the b-pillar on the frame?
On my cars, the material in that area ranges from matte painted metal to shiny plastic pannels snapped into place, to some sort of strange rubberized material (found near the c-pillar on my Mazda3 hatchback). Each takes a different product to get it looking good again.