Inspired by the frost-covered plains of the Far North, Giorgio Armani's Orient Excess 2014 Holiday Collection features a gorgeous range of products that recreate a polar atmosphere with its ethereal and intense colors. Today I have a few pieces from the collection to share and swatch for you, so to see some more photos, click.......
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Orient Excess Face & Eye Palette
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Packaging:
This exclusive, limited edition palette features one face powder and three eye shadows. The top pan houses the face powder and the bottom pan stores the shadow trio. The palette itself is made from a shiny blue plastic and features a magnet closure. The top and bottom lid of the palette are both oval-shaped and they are put together at a 90 degree angle to to create a very cool, elliptical shape for the compact. The Giorgio Armani logo can be found on the rim of the top lid. The face powder is pressed with a lovely constellation design, which I unfortunately was not able to capture on camera. The shadows come with a couple of sponge tip applicators which tuck neatly away on the bottom pan.
Additionally, the palette comes with a very fancy blue velvet pouch (see photos above) that easily doubles as a clutch.
Formulation & Pigmentation:
The face powder is a very sheer white powder. It could work as an all over setting powder and it could also work as a subtle all-over illuminating powder. The texture is smooth and finely milled and it has a flattering matte finish.
The three shadows feature the Armani "Fur Color Pearls" technology-crushed pearl particles of varying shapes and sizes are added to the shadows to produce a satin finish that mimics the gleam of luxurious animal furs. The trio features a dark chocolate brown, a metallic grey, and a beige-y taupe shadow. All three colors are buttery, smooth, and pigmented.
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| Orient Excess Face & Eye Palette |
Packaging:
These gorgeous lipstick have a shiny, almost ceramic-like red plastic bullet. Much like the compact, the oval-shaped top and bottom of the bullet are mismatched to create an interesting twisty shape for the lipsticks. The cap features a snazzy magnetic closure and the brand logo is found on the outside and on the lipstick itself.
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| Rouge Fantasy Lipsticks in "414 Red Blood" & "634 Burgundy" |
"634 Burgundy"- A gorgeous vampy plummy rose, this is a gorgeous semi-sheer lipstick with an ultra lightweight formulation. The lipstick gives a plump sheen and the color is versatile and definitely buildable. The formulation is moisturizing but quite long-wearing although the shine does wear off, leaving behind a nice tint of color.
"414 Red Blood"- This one is a gorgeous red lipstick. The color isn't quite a true red, it's quite unique in that it seems to have some coral elements which adds a great depth and character to the color. The formulation of this is nice (but lightweight) and moisturizing and it's slightly more opaque than "634 Burgundy".
Formulation & Pigmentation:
The Lip Maestro features a very rich and pigmented formula very similar to that of the Bite Cashmere Lip Creams (reviewed here) and the Shu Uemura Tint in Gelatos (reviewed here). The product is moisturizing and lightweight but the formula does not set, which makes it prone to smudging and smearing. The shade "634 Burgundy" is actually a beautiful true red. This lip color is high-maintence but it sure is stunning!
Overall:
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| Rouge Fantasy Lipsticks in "634 Burgundy" |
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| Rouge Fantasy Lipsticks in "414 Red Blood" |
Lip Maestro Intense Velvet Color in "634 Burgundy" ($38):
Packaging:
This lip color comes in a simple and sleek lip gloss tube with a bright red cap bearing the Armani logo. The doe-foot-applicator is bent for a more ergonomical application.
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| Lip Maestro Intense Velvet Color in "634 Burgundy" |
The Lip Maestro features a very rich and pigmented formula very similar to that of the Bite Cashmere Lip Creams (reviewed here) and the Shu Uemura Tint in Gelatos (reviewed here). The product is moisturizing and lightweight but the formula does not set, which makes it prone to smudging and smearing. The shade "634 Burgundy" is actually a beautiful true red. This lip color is high-maintence but it sure is stunning!
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| Lip Maestro Intense Velvet Color in "634 Burgundy" |
All four pieces from this new collection from Giorgio Armani is simply breathtaking, both in terms of packaging and formulation. My favorite item is no doubt the Lip Maestro Intense Velvet Color, I can see myself wearing this classic true red lip color a lot this holiday season!
Availability:
Giorgio Armani beauty products are available in stores at Holt Renfrew and The Bay.
