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Givenchy has always dabbled in the art of the "color-enhancing" makeup (see "
Noir Revelateur" Rouge Interdit Vinyl and
Le Rouge Perfecto Lip Balm) but for Fall 2017, the brand is taking the concept to a whole new level with the limited edition
L'Autre Noir Collection. Translated into English as the "The Other Black" Collection, this five piece range all plays on the theme of "a shade of black that is anything but dark". Formulated with eosin which reacts to the pH of the skin, several products in this range change color to enhance your natural complexion. To see some swatches and my review of everything, click......
Givenchy Liner Vinyl in "6 Rosy Black" ($39 CAD):
Housed in a lacquered black tube, this is a plummy black liquid eye liner that's packed with micro purple sparkles. You get 3ml of products and the applicator is a skinny, tapered brush. The formulation is on the thicker side but the pigmentation is very good. The tiny brush allows for a precise application but the formulation is not waterproof. Therefore, the product will smudge over time if you have oily skin or live in a humid environment.
Givenchy Ombre Couture Cream Eyeshadow in "20 Rosy Black" ($32 CAD):
This is a black-based cream eyeshadow that's packed with sparkly purple glitters. Color-wise, it is pretty much identical to the Liner Vinyl in "6 Rosy Black". The shadow comes is in a simple plastic pot and you get 4g of products. Although the formulation is pigmented, the texture is not very creamy. As a result, the product doesn't build very well and the application is patchy. With that said, you can get an okay result if the shadow is lightly applied and heavily blended. Finally, although the formulation is waterproof, "20 Rosy Black" is prone to smudging unless topped with a powder shadow. All in all, this is a really pretty color but the formulation is not great.
Below is a simple look I completed using the two eye products. As you can see, the Liner Vinyl's tiny brush allows for a really precise application. With the Ombre Couture, unfortunately, there are still visible patchiness and creasing even with a light application and some careful blending.
Givenchy Universal Noir Revelateur Lip Liner ($35 CAD):
Formulated with eosin, this is a color-enhancing black lip liner sprinkled with a hint of silver sparkles. The formulation is rather dry and silicon-y and the application is draggy and patchy. The color is super sheer and although it kind of turns a bit berry-pink on the lips, it still looks quite gray when worn all on its own. I can't imagine applying this under an opaque lipstick as it will be completely covered and I also wouldn't use it over a lip color given how patchy and silicon-y the formulation is. So for my swatches below, I paired the liner with the Gloss Revelateur in "2 Noir Revelateur" (see below). I blended the two with my fingertip and blotted off the excess gloss to get rid of as much of the gray-tint as possible.
Givenchy Gloss Revelateur in "2 Noir Revelateur" ($38 CAD):
Similar to the Noir Revelateur Lip Liner, the "2 Noir Revelateur" Gloss Revelateur is a light and non-sticky lip gloss that changes from black to pink depending on the skin's pH. On my lips, the gloss turns a bit pink but there are still noticeable gray patches. As mentioned above, the gloss looks best when "worked" into the lips by blending with the fingertips and blotting away any excess to reveal a vampy berry tint (see the lip swatches below). Unless you plan on applying this over a dark, vampy lipstick for added dimensions and shine, I would not recommend it for solo use. The finish is too patchy and unless you have the patience to blend and blot, it just doesn't look very flattering.
Givenchy Blush Noir Revelateur Made to Measure Pink Blush ($43 CAD):
Packaged in a convenient squeeze tube with a small spout opening, the Blush Noir Revelateur is a "cream" blush that appears inky gray when first applied and sheers out to an extremely subtle berry pink. The formulation is very silicone-y, so much so that it almost feels like a foundation primer. It definitely smooths fine lines and textural imperfections but I am not a fan of the noticeable residue it leaves behind. Furthermore, the color is really sheer! For my swatches below, I applied a considerable amount and all I ended up with is the slightest hint of pink. I thought the color may require some time to develop but it, in fact, remained unchanged even after several hours. Again, eosin is the "active ingredient" here and it adjusts color depending on the skin's pH. Unfortunately, there just doesn't seem to be enough eosin in the formulation so the blush barely changes color. Maybe it will look more intense on some people but on me, the pink is barely visible.
Although vampy makeup may not be my thing, I can still appreciate it for the fall and winter months. The concept behind this Givenchy L'Autre Noir Collection is definitely creative and unique but I don't think the execution is great. The Blush Noir Revelateur didn't seem to contain enough eosin to give a noticeable flush while the Ombre Couture is prone to creasing. The Univeral Lip Liner is disappointingly patchy and while the Gloss Revelateur is nicely formulated, it's not easy to pull off on its own for the average woman. The pretty Liner Vinyl in "6 Rosy Black" is probably my only pick from the collection but again, the formulation is not waterproof and that's always a big drawback.
If you are a fan of the color-enhancing trend, I would actually recommend trying the Givenchy "
Noir Revelateur" Rouge Interdit Vinyl or the Givenchy
Le Rouge Perfecto Lip Balm, both of which are easy-to-wear and much better formulated.
Availability:
Givenchy is available online and in stores at
Sephora. The limited edition L'Autre Noir Collection is available starting August 3rd, 2017.
Givenchy has always dabbled in the art of the "color-enhancing" makeup (see "Noir Revelateur" Rouge Interdit Vinyl and Le Rouge Perfecto Lip Balm) but for Fall 2017, the brand is taking the concept to a whole new level with the limited edition L'Autre Noir Collection. Translated into English as the "The Other Black" Collection, this five piece range all plays on the theme of "a shade of black that is anything but dark". Formulated with eosin which reacts to the pH of the skin, several products in this range change color to enhance your natural complexion. To see some swatches and my review of everything, click......
