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Despite being a member of the L'Oreal Luxe family (among brands like Urban Decay, YSL, and Lancôme),
Giorgio Armani Beauty is still one of the more underrated luxury beauty brands. Perhaps due to its hefty price tag, the often impressive and holy grail-worthy product range just doesn't seem to get enough buzz. Well today, I want to talk to you about a few new releases from Armani that are bound to spark some excitement. Spoiler: the Rouge d'Armani Matte Lipsticks may just make you whip out your credit card ASAP......
Giorgio Armani Beauty | Eyes to Kill Lacquered Eyeliner ($47 for 1.4 ml):
Paired with a flexible, tapered sponge applicator, the Eyes to Kill Lacquered Eyeliner is a liquid eyeliner "inspired by the ideals of Hollywood glamor". With an extremely pigmented formulation (one of the richest I've ever seen), the Lacquered Eyeliner is opaque in one swipe and sets within seconds to a vinyl finish. The applicator works well at lining the lashline but the sponge tip is just a tad thick for making a precise wing. With enough practice, you can probably get a razor sharp edge but I personally would have preferred a tapered brush-tipped applicator. The eyeliner is currently available only available in a carbon black called "
1 Onyx".
The Eyes to Kill Lacquered Eyeliner is impressively long-wearing. The formulation is 100% waterproof and will not smudge even when rubbed with moderate pressure. It removes easily with a good cleansing oil, coming off in large flakes and leaving behind no pesky raccoon eyes. Despite the pigmented, quick-drying, and long-lasting formulation, the eyeliner is not without its faults. The vinyl finish is not consistent in that some areas look shiny while other sections take on a more matte appearance, giving the eyeliner a slightly patchy effect. Additionally, as the formulation dries, it tends to crack and shrivel (especially when worn over bare lids), leaving behind visible streaks of liner-free skin. This required additional layers of liner to ensure a flawless, full coverage, which made the finish a bit thick and chunky. Overall, this is a pigmented and long-wearing liquid eyeliner. However, the sponge-tipped applicator and the uneven, vinyl finish left more to be desired.
Giorgio Armani Beauty | Eyes to Kill Stellar Eye Color ($45 for 4 g):
Available in five shimmery shades, the Eyes to Kill Stellar Eye Color is a bouncy and lightweight cream eyeshadow packaged in a nice glass jar. Shade "
4 Stardust" is a flattering copper brown shimmer scattered with subtle warm gold sparkles. The thin, almost weightless texture is smooth and easy to blend but I found the pigmentation sheer and difficult to build. There may be some variation between the different shades but with "4 Stardust", I was only able to get a light wash of color after dabbing on several layers with my fingertip.
In addition to the sheerness, I also noticed a tiny bit of creasing in which the shimmers collected within the fine lines on my lids. The Eyes to Kill Stellar Eye Color does fully set so there is only minimal smudging and fading. I'm definitely curious to try some of the other shades in the range as the product has some good reviews online. However, this shade is rather disappointing, especially given the almost $50 price tag. Below is a makeup look I did using the Eyes to Kill Stellar Eye Color in "4 Stardust" and the Eyes to Kill Lacquered Eyeliner in "1 Onyx".
Giorgio Armani Beauty | Rouge d'Armani Matte Lipstick ($48 for 4 g):
With an already extensive range of lip colors (check out a few
here and
here), Armani is offering a brand new lipstick collection called the Rouge d'Armani Matte. With 14 irresistible shades, these matte lipsticks feature an incredibly pigmented, surprisingly silky, and non-drying formulation. The iconic shade "
400 Four Hundred" is a rich, true red. The Rouge d'Armani Matte version is slightly deeper compared to the original Rouge d'Armani and the Rouge Ecstasy variations but the color still remains very classic and sophisticated.
"
506 Maharajah" is bright hot pink infused with a subtle lavender sheen. This shade took me by surprise as the swatches on Sephora showed a much deeper berry fuchsia. Nevertheless, this is stunning, eye-catching pink. Both shades are opaque with just the lightest swipe and they are very long-wearing with minimal fading and smudging. As mentioned, despite being super pigmented, the lipsticks are lightweight and comfortable on the lips. I wouldn't say the formulation is rich and hydrating but it also didn't make my lips feel shriveled and parched. So for a true matte finish lipstick, the Rouge d'Armani Matte ticks all the boxes. I highly recommend these if you are on the lookout for some pigmented and long-wearing matte lipsticks!
Availability:
Armani is available
online and in stores at Sephora, The Bay,
Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew, and
www.armani-beauty.ca.
Despite being a member of the L'Oreal Luxe family (among brands like Urban Decay, YSL, and Lancôme), Giorgio Armani Beauty is still one of the more underrated luxury beauty brands. Perhaps due to its hefty price tag, the often impressive and holy grail-worthy product range just doesn't seem to get enough buzz. Well today, I want to talk to you about a few new releases from Armani that are bound to spark some excitement. Spoiler: the Rouge d'Armani Matte Lipsticks may just make you whip out your credit card ASAP......
