Tickets, please! Please have your tickets ready. Now boarding for the Giorgio Armani Orient Excess!
Good afternoon! My name is Karen, and I’ll be your conductor today.
This is a holiday train. Before we leave Novato station, all tray tables and seat backs must be in the upright position. Fasten your safety belt, and please keep your new Orient Excess Palette Clutch ($100) in sight at all times.
A two-piece holiday set, the $100 limited edition Giorgio Armani Orient Excess Palette Clutch includes a lush, velvet clutch and a two-tiered palette with an illuminating powder and three powder eyeshadows.
Be advised that pickpockets are known to target passengers on the train, and thefts have been on the rise ever since this two-piece set arrived on Giorgio Armani counters (it’s also available online).
Management believes that a local criminal syndicate of crazy cat ladies is responsible. The CCLs have been targeting the set’s blue compact for two reasons.
First, the thieves are unable to resist the sumptuous design on the illuminating face powder; second, the three powder eyeshadow colors remind them of kitties.
The three eyeshadows on the shadow tier of the round palette are classic Armani. No fallout whatsoever, and they’re smoother than a tomcat lothario.
CCLs report that the shades look kind of like cat fur colors. The dark brown on the far left reminds them of a Havana Brown, the middle shade a Russian Blue, and the golden taupe on the far left evokes a Siamese.
According to one CCL, “The shimmery finish doesn’t emphasize the fine lines on my lids, either.”
When asked about the compact’s illuminating powder, the CCL replied, “It’s not my favorite. It’s very sheer, and I can barely see any sheen or shine on my skin. I dig subtle finishes, but this one’s a little too quiet…”
She did, however, like the clutch. “Totally cute!” she said. “But it’s small and doesn’t fit a lot. Just a compact, a lipstick and maybe your ID. You can forget about your phone though.”
Speaking as a part-time CCL who only moonlights as a conductor, the blueish gray shadow in the center totally reminds me of a Russian Blue in my neighborhood.
I may or may not have exclaimed, “Ooh, kitties!” the first time I put these shadows on my lids.
But enough about me! Let’s get back to business, shall we?
Tickets, please! Please have your tickets ready. Now boarding for the Giorgio Armani Orient Excess! 🙂
PRICE: $100
AVAILABILITY: Available now online and at Giorgio Armani counters with the rest of the holiday makeup collection
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B/B+ (I feel like the eyeshadows are on point, and the clutch, while tiny, looks super luxe, but the illuminating powder could benefit from a bolder finish.)
Tortie time…
In somewhat related kitty news, I made a new friend last night going for a walk around my neighborhood. A friendly tortie girl was waiting for me at the top of some stairs. I walked right up to her and started petting her cheeks and her sides, and she meowed and circled my legs.
I’ve named her Elsa. 🙂
Have you made any new cat friends lately?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Agata says
How freaking gorgeous is this palette?? And it goes so well with your pink hair! I love your story too :))
Karen says
Hi Agata,
I think this would look great on you! And the highlighting powder might have more impact on your skin, too.
Hope you had a nice day… almost to Friday, HOORAY!
Sunny says
Soooo after seeing this on you, I WANT IT SO BAD!!! The look you came up with is absolutely stunning, and the shades seem to swatch very well 🙂
Haaai Elsa! No new kitty friends lately, but this morning I did see Lilly the nosy neighbor tabby again! She has grown up a little, but that doesn’t change her obsession of putting her nose in everything (You’re getting the mail? You’re going grocery-shopping? Can I get into your building just to take a look?)! I know she’s got into a couple of fights with this long-haired black cat in the hood. Despite the amount of screaming she did, she managed to get out unscathed. Sometimes I really feel like going downstairs and setting things straight, but I know this is probably a territorial fight that human beings shouldn’t get involved in 😉
Karen says
Hi Sunny,
It’s totally wearable and hello, kitties! 🙂
Elsa says hi, by the way. Tabs is wildly jealous of her! He smelled her on my leggings yesterday and his tail puffed up instantly. Do your kitties get jealous when you “cheat” on them?
Sunny says
They look at me with a “mom, what have you done?” face and sniff my clothes with great interest, but otherwise nobody ever flies off the handle! Every time we watch something on Youtube with kitty meowing, Muffin gets anxious and starts looking everywhere for the kitties though 🙂
Karen says
What mellow kitties you have! Yeah, any time Tabs smells other cats on me he throws a fit. He’s very territorial.
Have you heard of the Cat-O-Matic app? It has a variety of meowing sounds and is very entertaining. There is a black-and-white kitty on there who Tabs likes to talk to, LOL!
Sunny says
Haha no but I’m going to look into it! Muffin will go NUTS!
Karen says
You can set it on automatic and then hide the phone… Tango and Muffin will go CRAZY looking for it!
Chelsea says
Marmie was waiting for us today! But I also got to see the kitten from the aerial studio, Jeff (who is actually a girl). She was a teeny little thing found on the freeway, but she is getting big and strong!
Elsa is so pretty! I went to my friend’s house last weekend, and she has a beautiful tortie girl named Ava (and also a gray tiger kitty named Sammich)
Karen says
Hi Chelsea,
Has Marmie told the little black kitty that you’re a nice cat lady? I want to visit the cat cafe!
Glad to hear that Jeff is doing well. How did she get her name? It’s so unique.
Next time I go looking for Elsa I’ll bring my good camera so I can get more pics of her.
Chelsea says
Jeff’s assistant was told that Jeff was a boy, so she named the kitty Jeff Goldblum. She found out that Jeff was a girl, and the name stuck.
Zack had the black kitty weaving under his legs the other day, so there is progress toward the cat cafe!
Karen says
How funny! I can’t think of Jeff Goldblum without picturing him in The Fly. Have you seen that movie? It was a source of trauma for me as a child. I’m sure Jeff the kitty cat is about 1000000% less scary. I do love her name, though. I don’t ever think I’ve ever met a cat named Jeff.
Anywho, let me know when if/when the cat cafe ever opens, lol. I’ll be the first to make a reservation.
Chelsea says
I’ve never seen The Fly, but have seen pictures and I definitely don’t need to see that! Jeff Goldblum kittygirl is not scary at all, though she tries.
I actually know another cat named Jeff too, though that one is a boy and named for Jeff Dahmer. Also much less scary than his namesake.
Karen says
It was awful. I still bear the mental scars, man!
Not gonna lie. I’m a little jealous of all the kitty action you’re getting these days!
Rachel says
Did the Maestro Winter Glow go live and sell out already? Or is it being added later? I can’t find it on anybody’s site!
Karen says
Hi Rachel,
Hmm, I’m not sure. I’ll keep an eye out and let you know if I see anything!
Phyrra says
I am loving your hair!
Karen says
Hi Phyrra,
Thank you! 🙂 It’s temporary, but so fun!
breyerchic04 says
Armani products are so pretty. I’m a little intimidated to read about them though, because I’m afraid I’ll fall in love and want every single product. Starting with Eyes to Kill shadows.
YSL is the only truly high end brand i’ve spent much time with, because at least I can get it at sephora when there’s an offer code.
Divya says
The eye shadows look so different in swatches! Love the look you’ve created Karen!
Erin says
I love the subtle highlighter actually! The whole thing looks lovely. Too rich for my blood though 🙂
Nik says
Just recently on a walk my boyfriend, dog and I encountered a big orange cat with a rhinestone collar! It swished its tail as it watched our dog and it decided he was no big deal and walked over to me! I’m am sucker for neighborhood kitties, I always try to call them over so I can pet them…my boyfriend calls me a kitty klepto XD
Karen says
Hi Nik,
Haha, that is a GREAT nickname. Maybe kitty klepto will be my Halloween costume next year, haha! What is your dog’s name, by the way? And how long have you had him (or her)?
Kim says
Aw, see the kitties know a kind cat lady when they see one. 🙂 Those shadows really are stunning and look great on you. Too bad about the powder but it’s cool how it looks like paint running in the pan. Btw, I like the red highlights in your hair. Has El Hub noticed this time?
Karen says
Next time I see her I plan on bringing treats to seal the deal. 😀 I now have three side-cats within a five minute walk: Tater (the tabby that lives on the other end of the circle), Elsa and Orangey (he lives down the street).
Um, I think I’ve finally reached that point where there is no turning back from full-on crazy cat lady-dom.
Happy Halloween, by the way! What are the boys dressing up as this year?
Kim says
I saw something before Halloween that was a reminder that not everyone is kind and to please keep pets inside. It made me so sad that it’s a fact. So, it’s always nice to see kind people sharing the love with neighborhood pets. Bring on the treats and keep being crazy! 🙂
My clowny boy was a Rasta Banana and my more serious one was a goulish looking Crusader guy. He just wanted something with a sword. HAHA!
Kiss & Make-up says
Giorgio knows a thing or two about making people LUST after his products, so gorgeous!
Karen says
Right?! I love the nuances in the finishes and the complexity of the colors. It’s good stuff!
Happy Friday to you! What’s the plan for the weekend?
Kiss & Make-up says
There’s an expat fair in Lausanne on Sunday. That should be fun!
Tatiana says
I love the story you’ve spun around this palette. You are sooo creative! I am uber pale and I actually think the highlighter powder in this might work for me. Loving the shadow colors too. I wish it was just the palette at a more reasonable price point as I don’t see myself using that clutch. I’m a more modern, tough edge kind of gal.
My husband hates going for runs or walks with me because he says I’m a cat magnet. They all come out of hiding to say hello and have a chat with me and that slows him down.
Trying to figure out where to lock up my all black kitty tonight so she doesn’t sneak out during the trick or treating tonight. Some people are not kind to black cats and I want to keep her safe.
diane says
It’s so unusual to find a good beauty site that also caters to kitties! My daughter recently moved back with me bringing her tabbie Tazi. My longhaired Static is her litter sister but they are having adjustment issues.
Stefi says
How gorgeous is that highlighter?! And your hair is just lovely! <3
Love, Stefi
http://www.brighteyesandglossylips.com