Giorgio Armani

Front Row Fabulous With the Giorgio Armani Front Row Collection

April 3rd, 2017 by Karen 16 Comments

If I someone told me that I was going to sit in the front row at Paris Fashion Week for the Chanel show, my first reaction would be, are you for real!? I would LOVE that, but then…what would I wear? A designer closet, I do not have, and I don’t know if I could get away with high-waisted black Zellas.

Hmm…

The Giorgio Armani Front Row Collection: A new launch of LE lipsticks and gloss-like liquid lipsticks

These are nudes with ‘tude. There are six nude lipsticks ($38 each), six nude lip glosses/liquid lipsticks ($37 each) and a long-wearing nude liquid lipstick ($38) in the release, but before you grab a cup of Sleepytime Tea and peel off your pants (a.k.a. your trousers, for those of us from the UK) to take a nap, these are not snooze-worthy nudes. This is an Armani-style magnum opus of nude with pink, coral and beige works of art.

But let’s be real here — you can find these color families for less. That’s true, but Armani’s lipstick, liquid lipstick and lip gloss formulas (these are all unscented and unflavored) are different in the best possible way. While I was swatching these, I kept thinking, “Why aren’t more brands ripping off Armani??”

Lip Maestro (liquid lipstick): Front Row Collection

Lovely Lip Maestro in 514 ($38) is the solitary liquid lipstick in the launch. An opaque neutral pink, it has a half-matte, half-satin finish, which is something you don’t see every day.

giorgio armani lip maestro 514 — Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 514 ($38)

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My Picks for This Year’s Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches

June 22nd, 2016 by Adia Goss 24 Comments

best spring summer launches — Some of my picks for “The Best Spring and Summer Makeup Launches”

Whew! There has been so much good makeup lately.

I mean, I used to get more excited about moody fall colors, but this year the spring and summer collections have been incredible! Literally, every time I turn around, I’m seeing another gorgeous collection.

If your head has been spinning a little like mine, then I hope you’ll like my picks for some of the best spring/summer makeup launches. I’d also love to hear yours.

I think I’ll start with lips, because I think a new lipstick or gloss is probably the easiest way to update your look.

Lips

First up, the Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint by Tarte, and I have the shade called Double Tap (here are swatches of the full range in this post).

I’m wearing cool-toned nude Double Tap in these pics, but I usually go for warmer-toned peaches and pinks. Thing is, this mauve is just so pretty and different from the rest of my stash. It’s opaque and not sticky at all.

Next, Buxom Wildly Whipped Lightweight Liquid Lipstick, and I just mentioned the shade called Swinger in my roundup of my favorite liquid lipsticks, so I’ll be brief now: the color and formula are AMAZING. This one is perfect for summer.

Of course, I couldn’t talk about this season’s new launches without mentioning beautiful ColourPop Dohee.

Here’s a snap of me wearing it from my Spring Haul video.

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The Best in Beauty From the Boot, Vol. 9: A Face of the Day with Giorgio Armani Beauty

May 13th, 2016 by Carolina Braina 18 Comments

Armani Lip Maestro 400 The Red Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow 5 Gold Blitz — Wearing Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 400 The Red on my lips, and Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz on my eyes

Let’s do something a little different today, shall we?

I’ve only ever tried two products from the Giorgio Armani Beauty range, which is definitely not enough to write one of my usual brand spotlight posts. Those two products are so good, though, that I feel like I can’t not somehow tell you about them.

I’m talking about the Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 400 The Red and the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz. They’ve been around for years now, but if you’ve never tried them before, here’s what you’ve been missing out on.

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in 400 The Red ($38)

I think the Giorgio Armani Lip Maestros were the first lipsticks in liquid form I’d ever heard of, but they couldn’t be any more different from the moisture-sucking liquid lipsticks we’re so used to seeing these days.

The Lip Maestros are so creamy, and comfy, and lush…

Applying shade 400 The Red on my lips feels like coating them in the softest velvet drape, if that makes any sense… It really makes me understand what a ‘velvet finish’ truly is. Besides, its amount of sheen and point of red are just right.

Honestly, gurl, I think this lipstick is pure perfection.

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz ($35)

Speaking of pure perfection…

Aside from the hefty price tag, there’s nothing less than perfect about the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadow in 5 Gold Blitz. It is the creamiest, most pigmented, easiest to blend eyeshadow I’ve ever tried.

Its gorgeous metallic finish makes your lids look like they’re coated in golden foil – a look they keep for hours, and hours, and hours…

For today’s face I’ve applied 05 Gold Blitz on my mobile lids with my finger and blended it out past the crease with a MAC 217 Blending Brush. Then I’ve applied it along my lower lashlines with a MAC 219 Pencil Brush and diffused the edge with ZOEVA’s 231 Luxe Petit Crease brush.

Other products used for this look include:

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How Often Do You Use Cream Eyeshadows, and What Are Your Faves?

January 27th, 2015 by Karen 42 Comments

Just a quick video about these new Giorgio Armani Eye Tints and a question: how often do you use cream eyeshadows, and what are your faves?

As always, thank you for watching. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Happy Tuesday!

Get Gorgeous Gradients In No Time With New Giorgio Armani Liquid Eye Tint

January 26th, 2015 by Karen 27 Comments

Wearing Giorgio Armani Eye Tints in 06 Green Iron (lids) and 01 Obsidian (lash lines) on my eyes, Milani Powder Blush in Coral Cove on my cheeks and Chanel Rouge Allure in Insaisissable on my lips — Eyes, courtesy of the new Giorgio Armani Eye Tints in 06 Green Iron (my lids) and 01 Obsidian (lash lines)

There is not a tough row to hoe when it comes to ramping up and using these new Giorgio Armani Eye Tints to create hazy, smoked-out eye looks.

They’re perfect for beginners, and/or lazy people (like moi!), and/or anyone hell bent on rocking a “smoky eye ’til I die” lifestyle. You can get a beautifully buffed cloud of hazy fog around your eyes without having to use a zillion eyeshadows.

Of course, feel free to use a zillion eyeshadows on your lids whenever you want (lord knows I do), but sometimes it’s just nice to know you don’t have to. With these, you can do simplified versions of your favorite foggy eye looks with gorgeous gradients in less time than it takes to get to the front of the line at Starbucks, order a delicious drink covered in caramel and whipped cream, and wink at the barista. 😉

Five of the 12 Giorgio Armani Eye Tints, from the left: 01 Obsidian, 02 Minuit, 05 Onyx, 06 Green Iron and 10 Senso ($38 each) — Five of the 12 Giorgio Armani Eye Tints, from the left in 01 Obsidian, 02 Minuit, 05 Onyx, 06 Green Iron and 10 Senso ($38 each)

Despite the way these look in their tubes, they are not lipglosses (although I can totally see myself pulling one out of my purse at the movies in the dark). They’re actually a brand new line of water-based liquid eyeshadows that can also be used as liners. Interestingly, the formula feels like a cream (they’re thicker than Josie Maran’s Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadows) but dries to a powder finish.

The lightweight, non-sticky formula is supposed to last 16 hours without smudging…

Truth be told, I do not want to be wearing these or any eyeshadows for 16 hours, because that would mean I’m having a very, very long day. I have worn them for stretches of eight hours, though, and yes, they stayed put without scooting around or settling into the crease…but I had to be very careful. The slightest touch lifts them right off your lids.

As for the coverage, it’s quite versatile. For instance, you can easily do a solid block of opaque color using one as a liner, or sheer one out and do a smokey eye.

A few ways to use the new Giorgio Armani Eye Tints…

As eyeliners! Just trace your lash line with the tip of the applicator, and then smudge out the edges with an angled brush.
As straight-up eyeshadows. Smear a bit on your lids, then smoke out the edges with a blending brush.
As a base, upon which you can layer other schtuff.

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