Yesterday was eye shadow nirvana here. Kathy Shoreman from Neiman Marcus delivered my six new Giorgio Armani Beauty Eyes to Kill Silk Eyeshadows ($32). You may remember that Armani introduced a preview of these eye shadows for Holiday 2010, three shades with lots of sparkle for the festive season. There's a photo of the holiday shades at left.Now, the Spring 2011 Collection of Eyes to Kill Silk Eyeshadows has arrived, and my excitement is unrestrained. I got an iPhone photo from Kathy yesterday with every shade swatched on her arm, from wrist to elbow. I selected my initial purchases from her swatches. Neiman Marcus received 11 shades in their shipment.
Eyes to Kill has a unique, high-tech approach to blended color with these new shadows. The innovative hybrid texture, which is not a powder, nor a cream, acts like a smooth, lasting color film. The formula is composed of an unprecedented association between binder elements and pearls that creates exceptional luminosity, depth, and intensity of color. A high-resistance bi-polymer enables the formula to perfectly fit the contour of the eyelid, with cushiony suppleness, for comfortable, long wear.
Armani says you can apply these shadows dry or wet to obtain any finish from satin to lacquer, subtle to dramatic. I'm working to achieve subtle. Offering 24-hour wear, the new Eyes to Kill shadows are waterproof and sweat-proof. They slide on and stay on. You can apply them with fingers or a brush, although I think the Giorgio Armani brush gives me more control. Armani's Color-Fil color matrix formula blends and layers without creasing or flaking, and these shadows are extremely long-lasting. Even their shine sticks around.
The shades I purchased are the lightest shades, and they offer high-wattage intensity. I have swatched them for you. My photos were taken in sunlight. I applied the shadows with a sponge-tipped applicator, which gave them a little more oomph than you will get using a brush. My first photo at right shows Numbers 6, 8, and 9, top to bottom. I would describe the shades as copper, pink, and rose gold.
My second
photo at left shows Numbers 11, 12, and 16, top to bottom. I would describe the shades as white, silver, and silver-grey.These shades are intense on my eyelids. I am going to have to learn to apply them with a light hand to achieve a look that doesn't shout. I'm sure I can do that! I will definitely write a progress report after I have had more time to play with them.
The mélange of colors in some of the pots is fascinating. For example, when you look in the pot of #12, you see flecks of pink mixed in the silver. The complexity of the shades comes, I think, from the various pigments that contribute to the end result.
Speaking of pigments, all of these shadows list Carmine CI 77289 as a possible ingredient. If you are sensitive to red dyes, you should try a shade before you purchase it to make sure that your skin will not react negatively. Unfortunately, there's no way to know from the box which shades actually include the red dye.
All of the Eyes to Kill Silk Eyeshadows are packaged in pots, with screw top lids that you should close well after using. Additionally, there is a protective black cap that you should keep on the shadow to prevent it from drying out. Take care of these shadows, and they should last you a very long time.
Currently, these shadows are not offered on the Giorgio Armani Beauty Web site, although I expect that to change momentarily. You can purchase them at Neiman Marcus, where I did, or Saks Fifth Avenue.Update 4:00 pm: I got official photos of some of the new shades, which Giorgio Armani Beauty is calling Eyes to Kill Intense (good name!). Khaki, #6, which I described as copper, is shown above left. Champagne, #8, is shown above right.
Rock Sand,
#9, is shown immediately above left. Moonlight, #12, is shown below.These shade names are not on the boxes of the Eyes to Kill shadows I purchased yesterday. I like names and am happy that Giorgio Armani Beauty has started to use them.
We are checking to find out exactly which shades have the carmine dye in them. Stay tuned here at Best Things in Beauty.
Update 3/9: These are now available at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site.
Photo at top and individual shade photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty