Giorgio Armani

Springy, Joyful Taupe and Plum

May 4th, 2021 by Karen 11 Comments

plum and taupe — Sometimes you just need 15 minutes and some time with makeup

Today’s minor victory? It has been two full weeks since my second shot, so I’m officially fully vaccinated! To celebrate, I ironed my shirt.

HA HA HA! No, seriously, one cannot embark upon “the after” as a wrinkly mess. I also put on some makeup, since wearing face paint with a crisp celebratory white shirt seemed like the right thing to do. ?

I did a 15-minute quickie look with taupe lids and plum cheeks using mostly new-to-me makeup from Laura Mercier, Giorgio Armani, Chanel and Clinique, because I’ve been trying to expand my horizons a little with some new products.

plum and taupe products — A mix of new-to-me items and old faves

First impressions…

Giorgio Armani Lip Power in Confident: This creamy plum lipstick’s cup runneth over with pigment. It’s creamy, lightweight and doesn’t have an obnoxious flavor or scent. I especially like using it as a lip stain.

Chanel Ombre Premier Lacque in Desert Wind: This shimmery liquid shadow dries quickly, so you have to blend with speed and purpose. No time to dilly-dally! It’s also long lasting and quite shimmery.

Clinique Pretty Easy Liner in Brown: I’ve used the black version of this liquid liner for years, and the brown is just as easy to apply. It also lasts all day long.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in 4W: I’m only wearing this dual-ended brightening and camouflaging concealer in this look. No foundation at all. It’s lightweight but certainly covers everything. It also looks and feels natural, but dagnabbit if it doesn’t just slide right off my face, even when I set it with powder.

plum and taupe swatches — Plum lips and cheeks with taupe lids

Do you ever wear taupe lids with plum cheeks and lips? It’s a combo I like to wear all year long, but even more so now because the plum cheeks and plum lip stain feel very springy to me.

Makeup worn in this look

BASE: Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Brighten & Correct Duo in 4W, Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder
CHEEKS: Clinique Plum Pop
EYES: Chanel Boy de Chanel Eyebrow Pencil in Deep Brown, Chanel Ombre Premier Lacque in Desert Wind, Chanel Stylo Ombre Et Contour in Contour Clair, Clinique Pretty Easy Liner in Brown, Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Mascara, Chanel Espresso Liner
LIPS: Giorgio Armani in Lip Power in 600 Confident

Culinary adventures

Speaking of trying new things, last weekend I gave this vegan coconut rice and chickpea dish a go (got the recipe from Yeung Man Cooking).

Basically, it was just a’ight… I liked it enough to finish, but my eyes didn’t roll to the back of my head or anything.

I’m on a kick to find some great new recipes, so if you have one (or more!) you’ve made recently and love, send ’em my way! Thanks in advance.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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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Next Stop: Kitties! The New Giorgio Armani Orient Excess Palette Clutch Is Almost Purr-Fect

October 30th, 2014 by Karen 32 Comments

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.
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I’m Nuts About Chestnut, Giorgio Armani Beauty’s New Rouge d’Armani Sheer Lipstick in Chestnut

August 29th, 2014 by Karen 14 Comments

Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheer Lipstick in Chestnut

This would be DOPE with a dark blackish brown smokey eye, methinks.

Giorgio Armani Beauty’s new $34 Rouge d’Armani Sheer Lipstick in Chestnut may not be the most original shade (ya know, it’s a nude peachy brown…), but it still looks slick and feels great.

It’s one of those lipsticks you forget you’re wearing, on account of how lightweight it feels (like a breathy tabby kiss at the witching hour…or really anytime of day).

Oh, and that almost luminescent sheen? Poifect.

I’ve had a little trouble tracking this one down online, so you might want to check with a Giorgio Armani Beauty counter if you’re so inclined.