I recently hit the pan of a much loved old (and discontinued) Dior eye shadow in a perfect stone/taupe, so it was time to look for a good replacement. I chose Giorgio Armani Maestro Eye Shadow Quad in Stone (no. 4), a classic combination of neutrals- the kind you can never go wrong when wearing. There are two light shades, one warmer than the other, a medium charcoal that works as a liner (and I also used it on my eye brows with much success) and the work horse- a taupe/granite.
All Armani eye shadows have a superb texture, and this range is no different. There's some marketing spiel about micronized pigments and silk powder, but all that matters is that the shadows while a bit crumbly, apply smoothly and blend like a dream- they are as finely milled as it gets. Used over a primer, they last forever, including the highlighting colors.
The big issue with this palette is design: the stripes are narrow and only allow for brushes to be placed and swiped a certain way, which is not always ideal to collect the color. It's not a problem with the charcoal contour color, but I like using a wide brush on the brow bone and a rather large crease brush with the taupe/granite, and that requires more maneuvering than I enjoy.
The Armani eye shader brush I picked with this palette is medium sized and quite versatile, though I've decided it's not my favorite shape for crease work (I prefer the ones that are either thick and cut in angle or shaped like a whisk, so I can blend as I go). You can sweep it across the lid and use the firm tip for a little more precise application.
Bottom line: Nobody's perfect.
Armani Maestro Eye Shadow quad ($58) and eye shader brush ($37) are available from Nordstro, Saks, Barneys and giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com.
Photos: Mine.
All Armani eye shadows have a superb texture, and this range is no different. There's some marketing spiel about micronized pigments and silk powder, but all that matters is that the shadows while a bit crumbly, apply smoothly and blend like a dream- they are as finely milled as it gets. Used over a primer, they last forever, including the highlighting colors.
The big issue with this palette is design: the stripes are narrow and only allow for brushes to be placed and swiped a certain way, which is not always ideal to collect the color. It's not a problem with the charcoal contour color, but I like using a wide brush on the brow bone and a rather large crease brush with the taupe/granite, and that requires more maneuvering than I enjoy.
The Armani eye shader brush I picked with this palette is medium sized and quite versatile, though I've decided it's not my favorite shape for crease work (I prefer the ones that are either thick and cut in angle or shaped like a whisk, so I can blend as I go). You can sweep it across the lid and use the firm tip for a little more precise application.
Bottom line: Nobody's perfect.
Armani Maestro Eye Shadow quad ($58) and eye shader brush ($37) are available from Nordstro, Saks, Barneys and giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com.
Photos: Mine.
I talked to Tim Quinn about the design. At least they have those little dividers, which, he pointed out, help you keep the colors separate - if that's your intention.
ReplyDeleteTim said some makeup artists are requesting dividers for the new, not-yet-released Eyes to Kill shadows. Since I often mix the colors, I am not bothered by the dividers (or lack) and thin strips, but I can see how they might be aggravating. You definitely have to use a smaller brush or pick up the product with the Armani blender brush VERY carefully.
Hi, I bought the quad no.5 due to the SA but I am not really satisfied with it. The colours are brilliant for sure, but the pan is too small, and the colours do not last all day on my. I do not even think they blend well.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is that I had 06 before (mineral) where the colours disappeared after a couple of hours.
I wonder if thegrey/taupe would suit me better, because I have brown eyes. I like the sophisticated look you can receive with the e/s, but they are really expensive.