Giorgio Armani Belladonna Palette Highlighter

I'm not generally a makeup conservationist, but there are a few products that I have in my collection that I have yet to touch - their sheer gorgeousness will not be despoiled. The Giorgio Armani Belladonna Palette almost joined those ranks, were it not for the fact that it was a press sample and the desire to do some Gollum-worthy hoarding didn't seem like the thing to do.

But I mean seriously.

This is a stunner, no doubt about it. Named after the Belladonna flower (poisonous and psychotropic, yes, but also used in cosmetics and medicine), it also bears the bas-relief imprint of the self-same bloom.

I have to give GA some love here, for choosing this dual-natured flower as opposed to something more prosaic. It takes a certain appreciation of history and horticulture to base the centrepiece of the angelic-toned Spring collection on a plant that evokes the "beautiful woman" with its name, yet also possesses a murky history and a strong association with the darker arts.

The packaging is classic Armani, sleek and elegant and somehow practical, with a heavy plastic compact that flips open to reveal the mirrored pan and a storage compartment beneath for the circular fan brush. (This brush would be  just "meh" in a blush palette, but actually works well when it comes to applying a highlighter like this along the cheekbone.)

The product itself....GAH. Pardon me while I wipe the drool. It's a gorgeous champagne shimmer that looks incredibly reflective, even metallic, when viewed in the sunlight.

Now, if you've tried the MAC Extra Dimension line, or the Gelée textured products from Estée Lauder, then you're familiar with the type of formulation that this has - a hybrid of powder, cream and liquid. It has the same bewilderingly complex texture, and feels dense, without any powdery kickback or that touch of dryness that these kinds of products tend to have. It also feels smoother and more finely-milled, and blends more easily.

It can be used wet or dry for varying intensity, and built up for greater opacity. Applied with a fluffy brush, it leaves a soft, sparkling glimmer, like fairy dust. The sparkle is incredibly fine and ethereal, the polar opposite of club-y.

With a firmer, synthetic brush, it can be applied for stronger shimmer highlight, and over eye primer it builds up to a wet-look gleam. The latter is super beautiful when paired with a simple, lash-heavy eye look.

Lasting power is great when worn as a highlighter, maintaining a nice sparkle and sheen over 8 hours (though I would welcome the excuse to take the compact out in public for touch-ups). As eyeshadow, it does best over a primer, otherwise starting to crease after about 4-5 hours.

In the swatch below you can see it applied straight on the left, and buffed out with a fluffy brush on the right.

Although I have a lot of highlighters in my collection, I actually had a hard time finding a dupe for this. The closest is the lighter shade in the MAC Definitely Defined Skinfinish, and even at that it is cooler and more pink-toned, and doesn't quite buff out to that same fairy-lit finish.

Here you can see the Belladonna Highlighter on the left, and Definitely Defined on the right.

I was quite surprised to see that this is that rare luxury beauty product that is actually less expensive in Canada than it is in the United States: it's 70$ at Holt Renfrew, compared to 88$ on the Giorgio Armani website. I KNOW. It's not a steal by any means, and like I said, you can find a similar formulation from other brands - but the gorgeous design, the finer texture, and the particular way it reflects light and sits on the skin is truly unique. It is the luxury version in more ways than one.

Have you guys tried the Belladonna Highlighter yet? What do you think of it? How does it compare for you?

(This item was provided by the band/PR to be considered for review. This post is not compensated, all opinions are my own.)

Pantone Color of the Year "Radiant Orchid" - Selections from Lancome, YSL, Clarisonic and Giorgio Armani

If you're tracking the Sephora site as obsessively as I am, you know that the Pantone Color of the Year is "Radiant Orchid". While Sephora has an exclusive relationship with Pantone to create a cosmetics line-up featuring said colour, it's a trend that several beauty brands have taken to heart, pulling suggestions from their current line-up as well as planning new releases.

From the L'Oréal luxury brands, the following items have been chosen as representative of the trend.

From Lancome: 

• Color Design Eye Shadow Palette - Lavender Grace (54$ CAD)
• Vernis in Love - Violette Coquette  (16$ CAD) 
• Artliner 24H - Amethyst (37$ CAD)

All currently available at Lancome counters at Hudson's Bay, Murale, Pharmaprix/SDM and www.lancome.ca.

From YSL:

• Glossy Stain Rebel Nudes - Violine Out of Control (36$ CAD)

Available at YSL counters at Holt Renfrew, and select Hudson's Bay and Murale locations.

From Giorgio Armani:

• Rouge Ecstasy - Orchid (38$ CAD)

Available at GA counters at Holt Renfrew, and select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations.

From Clarisonic, all new:

• Mia2 Hollywood Lights - Purple (175$ CAD)

Limited Edition. Available exclusively at Sephora and www.sephora.ca as of March 2014.

I looooooooove this shade. Orchid is such a gorgeous alternative to the usual pinks and pastels that usually dominate the Spring collections. It can be a challenging shade to wear, especially with skin tones that tend to the sallow, but when it's the right balance of pink and blue, it can be exquisite. Folks with green or hazel eyes in particular are going to do really well with this kind of colour.

Are you guys anticipating all the Radiant Orchid you can stand?

Giorgio Armani Kaleidoscope Collection Fall 2013 - Scarabeo Face and Eye Palette #2 Venomous Green

There are so makeup products that have you at hello. The Scarabeo Face and Eye Palette from Giorgio Armani's Fall collection was just such an item. I stopped by the Neiman Marcus at Garden State Plaze on my drive back from New York earlier this fall, intending to stretch my legs and poke around for a few minutes. I ended up at the Giorgio Armani counter, trying to avoid the slightly-too-aggressive SA by taking great interest in one of the displays, when this beautiful palette caught my eye.

I was actually, literally, knocked a step back. It was just that beautiful. I felt like I was looking at the makeup equivalent of a mermaid, all golden green and pink shimmers. I knew I had to have it, no questions asked. (I identify strongly with my Pisces sign, and when something gives a Pisces the mermaid vibe, you GET IT.)

In retrospect, I probably should have at least asked for the price, because 88$ is quite a bit, even for something that went straight to my beauty soul like this did.

The top portion is a blush in the shade Light Pink. I don't think the name really captures the colour - it's more of a warm pink with a very subtle undertone of plum. Just enough to make this a little duskier than hues of this nature usually are. There is a fine golden shimmer that doesn't look sparkly one applied. It creates a beautiful glow, but can emphasize pores and texture if you bring it too far forward on your face. Applied to the cheekbones, it does double-duty as a blush and highlighter.

It also has an incredibly fine-milled, smooth texture that has incredible payoff yet blends out like a cream product might. Due to the super time texture, tapping of your brush is necessary, or you'll wind up with way more than you need loaded onto the bristles.

The blush is, simply put, amazing.

I wish I could be as loving towards the eyeshadows, but as gorgeous as they are, they were not quite the perfection I was expecting.

Copper Wood (brown shade on the left): This is a dark bark brown shade, with pale bronze and almost olive shimmer. It super finely-milled silky and a touch dry. It has intense pigmentation but a tendency to get very powdery when applied with a brush, with a fair bit of debris cascading down on the face during application. Because of that fine texture and tendency to powder, it also sheers out easily. When a deep shade like this does that, the effect can look murky and dirty. It does much better when applied with a sponge tip, or when the brush is lightly sprayed with water or fixative. Otherwise you just have to be very carefully when applying and blending.

Iridescent Jade (middle green shade): This looks like a metallic apple green in the pan, but that top layer is deceptive. It's actually jade green shimmer, with a teeny bit of paler iridescence. Again, it is beautifully pigmented, with a super fine, super smooth texture. It doesn't have the same issues with dryness or powderiness that Copper Wood does, but it is equally susceptible to sheering out. Because of the vividness of the shade, it doesn't look murky but it can look faded. If you want to keep that brightness, you do need to apply with a packing brush, and be very careful about blending out any edges.

Sea Green (green-gray shade on the right): This is a pale silvery green, that applies more silver than it looks in the pan. It is fine, smooth and soft, and a sheerer than the other two shades. It's a gorgeous shade to use on the inner corner, or over Iridescent Jade to make it more luminous. Again, it shares that same propensity for sheering out, though in a highlight shade that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The wear time is not fantastic unless used over a primer. I found they faded after about 4-5 hours without one, but stayed looking good for 8 hours with one.

Overall, I have to say that I am still in love with this palette - but it's a crazy, irrational love. The blush is sublime, but the eyeshadows, while beautiful, are problematic. For this price point, it really should be flawless.

Availability: Currently still at Saks, possibly other counters. Price is 88$ USD, 95$ CAD.

Pros: Stunning colour range, blush is a less obvious version of pink and the eyeshadows work well together. Blush has a lovely sheen that works as a highlighter, and blends suberbly. Texture on everything is incredibly smooth and fine.

Cons: Blush can emphasize texture and pores due to the sheen. Eyeshadows are all so fine that they need to be applied carefully (and ideally over a primer), or risk over blending, looking dusty or faded. Copper Wood shade is prone to powderiness and fallout, best used wet or with a sponge applicator.

(I purchased this item. Post is not sponsored or compensated. All opinions are my own.)

Giorgio Armani and YSL Friends and Family "Preview" Sales

It's that time of year. Yup.

Yves Saint Laurent and Giorgio Armani Friends and Family Sales

Yves Saint Laurent has amended their Friends and Family sale:

Also, Giorgio Armani Beauty is ALSO running a Friends and Family sale. I think it's time to stock up on some Eyes to Kill. Yup.