Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Giorgio Armani Maestro Eye Shadow Quad


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.

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