Day 18: Armani Lippies

by Koneko

Back in Y2K, Giorgio Armani worked with Pat McGrath to create a cosmetics line based on “Micro-Fil Technology.” This research was supposedly originally developed for the textile industry. However, it was destined to be a beauty industry innovation. There are somewhat vague descriptions of how Micro-Fil works. There are descriptions of hollow spheres and pearls which give products a "slip" and wonderful pigmentation. The end result? Micro-Fil products create a weightless veil of make-up, which can be layered, for a seamless finish.

This weightless quality is exactly why I adore Armani cosmetics, and in particular their lip products. First, lipsticks. The texture is smooth, never sticky, and never drying. They just glide on with ease. Other bonus points: no scent or taste. The lipsticks come in “Sheer, Shine, and ArmaniSilk” formulations. There are seasonal limited editions as well (often with different packaging.) I have a predilection for the Sheers and ArmaniSilks. The Sheers have a sleep feel, and the color can build w/ application. They come in a fairly wide range of colors. My all-time favorite is #10. It’s a rose, w/ mauvy-brown undertones. I keep one in my desk at work at all times!

The ArmaniSilks are a little heavier, but still lightweight. They have a bit more pigmentation and depth to them and contain “Micro Silk powders.” The lustrous finish compares to the complexity of woven silk. The ArmaniSilk Collections has included the Reds and now the Caffe Collection.

The Armani lip glosses are also not to be missed. They come in two formulations: Lip Shimmers and Midnight Lip Shimmers. They are the non-sticky, lightweight glosses, and they come in such wonderful colors. They also give decent pigmentation. They are not at all drying, and feel comfortable on the lips. The Shimmers are a bit lighter in consistency than the Midnight Shimmers. They have a more refined “grain” to them. In some cases, the shimmer is so fine it is more like an iridescence or glow. There is a 3 dimensional feel to the glosses. The Midnight Shimmers pack more of a punch. They have a starry quality. Although it looks glittery, there is no gritty feel! They go on smoothly, without any tacky feel. The Midnight Shimmers have “doe-foot” sponge applicators, while the Lip Shimmers have brush applicators (which I prefer!) There are fewer shades in the Midnight Shimmer Collection. Both types layer wonderfully over lipsticks without feeling heavy too. I guess that goes with the whole Micro-Fil philosophy!

The Lip collection has just introduced Lip Wax. It's supposed to give a sort of stain to lips... good color saturation with very little product. I think it's supposed to be lightest of all the formulations. I have been eyeing this product, but haven't yet tried it... I've never done well with stains. But I guess if anyone is going to do justice to a lipstain, it's going to be Armani!

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 22, Armani Maestro Mascara by Koneko from Koneko's "Mostly" Beauty Diary

Visit her blog @ http://beautydiary.blogspot.com/

Armani Maestro...

Your first love. Hard to get over. Sometimes it can ruin many a future would-be love. Well, in my case, the comb mascara from Stephane Marais fits that description to perfectly. I've never been able to find a mascara that gets to the base of every single lash, separates, lengthens, and doesn't smudge. But then it was gone.

Many a worthy and admirable mascara has come my way, with perfectly wonderful attributes, but not all of the above. But when I learned that my favorite cosmetics line, Armani, was coming out with a mascara with a comb wand, hope was reborn! I predicted that Armani + comb mascara = perfection! Obviously, a lot of other people thought so as well, as it has become a cult classic. I already loved Armani Star Lash mascara. This glorious product gives my thin, puny, stick straight lashes a curvy volume I never dreamed possible. In fact, it would be my holy grail, except it smudges on me after a few hours. So I did have some anxiety about Maestro smudging..

The Maestro has 4 combs on the wand. The teeth are perfectly spaced so there aren't wide gaps to create huge goopy blobs of mascara on your lashes. They are also the right depth, so that they capture an appropriate amount of mascara from the tube. It deposits just the perfect amount on your lashes, and there is enough time between application and drying of the mascara to get the lashes the way you want them. You're not tugging through mascara that has dried too quickly. It also doesn't take forever to dry either.

My results were a lengthening and defined effect. Not too much volume for a volumizing mascara. No curl (but not touted to do so.)
The combs: I love the actual construction of each comb. As above, it's a more precise took than traditional brushes. But I am not too keen on 4 vs. 1, With a 1 comb design, I could easily get the lower lashes and the base of my lashes. I can never do that with a regular mascara wand or with the 4-comb deisgn, due to the architecture of my eyes. I have to pull my eyelid back or scrunch up my face, or twist my head a certain way-- yes, not very elegant, and that's why I like the single comb!!! And yes, it smudged. (but almost everything, even waterproof smudges on me)

I was in denial for several weeks. I tried to make this work. I really did. If anyone was going to fill the Marais void, it had to be Armani! But when the "time to replace" deadline came up, Armani went out the door.

Bottom Line:
Pluses: formula consistency, comb construction, great definition, precision, smooth application onto lash, length of time to dry, nice lengthening
Minuses: smudging factor, 4 combs vs. 1 comb, not too much oopmh

P.S. I've gotten over the Marais. But I do need to go back to Japan. I didn't realize they had a lot more single-combed mascaras there. And after all, that's where they made Marais!

Credit: Armani
Graphic: Melanie Parker
Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Brand Reviews

Day 24, Lush

Koneko: Lush... how I love this brand! When I first started using Lush items, I had to beg my cousin in Toronto to pick up my favorite items whenever she came down to visit me. Then the boutiques finally came to Chicago, and my craving for Lush was satiated... until I moved. But we're getting a boutique here in Beachwood... and life in Bathland is joyful again!

I have two items that I adore from Lush... Silky Underwear Dusting Powder and the Butterball bathbomb. Both smell so beautifully delectable, I feel I could eat them up! However, I guess Silky Underwear would have to win my "favorite" vote, b/c I use it daily. I cannot be without it. Silky Underwear is a lovely talc-free powder which is cornstarch based. It also has kaolin to help w/ oil absorption and yummy-smelling teeny-tiny pieces of cocoa butter to keep skin moisturized. The cocoa butter chunks are very small, so it's not like I see them and have to rub it in. (BTW, I always found that funny, putting in clay to absorb oil and then cocoa butter which melts into an oil to moisturize... but anyhow!) The smell is beautiful... a sort of sweet, floral scent... it's supposed to be jasmine, gardenia, and vanilla w/ that hint of warm cocoa butter goodness. The result is slightly sensual: sweet, warm fragrant skin which is smooth, not overly powdery, and (of course) silky soft. I once read that you can sprinkle this into your sheets at night, and I've done that tons of times w/ good results and have created quite a delicious sleeping environment.

I don't get to take baths very often, but when I do... I reach for a bathbomb. I love those chalky balls of fizziness, chock full of florals, aromatic oils, and other surprises! As much as I love the luxuriousness of a dazzling array of flower petals floating in a tub w/ the aroma of fragrant oils relaxing my spirits (I admit that sometimes I think... oooh... did Cleopatra have baths like this?!) it's hard to believe that my favorite of the bunch is the rather plain Jane of the bunch, the Butterball. However, don't underestimate this baby! It's superloaded w/ cocoa butter, leaves your skin feeling wonderfully soft and moisturized AND smells fantastic. It's the ultimate It's-cold-outside-and-I-hate-winter-skin-and-need-a-relaxing-bath item! The fragrance is nuanced w/ just the right amount of vanilla and ylang-ylang. It smells pretty and sort of romantic and leaves me feeling happy and relaxed. When I use this item, I stay in the tub until I'm practically freezing! Just be sure to keep your hair up when lying in the tub, or it'll be be coated w/ cocoa butter! The only downside is needing to clean all that lovely moisturizing butterball-ness out of the tub afterwards... oh well!

Alesha: My favorite thing to do in the world is to read. My other favorite thing is to read while I am taking a bath. Growing up it was my way to get away from the world and have the privacy that I needed in a house with 3 sisters. I had to share a room but luckily we had two bathrooms. This is how I began my affair with bath products. A friend of mine who knows about my love of bath and body products gave me some LUSH a couple years ago. I have been obsessed ever since. I planned my vacation last year to Toronto because it had a LUSH store, and going there was the first thing I did when arriving!!

LUSH is a privately owned company who uses all natural ingredients and has expiration dates on all their products. The quality is superb to anything you can find in a Bath and Body Works or Victoria's Secret. I love almost everything I have from them and I have tried about 90% of everything they make.

I really am obsessed with Ocean Salt. It is a face and body exfoliator with Ocean Salt, vodka, and lime juice. My skin looks radiant when I use it and I have turned on other friends to this!

Since I am partial to bubbles in my bath, I have tried all the bubble bars. They are a cake of solid bubble bath. Throw in a couple crumbles and you will have bubbles up to your face. The scents are all amazing but my favorites are Blue Skies and Fluffy White Clouds which is a patchouli scent and Sunnyside which is a citrus with gold sparkles.

I have about 9 shampoos in my shower now but I always reach for I Love Juicy. It is a kiwi, pineapple, papaya and mango infused shampoo from heaven. It really cleans my oily hair without stripping it!

Last but not least is Honey I Washed the Kids soap. This is the best smelling soap on the entire planet. End of story. People will stop you on the street and ask you what that smell is. It is caramel heaven of honey, orange and bergamot. I have given this to people as gifts and they always ask for more.

I could go on talking about LUSH for the next week, but you will have to go buy some for yourself. You will see why I take baths with 40 dollars worth of product!

What are your favorite Lush products? Post your answers in the comments.

Photo: Lush and Kate Moss(Fashionspot.com)

Disclosure: The products were purchased by the reviewers.

Giorgio Armani Collection

The best damn holiday set for this year.
It is by Armani and it is dazzling.
The lippie is a sheer wine wash with impressive shimmer. The eye shadow palette is 100% wearable with basic colors. The navy shadow is a more subtle Thunderball(Nars) shade. But it is the powder that is stopping traffic, turning heads and setting hearts aflutter. Besides the glorious sparkling champagne color...it has a lovely etching.
There is nothing like a little piece of luxury in your purse.
The price is $125.00 and it is currently available at Saks. Call Shawn or Alesha at Saks 216-292-5500 ex256(Nars counter). They are my favorite SA's in the world.
I *think* they have two sets left.
Say that Blogdorf Goodman sent you.

photos from Koneko/Blogdorf Goodman
These products are owned by Koneko

The Frederic Malle Sampler set.
I thought it was an fragrance urban legend.

I have seen and smelled a lot of amazing things during the Cleveland get togethers but this one is the most memorable. This is from the fragrance collection of Miss Koneko.

Koneko has introduced me to so many things such as Bubble Tea and Armani lipglosses.
Everyone should have a Koneko in their life.

Photo: Koneko/Blogdorf Goodman

Lipgloss Porn

Chantecaille palette from Koneko's collection.

Rock the Gloss Challenge for September 16th 2006:
My gloss is MAC's ChromeGlass in Already Fab. It is like Nars Boogie Nites but with more oomph.

What is your lippie today?

There will be no gloss challenge on Sunday. I am leaving for the Rubber City(aka Akron Ohio) to attend an event at the Akron Public Library. I am on a panel to speak on blogs. Wish me luck because I avoid any and all public speaking.

Bonus question: What is Akron Ohio famous for?

photo:annieytown
palette owner: Koneko

The Day I Met Koneko

The official gloss of the last Cleveland meetup.
Dior Kiss in Sorbet Meringue #2


Last Sunday we met up in Cleveland for a day of shopping. The gang consisted of cavewoman, griffie, koneko and me. This was the first time we met the adorable Koneko from Koneko's Mostly Beauty Blog.
http://beautydiary.blogspot.com/

We began the day at SAKS at the Nars counter. We played with the new fall collection and discussed eye shadow combos. Mr Lovejoy helped me figure out new looks for my Nars Thunderball. This is a required shadow for all makeup junkies.

He then took the gang to the La Mer counter for the finger test in their new powder product. Koneko was just as startled at how finely milled it was...and she is also a proud owner of the product. I realize that I have become a cheerleader for La Mer. It is hard to not scream from the rooftops about the foundation and powder. It is holy grail status. They are expecting the concealer any day now. I can not wait!

We then went to check out the Nordstorm anniversary sale. The best part of this sale were the limited edition beauty products specifically created for Nordstorm. MAC had a beautiful collection filled with compacts and palettes. I loved the YSL palette in a pink case. It was very snazzy and was filled with pretty pink colors. I went over to the Bobbi Brown counter and discovered that the Chocolate eye palette was sold out. This product sold like hotcakes.
Check out the review at Beauty Addict: http://beautyaddict.blogspot.com/
Should I try to hunt this down? Anyone smitten with it?

The biggest beauty find was courtesy of Cavewoman. She introduced us to the power of the DiorKiss gloss.
Cavewoman, Koneko and I bought the Sorbet Meringue #008. It is a clear gloss with a multi-color shimmer. Griffie purchased orange nectar #248. This is a sheer tangerine with gold glitter. It looked incredible on.

Read Koneko's blog for a review of the gloss along with great pictures.

We can not wait to go shopping again!