Giorgio Armani Beauty's Fall 2009 collection hinges on a "greige" theme. It doesn't take an etymologist to figure out that the term "greige" stems from the words "gray" and "beige," but that doesn't mean we should expect a monochromatic collection of eye and lip pigments. Instead, the term "greige" refers to a specific mood, an intriguing and somewhat somber but irresistibly seductive vibe.
The lead player in the collection is the Manta Ray Eye Duo Palette, each of which features two silky soft, slightly metallic shadows. The palettes are available in five shades: No.1, a charcoal and greige combination (and yes, greige is an actual color which Armani introduced some time ago); No. 2, a deep ocean blue and ocean green; No. 3, a lilac gray and shimmering fuchsia-tinged purple combo; No. 4, a light blue stone and sandy beige; and No. 5, which consists of a shimmering lilac pearl and pale green pearl. The shadows are extremely soft and muted, so that you can create the most ethereal of looks — or, if you're not the understated type, you can layer to more color to achieve the desired intensity.
Here, you'll finds watches of the No. 3 palette colors, as well as a photo of a quick, versatile look I created using these hues (I also applied two coats of the ultra lengthening Eyes to Kill mascara in black):
As you can see, the colors have a smoky quality to them without being too grim or Mad Max-esque.
Similarly, Armani's take on lips this season can best be described as minimalist, demure vamp. The new Armani Silk Lipstick in No. 92 is a rich plum shade that looks extremely dark when first applied but which is meant to be blotted and worn as a stain-like hue, merely accentuating your pout's natural tones. When I first applied the lipstick, the experience was a bit off-putting. For one, I hadn't mentally prepared myself for such a dark and almost goth-like color. Secondly, I found it very difficult to distribute the color evenly, since most of it kept collecting around the corners of my mouth, regardless of how many times I touched up the fleshy interior of my lips. But the story doesn't end here, ladies — once I pulled out my blotting papers and allowed some of the color to fade away, I was left with a hint of color that made my lips have that just-bitten blush. In fact, I'm wearing the lipstick in the photo above!
See how much "greige" matters?
Giorgio Armani Beauty Manta Ray Eye Duo Palette, $38; Eyes To Kill Mascara, $28; Armani Silk Lipstick in No. 92, $25. Available at GiorgioArmaniBeauty-USA.com as well as Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores.
