This summer Giorgio Armani has released four Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows in #20, 21, 22 and 23. There have been numerous amazing reviews from bloggers of all different skintones on all four shades. Some of my favorites include features from Rouge Deluxe, Temptalia, Messy Wands, Perilously Pale, Beauty Ops (just to name a few). The colors that stood out to me were 21 Obsidian Grey and 20 Obsidian Black ($32 each, limited edition).
Obsidian Grey #21 is a highly metallic medium grey in the pot. On the skin it has a silvery sheen, particularly on olive skin. As with most other Eyes to Kill Eyeshadows, the texture Obsidian Grey allows you to layer for a sheer wash or more pigmented intense application. I use a cream shadow brush or a small domed shape brush to apply and blend. Swiping on the back of my hand I expected a lot of fall out since the metallic particles seemed larger than most shimmery cream shadows. However this applied smoothly without any fallout problems for me.
Obsidian Black #20 is a blackened teal shimmer. This color was the one shade I just had to have. It’s stunning in the pot and swatched on the hand. On the eyes, at least for my olive medium skin, I found it didn’t work so well. My experience was similar to that of Temptalia. On my eyes, this lost a bit of lustre and intensity. In addition it made me look tired and a bit sallow. The teal in NARS Dogon has a very similar effect but for some reason works so much better for my olive skin.
Swatched, two views:
Comparisons to other Eyes to Kill Eyeshadows Pulp Fiction #4 and Black #13:
Overall I love Obsidian Grey #21, but personally prefer Pulp Fiction #4 more since it has a bit more taupe and less silver. Obsidian Black #20 is gorgeous as well but requires more work and layering with other shades for my skintone, I prefer #13 in Black from the initial release to Obsidian Black. The lasting power is excellent for me and last all day and well into the evening without smudging. Do note that many of the Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows are indeed intense. Some are highly metallic which might be outside of your comfort zone. (For reference I found the holiday shades way too shimmery for my taste.) I find some to be more wearable than others for everyday. If you have some of the older shades I don’t think these two are must-haves.
