I think every week should have a three-day weekend. Two days simply isn’t enough time to do the things I want to do (the fun stuff). Today’s look is quick and easy with a simple black cotton dress, tan belt, black flats, ivory leather bag. Outfit is almost entirely J.Crew (I can always rely on them for a classic simple look). Leather bag is by Balenciaga. Makeup is all barely-there natural colors. I’m a minimalist at heart even if my natural “no makeup” look isn’t really minimalist if you break it down to what I’m wearing.
Inside the bag:
What I’m wearing today: Chanel Tweed Rose Blush, Chanel Taupe-Délicat Eyeshadow Duo, Chanel Espresso Stylo Yeux, Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara, Chanel Confidentielle Rouge Allure, Chanel Star Glossimer, Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne, Chanel Peche Nacree Le Vernis
I hope each and every one of you have a great week! Remember Chanel Rouge Coco Shines come out this week in the US!
I’ve gushed over and over again raving that Armani’s Eyes to Kill Mascara is my holy-grail-life-changing type of product. I have medium length lashes that are super straight which makes them look shorter than they really are. After discovering the magic of eyelash curlers I still found it challenging to find the right mascara for my eye shape and lash type: one that thickens, lengthens, defines and does not smudge, flake or irritate my eyes, and most importantly, one that also holds the curl.
Armani’s Eyes to Kill was the answer to my seemingly never ending quest for the perfect mascara. There are a number of other mascaras I like, but none had the wow-factor like Armani’s. It’s also interesting to note that I’ve been a long-time Armani fan, but I hated every single previous mascara release from the brand. So I was skeptic when I first tried Eyes to Kill, especially at a jaw-dropping $30 per tube, but I’m glad I did. I actually tried a mini sample first before buying a full-sized tube. The heavy weight sleek black tube makes it feel worth it when it’s in your hands.
Left = Excess, Right = Regular
Armani has since released 2 other variations, a waterproof version and Megan Fox’s Eyes to Kill Excess. I never tried the waterproof version – my experience with waterproof versions is that they tend to be too harsh on my lashes, the formula is just too thick and dries to a consistency that makes my lashes feel brittle. Not to mention they are a huge pain to remove from the eyes in the evenings. The new Eyes to Kill Excess has a killer slogan, “exceptionally volumizing mascara, drop dead seduction in a single stroke.” As soon as I opened the e-mail about this, I had to try it out.
So how do they compare? You can read more detailed product information about the Eyes to Kill Excess formula on Armani’s website (linked here for your convenience). I will start by saying that I prefer the regular formula, read on to find out why. Here is what I noticed about each:
Eyes to Kill Regular: According to Armani, “Dress the eye with powerful, plush, voluminous lashes. Fine, fluid Microfil technology creates intensely captivating lash texture. Micro-waxes combined with a fineness agent allow for smooth and easy application, revealing weightless volume and length.”
I’m featuring my #5 Blue Grey Night in the photos, but mainly rely on my #1 Steel Black (currently missing in action). The formula dries to a stiffer finish which holds the curl and lasts all day (unless you start crying or are splashed with water). There’s also something about the texture of the mascara + the big bristles that grabs onto your lashes coating them evenly and fully. This results in thick lush lashes for me. The #1 Steel Black doesn’t look like a true black when wet, but applies darker than what you see resulting in a true black finish. Finding a true black is hard for me – many brands have black mascaras that dry down to a greyish finish making my lashes look ashy. Even though my lashes are black, I’ve often had better success with dark brown mascaras. I love the way the sleek heavy tube feels – it’s simple, straight and nice to look at.
Eyes to Kill Excess: Seems to be the exact same in bristle shape/size to me. The difference is in the formula which, according to Armani contains “The fusion of a Wax™ Complex and the new texturizing agents creates a fluid and creamy texture that glides onto the lashes and allows for an easy, homogeneous application.” Also, the Excess formula is supposed to be a darker black color than anything they’ve made before.
My personal observations is that the Excess is a great mascara. I definitely notice that it’s a deeper more dramatic true black. I also notice a difference in formula in the sense that it’s more creamy and less stiff. There is no smudging or flaking. It holds the curl and lasts all day. I personally found that I had to pump the brush a bit inside the tube to get more product on the brush for a better application. On me it clumped a bit the first few applications. I had to experiment with my application technique to get a smooth finish and thick even look. It definitely has a softer feel on my lashes. The packaging is still heavyweight and sleek, it just has a glossy finish on the tube.
Regular vs. Excess: Because I have such wimpy lashes, I need all the help I can get. The Regular formula has a stiffer, thicker, more volumizing dramatic finish, but I can definitely feel like I am wearing mascara. If you have sensitive eyes and found the Regular formula too much for your lashes, but still want a similar finish with a weightless more natural feel, try out the Excess formula. Unfortunately the Excess only comes in 1 shade, black.
My review might seem odd since the Excess formula has been marketed as a darker more dramatic version of the Regular Eyes to Kill. I like them both.
Summary comparison of the features for the Black shades (sorry for the confusion, I can’t find my regular Steel Black right now):
Color: Both are true blacks, Excess is a deeper darker black
Volumizing: Regular is more volumizing
Defining: Excess is more defining
Lasting Power: Same, all day, but not waterproof or cry-proof
Texture: Regular is thicker
How it Feels on the Lashes: Regular is stiffer more dramatic, Excess is softer and more gentle
Smell: Same scent, not noticeable once on the eyes
Overall Effect: Regular has more of a wow-factor, Excess has a darker blacker finish
Brush Size & Shape: Same, although in the photo, the blue seems fuller (it just has more product on the bristles from more frequent use, the excess has only been used 4 times so far) – this can show you the difference in formulas though, the regular just seems to adhere to bristles and lashes better
Both retail for $30. I usually buy mine from Neimans or Bloomingdales. At this time I don’t know if the Excess is limited edition or not. I can only say that I hope they keep the regular formula. I don’t regret buying the Excess and have no intention of returning it. Sometimes it’s nice to have variety.
If you have tried either, what are your thoughts? Experiences? Rants or raves?
For your reference, my other mascara loves include DiorShow, Dolce & Gabbana, NARS Volumizing, Estee Lauder Projectionist, Clinique High Impact Mascara, MAC Plush Lash, Kiehl’s Marvelous Mineral Mascara, Shu Uemura Basic.
Mascaras I’ve tried and did not like include MAC Zoom Lash, all of Chanel/Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier Thickening, Lancome Definicils, YSL Faux Cils, Trish McEvoy High Volume, Le Metier Waterproof, Clinique Naturally Glossy, Clinique Lash Doubling, Benefit BADGal (note – this is based on my own personal experience). In general I do not like waterproof formula mascaras.
There are a number of mascaras I’ve tried that I’m indifferent to – ones that weren’t great but weren’t bad. Too many to mention, although I definitely haven’t tried all types or brands.
When I saw that the fall collection from Armani had launched online, I knew I had to get the new Eyes to Kill Mascara in #5 Blue Grey Night ($30) and the Powder Blush Duo ($49). I’ve loved every single powder blush released by Armani and the new one for fall is exquisite. The Fall Quad ($59) purchase, I credit to Gaia from The Non-Blonde (see her sneak peek here) who has a way of creating major lemmings for me.
My sales associate called me as soon as they came in, which I highly appreciate (it pays to be a loyal customer). For some reason, Armani has been distributing extremely limited quantities of stock to the counters near me. For the past year they have received extremely limited stock and usually don’t get testers until months after they receive the product to sell. For this collection, she only received 3 blush duos and 3 quads. There were no testers, but being familiar with the quality of their eyeshadow quads and blushes, I didn’t need to test these before purchasing.
My thoughts on each item:
Eyes to Kill Mascara #5 (not swatched) – For this one they had a brand new tester so I eagerly tried this one out with a tester mascara wand. In the tube it’s a metallic smokey blue-grey. It goes on darker than it appears in the tube and looks lovely on the eyes. This is my first non-black mascara purchase. There are a number of gorgeous shades by Chanel (plum, bronze, aubergine, etc.) however, the formulas cannot compare to Armani’s Eyes to Kill (my all time favorite mascara). The Eyes to Kill Mascaras defines the lashes, thickens, lengthens and holds the curl. All without flaking or smudging or making the lashes feel brittle. It’s pure love and worth every single penny.
Maestro Eyeshadow Quad Fall 2010 – The pigment on this is incredible. The colors however are definitely out of my personal comfort zone. I think the combination of colors are odd for use all at one time. I really have no idea how I will be able to pull off all shades at once. I’m not sure that I think “fall” when I see it. The blue and navy makes me thing “nautical” which is not something I really associate with fall. Still the colors in the palette are stunning and unique to Armani (see comparisons to Maestro Singles 6, 21 and 33 below). In it there is a denim-colored shimmery bright navy, smokey deep brown with plum, pale silvery blue, shimmery olive almost khaki colored brown. The artist suggested mixing the navy and dark brown together for a smokey eye.
Blush Duo Fall 2010 – Lovely fresh hot pink with a soft pale pink. In typical Armani Blush style, soft texture/finish, natural semi-sheer finish, makes the cheeks just glow. The pale side has more color and is more pink than Blush #12. I used this blush duo as soon as I got home mixed together. It’s just so pretty. I’ve compared it below to some other pinks from D&G, Bobbi Brown, Paul & Joe and Armani. No swatch comparisons as blush shades are extremely hard for me to swatch accurately. *Note* someone mentioned this is $80+ on the armani website and is also listed under the cream-blush duo, I think this an error but I’m not certain. Mine was $49 US (before tax) and it’s definitely powder on both sides. The price can be confirmed on Nordstrom.com.
More photos.
I passed on the new Purple Eyes to Kill #7 (simply too purple for me, just as Gaia described). I didn’t see the new lipsticks, but they seem a bit dark for my taste.
I’ve been testing out my new NARS Larger Than Life mascaras for a little over two weeks now since my last NARS makeover and feel ready to finally give a review!
I purchased the original Black Orchid Mascaras from NARS years ago and remember loving them. I asked the artist how the new ones compared to the old version and she told me the newer ones contained Vitamin E and Macadamia Nut Oil which made for a better formula that would not smudge or flake. If you go to the NARS Website, there is more information and a mini video of the new mascaras in the Lengthening & Volumizing formulas (click on More Info).
The artist who did my makeup used both mascaras on me, she first applied a layer of the Lengthening Mascara (skinny brush with almost rubber-like bristles) and then followed with a layer of the Volumizing Mascara (thicker almost chubby like bristles).
The combination/result = instant lash makeover and enhanced eye definition. Each retail for $25 and since I was so amazed by the results I decided to purchase both of them.
After testing these out some more on my own, here are my thoughts:
Test Method 1: Lengthening Alone – I really love this one. Just one coat thickens and defines the lashes with a true black finish. It holds my curl and doesn’t smudge or flake. I just apply one coat. The brush seems similar to Dior Iconic which I also love. My only (tiny) complaint is that the very tip tends to accumulate a bit too much mascara so I just need to dab it on a piece of paper to remove the excess.
Test Method 2: Volumizing Alone – This one is a bit more difficult to work with for me. I like the finish, but it’s a bit high maintenance to apply. The brush is lush and full which is nice, but unfortunately it picks up way too much product. I had to take a piece of paper, wrap it above the bristle and wipe off the excess. I couldn’t get the right balance of product on or off the wand in order to get a decent application. There was either too much product on it, or I took too much off.
Test Method 3: Lengthening/Volumizing Combo – Unfortunately I couldn’t recreate the look the artist did without clumping and making an absolute mess of my eye. She did use the disposable NARS mascara brushes which had significantly less mascara product on them. Perhaps that’s why it didn’t turn out clumpy.
So, you might ask now that the NARS Lengthening Mascara seems to be a new favorite, how does it to compare to other mascaras I’ve raved about? My current favorites:
Nars Lengthening $25.00: * Pros – defines, lengthens, holds curls, makes my lashes look really black * Cons – not a fan of the rubber packaging just because it gets dirty easily, also the handles are longer than your average mascara which feels weird to me
Dolce & Gabbana $29.00: * Pros – defines and gives a natural defined lash look * Cons – doesn’t really hold the curl either, expensive Diorshow $24.00 (mini version): * Pros – instant false lashes look in a rich black color, this gives the most dramatic plush lash finish for my non-existent lashes * Cons – doesn’t hold the curl
Diorshow Iconic $27.00 (not pictured): * Pros – defines, lengthens, goof-proof wand * Cons – doesn’t hold the curl
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill $30.00 (mini version): * Pros – thickens in one coat/sweep, even application, no clumping and holds the curl & I’ve gone through 2 tubes so far * Cons – expensive, but worth EVERY penny
I tried to take before and after pictures of my eye with the new NARS mascara but couldn’t get a good photo to demonstrate the effects. Have you tried the new NARS mascaras? What are your thoughts?
Or have you tried anything else on my favorites list? Did you love or hate any of those? YMMV (your mileage may vary) with each of these. I know of girls who LOVED the Eyes to Kill and others who absolutely hated it. I’d love to hear about your experiences for those who have actually tried these.
Received another goodie in the mail yesterday from Sephora.com along with my new shadows which is the DiorShow Black Out Look set which basically their Black Out Mascara that comes in a soft black tied pouch and a mini iridescent quint of Smoky Light 019. The set retails for $24 so you basically get that cute quint for free.
I’m a huge fan of Dior Mascaras, I actually prefer Iconic and DiorShow, but couldn’t pass on this cute quint.
I have seen this on various e-bay international seller auctions and have been looking all over to see if they have this quint in a full size, but I believe it’s only in the mini size right now. I haven’t had a chance to test it out, but it seems like what I wanted Sky Glow to be (that is the quint minus that powder blue shade which I know I will never wear).
Has anyone seen this in full size or know any other details? I think I would be in heaven if this came out in full size, even more so than when they released the Leather Palette for Eyes and Iridescent Leather quint.
* Due to the uber-tiny size of this, I probably won’t be swatching the palette. Thanks for understanding!
