The last time I was at Holt Renfew, probably a few years ago now, Giorgio Armani Cosmetics was a newer line, and I was somewhat of a newcomer to luxury and designer beauty brands.  I passed by the counter without so much as a look, and it wasn’t until recently that I started to sit up and take notice of the line.  If you’re at all into beauty blogs, you know that the newest product to the line, the Eyes to Kill Intense eye shadows, are the talk of the blogosphere.  The intense pigmentation, the ultra-soft textures, and exceptional wear time are hard to ignore.  And so, I had to have it, ASAP.  However, I also ran into the challenge of finding a shade that I didn’t yet own – I’m not interested in obtaining numerous dupes for one color – and I dedicated myself to probing swatch after swatch online before making a decision as to which shade I would purchase.

My initial choice was the shimmery blackened red shade, #2 Lust Red.  I own a decade+ old crimson red loose shadow from L’Oreal that I used to wear all the time, and I was hoping to find a grown-up, more wearable replacement.  However, when I had my face-to-face chance at the counter this past weekend, I found the shade lacking.  It didn’t swatch on my skin as richly as it looked in photos, and it just failed to ‘wow’ me.  The SA at the counter suggested I try the #6 (Khaki Pulse), which is vastly different and which I wasn’t really interested in based on the swatches I had seen – it looked similar to other shades I own.  However, as soon as I touched it to my hand, I knew I was sold.  The smoothness of this eyeshadow (I didn’t try them all so I can only speak for this one) is simply amazing.  Like butter, truly.  I have always been impressed by the softness of Urban Decay’s shadows, and then even more so by the Hourglass shades, but I think this trumps them both.  Just pure awesomeness.
The shade is a mix of khaki and bronze pigments that give it a serious richness, and while I have bronze shades and a few khaki shades, I don’t have anything like this.  Update: Depending on which pigment is prominent at the time (as it changes through usage, I came to discover), it can be more bronzy or more of a strong khaki shade.  I swatched it next to UD’s ‘Smog’ which is a rich bronze shade, and Clinique’s ‘Autumn Moss’ a soft khaki (which is no longer sold in stores).

From top: Smog, #6 Khaki Pulse, Autumn Moss

It was a challenge to get an accurate shot of this shade and show the difference in particular to Smog.  Autumn Moss doesn’t even compare, as you can see the pigmentation is lacking and it’s really just khaki with shimmer.  Smog looks close to Khaki Pulse, but it’s got absolutely no greenish hue at all and is just a warm brown-bronze, the end.  Still lovely, just not a dupe candidate whatsoever.

Aside from the fantastic pigmentation, feel, and easy application, Khaki Pulse is probably one of the most flattering shades on my skintone that I’ve ever owned.  Its so similar to my skintone, like Smog, but has just that khaki leaning that makes it more apparent that I’m wearing shadow, but still very beautiful and simple on.  I can wear this alone for an every day look, or with liner and a smoky shade in the crease for some nighttime impact.  Because it’s very shimmery (not glittery though), it dresses up easily.  And the wear time is seriously insane.  I swatched this on my arm about four hours ago, and while the other two shades have worn off, this still lingers at almost the exact same intensity.  I wore it through a humid day in Toronto (no primer), and an evening out on the town (with primer), and it still looked almost as fab as when first applied.

While this product was not cheap at $42CDN (which initially almost stopped my heart, but I was already at the cash register and by then it was too late), after wearing it several times and loving it, I honestly don’t mind one bit about the price.  It is entirely worthy of purchase in my books!!

Have you tried any of the other ‘Intense’ eyeshadows?  Have the pics online swayed you as much as they did me?  Will you pick any up if you haven’t already??

Thanks for reading!  Be sure to check out Part II of my lil G.Armani haul – next up, Eyes to Kill mascara!