Giorgio Armani Onde Mystere

What's the point of hiring Maurice Roucel, one of the biggest talents in perfumery, and either giving him nothing with which he could work or taking his composition and diluting it to the point of a cheap body spray (most likely both)? I doubt anyone at Giorgio Armani Perfumes is going to answer, but seriously, I would really like to know.

Mystere was part part of the Armani Onde trilogy (together with Onde Extase and Onde Vertige) released for fall 2008. It seems that a significant amount of money went into the pretty and original bottle design, to the top notes that last for about a minute,  to paying the genius Roucel (or at least I hope so) and probably for marketing, though the leading ad for the campaign  looks as cheap as this thing smells.

Obviously, not much was left for the perfume itself. Armani Onde Mystere was supposed to be an incense rose perfume, which sounds great. The first thing I smell upon spraying is a vibrant and peppery rose and what I could swear was a sheer vetiver note (no mention of that anywhere official). It's fun and colorful. I would have loved a perfume that takes this opening and runs with it. However, things disintegrate within minutes. The rose turns chemical, sour and cheap, the peppery attitude disappears, leaving behind a vague spiciness. If there is any incense or oriental elements they're hiding their faces in shame. Twenty minutes into Mystere, all that's left is a sweet hint of rosewater and even that fades soon. Maybe the lack of longevity is not that a bad idea, because spending the entire day smelling boring and cheap is not my idea of fun.

Giorgio Armani Onde Mystere ($85, 1.7 oz EDP) seems to be out of stock at all the official distributing channels (department stores and Armani website), but readily available from online retailers, though sometimes at inflated prices.

Armani Onde ad from giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com

Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush No. 6 Light Rose

The only problem with Giorgio Armani blushes is the limited range of colors. Right now there are six available shades and that's more or less how Armani Beauty keeps it (several others were discontinued in the past or were only released as a limited edition). The general werability of the existing colors sort of makes up for it, but not completely, especially if you tend to be particular when choosing a blush. I always play at the counter but usually leave empty handed, until one day a couple of months ago when I decided that No. 6 actually works well for me.

Armani Sheer Blush No. 6 is called Light Rose, but I wouldn't say the name is accurate (and neither is the swatch on the Giorgio Armani website, for that matter). It's not very light and the complex color isn't exactly rosy- it's warmer than what I think about as a rose and has an almost brick undertone. In any case, don't let it scare you, as we're talking about a very finely milled and delicate formula that can be applied very sheer and blended to perfection.

I use a Yachio brush (no need to dilute the pigment with a duo fiber, at least for my skin tone) and it produces the right amount of healthy neutral color. I tend to under-do my blush application, but I find that No. 6 is a perfect shade for times I actually want a little more color (I've been playing with very nude and delicate eye looks lately). There are no visible shimmer particles, just an overall luminosity which I think you can see in the swatch. I really dislike swatching blushes because they look like I have a skin condition, but in this case you can see how well the No. 6 shade works with my skin tone- it still looks like I have wrist issues, but it's a natural skin condition.

Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush ($43) can be found at Barneys, Saks, Nordstrom and giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com.

All photos are mine.

Giorgio Armani Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencil Spring 2011

The last time Armani had these Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencil I blinked and missed them, because for an unknown reason they're a limited edition item and they were sold out before you could say "Giorgio". I was adamant about not repeating this mistake again, so now that these little pencil miracles are part of Armani Spring 2011 collection, I made sure to get one in each color- black, dark brown and green leaf.

The thing about Giorgio armani's Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencils is the incredible gel-like texture and finish. They glide on your eyelid with ease and a fluid-like consistency, they set within a second and stay put with no smudging all day long. The pigment is clear and intense like a gel and can line the eye by itself or as a base for powder products.

The Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencil can be used on the waterline, but I personally avoid it, since my eyes are tear-prone and eventually even this waterproof formula surrenders and the color bleeds and gives me raccoon eyes. But as long as I keep the liner on the lash line and my upper lid, these Giorgio Armani eye pencils have become true favorites.

Bottom Line: Get them while you can.

Giorgio Armani Long Wear Waterproof Eye Pencils for Spring 2011($27 each) are available from Saks, Barneys and giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com.

All photos are mine.

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush

Good makeup application is all about having the right tool for the right product, which is why those of us who amass serious collection of color products also tend to get excited about unique brushes. Now, as much as I love most of what Giorgio Armani Beauty has to offer, the brushes I have from this line (a lip brush and the eye shader brush) never rocked my world. I mean, a lip brush is really hard to mess up but also not something about which I get excited, and the eye shader brush is not as good as the ones I have from Chanel, NARS or Edward Bess.

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush is a whole new game. It's an odd little brush, one you wouldn't necessarily suspect was actually designed to apply foundation. It's made of natural sable and is shaped like a flat paddle. I have other beloved foundation brushes that aren't huge (CoverFX, Alison Raffaele), but the Armani is the shortest and most flat, and has a different density and texture. Which, apparently, makes it ideal for thinner formulas of liquid foundations and tinted moisturizers, especially if you've found that applying them with a stippling brush is not ideal for some reason.

I get an excellent coverage even from tinted moisturizers when using the blender brush and can also navigate and manipulate the product when I don't want to paint my entire face, just certain areas, and still get an even airbrushed look. The brush is ideal for narrow areas and wherever I need precise work. It feels softer than I expected from the way it looks and I'm not even bothered by the short and compact handle.

Is this a must-have? It depends. Do you collect and experiment with interesting brush shapes and foundation textures? If you do, then there's a good chance you'd enjoy and use this Armani brush. If you're more conservative in your foundation application practice and already have a holy grail brush, then you can live without it, but if you're still not 100% happy with whatever you're using, head over to the Armani counter and give it a swirl.

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush ($48) is available from Saks, Barneys and Nordstrom, as well as from the company's website.

All photos are mine.