Merry Christmas everyone!
I hope your holidays have been a good one. Mine was lovely but quiet busy. Three things I must have done most was traveling, talking and eating.
As for the blog, it has been a long break for me, partly intentionally and partly due to packing my notebook and forgetting to take it with me. I couldn't even answer to your comments properly, which I am planning to do right after posting this beauty I received yesterday night upon my arrival.
 |
| Giorgio Armani Belladonna Highlighting Palette |
Belladonna Highlighter Palette is the star product of Giorgio Armani's Spring 2014 Collection, Effetto Nudo (check out promo images and list of other products here and here). I am sure many of you will love the muted nude color allowing the soft game of light and shade taking over the scene. Be it for bridal or an everyday look, it looks gorgeous in an underestimated way.
 |
| Close-up: Giorgio Armani Belladonna Highlighting Palette |
The compact has two layers, on top there is the highlighter with a beautiful flower embossed in a three dimensional way. The design includes details such as the veins on the leaves of the flower, making it a pleasure to watch and very difficult to touch. Luckily there is enough space on the sides of the flower to start with if you would like the pattern to last longer.
Second layer includes a half moon brush for touch ups on the go. This layer could also be reused for your compact foundation, blush or eye shadow from other Armani palettes which may be handy while traveling.
 |
| Two layered compact of Giorgio Armani Belladonna Highlighting Palette |
Belladonna Palette is designed to be used both as a highlighter and an eye shadow. The shade is a light champagne with a slight rose tingle. It is very finely milled and feels creamy to touch. Armani claims it to have a new gel based formula with a dense and light texture between cream and powder. To me, it is pigmented and shimmery but not frosty, the light catching effect is very complex and pretty. I like the way it can be blended to a very subtle effect or build up for a more dramatic usage such as on the lids.
 |
| Swatch of Giorgio Armani Belladonna Highlighting Palette, blended (left), heavy swatch (right) |
I took out some of my favorite highlighters for a comparison. Poudre Signee de Chanel from Spring 2013 Collection, Chanel Mouche de Beaute from 2013 Croisière Collection and Route des Indes from Bombay Express de Chanel Collection. You can see that Poudre Signee is properly loved and therefore lost its pretty design fully. Other two are more shimmery, as a result being used sparingly.
 |
| Comparison of Giorgio Armani Belladonna (bottom left) with Route des Indes de Chanel (upper left), Mouche de Beaute (upper right) and Poudre Signee de Chanel (bottom right) |
Route de Indes is much of a yellow gold once compared to other three. Chanel Mouche de Beauty is more shimmery and leans more pink. Poudre Signee is the closest in terms of shade but leans more yellow and it is less shimmery. In fact you can see how much more Belladonna can be build up, looking almost opaque in heavy swatches compared to other highlighters. The very slight pink touch of Belladonna together with its champagne base makes it suitable across skin tones, not cold nor warm.
 |
| Comparison swatches, Giorgio Armani Belladonna, Chanel Poudre Signee, Mouche de Beaute and Route des Indes |
I would love to finish my review here but I feel obliged to write a few sentences to what I think about this highlighter on a value for money basis. Belladonna has 5 g/ 0.177 OZ of product and retails for something like 75EUR/ $88. Company's holiday blush Eccentrico, which I didn't review yet, partly duo to the fact of feeling ashamed of the price, even had 8 g/0.27OZ product and multiple shades on one layer. As pretty as it is, Belladonna offers 5 g of only one shade, a pretty design and a nice texture. Does it worth 88$? I think you should answer this question for yourself. Just a side note, I snatched mine for half the price on eBay. It is expected to be released from January to February internationally and it is limited edition.
 |
| Giorgio Armani Belladonna Highlighting Palette |
Final thoughts: Belladonna must be the prettiest highlighter I own in terms of design, shade and texture. Its only drawback is the extremely high price and small quantity it offers. It is such a shame because it could almost get a cult status like Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia. Maybe it does anyway? Who knows...
What do you think about value for money? Is the size important or it is rather not since we anyway never finish products?
Gorgeous but since I almost never wear highliters it would be a huge waste of money for me. I think Poudre Signée Chanel would be more suitable for me if I were to consider one. Again, it truly is stunning. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, of course it would make sense only if you use highlighters. I personally like to use them but sometimes too lazy to do so. I wished they would release more contouring products than hundreds of highlighters, but again, maybe that is just me...
DeleteOMG. It is gorgeous. I absolutely have to have this even though it's as ridiculous expensive as it is. WOW. Speechless.
ReplyDeleteYes Jenny, it is stunning and I know you would love it!
Deletehi! i found your blog not too long ago and i really think you're absolutely wonderful and that your blog is very informative and just great reading! i live far from you, in the united states, cincinnati, ohio to be exact! cincinnati is a great city but, it's small. we do not have an armani cosmetic counter here. there were rumors that there would be one at nordstrom in the spring, not true. so here are my thoughts...most people that can afford armani and make large purchases will probably not mind the price. i spent well over $300 at the chanel counter for about 7 pieces from the spring collection. that's alot of money for me. it also bothers me that l'oreal owns this company. i love l'oreal but, i just wonder if their "nude" creme eyeshadow would have similar effects and less than $10?? another thing that i wonder about is where the cosmetics are made. since armani is italian, i assume this compact says made in italy. when i went to the guerlain counter to look at their spring collection, their newest "two" eyeshadow says made in italy. i really was expecting made in france. when i think guerlain, i think paris. same with chanel's creme blushes. someone told me the reasoning behind that is because of mass production. well, thinking about that just makes me feel uneasy. xo.
ReplyDeleteWendy, don't ever be concerned about powders being made in Italy. The cosmetic industry recognizes Italy as being at the forefront when it comes to producing finely milled, richly pigmented powders in beautiful shapes and designs. Made in Italy is a very good thing when it comes to powdered products.
Deletethankyou very much eileen!! xoxo.
DeleteHi Wendy, thanks so much for your comment. You really have a point there. On the other hand I believe that the same company does high end and drug store cosmetics by simply changing the ingredients and the formulas. For instance I find Armani's Eyes To Kill more complex compared to L'oreal's Infallibles. That said, I still found Belladonna overly priced. By the way after your request I checked it and it is also made in Italy. I agree with Eileen though, Italy or France, that doesn't really make a difference.
DeleteAh so beautiful! I have Cruel Gardenia and that's the only powder highlighter I have, actually. I hardly use highlighters, so I try not to collect them. Temptations are plenty, and I love so many of them... you guys are definitely not helping, but I'm holding my stead. This one... my knees are going weak. I'd love to have it, but I know I shouldn't :-P
ReplyDeleteLOL Lily, I actually promised myself after Eccentrico that I wouldn't get this one but I just happened to turn lucky and got it cheaper. My main argument was if I would buy it, I would justify company's overpricing strategy but getting it that way was ok, I guess... Stay strong! ;-)
DeleteLovely but too expensive for the amount. I wonder if the formulation is unique but still. It might be a pass for me. Lovely review :)
ReplyDeleteI think the formula is unique. It is Estee Lauder kind of gel based but doesn't feel that dry to touch. It also feels very finely milled and light weight but again if this justifies the price, I don't know...
DeleteThis is truly gorgeous! Gosh my Chanel poudre de signee looks worse than yours! Should've gotten a backup.
ReplyDeleteLOL, yes I was thinking the same. Too late thought I guess ;-)
DeleteHappy new year :)
ReplyDeleteThat looks really lovely and nice for an wash on the lids as well, like you say the price is a bit off putting, I think Armani would be better going for its filled double tiered palettes really, seems odd that they sometimes release the shadow/blush compacts for around the same price of one of these singular compacts.
xx
Hi Clare,
DeleteI tried it on the lids. On my complexion it doesn't really show up. I think on the model they coupled it with the Armani sheers. I have to try it out with a base maybe then it look better. I have to admit I am over careful not to spoil the design so maybe that is just me who can't get enough amount of product ;-))
I completely agree, I was so happy with double deck thing, eye shadow and brush/highlighter. They were really worth the money. Now the amount of product offered started to decrease with each release :-((