Although I would like to show the new and extremely limited Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette to you already yesterday, I got too frustrated to write a product post and started writing a "rambling post" instead. When I stopped, it was over two pages of just text and nothing else of me talking about everything which is going on at the "back stage" of Color Me Loud. Afterwards I thought I would rather not push the publish button. I was really not sure how interesting it is for you to read my frustration of some of the companies valuing bloggers like make-up baggers or freebie hunters. I started as a make-up enthusiast to my journey with this blog. I have a full-time job which I like and I am in no ways thinking to make a business out of this. But once it gets really unfair or impolite like it did yesterday, it starts occupying my mind more than it should. I fear that I am loosing the spirit. Make-up gods save me!
Alright, back to the topic. I was at Stuttgart Breuninger and noticed a new tester of Giorgio Armani make-up lying around. I was waiting for these to launch but it was a really sneaky launch. Until I noticed it, it was already sold out! The representatives there know me since there has been times I left my whole wallet there *cough cough*. So they somehow managed to arrange one of the reserved pieces of nail polish and the palette for me. Today I would like to share my thoughts after using the palette yesterday.
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| Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette is a two tier palette, similar to Orient Excess (reviewed here) for Holiday 2014. If you liked Orient Excess, you will probably like this one too. The concept is very similar but the shades are more shimmer and they are lighter, matching to the Spring theme. The palette comes in a pouch. It is made of a fabric which feels like a blend of silk. I am sure it is luxurious but since it is very delicate, it may end up looking old in no time because the threads are being pulled out by the friction caused by the top surface of the palette. I think the best idea is to use this pouch for another purpose, like storing your jewellery.
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| Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
Top lid is covered with a similar fabric. It is a nice idea but you have to be extra careful while applying make-up. Especially if you apply your foundation with your fingers and move to eye make-up afterwards, you should avoid touching the lid. I personally prefer plastic lid to this which I can clean afterwards.
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| Packaging of Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
First tier has a face powder. The surface is embossed with words "Armani Runway". The print doesn't go away directly after usage which is nice. If you look close, you will see sparse shimmer in the powder. Powder is a transparent setting powder and sparse shimmer is not noticeable when I apply this all over my face. I can't report if it has an oil control since I don't need one especially in winter time. All I can say is that it is very finely milled and light weight on the skin. It doesn't offer coverage but it manages not to look heavy even after a few layers. It also doesn't dry out my skin.
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| Tier 1: Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
Second layer has tree eye shadows and two applicators. The eye shadows on the left and right has shimmery to metallic finish. The one in the middle is a medium bronze with satin finish. The shade on the left is a gorgeous coppery rose gold. Although it looks very metallic in the swatches on the eyes it doesn't emphasize fine lines or doesn't crumble. All the shades are very finely milled. Right eye shadow is a very light silver with metallic finish. These do layer also well.
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| Tier 2: Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
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| Swatches of Tier 1 and 2: Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
The shades are beautiful but also very unspectacular, what I wouldn't expect from a "Runway" Collection. I find these beautiful for days I have to look polished but not overdone. I believe natural eye look lovers will love the shades.
I started by applying the middle shade on the crease which I blended over the crease using the face powder on tier #1. I then applied the left most shade, the beautiful rose gold, and found out it looks very low key on the eyes. I needed a little more glam so ended up layering the silver on the inner corner and blending towards the middle. This provided my eyes with a little more "light".
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| In-action: Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
Now although it doesn't look like "Runway" in any means, it is a lovely everyday look which I would wear while doing grocery shopping or going to a job interview. I paired this with MAC Ombre Blush in Ripe Peach (reviewed here) and Rouge d'Armani Sheers lipstick #314 in Delirium (reviewed here).
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| FOTD with Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
I haven't picked up the lipstick from the collection. It has very beautiful shimmer but the base is almost transparent so it would similar to the one I am wearing in the FOTD. I did however picked the nail polish. I will post a swatch of it soon at Instagram and I might update the post here but shortly I am very disappointed by it. It costs 30€ in Germany and it is almost the same as Armani Nail Lacquer #214 in Incense Velvet (reviewed here). It also has a matte finish and it is so close that on the nails it is impossible to differentiate them.
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| FOTD with Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
Here is one last look to the Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette. It sure is very beautiful and appropriate for those who like neutral looks. For those who were expecting some runway drama, I wouldn't recommend it. The very limited pieces always make me do some mistake. I was running late, would like to learn the price and think about it but when I saw that there was none left, I ended up buying it without thinking properly. I am not so much for light shimmery eye shadows and this palette was definitely not made for me. Nevertheless it is pretty. *sigh*
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| Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette |
Final thoughts: If you like shimmery light shades in neutral colors, something you can wear everyday for a polished look or pair with bold lips, you may want to check Giorgio Armani Runway Spring/Summer 2015 Palette out. If you are expecting some drama, more definition you can skip it happily and save $$$ with three digits.
Availability: It is very limited. I am hearing that it is released at only a few counters in Germany around 10 pieces at each. It might look similar in the states too so if you are eyeing it, better get your war paint on. Price? Never ask about it...
Do you like natural look on runway or should it be more about fun and drama?
Disclaimer: The product in this post is purchased by me.
Hmmm, I'd pass! The shades are gorgeous, but nothing too unique. I like the design but the packaging seems a bit impractical!
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful. I was really confused for a while as it looks really similar to the Holiday palette. I thought the Runway edition would be a tad bit different. I'm not sure if it's even available in the UK (Orient Excess palette wasn't). I never get much use out of neutral palettes so it's a pass for me.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, I'd be interested to read your story of what happened when some company was rude to you. It would make me think twice about purchasing from them!
ReplyDelete3 $$$ digits and only 10 pieces/counter? Wow! I guess it's more of a collector's piece? I agree with Kristina, I'd love to read your 2-page long rant about companies. I bet it will go viral! ;D
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear what happened. I think we should all be aware of these companies doing shady things so we can make smarter decisions about what to buy and what companies are unethical about their marketing. Drives me nuts. Sorry you had to go through that. Anyway that palette looks pretty, it kinda reminds me of Dior Versailles!
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't mind reading what is happening behind the scene, have no clue about blogging, would tolerate up to 5 pages :) Though, it is usually better not to act on emotions and wait a bit. I absolutely admire your blog and your organisation skills and effort since I can't imagine doing anything like this while also working full time. So before your lose your spirit, let me tell you something. Most consumer good and cosmetic companies don't value even their own employees, not to say external bloggers. Also, unfortunately, they have quite many not particularly bright people there (it is not about building rockets) who tend to be manipulative. Big companies are used to pay and get ads, they may be not necessary good at earning unpaid coverage like blogs or accept and have low tolerance for the truth about their products. Which is again not your problem. I've been there seen that, never take it personally and don't let anyone involve you in any of their personal crap. You can also always send them into the woods, mentally or verbally, where they can blog about their products themselves :))) Even if you post less and one of the brands stops sending you something for early reviews and you will loose couple of readers because of that, whatever, you will still remain a great blogger. Do it for your own fun, don't let anyone spoil your mood, any company is not worth your emotions. On a good note - there are also many great people there who really care about their consumers and products.
ReplyDeleteSara, there is a new By Terry Eye Designer palette in 02 Color design, which is now spacenk exclusive. It is like a concentration of all your favorite colors! I immediately thought of you when I received it today. It was the first time that I wrote a review for makeup. They haven't published it yet, but palette is great!
ReplyDeleteSara: Don't let any company get you down. These companies get away with stuff because people are afraid to say something. So let us know what happened because information is power, and the more information the customers have, the more power we have, and if we speak with our voices (and with our wallets), these companies will have to listen. Just think what would happen if everyone stopped blogging makeup reviews, companies could issue substandard products all the time, and no one would realize it until they already bought it. That's why companies are scared of the bloggers, especially the honest ones, because they have so much power. So don't take anything too personally from them. I love your blog, you do a great job, you love blogging about makeup, and I don't think anyone should take that away from you. I think you should take a deep breath, read over your rant, do some editing if you want, but let people know what happened that got you so upset. I think you will find a lot of support from your readers.
ReplyDeleteHi Kristina,
ReplyDeleteactually almost daily bloggers get frustrated. Most of the time the source of this is someone who is not doing her/his job properly. It might not be the company politics but of course writing something impolite should be banned nevertheless. I have had a comment from a company with three big letters and start with M. You can imagine which one it is. The other PRs from the same company were a little better though, one was really very impolite. I am also having some problems with a company starting with Y. There I always receive the same reply, they don't have samples although I know other friends are receiving some. In this case I am thinking about not reviewing any of their products anymore because I don't want to help a company who clearly doesn't appreciate me.
Ugh, so sorry to hear you had a less-than-pleasant experience :-( As for the palette, well, it's nice, but it doesn't make me drool all over my keyboard if ya know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, it is not practical with the fabric on top. My fingers are always so dirty during make-up process lol
ReplyDeleteHi Gosia,
ReplyDeleteyes it is close to holiday palette, just more shimmery and lighter. You haven't gotten Orient Excess at all? Gosh, how is that possible. I thought you gals are always getting what we have and more. If you ever need help let me know. xox
Yes Dior Versailles can be close, I don't have that one. I am a little disappointed with Dior quints so trying not to get any more.
ReplyDeleteThere are some companies who don't invest on bloggers. It doesn't make them bad company but I think the times are changing and if they want to stay up in the game, they should reconsider their strategy. It might just be me though.
LOL yes it is definitely a collector's pipece, for collectors who would like to blow their money for something like this or for bloggers such as myself *grins*
ReplyDeleteI know it would go viral but I am not so sure because one PR not doing their job appropriately doesn't mean the whole company is bad or something. So I was a little reluctant to give names. One that wrote something impolite though, this is intolerable!
LOL, this cracked me up. I know what you mean. If I wouldn't be rushing probably I wouldn't buy it either. The first shade stole my heart which didn't show up on my lids as it should *sniff sniff*
ReplyDeleteHi Katherine,
ReplyDeleteit is a very encouraging and nice message. Thank you very much. I suspect though that as in each company there are people who love their job and do it appropriately and there are ones who just sit there and want to go back home or even hate what they are doing. I think if it goes really bad with a PR they belong to the second group. It might also be of course that the company causes them to be that demotivated. But it can as well be it is the person and company has nothing to do with it. I fee though some companies are really not the ones to work with. This is why I won't be featuring any more reviews for the one starting with Y. And no it is not Yankee Candles lol. I am on the verge with big letter M company, this one was the one with the PR who almost insulted me behind my back. If it goes on like this, I will write the stories before I pull the plug from the blog but for the time being I prefer to keep the ;-)
Hahaha 5 pages sound great, I can write more because I have more to write that is for sure!
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I am trying to take it cool and see what happens.
Now reading this comment makes my day. I also have the feeling that I am facing many unmotivated people who have problems not necessarily with me but with their employee maybe. Nevertheless I am trying not to get things personal but lately a few things happened that the products were sent to blogs which have a fraction of my readers, like one third! This unfairness makes me loose my mind. I keep buying things and post reviews as detailed as possible and they send all of their stuff to others. Not ok. As you said though, I am going to take action because there are some companies who value my blog and my contribution. It would be very unfair to let have the same space here. That is why I am going out of a few brands. As you said, it is all about having fun and I am trying hard not to loose the spirit.
Xox
Ah, their loss. I have no idea abou blogging, but know that makeup costs a fortune and can imagine that it is impossible to buy everything. Sometimes things have no rational explanation. Maybe some brand has a consumer target young&rich&stupid (I make it up:) and your readers are 25+ and intelligent? See it as a compliment from their PR:)
ReplyDeleteSara, I'll add swatches here for you tmrw, so you can see it yourself. I hope that ByTerry will launch it outside of spacenk later on. I am pretty sure it is only temporarily exclusive, don't believe they would develop two full products for just one channel. Reminds me Hourglass modernist launch at Barneys NY. I have an impression that this is how companies do now a low-scale in-market product testing to minimize their risk of failure.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane,
ReplyDeleteactually I wouldn't mind because SpaceNK UK sends to Germany, so I am definitely considering it at the moment. I love both of the options, the natural one looks nice too. But you mean I should like the colorful one? ;-)
I am waiting for your swatches excitedly!
Sara, so sorry to hear you had such unpleasant experiences. Yes, sometimes it's one bad apple, but it could be the company itself is creating too many bad apples. When someone is rude, they are usually rude to everyone, not just one person, so try not to take it too personally. And these people are usually unhappy in many areas of their life, so they try to make others miserable, too. Don't let them stop you from doing something you enjoy, which is blogging. I'm very happy to hear you are taking action against the company that starts with Y. If they don't value you or treat you with respect, then there's no reason you should continue to buy, showcase, or review their products. In today's world, companies that don't value or recognize the power of bloggers won't be able to compete against companies that do. I suspect that Y and M are big companies, and the internet is full of reviews for their products already, so diversifying away from these 2 brands might be a good thing for your blog. There are certain blogs that I read because they review great, but lesser- known brands, where reviews are harder to find. Anyways, I'm sure you can find many other companies to write about. Hang in there, don't lose your spirit!
ReplyDeleteOk, I hope it won't spam your comments page too much. The 01SmokyNude is a must for fair skin, but may be less noticeable for a smoky variant on a darker skin. You will of course find dupes, but if I would have to pack for travel now I would rather take one ByTerry palette than 10 other monos and quads because colors combination is very smart. Here are my swatches of 02 COLOUR DESIGN on a dark rainy day. As you see suqqu has similar colors in their recent palettes, but ByTerry has no/less shimmer.
ReplyDeletewow! Jane, you should get a blog for yourself, these are gorgeous swatches, thanks so so much for sharing them with us. Is this the new Suqqu Palette #18? The shades look very saturated and beautiful. You are seriously tempting me!
ReplyDeleteHahaha Jane, this cracked me up.
ReplyDeleteNext time when they turn me down, I will thank them for doing so :-pP
Yes 18 and Ex-23 and some other that I don't remember. This is my very small revenge for you tempting me with something new every day ;)
ReplyDeleteJane!!! You are the one to blame, both of the palettes are on their ways to me ;-)))
ReplyDeleteYou know I got curious about By Terry after these palettes and bought few of their eyeshadow sticks (which are so much better than ones from Laura Mercier), mascara, and 2 of their new nude balms (also a spring collection). Like everything.
ReplyDeleteI know they are the best, I have two shades and trying hard not to order all the line :-P
ReplyDelete