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Giorgio Armani Onyx, Green Iron, Emeraude Eye Tints Reviews, Photos, Swatches

Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Eye Tint ($38.00 for 0.22 fl. oz.) is a “fluid eyeshadow” that is supposed to be a long-wearing (“16-hour staying power)’ with “deep and intense color.” When they work, they work well, but there is a definite learning curve with the formula. I noticed that sometimes when I pulled the doe-foot applicator out of the tube for a few shades, the consistency was thinner and more watery, and other times, it was almost clumpy with product, though it never felt genuinely thick. If it is more watery than not, it can apply somewhat sheer, but if it is normal (because a more watery pull was more infrequent), it applied beautifully with rich, opaque color coverage (which was what happened most of the time with most shades). It is imperative to spread out the product with a smooth, even layer, or else it can add a textured (read: wrinkled, scaly, etc.) look to the lid.

They dry down in fifteen to twenty seconds, and it doesn’t stay really wet for long, but it remains blendable for almost a minute. I didn’t feel too rushed, but I’d probably do one eye at a time. If you press and rub your finger gently against the lid, there will be transfer, which is why the formula is still blendable even after it dries down. The formula doesn’t feel heavy on, and it feels and looks more like a powder after it dries down. It is also a buildable formula, if you prefer to apply in layers, but it can be trickier to get a really thin, even layer. I used a flat, synthetic brush to apply and then a synthetic crease brush to blend the edges for this formula. They wear an impressive length of time (though not quite 16 hours) and tend to fade more than crease on my normal-to-dry lids (no primer). Once you get the hang of using them, they’re really lovely to use. If you prefer a sheerer look, it’s very easy to use less and blend out more. They seem overpriced (I would have expected $32-34), but at least they come with a fair amount of product (other high-end cream eyeshadows tend to contain an average of 0.14 oz.), which is slightly mitigated by the tube packaging (harder to get every last bit out of it).

Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint ($38.00 for 0.22 fl. oz.) is a dirty, tarnished gold with a hint of pewter. I want to call it a mix of gold, olive, and pewter. It had a more metallic finish with a hint of gold sparkle. The pigmentation on this often varied; one time it would be very opaque (see it applied to the eye–that was a single layer), the next a little watery and thus semi-sheer to semi-opaque. The color wore well for fourteen hours before fading, but there was some minor fall out after eight and a half hours of wear. Chanel Tisse Fantaisie #3 (LE) is powder, warmer. Kat Von D Division (LE) is powder. Cle de Peau Stardust #4 (P) is warmer, powder. Hello Kitty Cookie (LE) is lighter, powder. Chanel Tisse Venitien #3 (P) is less shimmery, lighter, powder. L’Oreal Gilded Envy (755) (P, $7.99) is warmer, powder. NARS Taiga #2 (P, $24.00) is less shimmery, powder. MAC Cakeshop (LE) is lighter. MAC Modern Pewter (LE, $19.50) is lighter, powder. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint ($38.00 for 0.22 fl. oz.) is a warm, olive bronze with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It was richly pigmented with a very smooth consistency that never seemed watery. The color blended out easily, whether you wanted an opaque all-over lid color with diffused edges or a wash of color. This shade wore well for fourteen and a half hours on me before fading. Cle de Peau Stardust #2 (P) is lighter, powder. MAC Psyche (LE, $15.00) is warmer, powder. theBalm Kawabunga (LE, $16.00) is greener, powder. Make Up For Ever D320 Golden Khaki (P, $21.00) is more shimmery, powder (kind of). MAC Olive Blend #3 (LE) is lighter, less shimmery, powder. Urban Decay Stash (LE, $18.00) is greener, powder. Clinique Whopping Willow (P, $17.00) is greener. MAC Fiction (DC, $15.00) is powder. Giorgio Armani #6 (P, $33.00) is browner, powder. Giorgio Armani #14 (LE, $33.00) is powder. bareMinerals Eureka (P) is powder. bareMinerals Speaker Box (LE) is less shimmery, darker, powder. Inglot #419 (P, $6.00) is greener, powder. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Giorgio Armani Emeraude (04) Eye Tint ($38.00 for 0.22 fl. oz.) is a bold, deepened emerald green with cool undertones and a satin sheen. It was intensely pigmented and applied smoothly with even color coverage. On me, it wore well for fourteen hours before fading. It’s hard to find a shade like this, as cooler-toned emerald greens are surprisingly rare! Charlotte Tilbury The Rebel #4 (P) is more shimmery, powder. Make Up For Ever I300 Pine Green (P, $21.00) is bluer, powder. MAC Green Room (LE, $15.00) is lighter, less shimmery, powder. Urban Decay Damaged (LE, $18.00) is warmer, powder. Sephora Collection Walk on the Wild Side (08) (P, $13.00) is warmer, powder. bareMinerals Max Volume (LE) is darker, powder. Bobbi Brown Forest (P, $28.00) is darker. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Onyx (05) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Emeraude (04) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Emeraude (04) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Emeraude (04) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Emeraude (04) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Emeraude (04) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Emeraude (04) Eye Tint

Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Onyx, Green Iron, Emeraude

Giorgio Armani Green Iron (06) Eye Tint
Giorgio Armani Onyx, Green Iron, Emeraude

109 Comments

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xamyx Avatar

As beautiful as these all are, I’m just not a fan of the packaging… It’s one thing to have a wand dipping into a lip product (although not my favorite, either), but eye products are sooo much worse! There are ways around the whole double-dipping issue, but at this pricepoint, I don’t think I’d want to make that effort when there are other products similar enough for alot less. Why not put these in a squeezable tube…?

Christine Avatar

I’ve only had the watery issue with two or three shades from what I’ve tried (and then maybe once out of four attempts), but with the thin, very liquid-like formula, I’m not surprised that not every pull is equal (much like mascara and lipgloss). I wouldn’t say that the formula is inconsistent from experience, but I’m not sure this is the best packaging for it.

Katherine T. Avatar

OMG, my wallet is going to be empty! My lids are oily, I’m always on the prowl for lasting shadows, and these sound like they will stick. I will probably get 2-3 of these. I love Onyx and Green Iron, those are gorgeous and will go well with a variety of shadows.

meganlisa Avatar

I swatched these in Nordstrom last weekend and, while they’re lovely, all I could think was how difficult they would be to use. I’m so glad you put some insight into how you made them work (application wise). The only one that almost got me was 8 so I can’t wait to see your review on that.
Definitely not idiot proof….which would be a good new review measure/category.

Rachel R. Avatar

Emeraude is stunning. I love how unusual these shades are. They are overpriced, though. I don’t like the idea of some of the pulls being watery.

I don’t have a lot of experience with cream shadows. With the doe foot wand, does this make them prone to bacteria like mascara? Would these need to be tossed after a few months?

Christine Avatar

They definitely will have a shorter life span than a powder eyeshadow. The best way to use these is to put the product on a metal palette and then use your brush from there 🙂 OR if you have a clean brush, you can take it from the doefoot applicator, just don’t double dip!

Rachel R. Avatar

Thanks for the tips, Christine.

I don’t think I’d spend this much for limited lifespan, unless it was a shade I know I’d use all the time, but the information application info is useful for the future.

Nicole Avatar

These are really gorgeous. I generally don’t use creams too much. But these are really dimensional. So glad they are permanent with that price tag! What do you have on your lower lashline? There looks to be something gold under? Green Iron is definetely my favorite of these. But it looks awesome how you layered them up. Seems like a lot of work ..one eye at a time,lol!

Grace Avatar

You did a beautiful job on your eyes Christine! It looks gorgeous on you! Not something for me as I think it takes too much work in the morning to use. But it seems like a beautiful product if you had time to play around with it 🙂

Jenny Avatar

Wow, this post definitely helped. Now I know I have to go back for Emeraude! And possibly Green Iron too, LOL. The eye look you have on in the last few pics looks lovely, Christine!

The two shades I got (Rose Ashes and Gold Ashes) are more subtle everyday kind of colors. This post makes me regret not going for the bolder colors since they are gorgeous. I agree with your comments about the application of these eye tints; it does take some getting used to and some learning how to work with the “fluid/cream” formula.

Can’t wait for your reviews of the other shades in the Armani eye tint line =)

beka Avatar

onyx and green iron were two (of the few) i didn’t get. they look beautiful, but i think i might get the cle de peau stardust palette instead-it would end up being cheaper than buying two more eye tints and it would last longer since its powder. i’m definitely worried about being able to use these before they go bad-i hope they don’t turn quickly!

AmyD Avatar

Beautiful, I can’t wait to play with these in person! Considering the texture of these, Christine, do you think they’d be suitable for use as eyeliner?

Amy Avatar

I wore Onyx this weekends and experienced the same problems you did. Unfortunately, I also experienced fallout after about 5 hours. Very pretty color, but kind of disappointing.

Jillian Avatar

Green Iron and Emeraude are going on the Lust List for 2016! Thank goodness they’re permanent! I’m pretty impressed with the 14-14.5hr wear time… that’s pretty darn close to their claims, and doesn’t really sway me away from them! To last THAT long is superb.

Veronica Avatar

Nooooo…Onyx was the only one that caught my eye, so I’m sad to see the lower grade. With my hooded eyes, I need something that stays opaque. I’ll take a look at Chanel’s Epatant instead.

Kylee Avatar

These were the next 3 I was deciding between! I ordered #10 Senso sight unseen and, while it did take a bit to figure out how to use it, I realized there were a lot of ways! I usually apply it over powder shadow to give it more dimension (and it doubles as a bit of a liner). I’ve used a tiny pointed crease brush to smudge it a little underneath my lash line and I’ve used my finger to blend as well after dabbing some on…works better than you’d think, despite the mess. I don’t think it would last that long on me alone…it took years of figuring out what lasts all day on my oily lids…but there are a lot of really cool ways you can incorporate these into any look! I think I might need more/all of them.

Genevieve Avatar

These are totally beautiful colours and I think they would suit a lot of people. They certainly really suit you Christine. They just work with your complexion.
Seeing that I have the Charlotte Tilbury’s the Rebel, the Playlist and quite a few other palettes – I already have these colours. I prefer to use eyeshadows rather than eyeliners – way too messy for me and besides I wear glasses – very hard to put on without the specs!
But they are seriously beautiful eyeliners.

Bonnie Avatar

Onyx (which kills me that it’s the lowest grade of these!!!) and Shadow, which I saw you just reviewed!!! Maybe one more, depending on reviews? I definitely agree that at this price point, they need to be used and frequently – so as beautiful as the bolder colors are, I just know I wouldn’t use them enough to justify the price. I do bold lips but not as much bold eyes! Your “crazy color” lipstick reviews are always my favorite!! Can’t get enough blue/green/purple lippies! 😉

BOTTÂNICA BOTTANIQUE Avatar

I wrote on your sneak peak that “My bank account shall tremble”. It has just trembled, because “two” of my four favorites shades of this range received “temptalia recommends”.

Pteetsa Avatar

Christine, thanks so much for the review and the eyeshadow look! I bought Green Iron and Emeraude over the weekend, but I was on the fence with Emeraude even though it is beautiful because I didn’t know how I would wear it. So thanks for the inspiration – I didn’t think to put Green Iron and Emeraude together, but it looks really pretty and not as intimidating that way!

Sylirael Avatar

Ah Emeraude! ^_^ Pleased to hear that they do live up (more or less) to their claim – if you take it as ‘really long-wearing’ rather than an exact 16 hours. The look you did is gorgeous – I especially love the mix of colours on the lower lash line – how the brightness and wamth there sets off the slightly cooler, more muted lid colours…

*wanders off, dreamily*

MelanieB. Avatar

$38 for one shadow is really steep, especially since these are a wand application that will have to be thrown out in a few months for sanitary reasons…

Anna Avatar

I am getting 3 of these! Love Armani and love the way these look. They are not among those reviewed here and I have to order online so it could go either way but I am getting 3 anyway.

Carrie Avatar

Thanks for the review! Do these still transfer after a minute or so? I have hooded eyes, and am wondering if they will transfer onto my lower browbone (as my lid presses against it when my eyes are open). I’m considering Flannel and Emeraude.

fuji Avatar

Emeraude is indeed beautiful! And you created a gorgeous look with it, Christine. I picked it up yesterday at Nordstrom before you posted the review. My love towards teal and green just led me to it instinctly. So glad I did that and seeing you have the same pick! Yayyyyy for the A rating.

fuji Avatar

It worked perfect! I started wearing it around 3 pm when the SA at Nordstrom put it on me. Then that night I was too tired that i forgot to take off my makeup and just passed out. The next morning, the color is still intact and not crumbed or disappeared. Most of the shimmery were still there. So that should be at least 15 hours or probably more. Bad habit I know, but great for product testing . Lol.

CeeCee Avatar

I wonder how these stack up to Rimmel’s version of a kind of liquid eyeshadow. I haven’t had a chance to play with them myself but those might be a more budget friendly version

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