Giorgio Armani Beauty | Orient Excess Palette

The limited edition Orient Excess Palette (CAN $98.00) from the Giorgio Armani Beauty Holiday 2014 Collection, draws its inspiration from the Far East snowy steppes, featuring a blue lacquered compact that holds an evanescent face powder in the upper pan, with a trio of lush eyeshadows on the lower level. Sweetening the deal, this palette also comes with a matching luxurious midnight blue velvet pouch, complete with silver hardware. Clever, Mr. Armani … making it so easy for us ladies to be party-ready.

Giorgio Armani Beauty | Orient Excess Palette with Velvet Pouch

Orient Excess Palette face powder, limited edition | With a star constellation pattern embossed on its surface, this luminous face powder is so exquisitely and finely milled, that it almost disappears into the skin. Meant to impart a “Winter glow” (those words make me think of Imperial Russia, palaces, and moonlit carriage rides … so different from the “Winter Windburn” I’ve often experienced here), this porcelain shade actually applies quite translucently and can be easily buffed into the skin as a finishing touch. I detect the slightest hint of pale peach that lends this powder a bit of warmth, making it wearable for fair-medium complexions as well, although darker skinned types might find this shade a touch ashy. While there is no detectable shimmer, there does seem to be the most subtle gleam (but you really need to be angled properly and in the right lighting to actually catch it), which makes this powder ideal for those looking for an understated highlighter. Staying power is hard to judge (as is trying to capture this shade in photos – the swatches below were applied with a very heavy hand) due to its ultra-fine texture, but I experience no oxidation throughout the wearing.

Giorgio Armani Beauty | Orient Excess Palette, face powder

Giorgio Armani Beauty | Orient Excess Palette, face powder swatches

Orient Excess Palette eyeshadows, limited edition | With the face powder drawing inspiration from a snowy landscape, the colours and textures of this trio of eyeshadows are influenced by luxurious animal pelts, namely: mink, chinchilla, and sable. Developed with the “Fur Colour Pearls” technology (laughter at the name aside) – or pearls of various shapes and sizes (almost microscopic, of course), all three shades bear an incredibly soft texture, unbelievable pigmentation, complex shiny/matte/iridescent gleam, and absolutely sublime blendability. Applying these eyeshadows with a damp brush not only yields a deeper look to each shade, but significantly enhances their internal shimmer. I was actually unprepared for how saturated each colour applies, and so I caution you to start with a light hand and add more as needed. There’s such a depth and lush richness of tone to each shade that makes them multi-faceted and almost 3-dimensional, that I totally get the whole wild animal connection – these are fiercely beautiful eye shadows. Staying power on primed lids: perfection, lasting intact until removed.

Giorgio Armani Beauty | Orient Excess Palette, eyeshadow trio

Giorgio Armani Beauty | Orient Excess Palette, eyeshadow trio swatched dry

Giorgio Armani Beauty | Orient Excess Palette, eyeshadow trio swatched damp

My first thought upon laying eyes on the face powder portion of the Orient Excess Palette, was “how beautiful” followed by “but it’s so white”. That quickly changed to “how beautiful & how wearable” once I began playing around with it – although on my skin tone, I prefer applying this powder mainly to the high planes of my face (tops of cheekbones, forehead, cupid’s bow), as opposed to all over. The eyeshadows of this palette have got to be some of the absolute best powder eyeshadows I’ve ever come across and have colours that definitely transcend the seasons. Seriously, I can’t extoll their virtues enough – they need to be seen & experienced in person. The crowning touch is the stunning little blue velvet pouch with its old-world glamour, perfect for the party/holiday circuit and will guarantee to garner as much attention as the palette itself. In my opinion, this is one of the rare holiday/limited edition gift sets that you should not pass up on – fair warning.

Available now, but limited edition. Find more information by visiting www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com