PRODUCT REVIEW: Giorgio Armani MAESTRO "Fusion Makeup" and Concealer

Ah the great Armani Maestro savior...It's been hyped for months now all over the internet, all over the blogs and magazines. But I fail to see WHY.  I am really trying to figure out if what these other bloggers reviewed is what is for sale and available to the masses. I didn't get a "press sample" (nor have I ever!) and I am seriously convinced that the press samples they send out are nothing like what actually goes on sale. Because otherwise I would have encountered some kind of miracle water in the Nordstrom Galleria over the weekend and instead I got samples of this shit.

I say "review" like it's a full review, but it's not really, because I tried this out once at the counter and once more myself from the sample I brought home.  I didn't even take photos, though now I wish I had.   The price is ridiculous--and as you know I will pay for what is fantastic--its just NOT that great.  

It's supposed to be billed as "not foundation" and "not concealer" and be taking the super-natural look to the next step. The way the SA at the counter described it was that it would provide "flawless coverage with a natural skin finish that stays put without needing powder".  I have no idea who told this person that would be accurate because it's the furthest thing from the truth.

1) there is literally zero coverage, and any pigment it has in it settles in any crater, wrinkle, blemish, whathaveyou and will make it look 10 times gnarlier than it already does. My skin is pretty decent if you ignore the area around my eyes. But I looked at least 10 years older and like I had crater face. And I do not generally have crater face.

2) "natural skin finish" in this case is like a grease bomb. It's in a very different formulation than any product out there, an oil base, and I don't believe contains any water. It's perfect for super dry skin in that respect. But for me, I looked like a grease ball who needed a shower. It did not work for my skin at all.

3) the only way this stuff would stay on me was with powder, and frankly, I was ok with it NOT staying on me. I looked better without makeup at all.

I don't really have a good shade match in this line (or any for that matter) but I tried it in #2. It was a little too pink for me, despite that color-blind fool telling me how yellow it was. It was not yellow. Compared to other shades in the range, it was yellow-er, but certainly not yellow OR olive.  

As for the concealer...A VERY thin...very runny texture. Just like the foundation. They claim it should be thicker but ever so slightly. Nope. Same.  The shades 2 and 2.5 and 3  for concealer were decent, the range for light shades is great, not so much for darker shades, because there are only like 6 shades. They do run strange, as I find this line's color and numbering system to be totally weird. But the coverage was, again, non-existent. If you actually need concealment of circles...again, not happening with this product. 

It actually makes me irrationally livid when someone tries to sell me on "buildable coverage" or tells me something with "buildable coverage" is full coverage. No. Make it opaque in one coat. Make it CONCEAL without making me layer it, because what's the fucking point of concealer that doesn't conceal?!!  I don't get it. "They" also claim that over time this stuff will fix your circles with Haloxyl and other ingredients. That stuff only works with circles caused by hyperpigmentation, not by people with deep set eyes, and super thin skin. So they're setting you up for failure right from the start since most circles are never correctable, short of surgery, and even then...most aren't even candidates. 

Anyway...I think it's a pass. I know, the rest of the internet thinks it's gold in a jar. But I don't really get why. And many of the people posting photos of their supposed "color matches" must be color blind, because they don't look like they match in photos.  Both products are available from the Armani Beauty site, and Nordstrom.com.