Armani Maestro Eye & Brow in Gold 09

Disclaimer:  I purchased this.

Something about the new Giorgio Armani Maestro Eye & Brow captured my fancy, so I ended up getting two of them during the Barney's Love Yourself event:  09 Gold and 04 Medium Brown. 

I knew I wanted Gold primarily as an eye shadow, given that the Eye & Brow Maestro's are billed as a 4-in-1 product:  brow shaper, eye liner, eye shadow, and hair root touch up.  With the water-proof and 24-hour wear claims, this multi-tasker sounded worthy of it's $34 price.

Gold is a gorgeous bright metallic yellow gold that I'm finding extremely easy to wear on its own or over other shadows.  You can go from a sheer, gauzy wash to full on smooth color intensity in a few finger swipes.  I can't speak to the 24-hr wear claim, but this did wear nicely for a good 8-9 hours on my oily lids (over primer, always).

I've also tried Gold mixed with 04 Medium Brown (Ambre) on my brows, to good effect.  It's too light for me on it's own for my brows, although I could use it as a root touch up, if I didn't cringe at the idea of using such an expensive product in that fashion.

Gold worn as a wash over Maybelline's Color Tattoo Caramel Cool

So, after using for several weeks, I'm left with this observation:  the Armani Eye & Brow Maestro's bear more than a passing resemblance to Maybelline's 24/7 Color Tattoo cream shadows.  Not necessarily in being color dupes, but in the formula.  Bold Gold was the closest in color to Gold, with Gold having more sparkle and leaning more yellow in tone.  My Bold Gold as gotten drier in consistency, although I can still wear it fine.  Some of my newer Color Tattoo's feel the exact same as the Eye & Brow Maestro's, however, and the pots they are housed in are exactly the same.  Hmmm.

I'm quite happy with the Maestro Eye & Brow colors I picked up, and I'll review 04 Medium Brown soon.  At $34 each, however, I'd say they just further deepen my love for Maybelline's much less expensive Color Tattoo cream shadows! 

Gold 09 worn over Caramel on eyes and mixed with Medium Brown on brows