Giorgio Armani Beauty Maestro Eraser Dark Circle Concealer

Ready for blockbuster number 2? Giorgio Armani Beauty's new Maestro Eraser Dark Circle Concealer ($40) is a category changer.

According to WWD, "beauty companies are laser-focused on the eye area." Apparently, so are women. For the 12 months ending in May, prestige eye treatments rose 10% in sales. That's pretty impressive in a relatively flat market.

Using the same revolutionary technology he rolled out with Maestro Fusion Makeup, Armani developed Maestro Eraser Dark Circle Eraser. It's an illuminating concealer that instantly brightens the eye area, gradually fades dark circles, and moisturizes the eyelids - and does it weightlessly.

A new hybrid concealer category combining skin care and makeup, with an incomparably fine texture. A therapeutic and illuminating concealer that instantly brightens the eye area, gradually fades away the blue tone of dark circles, and moisturizes eyelids to enhance the eyes and radiance of the face. The eye area glows, and the complexion's natural radiance is revived. 

As with the new foundation, I've been privileged to wear Maestro Eraser Dark Circle Concealer for the last 10 days or so. courtesy of Armani Beauty. The first time I squeezed some into my palm, a thin liquid came out of the tube. My thought was, "No way this is going to conceal." I was such a skeptic, and I was so wrong.

I did the one-eye-only test and started in the mirror in disbelief. That thin liquid brightened my eye area, evened the skin tone, blurred my imperfections, and did it all without leaving any weight or product feel on my under-eye area. I was blown away. I added a tiny bit more on the area where my nose meets my inner eye (which I wanted to brighten even more), and I was stunned again. That second coating of thin liquid disappeared, leaving a much better looking me.

An illuminating agent that Armani calls "moonlight" brightens the eye area and reflects light. An active ingredient, haloxyl, is said to visibly diminish dark circles after two months of use (certainly a realistic estimate). It works by reducing the level of pigmentation in the skin, boosting our natural ability to keep our skin pure and improving elasticity and firmness.

Armani Beauty recommends you you apply Maestro Eraser Dark Circle Concealer with your fingertips, and with this one, I agree. Gently - very gently - massage eye area for enhanced performance. My natural tendency is to pat.

The results of Armani's tests on 61 women were superb. The tests focus on short-term findings because they were only carried out for seven days.

• 93.4% of women found Maestro Eraser's texture is fine and light.
• 91.8% found it lightweight to wear and imperceptible on the skin.
• 91.8% said that it is soft on application.
• 95.1% experienced no skin stickiness.

Armani's patented Fusion Technology is responsible for this paradoxical sheer concealer that offers coverage and brightening. Its ultra-fine oil-pigment suspension perfects the complexion with a fluid so light, the only way to know you're wearing it is to look at the remarkable appearance of your face. There's no "makeup feel" or look at all. Because it offers treatment properties, I'll continue to wear it for the requisite two months to see if I can detect improvements in the skin tone around my eyes.

If you want to read some science about haloxyl, one of the active ingredients, check out this link from its maker. This concealer also includes caffeine - known to constrict and reduce puffiness - hydrators, peptides, and other state-of-the-art skin-care ingredients.

I will caution, this product isn't Dermablend. If you need serious concealer coverage (e.g., after an eye procedure or for disfiguration), this concealer won't provide an alternative. I want to set expectations properly. It's for a majority of us, but not for special cases.

It will be available in six shades this month at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site and at counters in fine department stores. I'd recommend you check it out. It's already in-store at some Neiman Marcus stores, just in time for Beauty Event.

Photo courtesy of Neiman Marcus