Giorgio Armani Beauty Eyes to Kill Intense in Gold Hercule from the Kaleidoscope Collection for Fall 2013

There are six new Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows ($33) in Armani's new Kaleidoscope Collection. Gold Hercule, shown directly above, is the shade that knocked my socks off. I purchased mine at Saks Fifth Avenue.

The pearlescent shades offer a kaleidoscopic effect, the illusion of changing color depending on the direction of light (note this statement; it's important). The colors are never what they seem; each movement creates a new nuance of color.  From gold to red, violet to pink, blue to green, aqua blue to violet, their holographic effects span the color spectrum.

Eyes to Kill Intense is not new, so I'm sure you're familiar with it. Its innovative hybrid texture, which is not a powder nor a cream, provides a smooth, lasting color film to the eyelids. Each shade is intensified with a second pigment for a multidimensional effect. In just one swoop, you can create a wet, shimmering smoky eye. Use more for serious drama.

The technology, Armani's Color-Fil, was used for the first time in an eye shadow with Eyes to Kill Intense. A new high-resistance bi-polymer enables the formula to perfectly fit the color to the eyelid with cushiony suppleness, providing comfortable long wear. It will provide 24-hour color wear (if you need it) and it crease-proof, flake-proof, waterproof, and sweat-proof. Eyes To Kill Intense Eyeshadows glide on, stay on, but wipe off in an instant (using heavy-duty eye makeup remover). You can apply them wet or dry with your fingers or the Armani large eye contour brush.

I started trying to take swatch photos of Gold Hercule in full sunlight outdoors. I knew I wasn't getting getting good photos because the shadow, once applied to my arm with a sponge-tipped applicator, looked too silvery, too blue, too something - not at all like it looked inside or in the pot. Perhaps this manifestation is only one of many shades in its kaleidoscope of colors?

The color above didn't show you the magnificent golden green that defines Gold Hercule (in the pot). So, I did the unthinkable. I went inside and stood in a bright window. There, I saw what I felt was a truer representation, so I snapped a few photos without flash.  The best one is below.

Quite a difference, don't you think? Outdoors, the iridescent green is subdued - a mélange of colors that is hard to describe. Indoors, the green is prominent, with a shimmering with shimmering gold highlights. I like both colors. There is a third color you'll see when you test it. It looks quite a bit like an antiqued green. I couldn't capture that color on "film."

I'll admit I haven't worn Gold Hercule to an evening event, so I have no idea what it might look like in candlelight or dim light. I do know how it looks in strong daylight outdoors and in. I'm fascinated by it.

The new Kaleidoscope Collection is available at all Giorgio Armani Beauty counters. It is online at the Giorgio Armani Beauty Web site and other online sites.

Photo at top courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty; other photos by Best Things in Beauty