The Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder is currently available in 4 shades and comes in a large mirrored compact. I love the large size of these and the formula is really nice. It’s described as “ultra creamy” but to me it feels more like a silky soft smooth powder with any creamy feel to it.
These have a luminous glow to them with noticeable shimmer particles. On the skin they don’t appear shimmery though, it’s more of a subtle glow on the skin.
I picked Shade 100 and 110 since I wear their Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5 (recommendation for Medium to Tan skin 5.5 to 8). I like Shade 100 best on me right now. 110 is a little too dark and pulls a little reddish on me. Overall I really like the texture, undertone, finish and how they blend. I give these a solid A+.
Armani also launched a new gloss formula called the Prisma Glass High Shine Lip Gloss. There are 6 shades plus a clear option. They’re a smooth non-sticky kind of gloss with a super high shine and sheer pigment. You can layer it for the color to show up without it being too thick but overall pigment level is pretty sheer. You also have to do some serious wand pumping to get product onto the applicator. I would have loved it if the colors showed up better, but I really love the color and finish.
They do have a subtle plumping effect on my lips. It’s not a full tingle or numbing effect but it does feel like your lips become fuller after a few minutes.
Overall, very pretty and I get tons of compliments with this gloss, but it’s a bit high maintenance in the application, pretty spendy for the amount you get and the applicator doesn’t pick up enough product on its own.
There is a soft pearlescent quality to some of the shades I tried but on the lips it’s really not noticeable.
03 Honey Gleam is a pretty nude honey orange
02 Candy Halo is a warm fresh pink
05 Berry Beam is a cooler-toned rose pink (almost lilac)
04 Cherry Glaze is a bright but very sheer cherry red
Overall some really nice fresh makeup launches I think are very wearable and pretty for a polished but still natural look. For a smooth gloss I still think the Pat McGrath LUST Gloss and Dior Addict Lip Maximizers are better for formula + pigment, but I am still really enjoying the new glosses from Armani.
Armani Beauty launched their Luminous Silk Glow Blushes ($38) earlier this spring. I’m late to the game trying these but after falling in love with 51 Amore I picked up more shades including one of the new colors 11 Warm Nude and thought I’d put these on your radar.
The Luminous Silk Glow Blush is a soft natural looking blush with a silky smooth texture. If you’re looking for a natural blush that is easy to apply with medium buildable coverage these are the ones to check out! Powders have a finely milled texture which makes it blend right into the skin.
Lasting power is excellent (I love powder blushes in general). I have 5 shades now and all of them perform exceptionally well.
11 In Love/Warm Nude is a neutral nude beige, on me it pulls more neutral-cool
30 Offbeat is a bright apricot matte
50 Euphoric is a golden pink, on my complexion it looks more like a highlighter, but if I layer this on top of another blush or cream blush the pink base shows more
51 Amore is the perfect rose pink
52 Ecstasy is a beautiful cool bright pink
My favorite is 51 Amore. I also love layering these together. The peachy ones 30 and 50 layer really nicely together.
If I had tried them all in person before ordering, I would have probably skipped 11. I think it will work nicely on lighter or cooler skin tones. For my medium tan olive skin it pulls a little too neutral. I prefer Laura Mercier Fresco or Charlotte Tilbury First Love for the perfect neutral blush (on my skintone).
A couple more Armani mentions. I still really love the Luminous Silk Foundation formula. Everytime I use it I am just blown away by how smooth and naturally glowy my skin looks with this base. I use the Shade 6.5. The Luminous Silk Concealer is one of the best full coverage concealers I’ve used. I also use Shade 6.5 which pulls a little lighter than the foundation so it’s perfect for brightening. The Luminous Silk Glow Setting Powder is another favorite. It’s a glowy powder but not too glowy for all over the face. However if you don’t like any glow or shimmer all over it may be too much for you in which case I’d recommend trying either the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Setting Powder or Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder (my 2 holy grail setting powders right now).
It’s also been a while since I reviewed the Lip Power Lipsticks and I don’t think I ever swatched all the shades so here is the lineup of what I have. They’re creamy, full coverage, comfortable and have great lasting power.
I wear Shade 103 and 109 the most. I think those are the most wearable and flattering. They’re also the ones I get the most “what’s on your lips?” questions for. Shade 107 is a newer shade which ended up being a little too dark on my complexion. If you’re all about the 90s brown tones I think you’ll love it. For me I’ll probably save it for fall/winter.
Bottom line, love the Luminous Silk Glow Blushes. I wish they had more colors to choose from but I love what they have right now.
I’ve been playing with some new fragrances this holiday season and one of my latest discoveries is the Giorgio Armani My Way Eau de Parfum. Armani has been a favorite since the day it launched and I’m excited to partner with Nordstrom to share a look at this beautiful fragrance alongside some of my go-to makeup staples.
The Armani My Way Eau de Parfum is something I would describe as a bright sweet floral. If you like tuberose and jasmine you will love this. It also has notes of bergamot, orange blossom, vanilla, white musk and cedarwood, but to me the floral notes dominate. It has a slight fruity undertone to it which makes it sweet, but not too sweet. Lasting power is quite amazing – just a few spritzes lasts all day long. It’s definitely one that lifts and brightens the mood – it’s a happy kind of scent!
A few of my makeup staples from Armani include:
Luminous Silk Foundation – among the best of the best for a natural glow foundation with good lasting power, medium coverage and a wide shade range! My match is usually 6.5 or 7 depending on time of year. I am wearing Shade 7 in this post.
Luminous Silk Concealer – one of the best opaque full coverage concealers that is still easy to blend. I wear shade 6.5 for brightening and spot concealing. A little goes a long way so you don’t need a lot.
Fluid Sheer – The Fluid Sheers were my very first Armani purchase back when I discovered the line. I really love Shade 2 for the perfect champagne glow. Right now since I’m more tan I like Shade 11 because it’s such a pretty soft bronze. I apply them as a highlighter on the cheek bones.
Armani My Way is available in a few size options and sets. Mine is the 1.7 fl oz/50 ml option for $97.00 (retail). If you’re looking for a gift for someone who already has everything, you can’t go wrong with gifting them their favorite fragrance. It’s something they can always use! If you love sweet florals I think this is worth checking out.
One of my favorite tried and true foundation formulas is the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. It’s one of the best formulas for that natural flawless glow and one I’ve repurchased many times over. I’m so excited to partner with Sephora to give you a closer look two new additions to the Luminous Silk lineup. This year marks the 20th anniversary for the foundation and they’ve added their new Luminous Silk Concealer and Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer. You can find all three available now at Sephora, just in time for the Spring Savings Event (use code SPRINGSAVE):
Rouge members save 20% off 4/17 to 5/1
VIB members save 15% off 4/21 to 4/29
Insiders save 10% off 4/23 to 4/27
Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer
The Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer is an ultra smooth silky primer. It has a soft peach pink tint but blends into a transparent finish on the skin. A little goes a long way and it glides on easily. Although the foundation is so good I can often wear it on its own, I do find the primer noticeably grips the foundation for smoother longer wear. It’s hydrating but lightweight.
Best Naturally Glowy Base: Luminous Silk Foundation
I’ve featured the Luminous Silk Foundation here countless times – it’s one I wear on a weekly basis for that natural radiant glow. It’s a great everyday foundation with medium buildable coverage. I love that it comes with a pump dispenser and it’s easy to blend with fingers, a brush or a sponge. I alternate between shades 6.5 and 7 depending on how tan I am. They’ve recently added 10 new shades for different undertones and the color range now includes 40 colors. I like this formula because it looks like my skin but better. It evens out the skin, leaves a smooth finish, doesn’t crease or transfer, looks natural. Even in humid warm weather it lasts long on me when set with a powder.
Luminous Silk Concealer
As a lover of the Armani bases, I was really excited to try the new Luminous Silk Concealer. I found 6.5 to be the best match for my needs. It’s a multi-purpose concealer with caffeine to reduce puffiness around the eyes. You can use it for brightening or spot concealing. It’s quite opaque but very easy to blend with fingers or a sponge. It has medium to full coverage with a natural dewy finish and satiny dry down. I would recommend going with the same shade of concealer as your foundation.
I love how long the formula lasts on my skin. I do set with a loose or pressed powder to keep everything in place. (I really love the Neo Nude Powder.) I hope you found this Luminous Silk review helpful! I highly recommend the foundation for any skin type. It works for a wide range of climate conditions as well for me and I’ve worn it for years.
You can shop my Armani favorites from Sephora below. Have you tried the Armani Luminous Silk or any of the other foundation formulas? What did you think?
Many thanks to Sephora for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions are my own.
Finding a good makeup base is something I always get questions about and I have three newer formulas to review today. It’s taken me a while to try some of them because I’ve had several allergic reactions to product this year. Testing a number of things on my face on any given week can be tricky so I had to wait for skin to recover and retest just the foundations to check it all out. The good news is that none of these foundations caused my allergic reaction. If you have sensitive skin check the ingredients and do a patch test first. For those curious I was allergic to some of the Dr. Bronner liquid soaps that I used to wash my sponges in and a couple sunscreens I put on my face (more on the sunscreens later because I have a dedicated roundup for those). The three I’m reviewing today include:
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid Foundation
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid Foundation ($56) launched earlier this year. So many of you have loved the Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick and were excited about the liquid version. It has very mixed reviews online and I also have mixed feelings. The Vanish Seamless Finish Liquid is an opaque full coverage foundation with a velvety matte finish. I feel any time a foundation is a full matte + full coverage it’s not forgiving because you need an exact match and often times it can emphasize imperfections. This is not an easy foundation to wear but it is workable if you can find a good match. The trick to applying is to use very little and buff with their Vanish Foundation Brush. Most of the time I really prefer sponges but with this one even a damp sponge will pick up too much product. Color matching was tricky for me because a lot of the shades run really yellow/olive. I consider myself yellow/golden but many of the shades are too yellow for me. My best match is Nude which you can see below blends and darkens slightly to give a perfect match right now.
It’s described as a base that doesn’t need primer, but I 100% think it needs one. It works well with the Hourglass Veil Primer and less than 1 full pump is enough to dot my face and apply all over. Once buffed and blended with their brush it covers my skin entirely. Most of my sun spots and freckles aren’t visible. It looks seamless but matte. Setting with a power is essential and the best one to use with this is their lightweight Veil Translucent Loose Setting Powder. Since it’s opaque and matte adding some other matte powders can make it look too matte.
For me it lasted all day without budging – I did need to use a primer and buff with the brush. Without a primer or applied with a sponge it started to look very cakey within a few hours.
The Kosas Tinted Face Oil ($42) has received a lot of attention from you! It’s very fluid as it is an oil so I apply straight to a sponge. Applying on the back of my hand or fingers results in a very runny drippy mess. I didn’t know what to expect from an oil as a foundation, especially living in humid Florida and having combination skin I was pretty skeptical about this. My match is Shade 6. It has surprisingly decent coverage given how sheer and fluid it is. It’s not as sheer as the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer, but the Kosas is still sheer-medium. Once on the skin it will look very dewy. I have to set with a powder otherwise it’s too dewy. I like to use this on no-makeup makeup days or for the beach when I need just a little coverage. Most days I feel like I need and want coverage so for me this is not an everyday kind of product. Being an oil it’s not really budge-proof and it will require touch ups if you’re outdoors. On me it will last for hours without issue if I’m indoors for most of the day. I do need to set with a powder and a couple of touch ups are necessary. I can layer concealer on top for more coverage and it does make the skin look very nice and fresh, but I need powder otherwise it’s really too dewy for my preference.
Bare skin on the right. On the left added brows and mascara with Chanel Rouge Coco Flash in Jour but the skin has just the tinted oil on it, no concealer or powder.
The Armani Power Fabric Foundation Balm ($64) came highly recommended by several friends. I would like to test it more but I’ve received so many questions I thought I’d give you my first impressions. Initial thoughts are that it is very good, but I think other formulas are better. It’s a solid balm foundation that has a semi-velvety matte finish. Coverage is very good. On me it’s nearly full coverage but still manages to look like skin. I ordered the color 6.5 which is a pretty good match, it pulls a little more on the neutral side versus the Luminous Silk or Power Fabric Liquid 6.5 (both are more golden). I would have preferred it to be a little more golden but it works one blended. Pros are that it makes the skin look really nice, even and smooth with good coverage. I applied with the sponge applicator it comes with and it doesn’t absorb too much product. It looks like skin but a lot better. The downsides for me are that it can emphasize dry patches or texture and after 5-6 hours or so it separates if I don’t set with a good powder. I need to experiment with different primers but with either the Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream or Drunk Elephant Polypeptide Moisturizer it looks good on the skin. I really do like the way it looks, covers and blends. All that said I prefer the liquid Power Fabric Foundation a lot more in terms of coverage and lasting power – on me it just looks better. First impressions are that it’s worth checking out. It’s a nice solid formula foundation and photographs well. I just prefer their Luminous Silk and Power Fabric Liquid for lasting power and finish and color.
Two close ups wearing the Balm Foundation on the face, no powder or concealer. On the lips is By Terry Lip Expert Shine in Bare Flirt.
Swatch comparisons:
Ingredients from Nordstrom:
Cyclohexasiloxane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isohexadecane, Polyethylene, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Arachidyl Propionate, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Lauroyl Lysine, Aluminum Hydroxide, Parfum/Fragrance, Perlite, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool, [+/- May Contain Ci 77891/Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499/Iron Oxides].
Quick note on the Power Fabric Concealer. I reviewed it in a roundup earlier but I’m still really loving it! I use Shade 6.5 and it has good coverage and an easy to blend texture. It’s described as a full matte finish concealer but to me it’s not really a full matte and I find it more of a natural middle of the road finish (I consider the Cle de Peau Concealer to be a true full matte). Definitely give it a swatch at the counter as the dry down feel will vary depending on your skin type. If you need something creamy I think the best one is still the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.
___________________
I hope you found this foundation roundup helpful! I ended up liking the one from Hourglass the best out of the three formulas but the shade range makes it challenging for me to find a good match since it pulls very yellow and colors oxidize/darken. Nude works for me now and I’m hoping Beige will work as spring/summer progresses and I tan. I try to stay covered as much as I can but there’s no avoiding the sun in Florida! The Kosas Tinted Face Oil is a nice product that gives the face that fresh dewy glow but if you have oily skin it will most likely make you look too dewy. I’m still undecided about the Armani Power Fabric Balm. I really want to 100% love it and think it’s a good one, but it did emphasize some dry patches and I feel like the Power Fabric Liquid is better in terms of how it blends and sits on my skin.
Kosas Tinted Face Oil and Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Liquid provided for review.
I’m have Part 2 of my beauty recommendations for the second weekend of the Sephora Holiday Bonus Beauty Insider Event! This weekend continues with savings for Rouge Tier Members. This roundup focuses on my top makeup favorites for bases, cheeks, eyes and lips. You can find Part 1 Skin, Body and Hair recommendations here. Dates, codes and details:
Rouge get 20% Off 11/2-11/5 with code: ROUGEBONUS
VIB get 20% off 11/9-11/12 with code: VIBBONUS
Insiders/ Non-BI members get 15% off 11/16-11/19 with code: BIBONUS
Terms, conditions and exclusions listed here. I tried to narrow my absolute top picks and favorites limiting myself to under 10 per category. There are so many good products available right now, especially with holiday beauty launches. Most of these are products I consider tried and true staples but there are a few newer items I’ve tried recently I think are really worth the splurge. Products that are press samples have a * next to them.
La Mer Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation is new, I was thrilled to find a match in Warm Bisque, review coming soon but it is amazing and it comes with a refill. I will say I do think there are color gaps, definitely try before you buy. I suspect when I lose my summer tan this color I’ve bought will definitely be too dark. It’s also very dewy in finish but will set well if you finish with a powder. I’ve since re-sampled the Soft Fluid Long Wear Foundation at the counter and really want to buy it, I’m in between Beige and Suede though.
Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer was my previous favorite full coverage foundation, it’s still very natural looking and lasts all day, I still love this one but the LM wins for now.
Erborian BB Creme or CC Creme are my favorites for natural finish, although I feel they are better suited for normal to dry skin or normal, if you’re oily these might be too rich for you.
Cover FX Power Play Concealer * is new, full review soon, this really impressed me for a full coverage concealer, it glides onto the skin without caking – if you found the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away too thick but still wanted something full coverage, I’d recommend you check out the Cover FX option.
Hourglass Veil Translucent Loose Powder * is one of the new launches this year, I love this for it’s truly translucent finish (no white cast) and sheer natural matte finish.
Armani Neo-Nude Fusion Powder is the best all over setting pressed glow powder, doesn’t make me too shiny, just adds the perfect amount of even coverage and glow, if you’re oily you should probably opt for an all matte option though. Review here.
La Mer Sheer Pressed Powder is one I have gone through several of Light and Medium, it’s the best sheer natural pressed matte powder I’ve tried, although I will say I think MAC Next to Nothing Pressed is a very close dupe that’s cheaper (but they don’t carry MAC at Sephora).
Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray is my go-to setting spray to set makeup and help make it last longer. It’s available in a number of size options including a mini if you want to try one before splurging on the full size.
Eye Makeup:
Charlotte Tilbury Stars in Your Eyes Eyeshadow Palette is the prettiest large eyeshadow palette I think I’ve tried of the season, it rivals NARS Singapore (which is sold out everywhere as it was limited-edition), versatile for a wide range of looks – reviewed here. Swatches of the palette in this post here.
Urban Decay Naked2, Naked3 or Naked Cherry are great options if you’re new to shadow and don’t know where to start. Naked2 has the neutral taupes and browns, Naked3 runs more pink but still neutral, Naked Cherry * is trendy but still wearable. I reviewed Naked Cherry in this post here. There is also this pretty awesome Naked Cherry Vault in a limited-edition set available now too.
Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon is probably my favorite warm neutral, it goes with anything and everything and brightens the face with any cheek color. Nude Dip comes in close second for neutrals.
Pat McGrath anything wins unless you’re not a glitter fan in which case I still think her MTHRSHP Subliminal Platinum Bronze Palette is amazing (review here). I’ll have a review of her Opulence collection posted tomorrow so stay tuned!
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks are my most worn shadow sticks, I don’t have oily lids so they last all day for me and don’t crease. Rosegold is my holy grail go-to shade I wear the most, followed by Copper.
Natasha Denona makes amazing eyeshadows, the pigment, intensity and complexity of her palettes are really truly beautiful. It’s hard for me to pick one but I think her Camel or 5-Pan in Color Option #2 are great ones.
Brows and Lashes:
Anastasia Brow Wiz * in Medium Brown has been a go-to until I discovered Dior and Hourglass, since getting highlights I’ve felt the need to change my brow color to match a bit more, Taupe and Caramel have been working great for me.
Diorshow Brow Styler in Univeral Brown is still my holy grail, it still works even with highlights!
Tom Ford Lip Colors are amazing in coverage and color selection. I love shades like Sugar Glider, Bad Lieutenant, Indian Rose, Pink Dusk (swatched here) or any of the Boys and Girls for minis (current year’s swatched here).
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk is my universal lipliner for days I feel like adding it. Most of the time I skip it, but this color seems to go with all the neutrals I own.
That wraps up my top makeup picks and recommendations for things you can find during the Sephora Beauty Insider Event! Hope this helps if you’re looking for ideas. It’s always nice to have these events each year to help save on new things or to stock up on favorites. I’ll have a haul post soon and will also have another giveaway when I post the haul.
Dates, codes and details, online and in store at Sephora:
Rouge get 20% Off 11/2-11/5 with code: ROUGEBONUS
VIB get 20% off 11/9-11/12 with code: VIBBONUS
Insiders/ Non-BI members get 15% off 11/16-11/19 with code: BIBONUS
Let me know if you hauled anything yet! Or any fun beauty items recently if you’re not shopping the Sephora Beauty Insider Event. Always love hearing about what you end up buying!
Press samples indicated with a * next to the product listings.
Armani Beauty just launched a new lipstick formula called Ecstasy Shine ($38 each for .1 oz, made in France). These are high shine lipsticks with a balmy feel with medium to rich coverage. The lighter color shades have a sheerer finish while the deeper or bright ones are one-swipe wonders on my pigmented lips. They have a finish and texture that reminds me of the first generation of sheer lipsticks Armani launched many years ago (I’m thinking around 2001-ish) but without as much slip or sheerness. Given the balm-like texture these still have some slip but they don’t disappear on my lips as quickly as some of the older Armani formulas. They feel ultra nourishing, comforting and smooth on the lips. There’s a glossy sheen and while they aren’t long-lasting like regular lipsticks or nearly as rich or long-lasting as their Lip Magnets I find they do stay put on the lips until you drink or snack. These feel so nice on the lips I don’t mind reapplying.
I’m a sheer lipstick and lip gloss lover so these are right up my alley. To me they have more of a summer feel with the color scheme and texture but as one who really doesn’t favor matte lips I’m not complaining. The color lineup is filled with timeless classics. I need to make a trip to the counter to see if I can find a good plum shade. My favorite of course is a neutral 100. I can’t help but feel 506 is a perfect fuchsia and Armani does really good orangey-reds and classic reds. As far as I can tell there’s no detectable scent once on the lips. The lipstick in the tube has a natural kind of scent that smells like an essential oil. Something you might expect in a lip treatment or balm. Once I have it on the lips I can’t smell anything. They have a similar vibe to the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines but the Armani has a little less slip, no fruity scent, and more pigment. I love both formulas but this one from Armani feels more along lines of a classic tinted balm lipstick. Bottom line: glossy, nicely hydrating and a great color range.
