Armani’s spring collection this year is called Effetto Nudo. I saw the items a couple weeks ago at my local Armani counter. My favorite Armani artists called me and kindly set aside some items for me which turned out to be a good thing since items were literally flying off the shelves as soon as they arrived in store. I picked up the new Fluid Sheer #13 ($62 for 30 ml/1 fl oz) and Belladonna Highlighter ($88 for 5g/0.1777 oz).
Fluid Sheer #13 is a pale opalescent cream shimmer. Belladonna is a cream-colored champagne shimmery highlighter in a mirrored compact. Both are very light in color but not overly pale on the skin. They have a transparent luminosity that gives a nude glow effect without washing out the skin.
The Fluid Sheer #13 (limited-edition) is new for spring. True to classic Armani form, this is a beautiful sheer liquid highlighter that you can use mixed in with foundation or on top of the cheekbones for a luminous glow. #13 is a very pale cream with an oyster-shell-like opalescent sheen. It flashes a bit of pink which I think is unique compared to others in the market. Compared to other Fluid Sheers, #13 is significantly sheerer with a softer shimmer. On my skin the color almost disappears when applied over foundation/cheekbones. The shimmer adds a luminous transparent glow to the skin. Although this is sheerish – the pink shimmers show up in a way that makes your face glow. The effect is very subtle with this highlighter but still visible. If you need more color or shimmer, I’d recommend you opt for #2 or #10. If you are one who can never find a suitable highlighter because you find most too shimmery, #13 is the right pick for you.
The fluid sheers come with a sleek black pump:
Comparisons below to Fluid Sheer #2 and #10:
Swatched along with NARS Copacabana Illuminator swatched below, note these are blended and sheered out. These were hard to photograph blended, the effect is better seen in person. I recommend you google for other swatch examples to get a better idea of what these look like:
The Belladonna Highlighter (limited-edition) is a solid cream that comes in a mirrored compact with a brush. It has a beautiful embossed floral design on the compact. It’s described as having a texture that is both dense yet incredibly light. I did not intend on purchasing this when I saw press releases. The $88 price tag had me saying no, but I caved on purchasing this due to the stunning embossed floral design combined with the limited-edition factor. On the skin it gives the perfect halo effect. The brush that comes with the compact is the perfect shape and density for this cream.
The Belladonna highlighter comes with a brush stored in the bottom of the compact:
Comparisons to other previously released limited-edition highlighters: MAC Superb (discontinued, but has made a few comebacks), MAC Whisper of Gilt, Chanel Poudre Signee de Chanel, Chanel Mouche de Beaute:
Swatched below, also with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light swatched beside:
One last photo/swatch set:
Both items are limited-edition for spring. They are on the pricey side – if you already have a lot of highlighters that you love, I’d say you can safely skip these. I do really love the Belladonna Highlighting palette – it gives a soft halo effect to the skin, I’m just not in love with the $88 price tag.
The #13 Fluid Sheer is a gorgeous sheer highlighter – one that is different from anything I’ve seen before – it makes the skin glow in a way that makes you look like you glow from within. If you are always finding most highlighters end up looking too frosty, Fluid Sheer #13 is the best shimmery glowy highlighter I’ve tried that is also the most natural and luminous.
You should be able to find these at your Armani counter now, although note they are limited-edition items. My counter sold out of the Belladonna highlighter the first day they arrived instore, but your counters should be able to locate one and have it shipped. The spring collection items are also online at Giorgio Armani Beauty, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Selfridges.
Giorgio Armani’s star product for the holiday is the Eccentrico Face Palette ($88 for 8g/0.27) a limited-edition highlighter palette. The palette has one tier of powder with a silvery overspray and small flat face brush underneath. The powder below the overspray is a mix of pinks, orange and a cool white shimmer. Mixed together you get a beautiful pink glow. Although this is called a face palette, I think this is best used as a cheek blush or highlighter. The quality of the powder is excellent – it’s finely milled and the shimmer is very refined and natural making the skin glow. It’s dark enough for me to wear as blush alone. My feelings about this are a bit mixed mainly because of the price. At $88, most other Armani palettes in this range have a cheek product plus three eyeshadows. I do realize this comes with a little brush encased inside, but I still think this one is definitely overpriced. Armani does have discount promotions through their own beauty side occasionally (most I’ve seen is 20%) which could bring the price down to the $70ish range. Still I think this should have been priced in the same range as their eyeshadow quads at $59 (even if it is a luxury holiday and limited-edition product).
The packaging:
With overspray:
Partial overspray:
Most of the overspray removed:
Swatched:
Comparisons show that Eccentrico has a soft quality that makes the skin glow. The shimmer is finely milled versus a high shine frost. Comparisons below to shades that have unfortunately all been limited or discontinued, but I hope this helps to gauge the level of pigment and shimmer:
Overall a lovely blush palette with exquisite packaging. However it’s one I just can’t get really excited about – especially with other palettes this holiday like ones from Hourglass and Chanel which are more affordable and still unique and creative (in my mind). I will get a lot of use out of Armani Eccentrico – it’s a lovely wearable pink that is safe. As usual your mileage may vary with this. I know some who absolutely love it. I agree that it’s lovely – for me at $88 I expected more. I tried tracking this down at counters but couldn’t find it anywhere in store. Others have had better luck though.
I’m loving shimmery pinks for eyes right now. Two new discoveries include these interesting hybrid gel-creams, in particular Diorshow Fusion Mono in Chimère #821 ($30 for 6.5g) and Armani Eyes to Kill in Rose Popillia #30 ($33 for 4g). There are pinks that can be impossible for me to pull off on my olive skintone, but these two have an interesting mix of sparkle and shimmer that they don’t look like traditional pinks on the eyes.
Diorshow Fusion Mono Chimère #821 is an iridescent multidimensional mousse-gel type of shadow. It mimics a similar feel to Chanel Illusion d’Ombres with the slight bounce it has when you press the product with your fingers. In general I found the Diorshow Fusion Mono shadows extremely shimmery (almost glittery) with a sheer finish. Chimère #821 was one of the few shades I felt was the least metallic making it the easiest to wear for someone conservative like myself. The texture blends easily on the lids without a base. It’s a lovely swipe-and-go kind of no-fuss shade. Lasting power was excellent on me.
Armani Eyes to Kill Rose Popillia #30 was released with the Fall 2013 Collection. I blinked and it sold out. It has sold out online multiple times and been on backorder. Luckily I was able to test it instore to know it was a must-have (and I immediately ordered it online). Rose Popillia #30 is a complex mauve-pink-taupe-lavender kind of shade. It has a similar complexity and multi-chrome finish to MAC Vex (but easier to wear). I’ve been a longtime Eyes to Kill fan and this one is no exception. Lasting power is amazing on me. It’s one that is impossible to describe properly. The mix of colors makes this one truly unique.
More photos and swatches, you can see the pigment is easy to control by layering. The shimmers are visible but not over the top:
Swatched in sunlight with flash:
Without flash in sunlight, you can see how the color flashes different due to the complexity:
Both = love. Dior Chimère is definitely easier to find right now (not sure if it’s limited). I ordered mine online at Nordstrom.com. Armani Rose Popillia on the other hand sold out near me at mutiple counters. I waited for a week while it was on backorder but it shipped quickly. You may have better luck than I did tracking it down at your local counters.
Have you checked out the new Diorshow Fusion Mono cream shadows or the Armani fall collection?
As promised, here are comparisons to the new Rouge Ecstasy Lipsticks in Androgino #100, Incognito #103, Ambiguous #105 and Daybreak #508. Here are all the colors that I could fit in swatches on one arm.
Below you can see NARS Buenos Aires, NARS Biscayne Park, Rouge d’Armani #100, Rouge d’Armani #103, Rouge d’Armani #105, MAC Viva Glam V, Tom Ford Spanish Pink, Tom Ford Nude Vanille, Bobbi Brown Bare Pink, Bobbi Brown Uber Beige, Bobbi Brown Uber Pink.
Note: I double checked the swatches on Bobbi Brown Bare Pink and Uber Beige since they looked so dark in the swatches below. They look extra dark and extra pink mainly because they are swatched next to paler peachier nudes.
The Rouge d’Armani shades with the same numbers as the Rouge Ecstasy are in the same color family for the colors I picked out. They aren’t identical though. The original Rouge d’Armani Lipsticks are glossier in finish and slightly more sheer.
Androgino #100 Rouge Ecstasy is more opaque and beige
Incognito #103 Rouge Ecstasy is warmer and more pigmented
Ambiguous #105 Rouge Ecstasy is more brown
For colors I thought would be easily dupeable, turns out I couldn’t find any dupes, but I ended up picking out colors I thought would be similar but turned out to be quite different. Have you tried any of the Rouge Ecstasy lipsticks yet? Did you find any dupes?
Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy ($34 each for 4.2 ml/4 g, made in France) is the latest lipstick release from the brand with 36 different shade offerings. I reviewed a bright coral in Heat #304 last week. After I fell in love with Heat, I went back to the counter to pick up a few other shades. I must admit while I loved all the color options, I found the number of options a bit overwhelming at the counter. I narrowed down the picks to three colors in Androgino Beige #100, Incognito Beige #103 and Daybreak Pink #508. There was a step-up gift at my counter so I picked out Ambiguous Beige #105.
I’ve been a huge longtime fan of Armani for nude lipsticks for the naturally flattering colors but have always been somewhat disappointed in the almost non-existent lasting power. The latest formula Rouge Ecstasy is a huge improvement in pigment and wearability for the nude color selections. As mentioned in the review on Heat #304, the Rouge Ecstasy has a slightly thicker texture with a tiny bit of a tacky feel. They don’t glide on the lips like most other Armani lipsticks (such as Rouge d’Armani or the sheers), but still apply very easily. The texture helps the lipstick adhere better to the lips. I find you can easily layer by swiping back and forth 3-4 times. It can appear a bit streaky at first (depending on the color) but let the color sit for a little bit, then press the lips together or use a brush to blend and the lipstick smooths out. There is a soft slight floral scent but it’s not noticeable on the lips (at least to me, and I have a super sensitive nose).
Nudes can be hard to pull off for me. Often times they end up being too pale on my lips. I only swatched these lipsticks on my hand in store since I don’t like to use testers on the lips. I knew it might be hit or miss for how they would look on my face.
Androgino #100 is the lightest peach beige. It’s a cream without shimmer. First swipes looked too pale, but after I let the color sit and adjust a bit with the warmth of my lips, it changed slightly to look more natural. Love this.
Incognito #103 is the prettiest baby pink peach in the tube. On my medium complexion and pigmented lips it turned out to be too cool and pale. It needs layering with a darker liner or gloss for me to wear it. This was a miss for me, but it’s still workable.
Ambiguous #105 was a surprise for me. It’s a brown tan beige nude with a bit of sparkle. When I swatched at the counter it looked like death in a tube. It’s surprisingly not quite as nude/greige as I thought on the lips. Still very nude, but naturally flattering.
Daybreak #508 is a medium rose pink. I wanted to love all the pinks but they had a lot of blue in them. This was the warmest one that was still neutral.
I’m in love with these for good neutrals that have amazing pigment and relatively decent wear time for a lipstick. You do need a smooth lip to wear but they are on the moisturizing side and do help improve the lip texture (at least for me). These kinds of shades are popular neutrals so there’s bound to be dupes
from MAC and Bobbi Brown and Burberry if you want less expensive
options. It would be impossible time wise for me to pull all neutral lip comparisons right now. I’ve pulled what I can fit in swatches in one arm. A comparison post will be posted later this evening to other Rouge d’Armani shades with similar numbers along with a few other brands like NARS, Chanel and Tom Ford.
Armani has released a new formula of lipstick called Rouge Ecstasy ($34 each for 4.2 ml/4g). There are 36 different shades encased in a drop-dead gorgeous bright red magnetic-capped tube. I was drawn to all the peaches the first time I tested these. The first color I picked up was Heat #304 a bright coral-pink. The Rouge Ecstasy lipsticks are thick in texture with a slight tacky feel when you apply. They don’t glide on easily but they don’t really tug at the lips either. The texture makes the color adhere well to the lips helping it last longer than most Armani lipsticks. The color is easily layerable. Swipe the tubes on the lips a few times, allow to sit and then press the lips together to blend the color and the lipstick then feels weightless but moist. There is a very soft lipstick rose scent – it’s not noticeable when you apply though.
Heat #304 is a bright coral-pink. There is a slight transparent quality since there is a glossy finish to the shade. There is a bit of shimmer in the tube which is on the subtle side. It’s noticeable but very very subtle. It adds dimension and brightens the color. I love how you can adjust the look with the color. One even swipe gives a healthy glow. Multiple swipes brightens the color to a vibrant coral.
Here it is swatched, on the lips it pulls more pink on me:
For lips I have tons of nudes and peaches. Often times corals and peaches look the same in the tubes or swatched but apply differently on the lips depending on undertone, pigment and shimmer. I found Heat #304 most similar to Chanel Mystique. I prefer the Armani since it’s not quite as dry and appears a bit more natural on the lips due to the subtle sheen. More comparisons below to NARS Lodhi, Tom Ford Insidious (swatched here), YSL Rouge Volupte #30, MAC Coral Bliss, Chanel Mystique (reviewed here), Chanel Flirt (reviewed here) and Edward Bess Forbidden Flower.
I’m overall very pleased with Heat #304. I just picked up a few more of the nudes which I’ll be testing this week. The Armani Rouge Ecstasy Lipsticks have a very nice moist feel on the lips without being too moist. I like that the texture is thick but still a bit shiny. The lasting power is quite good considering most of my other Armani lipsticks tend to fade quickly due to the sheerness. All Armani counters should have received the testers and product for sale. I found mine at Neiman Marcus. You can also find them online now at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and GiorgioArmaniBeauty-USA.com.
Finding the right bronzer or illuminator to achieve the perfect well-balanced summer glow can be a challenge sometimes. There are slight differences in the undertones, shimmer factor and pigment that can make some products make the skin look muddy, too shimmery or too dark. I’ve always been one to favor stronger contrasted bronzers but sometimes I want something just a bit more subtle. This season there are a number of new bronzers and illuminators that are well balanced in both color and shimmer. The result is a more naturally flattering summer glow. A few of my new favorites mixed in with some older ones in both powder bronzers and liquid highlighters.
Giorgio Armani’s Bronze Palette (previously swatched here)
gives the perfect luminous light warm bronze highlight. It’s a goof
proof naturally flattering shade that has just the right amount of
shimmer. MAC’s Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board is a
finely milled darker cooler-toned bronze that makes you look naturally
tanned. I like that it has a soft sheen and that it’s more on the neutral side for bronzers. The pigment is richer than most other MAC powder bronzers but doesn’t darken on the skin. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant is a more sparkly option, it gives a warm glow (detailed review to come soon).
I usually prefer to wear illuminators over foundation and powder as a
highlight. I find most liquid highlighters either too shimmery or pale to mix in with my
foundation. The result is often a clash with my olive skin making me look like a shimmery statue. There are several peachy/bronze ones now that I find perfect
to mix in to give that all over luminous glow without looking like a
bronze statue. Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel is a classic favorite, if you haven’t tried it yet I highly recommend it. Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer 10 (see it swatched here) is a lovely warm golden shimmer (this one is the most fluid and sheer). MAC Strobe Liquid in Golden Elixir is a definite must-have that I’ve already backed-up. It just might be my holy grail bronze liquid highlighter. Tom Ford Fire Lust (reviewed here)
is a pretty sheer natural peachy highlighter. Due to the price I usually
don’t mix in with foundation but just use on the cheeks and temples as a
soft highlight for a luminous glow.
If I could only pick two items this season, it would be the Giorgio Armani Summer Bronze palette and MAC Strobe Liquid in Golden Elixir. What are your favorite items you use to get that summer glow? Do you usually mix in a highlighter with foundation? Share your skintone and favorite go-to items.
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