Coming Attraction: Giorgio Armani Beauty Spring 2012 Luce Collection

Do you think it's too early to be excited for spring? I'm in the mood today, as a cold front is bringing rain, clouds, wind, and seasonal weather. The last few days have been glorious, so it was hard to think spring. Today? It's like a daydream. What better way to make it come to life than with Giorgio Armani Beauty's Spring 2012 color collection?

Giorgio Armani's concept for spring beauty is characterized by "metal fiber" and "modern couture" - inspired by his love of light and its effect on color. Armani continues his focus on avant garde textile artistry by embellishing delicate natural fiber with refined metal, transforming simplicity into future refinement in makeup. Linda Cantello has interpreted Mr. Armani's vision into a new landscape of metal where gold takes center stage and gemstone-cut colors define the face of the "Armani woman."

For the eyes, Armani will offer delicate shading from metal fiber to antique and jade green, contrasted with liquid gold and copper lining. The face will be dressed with a sophisticated pale glow with a touch of pink tourmaline. The lips will gleam in refined tones that spring from the earth, grounding the ethereal look for the eyes and cheeks.

Two Eye Palettes ($59), featuring Armani's unique Color-Fil technology, blend pure pigments with a translucent base to produce a fine film of color that offers color impact, improved payoff, and the exceptional layering properties for which Armani is known. The result? An extremely fine film of vibrant color that blends perfectly to create a customized, soft, and translucent eye without any powdery finish or effect. How? Luce d'oro, a new pigment, has been added to the shadows to give them a special luminosity.

There will be two pastel color harmonies, each with four shades. The first, shown above, combines soft pastels with the luster of antique gold and offers pearl violet, jade green, sheer gold, and Armani greige. The second, shown at the top of this feature, includes grey, metal fiber, copper pigment, and crystal brown, presenting a harmony of gold and copper accented with moonlight silver. Both palettes will be must-haves for me. Actually, everything in the collection will be a must-have for me. Who am I kidding to think that I'll pick and choose?

The Eye Pencils ($27) jazz up the look with antique gold (or) and copper (cuivre) pigment. Remarkably soft and creamy on application, the formula is as precise as a kohl, as intense as an eyeliner. The pencils create a long-lasting, water-resistant outline that will endure for hours. There will also be a black eye pencil and an Eyes to Kill Mascara in Mineral Green! Green! I'm betting it's glorious.

The Tourmaline Pink Blush ($55) featured in the Luce Collection features a soft and subtle texture infused with soft shimmer particles that deliver a natural, soft glow to every complexion. Micronized to the extreme, this blush leaves a translucent finish that will enhance without looking like makeup. I have multiples of every blush I can wear from Armani, and I'm sure I'll buy at least two of these. Isn't the color exquisite?
This spring's sheer, glossy shades of Gloss d'Armani ($28) will be Beige 105, Brown 204, Rouge 405, and Pink 508. These shades have names: Greige d'Armani, Caffeine, Wild Rose, and Blush. Even now, I can see Pink 508 worn with the gorgeous pink blush, and an eye gleaming with pinks and greens for a gentle push into spring. Or the eyes punctuated by the shades of metal - copper and gold - and the lips in either the neutral beige or more dramatic marron (Brown 204).

Linda Cantello has advised us to apply our choice of colors swept over the lid and up toward the temples for a pure wave of light. Use one of the two molten metal pencils to highlight the inner corners of the eye. Use the shadow over the cupid's bow of the lips to create the vision shown on Giorgio Armani's runway for Spring 2012.

I'm there, but the products aren't yet. The collection should be available at Giorgio Armani Beauty (online and at boutiques) and Armani counters in February 2012. See anything you like?

Photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty