Giorgio Armani Beauty Gloss d'Armani - Skin Lacquers Collection

Giorgio Armani Beauty has a new collection called Skin Lacquers. The six Gloss d'Armani ($28) shades looked luscious, so I gave three a try. I love them as lip glosses. More on that below.

For sheer coverage, the Skin Lacquers Collection captures a nude chromatic palette to enhance the lips and cheeks. An innovative approach to soft color fuses a shiny varnish with lip tone pigments bringing "natural color to perfection," inspired by the lacquered perfection of a flawless porcelain doll.

Exceptionally fine pearl particles, blended in a translucent base, wrap the lips in a smooth, supple enamel with high-shine reflecting pearls in suspension. The natural lip tone is enhanced and perfected with the dewy color of the gloss. So far, so good.

You know I adore Giorgio Armani Beauty - everything. I have an incredible collection of Armani makeup - everything Giorgio Armani touches works for me. Giorgio Armani Beauty says this gloss can also be used on the eyelids to create a transparent, wet eye lacquer. "Try a pale baby pink layered over a black cut taupy beige, as seen on the Armani Privé fashion show this season." Well, you could, but I guarantee you'll end up with sticky eyelids. That may be a neat trick for a runway (temporary glamour), but it's not cool in real life. In my life, lip gloss on my eyes or cheeks attracts everything, including cat fur, and it feels sticky. I think the marketing geniuses slipped with that suggestion.

There are six gorgeous shades. I selected three. Shades #514 (Petal), #515 (Vintage), and #517 (Hot) are shown above from left to right. Clearly, I ignored Armani's shade suggestions shown below. I fall into the soft, porcelain skin tones category, but I purchased from the summer tanned skin category also.

To enhance soft, porcelain skin tones, try:
• Gloss d’Armani #517 in Hot,
• Gloss d’Armani #515 in Vintage,
• Gloss d’Armani #516 in Coral.

To enhance summer tanned skin, try:
• Gloss d’Armani #518 in Rosewood,
• Gloss d’Armani #513 in Roseperla,
• Gloss d’Armani #514 in Petal.

I saw the display at the store, but I ordered online. Many of the other shades are lovely neutral or brown shades. I'd love to have more of them...for my lips.

Here are my three shades swatched. I took my photos in full sun. They were very shiny in most of the photos.  The first photo above was taken with my arm turned slightly away from the sun to minimize the shine. The photo below was taken in direct sun. I swatched in numeric order from top to bottom: #514, #515, and #517. You won't find those names on the tubes. Actually, reading the print on the Armani tube labels is challenging - even for very young eyes.

As you can see in my photos, #514 and #515 at the top of my arm are very light. They remind me of Chanel glosses with their gorgeous shine and multicolored shimmer. The effect on the lips, though, is relatively transparent. Shade #517 has more color and can be worn without lipstick underneath. It has enough pink pigment to carry it alone.

As lip glosses, these are extremely pretty. As eye shadows? Forget about it. I had visions of my upper and lower eyelids sticking together. If you are game for that, have at it. I didn't find it comfortable. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly will achieve the same effect for a whole lot less money. Given the recommendation to use them on the eyelids, I also tried them on my cheekbones. I ended up with a sticky face. On my lips, the glosses don't feel sticky. They feel like lip glosses.

You can find the collection at Giorgio Armani Beauty counters and, of course, at Giorgio Armani Beauty online.

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