Giorgio Armani Beauty Rouge d'Armani Sheer Lipstick for Spring 2013

Giorgio Armani Beauty's Rouge d'Armani Sheer Lipsticks ($30) were introduced last spring. I immediately fell in love with them. They are my favorite Armani lipsticks. As I recall, I purchased just about every shade last year - perhaps every shade. Now, there are two new nudes for Spring 2013.

Featuring a creamy texture - feather light and translucent - these lipsticks are as hydrating as a lip balm, only better. A cutting edge color formulation process, the Color Shine Moisture Polymer, features a revolutionary component able to retain twice its volume of water and enhance color luminosity while locking in hydration on the lip surface for over eight hours. To be honest, I've never noticed eight hours of moisturized lips, but I'm perfectly happy with two or three.

There are two new, neutral Rouge d'Armani shades: Beige 100 and Beige Rose 101. I tried them both and sprang for Beige Rose 101, which is shown at the top of this feature. I selected it because Beige 100 is just that - beige. I liked the hint of rose #101 gave me. I would love to have Beige 100, but since I am between consulting assignments, I have been forced to buy more selectively than I might have last year. Beige 100 is shown directly below. You can see it's more beige, less rose.

Rouge d'Armani Sheer Lipsticks are extremely sheer. I love the my-lips-but-better look. Don't be mislead by how the colors look in the tube - you must try them.

My at-home photo of #101, Beige Rose, is shown directly above. I took the lipstick photo and my swatch photos in morning sunlight.

As you can see, the color whispers. It is very pretty - a shade I can apply anywhere to add a hint of color and a lot of moisture. Because it's sheer, I can apply it without a mirror - yes, even while driving because I don't have to look at my lips.

Rouge d'Armani adds a nice gloss to my lips. The two new shades will give you spring's nude lip with shine to spare. If these colors are too light for you, check out the bolder shades at this Armani link. You can also check out my swatch photos here (showing the re-promoted Ecstasy), here, and here. There are shades to please everyone.

I purchased mine at Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase. They are available online at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site, where two-day shipping is free for purchases over $75.

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