ARMANI PRIMA - Advanced Skin Care for Day-Long Makeup Glow

Giorgio Armani Beauty has introduced ARMANI PRIMA, its first complete skin-care line that improves skin quality and enhances makeup glow so that it lasts all day long. Born from a unique collaboration between the backstage expertise of Linda Cantello, Giorgio Armani International Makeup Artist, and Giorgio Armani Beauty laboratories, the ARMANI PRIMA Beauty routine consists of three innovative products for face, lips, and eyes. It's an out-of-the-box technical formulation approach to provide simple and efficient skin-care solutions in favor of makeup’s staying power.

• Glow-On Moisturizing Balm
• Day-Long Skin Perfector/Trouble Zones
• Eye & Lip Contour Perfector

The name ARMANI PRIMA is a nod to the oil painting technique widely used by the impressionists who worked with natural light without retouching.

No More Makeup Touch-Ups
Women unanimously complain that their makeup never has the same radiant glow as it has just after their morning beauty routine. As the day progresses, the skin quality deteriorates (loss of moisture, sebum production, enlarged pores) and is exposed to environmental aggressors. When skin is imperfect, the makeup glow doesn’t last and even smudges, losing its impact.

Now for the first time, Giorgio Armani Beauty offers an innovative, tailor-made solution to keep your complexion and makeup touch-up-free all day. ARMANI PRIMA’s revolutionary new skin-care products contain a special blend of active ingredients that maintain skin’s moisture level, regulates sebum production, and strengthens the skin barrier so that the face keeps the glow of just-applied makeup and the benefits are visible all day.

“Today, we live in a fast-paced world. Women expect immediate results. That’s what we created with ARMANI PRIMA, which is the first skincare conceived for makeup wearers.” - Linda Cantello, Giorgio Armani International Makeup Artist

Glow-On Moisturizing Balm

The Glow-On Moisturizing Balm ($110) is the cornerstone of the ARMANI PRIMA line. It was formulated to achieve glow, plump, and maximum moisture that last 24 hours. This could only be achieved by a patented formula and unique process: a surprising compact texture, hot poured at 45°C that quickly breaks into a fresh fluid that penetrates immediately. The formula is an inversed emulsion active on the internal and external skin layers. The internal phase maximizes the concentration of moisturizing and plumping active ingredients; the external phase then creates a protective barrier on skin surface, locking in moisture. This is achieved through a high concentration of hydrovance and hyaluronic acid for continuous hydration and glycerin for skin plumping. The Giorgio Armani signature glowing complexion effect is enhanced by the “Liquid Mirror” complex, which ensures a prolonged reflection of the light on the skin. Thanks to this technological breakthrough, here is what you should see.

• Immediately: Skin is deeply moisturized and plumped with heightened radiance. Perfect compatibility with foundation for an easy and fault proof makeup application.
• At the end of the day: Skin quality and moisture level is maintained. Foundation looks fresh, as if just applied.
• After four weeks: Overall skin quality is improved. More comfortable, supple, and nourished skin. Fine lines look evened out.

Day-Long Skin Perfector/Trouble Zones

Day-Long Skin Perfector/Trouble Zones ($100), is an innovative skin-care product that contains a strong concentration of “Prima Skin Complex,” an impressive active ingredient, which is lipophilic to absorb sebum and hydrophobic to repel sweat. It immediately smoothes skin and regulates the water and lipid levels on skin surface all day long.

The Skin Perfector targets the “disruption zone” of the face (i.e., eyelids, around the nose, chin, forehead, or any area prone to shine or large pores). It absorbs excess sebum delivering an instant mattifying effect on skin that lasts all day long. Thanks to a unique milky gel texture, the Skin Perfector absorbs rapidly, leaving a clean skin sensation that lasts all day. A combination of two hydrophilic ingredients provides a tightening effect and a feeling of comfort, making the product perfect for all skin
types.

• Immediately: Trouble zones are smoothed and mattified in transparency. Foundation and eye shadow are easier to apply.
• At the end of the day: Makeup glow and color are intact.
• After four weeks: Skin texture is improved and skin surface appears smoother.

Eye & Lip Contour Perfector

A skin-perfecting formula for lips and under eyes, Eye & Lip Contour Perfector ($70) is an ingenious two-in-one product that targets the lips and under-eye area. It contains buckwheat extract and haloxyl for their stimulating effects, reducing dark circles and under-eye puffiness over time. Glycerin, jojoba butter, and hydralip give intensified hydration and reduce fine lines. The effective results of this skin-care product is clearly measurable in improvements to dark circles and a toning, lifting
effect under the eyelids, as well as a significant reduction in wrinkles and fine lines around the lips. Eye & Lip Contour Perfector should not be used on the eyelids.

• Immediately: Lines and dark circles are blurred. Light reflection on the skin surface is amplified to make eyes look brighter and skin looks more luminous. Application and hold of dark circle concealer are improved. Lips and contour are smoothed, preventing lipstick from bleeding into the fine lines.
• At the end of the day: Skin feels more comfortable, supple, and nourished.
• After four weeks: Dark circles appear reduced, the outline of eyes and lips appear more defined.

All three products have an addictive scent. The Glow-on Moisturizing Balm and the Skin Perfector envelop the skin delicately with a feminine flora-aqua creation based on Armani/Privé Rose d’Alexandrie (I have that fragrance, and I love it). The soft notes of the premium fragrance line are translated into skin care, in a subtle note of Rose of May, Bergamot, and Italian Mandarin and Benzoin - all nice notes. It's a beauty routine wrapped up in gentleness.

Here are suggested application methods.

• Face: apply the Glow-On Moisturizing Balm over the entire face using circular massaging movements.
• Trouble zones: apply the Day-Long Skin Perfector/Trouble Zones on the forehead, nose, chin, eyelids, and over the upper lip, sweeping the product outwards.
• Dark circles and lips: apply the Eye & Lip Contour Perfector under the eye area and directly on and around the lips.

These new products are available at the Armani Beauty Web site now. They will appear at store counters in March. I suspect if your skin is mature, and you are using Crema Nera now, you will want to stick with it. These new products appear to me to be aimed at a demographic that doesn't need the hydrating, anti-aging power of Crema Nera.

Photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty