Giorgio Armani Beauty Tourmaline Pink Blush from the Spring 2012 Luce Collection

I was revved when I first saw the photos of Giorgio Armani Beauty's Spring 2012 Luce Collection. There it was, the Tourmaline Pink Blush ($55), tempting me before I could possess it. I knew it was a must-have. The only question in my mind was how saturated the color would be. I now know. It's a perfect blush - with some qualifications (see below). Armani's #10 has always set the standard for me. Now it has a competitor for my affection, but I'll never give up #10, which I've hoarded.

The Tourmaline Pink Blush provides a soft and very 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. Pink Tourmaline is a very sheer blush, softer than classic formulas. White, beige, and pink pigments replace the "old" white powders for a soft glow that's incomparable.

I was finally able to snap some photos of Tourmaline Pink, named after a semi-precious gemstone. It's lighter in person than it appears in the Armani photos. It's also extremely light on the skin (although the little bruise on my arm shows a lot of contrast). My first impression, simply put, was sparkling light pink.

I applied Tourmaline Pink extremely heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator at the top of my arm. I applied it heavily with a kabuki brush on a larger swatch below. Even with a heavy application, it left soft and subtle color on my skin.

My photos were taken in full sun. I don't think there is any way to show Tourmaline Pink more clearly on my pale skin. It's very light. It's beautiful on my skin, and it may also be a great blush for those with medium skin tones. For those with dark or chocolate skin, it may only serve as a highlighter. I don't think it will add much color to dark skin tones, but that's just a guess.

The shade is a cool baby pink. It does leave micro-sparkles on my face, something that may limit its use for women who don't want to sparkle at all in the office. The sparkling is apparent on the skin. You should be able to see the sparkling on my first swatch photo above. I don't intend to sound critical, but I want you to be aware of the tiny sparkles. They are within my daytime tolerance for sparkle, but if the sparkling concerns you, try Tourmaline Pink Blush before you buy.

The Girogio Armani Beauty Spring 2012 Luce Collection is available at online at Giorgio Armani Beauty. It had been expected to arrive at Neiman Marcus last week. They have had the testers for weeks. I don't understand why the for-sale products haven't arrived. I hope they do soon; I placed a pre-order. I purchased my Tourmaline Pink Blush online.

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