Giorgio Armani Beauty Écailles Collection Face and Cheek Duo Palette for Summer 2012

Just in from this year's Giorgio Armani Beauty Bronze Collection for summer, the ultra-fine powders of the limited-edition Face and Cheek Duo Palette ($59) with Giorgio Armani’s Micro-Fil Technology come in a complementary duo of shades, Seashell Pink and White Foam. Blended, the shades will warm your cheeks with a sun-kissed flush.

My first reaction to the palette when I saw it in person was, "What an odd combination!" It was only when I started playing with the two colors that I moved into smitten territory.

Here are a couple of swatch photos to show you why I like it so much. I used a sponge-tipped applicator to swatch each shade, pink and white at the top of my arm. Then I applied a large swatch below with a dense blush brush. All three swatches were applied heavily, and I took my photos in full sun.

The pink color at the top of my arm is unlike other pinks in my collection. It's not exactly pink. I'd describe it as a hybrid between warm pink and mauve with just a hint of gold. It gleams on the skin. The white is a well-pigmented, shimmering opal. It adds the shimmer to the blended shade you can see at the bottom of my photos.

I will probably wear out the compact. I love Seashell Pink alone, and I love the blended shade. The white is nice, but I have many shimmering white powders. I don't recall having any cheek shades exactly like the blend of the two, which is a warm, perky pink with golden highlights. Maybe a color scientist can explain to us how that white shimmer adds gold to the blend. Perhaps it allows that hint of gold in Seashell Pink to bloom.

You can find the limited-edition palette from Giorgio Armani Beauty's Écailles Collection at all Armani Beauty counters (I bought mine in person) and online at the Giorgio Armani Beauty Web site. It's definitely worth your attention.

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