Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in 503 - Review

I probably mentioned it before, but lately I have been all about lip gloss. I picked up this gloss in my Sephora spring sale haul. Armani is a relatively recent addition to the brands Sephora offers, so I decided to cash in and pick this up.

Shade 503 in the tube is a medium pink with silver shimmer. When applied, it is much more sheer - adding a slight wash of pink to the lips, and the shimmer adding a nice layer of iridescence that gives the lips some depth. The glitter in the gloss does not feel gritty - I could not feel it at all. The applicator is a doe foot - a longer, skinnier doe foot that is slightly angled. The gloss itself is not sticky, and my hair did not get stuck in it, which is a huge plus.

I was really hoping that this gloss would be more pigmented, but it seems to go for more of a shimmery finish than a pigmented look. The high gloss shine is there, and the gloss itself is comfortable, not super thin but not goopy. The feel on the lips is more balmy. As the gloss sinks in, the feel is definitely balmy. This does need to be reapplied throughout the day, as it is a gloss and will transfer and be absorbed.

The packaging is a heavy plastic tube, with the lid having the GA logo on it. When twisted down, the lid "clicks" into place, which I felt adds to the packaging. It is sleek and looks a little more luxe than your average lip gloss tube, which I would hope for at the high end price point. Although the pigmentation of the gloss was a bit of a letdown, I think I will try another shade or two from the Flash Lacquer line, as I've been impressed with Giorgio Armani products from what I've tried so far.

Pros:

• Non sticky
• Comfortable to wear, not super thick
• Glitter is not gritty

Cons: 

• Very sheer
• Needs to be reapplied

Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in 503 - $30.00 for 0.22 oz

Review - 3.5/5

Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in 11 Rose Ashes - Review

I picked up this product during the Sephora spring sale after having it on my wishlist. A few friends got the Eye Tints and raved about them, and I was thinking "Well, I really should be getting one of those, too!" So I did!

Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in 11 Rose Ashes

Wrist swatch of Rose Ashes

Rose Ashes is a slightly metallic rose tan with a greenish glow. It has a slight duochrome to it, especially when layered more thickly. The applicator is a doe foot. The formula itself is cool to the touch, and spreads easily, allowing for easy blending. The formula sets pretty quick, and then does not budge. The thicker the layer that is applied, the longer it takes to set. In the swatch above, I did a thicker layer and a thinner layer to show the pigmentation of the product. A thin layer gives a shimmery wash of rose gold. To get the metallic, more duochrome effect of the shade, a thicker layer is needed.

I applied this with my finger, as the doe foot was a little big for my lid, and I felt that I could blend the product more easily with my finger. I applied a thin wash of product all over the lid into and above the crease, and layered a little more onto the lid to build more of the color. During the day, the thicker layer eventually creased, which I am attributing to the layer being too thick, which makes sense.

The Eye Tint is a super easy product to work with, and I can see myself getting one or two more to add to my collection of eye products. Unfortunately, due to it being a high end brand, the price tag is a bit steep. The price per ounce for one of these is $172.72, which is better than the similar YSL Full Metal Shadow at $30 for 0.15 oz ($200/oz), though still up there.

Pros:

• Blends easily
• Dries to set quickly
• Thin layer provides good pigmentation

Cons:

• Will crease if the product is too thick
• Price tag :(

Giorgio Armani Eye Tint in 11 Rose Ashes - $38.00 for 0.22 oz
Review - 4.5/5