Monday, November 14, 2011

Giorgio Armani Beauty - New Designer Lift Foundation

Over the weekend, I had an opportunity to attend a media breakfast at which Tim Quinn, Giorgio Armani Beauty's Celebrity Face Designer and National Director of Creative Artistry, described the new Designer Lift Foundation ($65), which is now available online and at counters. Tim happened to be holding two bottles of Designer Lift when I snapped this photo before the event.

I'm lucky. I had two weeks to wear the newest addition to Armani's world-famous stable of foundations before Tim's presentation. After my two-week test, I can report that I am thrilled with Designer Lift Foundation! It gives me the radiant Armani glow, with my skin appearing to be cloaked in light, but with a satin finish. You have to see it on the skin to understand that light, glow, sheer, and satin don't have to be contradictory.

I've chosen to call the coverage medium. Designer Lift offers a bit more coverage than Luminous Silk Foundation, Armani's award-winning foundation, but manages to do so in a way that's lightweight (I can't feel it on my skin) and virtually invisible as a foundation. I don't see foundation on my face when I'm wearing Designer Lift. I see a smooth and even skin tone in a shade (#2) that looks like me - but much better. It hides blurs and imperfections as it applies quickly and evenly. I was surprised at how it provided coverage, but still seemed to disappear into my complexion.

I know Kathy Shoreman has had the same reaction - and plenty of compliments on her skin in the last two weeks. Designer Lift makes her skin look flawless. Tim mentioned that celebrities love it because it gives their faces the perfect look for HDTV. If you want to see the new, steamy Armani campaign for Giorgio Armani Beauty, with Megan Fox channeling Elizabeth Taylor and old Hollywood glamour, click on this link.

How does Armani do it? With Armani's Micro-fil technology at the heart, the company developed "real cosmetic weaves - translucent, ethereal veils of color, layered to create the perfect aura." Mr. Armani knew exactly what he wanted and asked the formulation team to create a foundation that was much like the fine, sheer textiles he uses in his fashion designs. I think he succeeded.

The smoothing and sculpting effect was created with a duo of optical fillers, velvety powders - one satiny, the other matte - that play with reflections of light to blur imperfections, intensify radiance, and enhance natural facial contours. Designer Lift Foundation provides an instant lifting effect, achieved with a "liquid powder" that forms an ultra-fine toning network on the surface of the skin. It is said to restore up to 10 years of luminosity, firm lines up to 87%, and firm the skin by 73%, with 12 hours of lifting action.

Designer Lift has a rich, emollient formula that feels good and leaves the skin plumper and denser, reinforced by adenosine, which restructures the dermal matrix, and the antioxidant vitamin E. There's added value in the SPF 20 PA +++ for sun protection.

An unexpected blue pearlizer was included in the formula for Designer Lift. A precise, finely dosed Prussian blue makes white more luminous and enhances black, making both colors appear more pure. The black and white fillers (indispensable in any foundation formula) are less dull as a result. On the skin, it has an instant visual appeal, correcting irregularities and making the skin appear smoother, translucently luminous, fresh - as if light were emanating from within. All of the pearlizers in Designer Lift reflect as much light as they receive.

The new foundation was launched with 10 available shades, with more on the way. Designer Lift will blend seamlessly with any skin tone.
  • For light tones, there's a blue-tinged pearlizer, which counteracts a yellow complexion.
  • For medium shades, there's a touch of pink pearlizer for a real boost of freshness (simulating the skin's microcirculation).
  • For dark hues, a gold pearlizer brightens the complexion and accentuates its radiance
Designer Lift was developed after a "rainbow study," an analysis of more than 2,000 women that allowed Giorgio Armani Beauty to target the needs of each skin tone. As a result, the three color families above were developed with multiple shades in each. Fair shades were developed with Asian skin in mind. Medium tones were developed for European to mixed-race skin. Dark tones were created for African skin. With such a targeted approach, all women can achieve the Armani glow.

Linda Cantello, International Makeup Artist for Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, says the feather-light texture will allow the face to glow without creating a mask-like effect or emphasizing the slightest wrinkle. She recommends dabbing it into the T-zone, particularly the nose and lip contour areas, then smoothing outwards across the face using the dedicated brush, the Designer Lift Brush.

Designer Lift is available at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site, Armani Fifth Avenue, and fine department stores, including Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Barneys.

If you want a foundation that will hide your flaws, make your skin look smooth and free of imperfections, and add a radiance that may not come naturally, you owe it to yourself to try Designer Lift Foundation.

Designer Lift and Megan Fox photos courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty; photo of Tim Quinn by Best Things in Beauty

19 comments:

nstransky said...

I adore GA foundations so am really looking forward to trying this new one. Thanks for the advance notice and review.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Nstransky!

I am very excited about it. I'll be wearing it until Armani introduces a replacement for my beloved Hydra Glow.

Kriselie said...

I love my Armani foundation. I wonder how this new one differentiates from the old one.

Joolz said...

Thanks for the review! I love the Luminous Silk foundation but on some days, it doesn't last very long. How is the staying power of Designer Lift?

Charlestongirl said...

Kriselie, I'm not sure what you mean by the "old one."

Charlestongirl said...

Joolz, Designer Lift provides longer-lasting coverage on my skin. It lasts all day. Sometimes, I would "lose" most of my Luminous Silk before day's end, depending on what I was doing.

Lori said...

Thank you C-girl and Miss Brahms for the fabulous sample offer! For once I might be able to try (and purchase!) a GA foundation while it's still a new entry in the foundation field. I've forwarded my address to C-girl, along with a request for a sample in #4, if that's possible. Thank you both sooo much!

Kate said...

Hi! Thank you so much for this review! I'm debating whether to buy LSF or this new foundation. Which one do you like more?

Oh! and if you had chance to try, could you compare it with burberry sheer foundation?

btw do you know if armani beauty is going to have friends and family sale online soon?

Thanks! :)

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Kate!

My early thoughts are that I like this better than Luminous Silk. That's remarkable!

I don't have Burberry's foundation. We don't have a counter here in the DC area.

Sorry, I have no idea when GA is going to do a F&F sale. They pop them online quite unexpectedly. Tim and I were talking about those sales. The best way to make sure you see one (they are often only for a weekend) is to register at their Web site. :)

Kate said...

WOW! Thank you very much for the quick reply! really appreciate it.

And Thank you and Miss Brahms for the generous offer for the sample. I would love to try 5 in this new foundation. (I'm matched to 5.75 in LSF but I heard new foundation runs little darker than LSF?) anyways, I will send you my mailing address! Again, thank you very much!

Charlestongirl said...

Hi all,

I deleted the offer from Miss Brahms and am re-posting it with her phone number. Please contact her directly if you want a sample. I know she would be happy to help you. I just don't have time to be the go-between for such a popular offer. :)

From Miss Brahms...
Excellent review C-girl - couldn't have said it better myself!!
The texture is just that - more satiny - it is more rich and thick than the luminous silk foundation - but does not feel heavy on the face. Creamier maybe? I am running out of adjectives. I have a rosy (ruddy) complexion with no makeup on, with my chin and cheeks and around my nose being red - with the luminous silk, I need to dot concealer on. With this formula, I don't need that step - the foundation itself is enough to apply over my moisturizer/primer. It smooths the vertical line between my eyes and the small periorbital lines beneath my eyes - a little blush/bronzer, and ta-da! I have the airbrushed magazine cover look!!
If any of C-girls reader would like me to send them a sample of the new foundation, I'd be more than happy to. Simply call me at 571-212-8399 to give me your name and address.

Eileen said...

After a very long and busy day, I returned home, brewed a cup of coffee (decaf, of course), and settled down to one of my very favorite reads--BTiB. I was delighted to see your review of Armani's newest foundation and even more pleased to learn it was as good as the buzz indicated it would be. I can hardly wait to go check this one out. I'm one of those people who always has a few foundations in my collection, selecting the one I'm going to wear based on my skin tone at the time and the occasion. It sounds like this new one has the coverage and longevity of Designer Shaping Cream Foundation but is lighter and more soft focus. And, of course, all the newer foundations have a good dose of skin care benefits thrown into the mix. Definitely at the top of my to try list :-)

Charlestongirl said...

Eileen, I think this one will be my reach-for until Armani's top-secret new foundation to replace my beloved Hydra Glow comes out next year. The ultimate in luxury foundation promises to be a stunner!

ZaaMissBowtie said...

OMG I am dying to try this

NeenaJ said...

Would you swatch this for us fair girls? From GA's website, #2 ivory still looks really dark. But, it can't be if it blends into your skin.

Thanks!

Charlestongirl said...

Be glad to, NeenaJ - as soon as the sun appears again! I can tell you I've already done a dot comparison of LS #2 and DL #2, and they are almost spot-on the same.

I hear that the darker shades do vary. Someone who was a 4.5 in LS went to #7 in DL!

Charlestongirl said...

Hi ZaaMissBowtie,

Hopefully you have a counter nearby. Check it out - I love it!

Kate said...

Hi again! I was wondering if I wear LS 5.75, what would I be in DL? I was thinking 5? (yellow undertone?) or could you suggest a color match for me? I heard it runs little dark but I might be wrong.

Please let me know because I think I'm going to order online without testing it :( I trust your review! :) hehe thank you!!!

Charlestongirl said...

Kate, I really can't color match you. Give Kathy Shoreman a call today at 703-761-1600, ext. 3282. With all the testers right there, she can help you.