Thursday, April 11, 2013

Giorgio Armani Beauty Flash Lacquer Crystal Shine Gloss - Three Shades Swatched

Giorgio Armani Beauty has launched a new lip color called Flash Lacquer Crystal Shine Gloss ($29), a lip gloss that's said to be revolutionary. It offers the highest reflection ever created with a lip gloss. The new elastic shine formula fills in the lips to create an extremely smooth surface. For the first time, light reflects on every point of the lips.

Flash Lacquer provides crystal-like shine. A new generation of select, crafted oils enables the purest transparent ingredients. The base is no longer yellow (the norm), but as pure as crystal. Flash Lacquer also offers a new generation of comfort. The new approach to formulation allows the use of different light emollient oils to optimize comfort and hydration. It's said to have zero stickiness.

A combination of elastic polymers has replaced the shape and shine memory complex used to jellify the oils in a lip gloss. For the first time, the ingredient giving substance to the lip gloss truly fuses with oils, instead of absorbing them like a spongy powder. The ingredients are micro-connected, creating a continuous elastic weave. This revolutionary formula combines two exceptional properties.
  • Thanks to a very low viscosity, the lip gloss surface is perfectly smooth.
  • The lip veil always reshapes after a movement.
If you aren't dazzled by new technology, the color range will excite you. Flash Lacquer will be available in 36 shades! So far, there are 30 on the Armani Beauty Web site.

I selected three to start. I ordered online, so I had to rely on those little squares and the photo of the tube that displays when you click on a square. I wanted pigmented glosses with shimmer. My technique, it turns out, wasn't foolproof. I got the shimmer, but not much pigmentation -  one for three. I'll keep trying because I love the gloss. Next time, though, I will select in person.

My photo directly above shows my three new glosses in the following order from left to right.
  • Brown #202
  • Coral #303
  • Pink #528
You know I took swatch photos to show you. I was excited when they arrived. My photos were taken in late-afternoon sunshine, and I tried to get a few different angles toward the sun.

As you can see from my swatch photos, these lip glosses are ultra-shiny. I love the shine. Brown #202 is shown at the top of my arm. The color is an exquisite rosy brown. Coral #303 is shown in the middle. It's a beautiful color, but there isn't enough pigment for me to wear it on its own. It looks pretty clear on my lips. The same is true of Pink #528, shown at the bottom in the photos. Pink #528 has even less pigment than Coral #303.

Now I can share a few observations...
  • If you want a gloss that you can wear without lipstick underneath, and you plan to order online, select the swatches that appear the darkest. I wanted #608, which I'm sure would have been pigmented, but it was not available when I placed my first order. It still isn't.
  • These glosses feel fabulous on my lips and offer excellent hydration. I love the shine too. 
  • They have average last on the lips. That's fine with me. Lip glosses advertised as long-lasting usually fall short of their promises - unless you don't eat, talk, or touch your lips to any surface. 
  • See my coming attraction feature to learn more about the three finishes offered and the colors.
I am looking forward to purchasing more shades - as long as they provide some color. You can find Armani's Flash Lacquers at the Armani Beauty Web site and, presumably, at Armani counters soon, if not now. I'll be looking this evening at Neiman Marcus to see if they have arrived. I might even be able to purchase a few more.

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

11 comments:

baby in a corner said...

Hi Charleston Girl, just wondering are these 'all that'? are they something new and different in your opinion or just a new, nice lipgloss?

At home for a few weeks so will be potentially ordering online! thanks!

Eileen said...

Judging from your swatches, I'd say this is one gloss that definitely needs to be seen in person before purchasing. I'd never have thought they'd be so colorless just from looking at the tubes :-( When I saw your tube of Pink #528, I thought that's my kind of color. When I saw your swatch , all I could think was where'd it go?!? I'm sure there are more saturated shades in the collection. I'll just have to go and see them in person.

We've seen three major gloss overhauls: Armani, Dior, and Guerlain. Which do you think you like the best so far? I know, I know . . . It's like asking a mother which child she loves more ;-)

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Baby in...

I haven't had them long enough to judge that. I can say their shine is remarkable.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Eileen,

I need to see more of the Armani's to judge.

Claire said...

Hi CG, thanks for the post!! I love GA gloss formula, now really torn between GA and the new Dior. Any comments/comparisons on those two? Thanks.

Claire

Meredith said...

I don't know what's wrong with me but I can only locate 18 of the new Armani Flash colors on their website. In your blog, you said they were showing 30 out of 36. Why can't I find them? Sorry for being lame on the computer! By the way, how are your feet doing now?

Charlestongirl said...

Claire, they are both so nice. I think I'd go with colors I liked, rather than brands.

Jo said...

Jo said...

Thanks for the swatches CG. I bought 202 and 303 too. Now I hope I'm not disappointed. Mine will be in the mail tomorrow.

I wanted 608 too but I think I'll wait to see it in person. My Bloomies Armani counter says they will not have these until the middle of May that's why I got all excited and ordered them online (maybe I'll check with Saks and NM).

Charlestongirl said...

Meredith, use the link in my feature. It goes right there.

My foot is better, thanks! I am out of the boot and wearing orthopedic athletic shoes. Quite a fashion statement!

Charlestongirl said...

Jo, sometimes the counters just don't know. It's possible. More and more companies are rolling out their products on their own sites first. I'll bet that increases their profitability.

Anonymous said...

Would love to see a post on things you truly use on an everyday basis!!! You feature so many products I was wondering, how much of it really gets utilized? What are some things that were initially "wonderful" and now so so, what are some products you can't live without, what are some products you regret, and so on. They could be in categories. Oh just some ideas, LOVE your blog...The very best to you!!!