Sunday 2 October 2011

Giorgio Armani Blushing Fabric Swatches and Review

Another blush that I've been loving recently is Giorgio Armani Blushing Fabric #5 Raspberry. I purchased this back in July at Heathrow Airport dutyfree. After swatching the other shades yesterday, I decided to pick up #1 Shimmering Peach as well.

I have a love-hate relationship with Armani products. Their foundations don't work well for me and many of the other Armani products that I've tried were nice but not impressive enough to make me feel like they were worth the frightfully high prices points. Yet, time and again, I get drawn back to their glossy black counters to test out their newest offerings.

The Blushing Fabrics retail for US$38 in the US, versus £28 in the UK (or £23.30 at Heathrow Terminal 5 dutyfree) and 40€ in France. The 20ml tube looks small for the price but given how very little product is actually needed for one application, it will last you a very long time. The shelf life stated on the tube is 24 months. The squeeze tube is nothing fancy but it allows for excellent control in dispensing the product, which is vital in the case of the Blushing Fabrics as a tiny pin-head amount is enough for one application.

Armani first introduced these "second skin blushes" in #1 Shimmering Peach, #2 Sicilian Orange and #3 Pink Chiffon in April 2010. #4 Sienna (not swatched) and #5 Raspberry were released in the Summer 2011 "Heat" collection while the latest fall collection "Jacquard" includes #6 Carmel and #7 Scarlatto.

The Blushing Fabric is "crafted as a micro-blend of pure water-soluble pigments and lacquers" with a "cushiony formula that delivers buildable color for cheek and face that is both imperceptible and long lasting". #3 Pink Chiffon and, to a certain extent, #7 Scarlatto have a more liquid texture whereas the other shades have a gel-like texture that is easier to control.

#1 Shimmering Peach and #2 Sicilian Orange look very similar with #1 Shimmering Peach having a slightly more glowy finish and pink tone. #3 Pink Chiffon is the sheerest of the lot.



#5 Raspberry is the most crimson of the lot. It looks very vivid when swatched but when applied on the cheeks, it gives a natural pop of healthy colour. It can look clownish if applied excessively so always start with just a tiny dab and layer up to your desired intensity. #6 Carmel and #7 Scarlatto didn't appeal to me as they were brown-based.

Here's a look that I did with #5 Raspberry earlier this week. It has fabulous lasting power, even on my oily skin. Cyclopentasiloxane is the first ingredient listed, so it has a silky silicone-y texture. Another strength of the Blushing Fabric is that it applies and blends equally well when used over liquid and powder foundations. I haven't experienced any peeling or flaking when applying it.

Overall, I think the Blushing Fabrics are well worth the price tag if you find a shade that suits you. For a much more affordable alternative, you can try Canmake's Cream Cheek which is now available in 11 shades (but #1 Peach Dream, #4 Vitamin Orange and #6 Nut Cream are being discontinued).

List of ingredients

With my purchase of the Blushing Fabric #1 at Sephora in France, I also received three samples. It's wonderful that in France, the Sephora SAs usually pop three samples into your bag without you having to ask for them. Of the four or five times that I've made a purchase here, only once did I not receive any samples. That's so much better than the UFO catcher that Sephora Singapore had for customers to try their luck at catching samples (with pretty low odds) with an $80 purchase! The majority of the samples given in Sephora in France are fragrance samples, which is perfect for me. They are also an effective marketing tool as now I've got several fragrances on my to-buy list for the future.


9 comments:

Jamilla Camel said...

I have both these shades, and I love Armani Blushing Fabric blushes! Yes, the Sephoras in France are refreshing, non?

Haru said...

Yes, definitely! The SAs provide great service and are never pushy. I also like how Armani, By Terry, Chanel, Dior etc are available in Sephora stores over here, so I can play with the testers to my heart's content without a SA hovering over me like they would in a department store.

Jacqueline said...

I had my eye on them for quite some time but have not seen any good swatches around, thanks for the swatches. I am definitely going to get the either #1 or #2. Is Raspberry very different from these two to justify getting it as well?

Haru said...

hi Jacqueline,
I haven't tried #1 on the cheeks yet, so I can't say if it looks sufficiently different from #5. I'll do a post when I try out #1 next week. If you tend to apply blushes with a light hand, probably #5 and #1 won't look that different on the cheeks.

Anonymous said...

hi iris,

may i know what eyeshadow are you wearing? i like the pale lilac/pink combo.

brgds,
michelle

Haru said...

hi Michelle,
I am wearing Lancome Ultra Lavande Cold Harmony palette, which was a limited edition palette for Spring 2011. I'm afraid it's no longer available but you can try substituting similar shades from other brands for the same look.
http://rougedeluxe.blogspot.com/2011/02/lancome-ultra-lavande.html

Verlyn said...

I'm drawn to #5! #6 just looks awfully unappealing.. -.-

Haru said...

hi Verlyn!
I think #6 is meant to be used like a bronzer. Like the other Blushing Fabrics, it sheers out quite easily for a light translucent tint of colour.

kuri said...

looks lovely! I love the lipstick you're wearing too.
Armani is expensive but I love the concept and the packaging so they always draw me in.