We’ve been playing with the re-formulated Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheers ($59 each) in three shades:

• Number 8, a sheer pearly pink
• Number 9, a vibrant complex raspberry red
• Number 12, a deep bronze-tan

The packaging is a slight modification of the earlier version, with a clear container that feels a bit like a heavy plexiglas.

There’s a spout to keep the product fresh, clean, and sanitary. These are far more controllable than the Make Up For Ever fluid blush, it’s possible to get a head-of-the-pin amount with very gentle pressure.

The light pink pearly Armani Fluid Sheer Number 8 (#8) is a cool shimmery highlight color that gives a bit of sparkle and opalescence. 

We’re still playing with these, but I find the texture and feel of this Number 8 as very similar to Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfecters. It’s pretty. This gives a more subtle than Nars Copacabana Illuminator, so if the Nars was “too much” for you, you’ll love the Armani.

This particular shade is a true highlight on us (Chanel Cameo/Ivoire, MAC NC15ish) who are pale and warm. You’d really have to layer this to get a blush color.

In contrast, Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer No. 9 is a true liquid blush. Even when this is worn sheerly, it leaves a color of shimmery cool raspberry red.

We found this was very pretty, and extremely long lasting throughout the day. Once this one sets, it doesn’t seem to want to go anywhere.

Finally, Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer Number 12 is a highly pigmented, deep brown-bronze. This bronze is deep, yet sheer. There seems to be a bit of red in this bronze, which makes it nice o use on either cool or warm skin tones.

 

Those with lighter skin tones looking for a barely-there bronze should keep looking. There’s a soft pretty glow to this color that I love, but I have to be careful applying this. For me, the best way to use these was using a blush brush. I’ve been using the Armani Blush Brush ($44) which is awesome. For some reason, this brush has the ability to be both acceptably soft, yet still be able to pick up pigment from those softly-pigmented, very subtle blushes.

It also works beautifully with the two liquid Armani Fluid Sheers that have the most color–Number 9 and Number 12. I place a bit of both (sometimes I mix them) on one side of the brush, and just barely touch the color on cheeks, then blend blend blend with the dry side.  This technique can be used with any blush brush, it is not necessary to get Armani’s (although I do love this one).

Here are some just-from-the-spount swatches of these. As you can see, these pack plenty of color:

Here they are sheered out. In the last two swatches, I’ve mixed the pink and the red into the bronze.

You can vary the warmth of the bronze color significantly by adding any other color. Another set of swatches:

Here are the three (each worn separately) applied sheerly on Liz:

Overall, I’m loving these. I like the customizability of the color, the longevity, and the ease. To me, these are a sophisticated take on liquid blushes/highlighters. If you want a subtle texture, these are well worth a look. Liz is less comfortable with the liquid format, she’s a powder blush fan all the way.

If you have any swatch requests, please leave them in the comments. I’ve been very busy over the past few weeks finishing a project, but I’ll have more time for the next several to post more frequently. You should also see The Beauty Look Book’s review of Numbers 5 and 8 (I want to pick up Number 5 next, based on Sabrina’s review).

Available at Nordstrom and other Armani sources. This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup).