Summer is coming so let's be friends!: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation)

Member Name: goldenbat666

Product:	Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
Date:	11/06/09 (255 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very light texture that can be layered and still look natural

Disadvantages: May be too matte for those with dry skin

This is the most famous foundation from the whole Armani cosmetics line and rightfully so, in my opinion.
I shall skip the review of its bottle and all since there is nothing very material about it apart from its simple design and slightly heavy weight.
As you can probably guess from the "silk" part of the name, this foundation boasts incomparable "ultra fluid texture". It feels as though it is simply absorbed into your skin, only leaving a pleasant sensation of being gently, but thoroughly, enveloped by a think veil of silk. This foundation has very fine pigments that it may actually feel moisturising when first squeezed out, however, this may be rather misleading as it almost immediately turns matte after spreading it (well, this is a oil free product after all). So I would recommend using a foundation brush instead of fingertips for this product.
Due to this product's seemingly matte qualities, it would be wise to aim for several thin layers instead of one careful layer (in any case, several thin layers of foundation will result in more natural skin). This could also mean that you may end up with brush strokes but do not despair! In such circumstances, just gently place your palm to your skin and the body temperature should easily melt away the stroke marks.
During application, this foundation "sticks" very closely to the skin almost to the point of seeming absorption (this however, does not mean that disappears). Strangely enough, despite its matte feeling, your skin looks luminous in the mirror and hence the name, I suppose. Although the matte feeling is a disadvantage in winter, this should prove priceless in the upcoming summer months.
This silk foundation is long lasting on my skin which is on the oily side, but this tends to vary on different people so I would suggest you test it out beforehand. In all honesty, the MAs in Harrods branch are all so friendly and are also generous with samples that it's worth the trip.
The coverage for this foundation is medium; although it is more than what you would expect from its light texture, it does not completely cover up all the blemishes at first application. It does, however, evens out the skin tone and reduces redness. The good news is that this foundation is a micro-fil formula so that it does not tend to lump or get caught in pores and/or fine lines. This means that should you wish for a bit more coverage, you can always layer a bit more and it will still look naturally flawless since the application is so light in the first place.
One of the qualities I was most impressed with was its colour; of course, theoretically there is a colour suitable for your skin type for every foundation out there but it is not often that you find one that actually blends "into" your skin. Armani Silk Foundation No.4 was the one for me.

Summary: Simply perfect for summer