Fab or flub? Giorgio Armani adds new foundation to impressive line

When it comes to makeup foundations, Giorgio Armani has long had the reputation of being the gold standard.

Revered by celebrity makeup artists and beauty gurus, the brand’s Luminous Silk Foundation has a huge cult following for its ability to produce a silky, smooth complexion.

While some might say that the Luminous Silk Foundation is the clear favorite of this designer makeup brand, I’d argue that there are no redheaded stepchildren either. From the superb Fluid Sheer Foundation to the excellent Designer Lift Foundation, all of Giorgio Armani’s makeup bases regularly top the must-have lists of the beauty elite.

Adding to its army of fabulous foundations is a new product called Maestro Glow Nourishing Fusion Makeup ($64, Sephora). Similar to the brand’s Maestro Fusion Foundation, the bi-phase nourishing elixir features skin-care oils infused with pure pigments.

When mixed together, the oils and pigments combine to create a sheer, long-lasting glow with SPF 30 protection.

First impression

I’ve often stayed away from products like the Maestro Glow Nourishing Fusion Makeup, which is considered a serum-infused foundation.

Although I like the concept of foundation packed with skin-care essentials, I don’t like the fact that most of these products are loaded with oils. As someone with naturally oily skin, I worry that my face will look even more like an oil slick and require numerous touch-ups throughout the day.

My hopes were high that this wouldn’t be the case with this product.

Housed in a 1-ounce glass bottle, the foundation comes with an eye dropper to distribute the foundation. I wasn’t quite sure how much of the product I would require, so I started small — with one drop.

Before I even started the application process, I made sure to shake the foundation so that the oils and pigments blended. When not mixed well, the oils and pigments separate and create a layered effect in the bottle.

Squeezing a drop of the foundation on my hand, I took my beautyblender sponge and began buffing the product onto my face. It is lightweight and sinks immediately into the skin.

The product blends well and, despite being described as sheer, offers medium coverage that helps blur imperfections. Using shade 5.5, I was very pleased to see how well the foundation matched my olive-toned skin.

Overall, the foundation left my face looking radiant and luminous.

Fab or flub?

Fab!

Though I would normally shy away from anything oil-based, I’m glad I took the plunge with Giorgio Armani’s Maestro Glow Nourishing Makeup.

Not only did it not leave my face extra-oily, it gave me a beautiful, glowing complexion. For those who love natural-looking makeup, Maestro Glow does a wonderful job of creating a “no-makeup” look, and it feels great on the skin (as opposed to other foundations, which can be heavy).

If I had a complaint about the product, it would be the limited shade range. While other Giorgio Armani foundations come in a wonderful range of shades to accommodate all skin tones, this product doesn’t have as many options.

However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Giorgio Armani add more shades.

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Fab or flub? Giorgio Armani adds new foundation to impressive line."