I had some fun today going through my stash of cosmetic samples. I found these two lipstick sampler cards from Giorgio Armani and Cle de Peau Beaute that I had forgotten about. Being that both Giorgio Armani and Cle de Peau Beaute lipsticks are pricey and cannot be found at any local makeup counters, I especially hang onto their freebies and delight in taking them out to play around on a rainy day (which it was today).
Of course, applying lipstick with a brush from these bubble samplers doesn’t provide an authentic experience in terms of how a lipstick applies directly from the stick. But it’s certainly good for testing out colors and texture… and smell and taste. I want to highlight that because I found that the Armani lipsticks were absolutely beautiful but totally unwearable because they smell like old stale, chemically, lipstick. Maybe (hopefully?) I just got a bad sampler pack here, because if not then the entire line would be a ruin for me.
As for the swatches, let’s take a look first at Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipstick: 113, 212, and 315. Note that Cle de Peau categorizes 113 as “satin for a glossy finish,” 212 as “silk for a creamy finish,” and 315 as “velvet for a matte finish.” I found these to be messy when applied. They are so slippery and kind of thin. I couldn’t keep the lipstick in place. Perhaps that could be helped by a primer or setting powder, which I didn’t use.
Now for the Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy colors: 400, 500, and 301. As I already made clear, I personally would not consider purchasing any of these beautiful lipsticks from Armani because of the unbearable smell.
This was a quick post tonight, hence the title “Quick Swatches!”
I always love your comments and feedback, but I’d especially like to know if you have used Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick, or any of Armani’s lipsticks. If so, what did you observe about the smell and taste? Does it sound like I just had a bad batch?
Have a wonderful evening, and try not to miss that hour of sleep as we push the clocks forward!
-JGG