Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy #100, #103, #105 and #508

Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy ($34 each for 4.2 ml/4 g, made in France) is the latest lipstick release from the brand with 36 different shade offerings. I reviewed a bright coral in Heat #304 last week. After I fell in love with Heat, I went back to the counter to pick up a few other shades. I must admit while I loved all the color options, I found the number of options a bit overwhelming at the counter. I narrowed down the picks to three colors in Androgino Beige #100, Incognito Beige #103 and Daybreak Pink #508. There was a step-up gift at my counter so I picked out Ambiguous Beige #105.

I’ve been a huge longtime fan of Armani for nude lipsticks for the naturally flattering colors but have always been somewhat disappointed in the almost non-existent lasting power. The latest formula Rouge Ecstasy is a huge improvement in pigment and wearability for the nude color selections. As mentioned in the review on Heat #304, the Rouge Ecstasy has a slightly thicker texture with a tiny bit of a tacky feel. They don’t glide on the lips like most other Armani lipsticks (such as Rouge d’Armani or the sheers), but still apply very easily. The texture helps the lipstick adhere better to the lips. I find you can easily layer by swiping back and forth 3-4 times. It can appear a bit streaky at first (depending on the color) but let the color sit for a little bit, then press the lips together or use a brush to blend and the lipstick smooths out. There is a soft slight floral scent but it’s not noticeable on the lips (at least to me, and I have a super sensitive nose).

Nudes can be hard to pull off for me. Often times they end up being too pale on my lips. I only swatched these lipsticks on my hand in store since I don’t like to use testers on the lips. I knew it might be hit or miss for how they would look on my face.

• Androgino #100 is the lightest peach beige. It’s a cream without shimmer. First swipes looked too pale, but after I let the color sit and adjust a bit with the warmth of my lips, it changed slightly to look more natural. Love this.
• Incognito #103 is the prettiest baby pink peach in the tube. On my medium complexion and pigmented lips it turned out to be too cool and pale. It needs layering with a darker liner or gloss for me to wear it. This was a miss for me, but it’s still workable.
• Ambiguous #105 was a surprise for me. It’s a brown tan beige nude with a bit of sparkle. When I swatched at the counter it looked like death in a tube. It’s surprisingly not quite as nude/greige as I thought on the lips. Still very nude, but naturally flattering.
• Daybreak #508 is a medium rose pink. I wanted to love all the pinks but they had a lot of blue in them. This was the warmest one that was still neutral.