Armani Discussion

[ashievic]

I finally saw this collection in person, and I think it's a pass. I always feel icky at the particular counter anyhow, but the way I was treated has unfortunately bled onto my perception of the products.

I totally agree with you when the SA's are just yucky. It does turn you off from the entire line. I bought the 604 in gloss and lipstick. I love the gloss. The lipstick is OK, but to return is a pain, since I ordered from Bloomie's and the closest one to me is about 50 miles away from my house. I also have all the other 600's, so I now have a complete set. Turning a yuck into a positive, I guess. What I do when the SA's pretty much ignore me. I will go home, order online directly from the company or purchase from a store. The sales tax is cheaper for me. Since the tax charges online is based where you live. Tax in the boonies is around 6% vs around 7.25 to 10.5% at the store locations since they are located in counties with higher sales tax. Plus the tax revenue then goes to the town you live in, or a portion of it. Can you tell my daddy is a govt. worker???? All I hear from him, have the tax you pay go to the village....we need it, the village is broke.

 

[starletta8]

I totally agree with you when the SA's are just yucky. It does turn you off from the entire line. I bought the 604 in gloss and lipstick. I love the gloss. The lipstick is OK, but to return is a pain, since I ordered from Bloomie's and the closest one to me is about 50 miles away from my house. I also have all the other 600's, so I now have a complete set. Turning a yuck into a positive, I guess. What I do when the SA's pretty much ignore me. I will go home, order online directly from the company or purchase from a store. The sales tax is cheaper for me. Since the tax charges online is based where you live. Tax in the boonies is around 6% vs around 7.25 to 10.5% at the store locations since they are located in counties with higher sales tax. Plus the tax revenue then goes to the town you live in, or a portion of it. Can you tell my daddy is a govt. worker???? All I hear from him, have the tax you pay go to the village....we need it, the village is broke.

I don't need any more saturated dark pinks, so I think I'm safe anyhow.

I was interested in the lightest gloss, but then again I'm not really a gloss person.

I'm glad to see that the nail polishes aren't fab, since they seemed awesome.

 

[DLuxJessica]

Hi, lovelies...
Does anyone have the Fluid Sheer in shade 6? Is it worth the hype? The color seems super-pretty.

 

[EllaS]

I think @ashievic and I must have been nail swatching at the same time LOL. So, I spaced when I ordered these and missed the detail that the base polish was supposed to have some special effect. So I only ordered the 3 colors. But since then I read the full explanation on the Armani website: http://www.armanibeauty.com/make-up/collections/fuchsia-maharajah/fuchsia-maharajah-nail-lacquer-nail-polish.aspx

So, in a nutshell they say, "This new Fuchsia Maharajah nail ritual is composed of an iridescent base coat for a dazzling optical effect and one of the three Nail Lacquer colours applied as a top coat."

I totally missed the idea that this was a whole "nail ritual". LOL So I'm ordering the base and will see how it goes applying them as they were intended. But for now I just played around with the colors on their own. As ashievic has pointed out, they are sheer as you can see in the bottle. But you can achieve better opacity by layering. I found shade 511 to give the best coverage of the three. In the swatch below, I used 3 coats (a couple rather thick). They have what almost seems like a water-like finish to them. So I agree with ashievic again that these seem reminiscent of the forthcoming YSL Pop Water nail polishes. But personally I found these to have enough pigment that I wasn't turned off by the sheerness. I just love the colors so much and they have a beautiful glossy finish. It's sort of a refreshing change to me from cream polishes.

 

[DLuxJessica]

I think @ashievic and I must have been nail swatching at the same time LOL. So, I spaced when I ordered these and missed the detail that the base polish was supposed to have some special effect. So I only ordered the 3 colors. But since then I read the full explanation on the Armani website: http://www.armanibeauty.com/make-up/collections/fuchsia-maharajah/fuchsia-maharajah-nail-lacquer-nail-polish.aspx

So, in a nutshell they say, "This new Fuchsia Maharajah nail ritual is composed of an iridescent base coat for a dazzling optical effect and one of the three Nail Lacquer colours applied as a top coat."

I totally missed the idea that this was a whole "nail ritual". LOL So I'm ordering the base and will see how it goes applying them as they were intended. But for now I just played around with the colors on their own. As ashievic has pointed out, they are sheer as you can see in the bottle. But you can achieve better opacity by layering. I found shade 511 to give the best coverage of the three. In the swatch below, I used 3 coats (a couple rather thick). They have what almost seems like a water-like finish to them. So I agree with ashievic again that these seem reminiscent of the forthcoming YSL Pop Water nail polishes. But personally I found these to have enough pigment that I wasn't turned off by the sheerness. I just love the colors so much and they have a beautiful glossy finish. It's sort of a refreshing change to me from cream polishes.

Pretty swatches! Can't wait to see how the base coat changes them up. I ordered the 512, should be here on Weds, I think. I have a few shimmery/iridescent polishes I could try as a base coat, unless you LOVE the base coat and highly recommend it.

 

[EllaS]

Hi, lovelies...
Does anyone have the Fluid Sheer in shade 6? Is it worth the hype? The color seems super-pretty.

Sorry I missed this. I have #6 and it is lovely. I use it to give a nice flush of color to the cheeks. You could use it alone or apply a blusher on top for added punch. Leaves a nice luminous finish. I also have #11 and I use that one a lot - looks peachy on the skin. I mix it with my foundation and it gives a nice luminous effect. Am planning to buy #10 for the same purpose. Personally I love the fluid sheers. I think they're very versatile and quite fool-proof since they blend very easily.

 

[EllaS]

Pretty swatches! Can't wait to see how the base coat changes them up. I ordered the 512, should be here on Weds, I think. I have a few shimmery/iridescent polishes I could try as a base coat, unless you LOVE the base coat and highly recommend it.

I'm curious about the effect of the base coat too! I'll post another swatch for comparison when it arrives. I think 512 is a beautiful shade. I was really feeling 511 though! Maybe because it's been such a long winter, that bright pop of color was exactly what I needed!

 

[DLuxJessica]

Sorry I missed this. I have #6 and it is lovely. I use it to give a nice flush of color to the cheeks. You could use it alone or apply a blusher on top for added punch. Leaves a nice luminous finish. I also have #11 and I use that one a lot - looks peachy on the skin. I mix it with my foundation and it gives a nice luminous effect. Am planning to buy #10 for the same purpose. Personally I love the fluid sheers. I think they're very versatile and quite fool-proof since they blend very easily.

Have you found a way to add it to a lip balm or anything? I'm one of those people likes to use products in ways they weren't meant to be used, lol.

 

[DLuxJessica]

I'm curious about the effect of the base coat too! I'll post another swatch for comparison when it arrives. I think 512 is a beautiful shade. I was really feeling 511 though! Maybe because it's been such a long winter, that bright pop of color was exactly what I needed!

Not gonna lie... I fell in love with the name "Maharajah Fuchsia" so I just bought all the products with that shade name (I do love the bright color too, though! They're all lovely). And I'm in Florida, so we don't get much of a winter, lol. It's almost in the 90s today, I think.

 

[EllaS]

Have you found a way to add it to a lip balm or anything? I'm one of those people likes to use products in ways they weren't meant to be used, lol.

You can use these on your lips too. No reason why you couldn't dab it on your lips and build up the color, then top it off with a sheer gloss. Or dab them on top of a lipstick to add some luminescence. I don't believe in makeup rules either!

 

[EllaS]

Not gonna lie... I fell in love with the name "Maharajah Fuchsia" so I just bought all the products with that shade name (I do love the bright color too, though! They're all lovely). And I'm in Florida, so we don't get much of a winter, lol. It's almost in the 90s today, I think.

The name is amazing. I'm sure the name of the collection contributed to my obsession with it too LOL. And you're making me jealous of your weather - sort of! I am in desperate need of sun and warmth, but it's also nice to experience the change of four seasons too ;-)

 

[DLuxJessica]

The name is amazing. I'm sure the name of the collection contributed to my obsession with it too LOL. And you're making me jealous of your weather - sort of! I am in desperate need of sun and warmth, but it's also nice to experience the change of four seasons too ;-)

Hey now... we have four seasons, too!

1. Summer
2. Tourist
3. Hurricane
4. Winter (it's generally only 2-3 days long, but we still count it)

(But I do often wish I lived somewhere that had Spring and Fall... Fall's my favorite season, and we don't get much of one.)

 

[ashievic]

An Armani MA showed me how to mix the fluid sheers to your foundation. One full pump of your foundation, half a pump of fluid sheer, mix together and apply as you normally do your foundation. Fluid sheer #2 adds some dazzle to the #3 foundation I normally wear. They are coming out with "numerous" new fluid sheers for summer, as I have been told by those who would know. No clue what colors.

 

[ashievic]

I think @ashievic and I must have been nail swatching at the same time LOL. So, I spaced when I ordered these and missed the detail that the base polish was supposed to have some special effect. So I only ordered the 3 colors. But since then I read the full explanation on the Armani website: http://www.armanibeauty.com/make-up/collections/fuchsia-maharajah/fuchsia-maharajah-nail-lacquer-nail-polish.aspx

So, in a nutshell they say, "This new Fuchsia Maharajah nail ritual is composed of an iridescent base coat for a dazzling optical effect and one of the three Nail Lacquer colours applied as a top coat."

I totally missed the idea that this was a whole "nail ritual". LOL So I'm ordering the base and will see how it goes applying them as they were intended. But for now I just played around with the colors on their own. As ashievic has pointed out, they are sheer as you can see in the bottle. But you can achieve better opacity by layering. I found shade 511 to give the best coverage of the three. In the swatch below, I used 3 coats (a couple rather thick). They have what almost seems like a water-like finish to them. So I agree with ashievic again that these seem reminiscent of the forthcoming YSL Pop Water nail polishes. But personally I found these to have enough pigment that I wasn't turned off by the sheerness. I just love the colors so much and they have a beautiful glossy finish. It's sort of a refreshing change to me from cream polishes.

They are super loose, I knocked one over it poured out like water, ugh.....but I am a klutz. The colors are fun, and yes for those who don't have mud season "Chicago thaw aka Spring" it would be fun to wear. Here for Easter/Passover never know if it will be snowing, raining or actually nice. One thing constant is the mud.

 

[EllaS]

Hey now... we have four seasons, too!

1. Summer
2. Tourist
3. Hurricane
4. Winter (it's generally only 2-3 days long, but we still count it)

(But I do often wish I lived somewhere that had Spring and Fall... Fall's my favorite season, and we don't get much of one.)

Yes! No doubt my winter pales in comparison to your Tourist season! LOL

 

[EllaS]

An Armani MA showed me how to mix the fluid sheers to your foundation. One full pump of your foundation, half a pump of fluid sheer, mix together and apply as you normally do your foundation. Fluid sheer #2 adds some dazzle to the #3 foundation I normally wear. They are coming out with "numerous" new fluid sheers for summer, as I have been told by those who would know. No clue what colors.

Oh my goodness that makes me VERY excited. I can't remember the last time I applied my foundation without mixing it with something! Absolutely love these fluid sheers. This spells more trouble for my wallet!

 

[EllaS]

They are super loose, I knocked one over it poured out like water, ugh.....but I am a klutz. The colors are fun, and yes for those who don't have mud season "Chicago thaw aka Spring" it would be fun to wear. Here for Easter/Passover never know if it will be snowing, raining or actually nice. One thing constant is the mud.

Well I started painting my nails and couldn't get the dang tops unscrewed. In the process of trying to open them I messed up my nails twice and had to re-do them. Then I couldn't get the bottles to stand up - they kept falling over. It was a regular "how not to do your nails" session!

 

[DLuxJessica]

They are super loose, I knocked one over it poured out like water, ugh.....but I am a klutz. The colors are fun, and yes for those who don't have mud season "Chicago thaw aka Spring" it would be fun to wear. Here for Easter/Passover never know if it will be snowing, raining or actually nice. One thing constant is the mud.

LOVE Chicago! My sister lives up there and we always make it a point to go up for Thanksgiving week, and then I generally head that way for a week or so in the summer, too.

 

[ashievic]

Oh my goodness that makes me VERY excited. I can't remember the last time I applied my foundation without mixing it with something! Absolutely love these fluid sheers. This spells more trouble for my wallet!

The fluid blush they came out with last summer turned into a nightmare for Armani. So they have pretty much discontinued them. Yes, you can still find them. But the big guns from Armani who were at Neiman's told me, return what I had purchased and wait for the new fluid sheers. They will have new shades for all skin tones. Which hopefully will be after the Tom Ford release. Or I will be hitch hiking to the airport to catch my flight. Is that even allowed on expressways???? Guess I will find out.

 

[ashievic]

Well I started painting my nails and couldn't get the dang tops unscrewed. In the process of trying to open them I messed up my nails twice and had to re-do them. Then I couldn't get the bottles to stand up - they kept falling over. It was a regular "how not to do your nails" session!

As you can tell from my pics our dining table is super old antique. So I quickly wiped it up and hoped the P's will not notice. Scratches, dents, blend right in. Not sure purple will.