Review: Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer Gloss

Just in time for the summer months, I stopped by Holts this past weekend to pick up a sheer lipgloss to match my light make-up look for the next few months.  There's nothing I hate more than caking make-up on in the hot weather so light and fresh has always been my motto for the sweaty, humid Canadian summers.  

Now don't get me wrong, I am definitely what you would call a bargain make-up hunter, but I also like to spend the additional money on a better quality make-up product from time to time.  So after much searching, I decided to pick up Giorgio Armani's new Flash Lacquer Crystal Shine Gloss, $29.  As an added bonus, I also received 3 free samples of other Giorgio Armani beauty products in my Holts bag: Acqua di Gioia: Eau Fraiche, $58, Regenessence Eye Rejuvenating Serum, $155 and another Flash Lacquer Crystal Shine Gloss (shade 109). 

My haul included my Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer and a bonus Giorgio Armani set of some trial products.

Shade 520 of the Flash Lacquer is perfect for summer.

What I love about this gloss is the sheer shine and pop of colour it brings to the lips.  Again, I wanted something more natural to match my fair complexion so I went with a light pink shade but there are also deeper red and orange shades to pick from if you want to make more of a statement.

Giorgio Armani's site claims that the Flash Lacquer line of their lip glosses provides "the highest reflection ever achieved, even after blotting the lips."  The shine and sheen really are awesome and I love the non-sticky formula. The angled gloss brush is a bonus feature and allows for a more precise application too.

As for staying power, you can keep this gloss on for about 2 hours before you'll need to reapply (sooner if you're eating or drinking of course), but that's the industry standard for most high-end lip glosses.

I'm wearing Smashbox's Camera Ready BB Cream, Smashbox's Camera Ready Full Coverage Concealer, Shiseido Luminizing Satin Face Color in Carnation and my new Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in Shade 520.

The final verdict: If you love a natural-looking, sheer pop of colour from your gloss, Giorgio Armani's Flash Lacquer is definitely a great choice.  However, if you prefer a longer lasting lip colour, I would opt for a lipstick or lip stain in a neutral shade to achieve a similar look.

xx