Giorgio Armani Cool Brown (20) Neo Nude Melting Color Balm Review & Swatches
Cool Brown (20)
Giorgio Armani Cool Brown (20) Neo Nude Melting Color Balm ($38.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a light brown with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable color payoff applied with a fingertip and more semi-sheer, buildable coverage applied with a brush.
The texture was smooth, more velvety in its glide and feel, which made it clay-like–drier to the touch but malleable. The color applied evenly to bare skin and blended out without difficulty over bare skin as well as on top of complexion products. It stayed on nicely for eight hours as a cheek product and six hours as an eyeshadow.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
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Formula Overview
$38.00/0.12 oz. - $316.67 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "buildable" coverage that is "lightweight, natural" and "blends seamlessly into skin." It is primarily listed as a cream blush, but it can also be used on "eyes for a wash of color."
The pigmentation ranged from medium to semi-opaque, buildable coverage, but they were more pigmented than they were sheerer or "wash-like," so you'll want to use a lighter-hand or more feathery brushes to get more of a wash of color. As one might expect, they are more intense when applied with a fingertip than with a brush.
The consistency was like a drier cream-powder--it had a bit of springiness, and once I really swirled my finger in the pan, I could feel more of a velvety glide that had some slip and creaminess to it, but it was quick to turn powder-like on my skin. It set to a transfer-resistant finish that was flexible, slightly blendable along the edges, but it had enough of a set and did so fast enough that I'd recommend working one area at a time.
I was able to apply the product over bare skin as well as on top of foundation without the formula being prone to lifting up base products, though it definitely played better with less emollient complexion products. On cheeks/face, the products tended to last eight hours or so, while on my eyes, they lasted six hours or so.
Browse all of our Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Melting Color Balm swatches.
Ingredients
MICA • DIMETHICONE • DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE • CI 77891 / TITANIUM DIOXIDE • DIMETHICONE/VINYL DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER • PHENYL TRIMETHICONE • HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE • CI 77492 / IRON OXIDES • CI 77491 / IRON OXIDES • CI 77499 / IRON OXIDES • SILICA • LAUROYL LYSINE • 1,2-HEXANEDIOL • GLYCERYL CAPRYLATE • ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE • TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE • ISOCETETH-10 • METHICONE • TOCOPHEROL
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.