Giorgio Armani No. 09 Fluid Sheer ($62.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is a bold, brightened, fuchsia-red with cool, blue undertones and fine gold, pink, and violet shimmer. This is sheerer than it looks, though it is one of the more buildable shades in the range. It is easiest to get a sheer tint of color (noticeable but still lets a lot of the natural skin color come through), but two to three layers gets you semi-opaque color, if desired. The finish is more satin once applied as the shimmer doesn’t stand out. I liked applying this prior to foundation and then using foundation to help keep it from being too intense on me, when I wanted to wear it as more of a distinct blush. For a sheerer tint of color, applying on bare skin or over foundation worked just fine with a few pats of the fingertip or a small, stippling brush. The texture was thin, a little watery, and it did seem thinner than the average shade in this range. On me, the color wore for almost ten hours before fading slightly. ColourPop Clutch (P, $8.00) is less shimmery. YSL Fuchsia Desinvolte (01) (P, $40.00) is brighter, cooler. NARS Adoration (Right) (P, ) is more shimmery, lighter. Surratt Beauty Rougeur (P, $32.00) is darker. Burberry Hydrangea Pink (P, $42.00) is less shimmery. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

FORMULA SUMMARY | Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer ($62.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is available in fifteen shades that range from sheer beige to sheer yellow to sheer copper. The formula is supposed to “dress skin in an illuminating veil of radiance.” It’s designed to be sheer, though some shades are more buildable than others, and in general, the darker hued shades are going to appear more pigmented and can be used as highlighting blushes or even as blushes (depending on your skin tone) — the brand actually calls out it can be used as “an eyeshadow base, blush, or bronzer” as well as your typical highlighter. It can be used alone, mixed with base products (like foundation, primer, or moisturizing). Some shades are glittery, others are shimmery, and others have very fine shimmer. Alone, I tend to get seven to eight hours of wear with lighter, shimmery shades and closer to ten hours or longer with some of the bolder shades, and it doesn’t seem to impact the wear of my base products (either shortening or lengthening the wear). I like fingertips or a duo-fiber/stippling brush for application using a patting and dabbing motion rather than a lot of sweeping, then a light buffing to diffuse and blend out the edges.

Giorgio Armani No. 09 Fluid Sheer

Giorgio Armani No. 09 Fluid Sheer

Giorgio Armani No. 09 Fluid Sheer

Giorgio Armani No. 09 Fluid Sheer

Giorgio Armani No. 09 Fluid Sheer