Giorgio Armani No. 18 Fluid Sheer ($62.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is a rich, medium-dark coppery red with lighter gold sparkle. It had sheer coverage, which gives the skin a tint of color and a dewy sheen. A little went a long way, so you can achieve a stronger tint if desired. The sparkle in this shade made it harder to blend over foundation, as it seemed prone to disturbing anything underneath it, but it worked without issue on bare skin. I noticed a few bits of sparkle migrated over night as well, which isn’t a problem I’ve had with other shades in the range. The color itself wore for nine hours. NARS Na Pali Coast (P, $39.00) is less shimmery, more pigmented. MAC Pleasure Model (LE, $25.00) is more shimmery, more pigmented, warmer. Illamasqua Supernatural (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, lighter. Becca Rose Gold (P, $38.00) is more shimmery, lighter. Becca Blushed Copper (LE, $38.00) is more muted, more pigmented. NARS Fervor (Right) (P, ) is darker, more pigmented. NARS Mauritanie (LE, $39.00) is less shimmery. Becca Papaya/Topaz (P, $27.00) is more shimmery, darker, more pigmented, warmer. 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. 18 Fluid Sheer

Giorgio Armani No. 18 Fluid Sheer

Giorgio Armani No. 18 Fluid Sheer

Giorgio Armani No. 18 Fluid Sheer