Armani Beauty Revamped Their Cult Luminous Silk Foundation And We Have Thoughts...
Francesca is the Beauty Editor at Adore Beauty. With a background in glossy mags and bylines in publications like Marie Claire, ELLE and BODY+SOUL, Francesca has turned her love of beauty into a career. Whether she's decoding buzzy ingredients or road testing lip glosses (so. many. glosses.), her approach to beauty is equal parts glamour and highly-considered.
The pinnacle of luxury beauty, Armani Beauty’s Luminous Silk has been considered industry’s "second skin" gold standard.
A permanent fixture in the kits of celebrity makeup artists and the vanities of beauty editors alike, it is quite literally the foundation upon which cult-classic status is built.
So, how do you iterate on perfection? You don’t - unless you’re Armani.
At first, the reaction was understandably visceral: Why mess with perfection? This was followed by some not-so-internal *internal screams*. Yep. But rest assured, that coveted 'liquid silk' finish you know and love hasn't gone anywhere. Think of this less like a total reinvention and more like a thoughtful glow-up.
It's that same blurred, radiant skin, now supercharged with skincare actives to improve luminosity and plumpness with every wear alongside an impressively expansive new shade range.
We took the new-and-improved bottles for a test drive at the office. Here's our verdict on whether the revamp measures up.
What's the difference between the OG and reformulated Armani Beauty Luminous Silk formula?
Well, let's start off with what's the same....
Namely, that signature finish. Yes, the Instagram-worthy, lit-from-within radiance has remained untouched; Armani made it a point to share that preserving the original glow was the ultimate goal. You can still expect that "liquid silk" technology to deliver a seamless, second-skin medium coverage that blurs pores and smooths texture with ease.
The high-performance stats you know and love:
- 24-Hour wear: A longevity that lasts longer than anyone would typically (or hopefully) need.
- The texture: A silky, weightless feel that evens out skin tone without ever looking heavy.
- Boosted hydration: Still spiked with Glycerin to intensely hydrate, improve barrier function and keep the skin looking plump.
- For every skin type: It remains non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types, including oily and acne-prone complexions (tested under dermatological control, of course).
What’s new?
Now, for the "2.0" details. The biggest shift is the infusion of skincare super-ingredient Niacinamide. This addition helps the foundation work overtime to retain skin elasticity, strengthen the barrier and minimize the appearance of pores. Armani touts that after just 14 days of use skin appears significantly less dull.
The highlights of the revamp:
- Skincare enhanced: Added Niacinamide for long-term skin health.
- New pigment technology: Innovated with six different pigments (the previous formula used four) to provide a more authentic, true-to-skin match that won't turn ashy.
- The shade expansion: The range now spans 44 luminous shades. While 26 of the originals remain unchanged, 18 new shades have been added to better suit the full spectrum of complexions. (We’ll get into the shade matches a little later, but trust us - these are truly unmatched.)
Also noteworthy: Armani has replaced the signature frosted glass component. While the frosted look was gorgeous, it was notoriously prone to looking a little "well-loved" (read: messy) in a makeup bag (just me?!).
The new bottle is a sleek, clear glass featuring the brand’s suave new Armani logo. The iconic silhouette and the all-important pump mechanism remain exactly the same.
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation Review
Fast Facts:
- New formula with improved colour matching and skincare actives
- Medium coverage
- Radiant, skin-like finish
- Hydrates for up to 24 hours**
- Improves the look of skin luminosity and texture in 14 days*
- Suits all skin types including sensitive, blemish-prone and oily
My Review:
Francesca wears shade 6.
My phrase of the week? "Thanks, it's Luminous Silk."
I’ve spent the last seven days road-testing the new formula under every possible condition: solo, layered over the cult Luminous Silk Primer, over a mattifying blurring base, and (my personal favourite) cocktailed directly with the primer.
I kid you not; every single day I was met with compliments on my base. While every application looked great, mixing it with the primer garnered the biggest reaction. The finish was fresh, youthful, and the epitome of your-skin-but-better radiance.
Here is exactly why I’m obsessed:
The fluidity: The updated formula feels slightly more fluid and "runnier" than the original. As a lightweight-base girl, this is a dream. It glides over the skin rather than sitting on top of it.
The *immaculate* shade match: I opted for shade 6, and I can honestly say I have never experienced a foundation match quite like this. While the colour was spot on, it was the undertone that truly blew me away. I’d like to personally thank the new 6 pigment technology; it (as the Gen Z's would surmise) did it's big one.
Okay, coverage: As you can see from my before-and-after (this was an over the Luminous Silk Primer , it did an A+ job of correcting tone, covering sun spots and neutralizing some mild redness. My skin looked much more even and healthy. I used about 1 and a half pumps for the full face and felt like that produced a true light-medium coverage. I did layer an extra squirt over my under eye area and found it built nicely.
Featherlight feel: It blends with ease and felt virtually weightless on the skin. I suspect this is a direct result of that new skincare-infused core. I used my trusty beauty blender (as always) and didn't experience any pilling.
Longevity: Five hours in, the initial glow dialled down slightly but the base (and coverage) itself held up beautifully. There was zero patchiness and no creasing in sight. In fact, I actually think it looked even more natural as the day went on.
I truly loved the updated formula and honestly, even more than the OG. From the lighter texture to the boosted luminosity. It left my skin healthy and glowing. I'm sold!
Laura's Review:
Laura wears shade 3.75.
"I tried to love the OG formula but always found it a little too full coverage and hard to apply on my dryer skin. When I heard that a re-formulation with Niacinamide was in the works I was really excited to re-visit it - it did not disappoint! (You can actually watch my live reaction on Youtube HERE if you so wish)
I found it really easy and smooth to apply and blend with my fingers and then a damp sponge. The finish was certainly luminous and skin-like. I found it more buildable than the OG - so as someone who prefers sheer coverage I only need a tiny pump for my whole face, but would do a lot more for a fuller face high event makeup look.
A week on from my first test, I've been wearing it every day and have been really impressed with the day long finish and wear - it's a new favourite of mine now. " - Laura Whiteley
Sadaf's Review:
Sadaf wears shade 7.8.
"As a Armani Silk foundation virgin I was super excited to put its new formulation to the test, especially as I didn't really have anything to compare it to.
First, let's start with the primer. I have said this many times, I am 100% a primer gal. Thanks to my oily T-zone, I find my makeup won’t last as long throughout the day without one, so I will always take the chance to try a new one.
On first impressions - I LOVED it. It left a gorgeous pearlescent finish and gave my skin an all over sophisticated glow that made my foundation glide on beautifully and look luminous all day particularly on the high points of my cheeks where the sun would hit. In the selfie above, I'm not even wearing my blush and that's how glowy it made my skin look. 10/10 - no notes.
Now, the cult foundation - I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype on my skin and my skin tone. I would say the texture/formula is weightless but somehow it manages to give more of a fuller coverage with a soft focus finish. Impressive. It applies seamlessly on the skin, too.
The shade match? Perfect.
In fact Fran and I both praised how impeccable the shade matches were for both of us. The shade I used is 7.8 which gave me the warmth my skin needed.
I wore the foundation from about 10am in the morning until about 5pm and really put it through its paces (cried, ate, walked in the Sydney rain and humid air) so it’s no surprise that it had slightly faded by the end of the day, BUT it was still on. I think if I had a beautiful day event where I wanted my face to photograph beautifully - I’d reach for this without hesitation." - Sadaf Razi
Chloe's Review:
Chloe wears shade 5.75.
"I always wanted to love the original Luminous Silk, but on my oily skin it tended to highlight texture and pores. The updated formula is slightly thicker and wears far better, sitting much more smoothly on the skin. I find it performs best when my skin is well hydrated, applied in a light layer, then set with powder to keep oil at bay.
The undertone is a real standout - genuinely one of the most accurate shade matches I’ve ever had. I also put it to the test during a full day at the hot springs (ie heat, water and sweat) and it held up beautifully." - Chloe Nguyen
Ada's Review:
Ada wears shade 4.5.
"I wasn’t the biggest fan of the original formula as it never seemed to sit quite right on my skin and always clung to my dry patches. So I was really keen to try the new version!
The updated formula is definitely easier to work with, it blends seamlessly with my other products and feels much smoother on the skin. It’s a clear upgrade so far, though I’m still testing how well it wears throughout the day." - Ada Chau
Anika's Review:
Anika wears shade 5.5.
"I have always been one of the biggest fans of Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation — it’s the only foundation I reach for when I want to look and feel my best for special moments. So when I heard it was being reformulated, I’ll admit I had a brief moment of panic.
After trialling it over the past week, though, I can officially breathe easy — this formulation is truly the bee’s knees. I will say the original sat slightly more matte on my skin, whereas this version leans a little more glowy. That said, it’s incredibly buildable and leaves my skin feeling beautifully nourished and hydrated." - Anika Uhlig
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