Ask any beauty editor or celebrity makeup artist about their favorite foundation, and there’s a good chance they’ll immediately name-check Armani Beauty Luminous Silk.
Since its launch in 2000, the product’s won multiple awards and become a bona fide beauty icon, beloved for its silky texture, lightweight feel and natural, glowing finish. And I’ll admit it: When I heard Armani Beauty was reformulating my all-time favorite foundation, I was a little worried. After all, why mess with perfection?
“Even for an icon like Luminous Silk, consumer expectations evolve,” Armani Beauty’s head of research and development, Rena Hayashi, tells Page Six Style. “Our key goals were to preserve the iconic luminous glow and skin-like makeup performance while integrating advanced skincare benefits and expanding the shade range to ensure greater inclusivity for all skin tones.”
In the interest of journalism (and a genuine curiosity as to how the brand could’ve possibly improved upon a classic), I made the switch to Luminous Silk 2.0 several months ago. Spoiler alert: It’s my new holy grail.
What sets Luminous Silk Foundation apart?
Over the course of my roughly two decades working in fashion and beauty, I’ve tried countless products — including dozens of foundations. And there’s a reason I keep returning to Luminous Silk; it’s got a natural and lightweight finish, but covers redness, blemishes and dark spots with ease. It’s also never caused irritation or triggered a breakout, and I have quite sensitive, acne-prone skin.
“It’s truly skin-like,” celebrity makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez, who works with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter and Gigi Hadid, tells Page Six Style.
“If I need more coverage in certain areas, I can layer it — and even with multiple layers, it never looks like the skin is covered. It maintains the integrity of the skin, giving you the most beautiful, luminous version of yourself. It’s amazing.”
Celebrity fans
From Kim Kardashian to Martha Stewart, dozens of A-listers have raved about Luminous Silk over the years. Several stars have also shouted it out in Page Six Style interviews; Luann de Lesseps dubbed it “flawless” and praised its “silky smooth” application, while Hannah Brown called it her “go-to.”
And the formula’s a fixture on red carpets, with Sydney Sweeney, Zoe Saldaña, Cate Blanchett and Sadie Sink among the many stars who’ve worn it at major events.
“It’s always been a staple in my kit,” Gonzalez tells us.
“I need products that perform and look impeccable. As I always say, the carpet doesn’t lie, and pictures don’t lie. I need to know my client will look incredible for hours, no matter how long the night goes on. And with Luminous Silk, I know the performance is there. That’s what makes it so special.”
My review
Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Natural Glow Blurring Foundation
Pros:
- Buildable medium coverage
- Promises 24-hour wear
- Blurs and smooths skin
- Lightweight, silky feel
- Natural, glowing finish
- Safe for sensitive and acne-prone skin
Cons:
- Expensive (though the reformulated version costs exactly the same as the original)
- Those with oilier skin types might find the new formula too dewy
Upon my first application, I was thrilled to find that all my favorite elements of the original formula were still present and accounted for. Silky texture? Check. Breathable feel? Check. Buildable coverage and an instant blurring effect? Check and check.
One important note: As part of the product’s reimagining, Luminous Silk is now available in 44 shades, 18 of which are new. And while my perfect shade (5) hasn’t changed, it’s possible other returning fans of the product might have a new best match.
“There are two new pigments incorporated,” Hayashi explains. “A new green pigment has allowed us to expand the shade range for those with olive undertones, providing a more accurate match. Additionally, an ultramarine blue pigment was incorporated into our deeper shades.”
Per the R&D pro, the new pigments “enhance luminosity and intensity” and help avoid the ashy look those with deeper skin tones sometimes experience with foundation.
The two biggest changes I clocked with the new product involved its wear time and finish. Armani Beauty promises the new and improved Luminous Silk will continue looking flawless for up to 24 hours, and while you’ll never find me pulling an all-nighter — I love sleep too much! — I definitely put it through its paces during the holiday party season.
For multiple nights in a row, I applied the foundation in the early morning, worked a full day at the office, and then stayed out until 10 or 11 p.m. at events; beyond the rare need for a quick evening blot, it held up like a dream, no reapplication needed.
As for the finish, it’s definitely a bit more hydrating than the OG, thanks to the addition of glycerin and niacinamide; Hayashi says the Armani Beauty team wanted to create a foundation that could “act as an extension of one’s skincare routine, not just makeup.”
Page Six Associate Shopping Editor Hannah Southwick tried and loved the fresh formula, too.
“I love a liquid foundation that’s easy enough to blend in with your hands, and Armani’s bestseller is just that,” she says. “While I loved the brand’s original formula, this one’s even better. When I did half my face makeup with the old one and half with the new one, I found the new one melted into my skin even more seamlessly. Not to mention, it evened out redness, covered my minor breakouts and (most importantly) gave me a boost of confidence.”
Is it worth it? The verdict is in
Yes, absolutely — especially if you struggle with texture or dry skin like I do. The reimagined version of Luminous Silk retains everything I loved about the iconic formula, and the welcome addition of skincare ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide left my complexion feeling supple and hydrated all day long.
If your skin’s on the oilier side, there’s a possibility you might find the reformulated version a bit too dewy, but a little well-placed powder can go a long way — and trust me, the flawless finish is worth it.
Gonzalez agrees: “I’d say the most noticeable improvements are how it handles texture and the wider range of shades,” she tells us.
“It’s much more customizable to your skin tone, blends beautifully, is layerable and feels super lightweight. Overall, I love it even more.”
How I tested
I wore the new Armani Beauty Luminous Skin Foundation on a near-daily basis for several months to assess its wear time, coverage, feel and finish. Throughout my testing, I compared the reformulated version to the original product to determine whether it’s an improvement.
Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping
This article was written by Elana Fishman, Page Six’s Style & Shopping Director. A passionate Swiftie and pop culture fanatic, Elana applies her celebrity fashion and beauty expertise to shoppable content for fellow fans as the host of video series including Currently Trending, Style Trial, Heart to Cart and Beauty Scoop — and by tracking down every Taylor Swift-worn style so you can shop it, too. Elana consults celebrity stylists on the latest street style and red carpet trends and predictions, researches which celebrity-backed brands and products are worth it and chats with the stars themselves for beauty and fashion recommendations. Prior to Page Six Style’s inception in 2018, Elana covered celebrity fashion at Vox Media, Lucky, Marie Claire and Teen Vogue.
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