Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro Matte Lacquer (Limited Edition) Review & Swatches

I'm very excited to share with you yet another fantastic liquid lipstick product! It is the famous Lip Maestro Matte Lacquer by Giorgio Armani! This is my first Lip Maestro and boy, did I not go for the brightest shade available. :)

I picked up 505 as stated at the bottom of the tube (which is the same color as Pink Poodle on Nordstrom website or 502 Eccentrico on Giorgio Armani website!). It was released along with 2 other shades for the Holiday 2013 Eccentrio collection but I was most intrigued by 505. It is an intimidating bright neon pink color but when applied sheer, it gives lips a soft, lovely medium pink hue that is suitable for daytime wear. Of course, you can wear it at its full opacity as well to achieve a bold statement lip (which I think is more fun!).

Lip Maestro packaging is almost identical to the regular Armani lip gloss packaging except the cap for the Lip Maestro is glossy red instead of black. The plastic tube itself is transparent so you can spot the color at a glance. The shiny silver logo is a nice accent to the tube that otherwise would be too plain without. The applicator is a basic doe-foot with a slanted tip. It is really long and flexible and it deposits the color onto the lips quite well.

This is a full coverage liquid lipstick. The pigmentation is insanely concentrated – it is so opaque in one swipe that you probably don't need to layer. Its light and creamy texture makes it incredibly easy to apply onto the lips. The formula feels a little wet at first (and it can get smeary too, so be watchful of your application) but it dries down quickly and becomes matte. However, Lip Maestro matte is quite different from your typical matte lipsticks in the sense that the color doesn't really dry down to a dull, one-dimensional matte. In contrast, it becomes matte with a subtle diffused glow (as you will see in the lip swatch below) and a slight sheen that makes lips look full and plump! It looks almost like a satiny/velvety finish rather than matte on my lips. If you are expecting a complete matte, just blot slightly with a tissue.

Lip Maestro does stain lips, too! And you don't need to layer to get the staining effect – just one coat will do. Once the sheen wears off, my lips are left with this gorgeous soft stain that stays on through the rest of the day so the wear time is quite remarkable. The sad part is, my lips then become slightly dry but a thin layer of a good lip balm will fix the issue instantly. The color is so gorgeous that I'm willing to work with it whatever it takes! :)

While the doe-foot applicator seems to do the job fairly decent, I find myself reaching for a lip brush to get a better control and a more precise application. You need a steady hand also to avoid going out of the lip line. For sheerer application, blend out the color with a fingertip to get a soft staining effect. I find that the color applies more evenly on well-prepped lips otherwise it can accentuate dry patches, so with Lip Maestro, conditioned lips is a must! :)

If you are on the lookout for a fun, neon pink lip color, look no further! Lip Maestro 505 is the one to go. It is a limited edition color so act fast before it's gone! Wear it bold for a statement lips or sheer it down for a soft stain – it looks lovely both ways. I'm really impressed with the formula and how it feels on my lips so much that I'm actually already debating whether to pick up more shades. I have a feeling I will….

Are you interested in trying Lip Maestro, too? Let me know in the comment! :)

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