Highlights
- Ingredient Change: Armani Luminous Silk has reportedly altered its formula, causing a supply shortage.
- Foundation Alternatives: The author explores new foundations to find a suitable substitute for Luminous Silk.
- Comparative Review: Several foundations are tested, including Haus Labs, Natasha Denona, and Dior Backstage.
- Current Favorite: Makeup By Mario Surreal Skin Foundation is the author’s top choice for its match and wear.
The rumor mill is abuzz with whispers that Armani Luminous Silk has changed an ingredient in its formula, which is why it has not been restocked on the shelves in months!
I first heard that they were getting new packaging (I asked every employee I came into contact with at Sephora or Nordstrom), and then I started to see things online about a specific ingredient being removed.
I’m not sure when the new formula will launch, but until then, and in great fear of this new formulation not working out, I wanted to find a potential alternative that I felt worked with me and my skin!
I’ve tried a handful of foundations during the second half of the year, which is honestly something I haven’t done in a while. I’ll play around with some different finishes (skin tints, etc), but generally I haven’t really been looking for a new medium coverage, skin-like foundation in years, since I’ve been happy with Luminous Silk!
I first turned to the very well-loved Haus Labs foundation, and swiftly gave the newly launched Natasha Denona foundation a go as well. You can read a little bit about my first impressions with both foundations here!
I really like those foundations, but they both felt a little too much for my everyday look. I wanted something as flexible as Luminous Silk that I could blend out so much that it looked like just a hint of skin tint, or something I could wear 1.5 pumps of and get coverage without feeling overdone. I needed it to look realistic, not stick to dry patches, and not separate on my forehead or chin.
I did some googling and found two more recommendations for a similar style foundation, and swiftly added them to the mix to compare.
I shared the photo below on Instagram and two people messaged me immediately and said, “2nd from left looks perfect!” and I said, “I know, right? THAT ONE IS ARMANI LUMINOUS SILK!” I thought it was funny that even without knowing which was which, people could just see that it was the best match!
Going from left to right (mouth to ear): 1. Natasha Denona HyGlam in N5, 2. Makeup By Mario Surreal Skin 3.5C, 3. Dior Backstage Face & Body 2CR, 4. Armani Luminous Silk in 5.1, 5. Haus Labs Tr1 30LW.
I have worn each of these on my face at least twice and will share my overview of each of them below! I did my best with shades, using the guidelines of both the description as well as the color suggestion based on other foundations, but I can see here that the Dior Backstage foundation looks super warm! I was surprised to see that reflected in these photos.
Armani Luminous Silk is my holy grail foundation. I switched to it from NARS Sheer Glow many, many years ago and never looked back. There are times I switch it up (it’s the nature of my job!). But generally, I would always return to this foundation! My best shades are 5.1 (in winter/spring) and 5.25 (in summer/fall). I find it to work perfectly with my skin; it’s medium coverage that can be worn thinner/lighter as a skin tint or heavier for fuller coverage. It doesn’t oxidize on the skin; it’s forgiving and moves with my face. I could keep going, but basically, it’s the perfect formulation for me and what I want in my foundation!
I was thrilled to hear Natasha Denona launched this foundation because I’m obsessed with the HyGlam concealer! I use N5 in summer/fall and N4 in winter/spring. The concealer has replaced my NARS Creamy Concealer because I like the slightly stronger coverage from the Natasha Denona HyGlam Concealer!
Anyway, the foundation is gorgeous. I feel like my skin looked blurred, soft, and velvety. It felt like more of a fuller coverage than what I typically go for, but that isn’t a bad thing. If you want a medium-full, flawless, blurred-out finish, then you would love this!
I read many reviews from folks ditching Luminous Silk for the Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Foundation. I was actually astounded at how many people prefer it after giving it a try! I really liked it, but I had a little trouble finding the right shade match for my skin. I’m cool-toned (pink) with light skin and freckles. If I wear something too fair, it makes my skin look grey, but if I wear something too dark, I start to look orange.
I liked the finish of this foundation a lot! It wore beautifully on the skin and lasted all day. I felt like it’s a true medium coverage foundation. I can’t really explain why I don’t reach for it more often. It felt a little heavier than Luminous Silk, so maybe that is why? I’m also not sure I’m in love with the two colors I’m working with, which are the best possible match. So, overall, I would say if I had to wear it again, it would be fine, but it doesn’t excite me.
Another search led me to the Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation in 2CR. I love how this applied and how it looks on the skin. I did discover, like I mentioned above, that this shade may be too dark for me. I felt like it blended out nicely when I wore it the first few times, so perhaps it was just that my swatch was a bit heavy, but either way, I really loved the smooth look of this foundation on my skin. It felt light, it dried down nicely, and lasted all day without any fading away.
I will say it clung to dry patches around my nose a bit, so I have found that it wears best with a primer under it. I used the Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer (one of my favs), and then it was truly flawless. I think it could also look so nice with an illuminating primer underneath it, too!
It’s medium coverage, and honestly–I like the lightweight plastic bottle. Sure, it doesn’t feel lux, but it also isn’t clunky or heavy like the Haus Labs foundation bottle.
A few people slid into my DM’s and asked me if I had tried the Makeup By Mario Surreal Skin Foundation, and I hadn’t. I did a bit of searching, and wow, this is a WELL-loved foundation. And do you know what? I get it. Wow, I get it.
So I went with the Surreal Skin foundation, not the Luminous version (that seems dumb, doesn’t it?), but now I’m curious to try the Luminous version to see if–you know–it is Luminous like Luminous Silk is for me.
I found the shade I bought to be a perfect match, and it applied so easily. It’s thinner than the Natasha Denona and Haus Labs foundation, so it’s a little easier/more forgiving to work with. I have been very pleased with the wear, how natural it looks, and the medium coverage. It wears a little more matte than I prefer, but I imagine the Luminous version will be more skin-like!
So, which one is my favorite?
Right now, I have to go with Makeup By Mario Surreal Skin Foundation in 3.5C! It’s an excellent match for my skin color right now, and I find it to look and wear the most similar to Luminous Silk! The other foundations I mentioned above are still wonderful options and may work well for you based on what you may be looking for in a foundation.
I hope I’m back here in a few months with a *new formula* review for Armani Luminous Silk foundation and I’m raving about it–but until then I’ll be happily using Makeup By Mario Surreal Skin Foundation!