Hi hi

I purchased two red Lip Maestro recently while I was in Hong Kong.  They retail for about SGD$50 each.  As I mentioned in my swatches entry - the brights and reds are way more suited for the formular and finish of the Lip Maestro - that rich velvety matte finish with a deep or bright red is really way more attractive than the usual nudes and beiges.  That's just my opinion of course.  And not surprisingly, everyone else seem to think the same way - all the gorgeous brights and reds were sold out everywhere in HK, only the browny nudes and tan shades were left.  

I thought I had to wait for the Singapore release of these Lip Maestros - cos 402 which is the red I really wanted, was OOS everywhere.  Imagine my surprise when I went back to the very same counter a couple of days later and the staff there told me they had stock for 402.  (FYI 402 is the shade on the ad campaign it is a bright bright red) and I quickly grabbed one for myself.  I had already purchased 400, a slightly deeper red. 

For collection information and more photos on the Lip Maestro, click my feature entry here.

For swatches of all the Lip Maestro swatches, click here.

The sponge tip applicator is longish and fine, making it quite easy for a precise application.  You really just need the tiniest amount of this and spread it evenly on your lips.  If you need more, then layer it bit by bit.  The overall finish should be quite velvety matte (I can't say this enough) and not all gooey, or else it will go all over your teeth. 

Here's a slap on type of swatch - it looks a little shiny due to the sheer thickness. 

But you see, the velvety matte finish comes through after I dabbed and spread the product a bit with my fingertips.  And this is how it looks like in the ad campaigns.  (link link)

Here's a comparison with other rich matte reds and similar products in my stash: 

Lancome Mat Cashmere 300 (from their Fall 2012 collection, Limited edition) review here  -- very similar in terms of texture and finish. but this is limited edition,  and comes in only this shade. 

Tom Ford Lip Lacquer in Cherry Lush - review here - has that same shade of bright red as 402 but it has this pinky red undertone whereas 402 has an orangey undertone.

Chanel Rouge Allure Lacque Dragon (discontinued) has the same depth and shade as 400 - Temptalia has a comparison - but both have very different finishes, Chanel Dragon has a satin finish, while 400 is of course velvety matte.

Lip swatches:

They are pretty long lasting, and really amazing.  As Lisa Eldridge says, she loves to wear a red lip when wearing just a tee, jeans and going out to run errands.  I agree.  Who says that a red lip, whether it's Chanel or Giorgio Armani, is only confined to special ocassions?  It really makes one look groomed and brightened up without having to do much. 

I hope this rundown has been useful, and I will be posting a LOTD entry next. 

The Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro will be available in Singapore from Jan 2013. 

Thanks for reading!