Considering that one of the biggest problems with foundation used to be just finding a decent color, I am amazed at how far the industry has come in offering so many choices now. I love the trend in disappearing foundation - the kind that covers everything perfectly but lets your skin still look like skin. Luminous Silk Foundation ($42) is just that kind of makeup. It has a very light, almost watery feel, but when it meets the skin it's like pure pigment, melting in and covering without looking like a mask. The finish is somewhere between velvety and dewy. LSF comes in 14 shades; I sampled 2 (neutral light ivory), 3 (peaches and cream light ivory), 4 (neutral medium ivory), and 5 (cool buff) and found 4 to be the best match for me. I love this makeup and have been switching off between this and my other new favorite, Linda Cantello Forget Foundation (reviewed on November 12th). I like to apply LSF by pouring some into my palm, rubbing my hands together and working it into my skin like a moisturizer. I find it goes on evenly this way, and you can use your fingers to blend and smooth for a perfect finish. I will definitely purchase a full size of Luminous Silk.

To complement my newly "flawless" complexion, I also tried Fluid Sheers ($42 each) in 1 (sheer gold), 2 (sheer petal), 3 (sheer bronze), and 4 (sheer berry). These highlighting liquids can be used on eyes and cheeks to add a touch of color or shimmer. I liked 4 the best because the its sheer berry tint makes a great blush. The fluid consistency isn't as convenient as a gel or cream blush stick, but it gives such a nice glow, I don't mind a little extra work :)

For eyes, I tried one shade of eyeshadow ($22) in 12. The pale shimmery pink is a great everyday color when you want to feel polished but not overly made-up. As long as I let my eye cream soak in completely, I had minimal creasing and no fading by 5pm.

Giorgio Armani Cosmetics are available at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York (212-940-2962; ask for Jeanette) and San Francisco, and the Giorgio Armani Boutique in New York and Las Vegas. You can also see them online at giorgioarmani.com, but I suggest you talk to someone at a counter rather than depending on the accuracy of the color swatches online. Comparing the products I have with the online swatches, I can definitely see a difference.

review: 12/01