Like many of you, I too have fallen in love with the Gloss d'Armani lipglosses! They are stunning, however, the price tag is equally stunning. Like the national budget, my cosmetic budged has recently had major cuts (mostly due to expensive car repairs) :( Because I still love my make-up, I decided to pursue some budget-friendly options.
My favorite shade of Gloss d'Armani is #400, the perfect, creamy, true-red. I tried it on in the store and immediately fell in love, and thus was on a mission for a cheaper dupe. I have mentioned on many occasions a newer brand at Ulta, Essence. They have great finds, especially when it comes to glosses. Essence has a new line of gloss, called Stay With Me Long Lasting Lipgloss. Lucky for me, one of these colors is a shade of red. 07 Kiss Kiss Kiss is a beautiful, opaque, cherry red. It is a true red, not too orange, not too blue.
I swatched out both reds, and surprisingly enough, they are nearly the same shade. I still adore the Armani one, but the Essence gloss is nearly and exact match. As far as longevity, both glosses lasted the same amount of time (both are marketed as long-wearing). The texture is nearly identical, and neither one has a distinct smell. After wearing each one for a day, I was floored when I saw how similar the two products are, yet how different the price tag is. Both give you what you want, but Essence Stay With Me Gloss in Kiss Kiss Kiss won't increase your budget deficit!
