Is there a difference between "Removing" armor and "Reducing" it?

[somber kestrel]

this might as well be a feedback post because the game uses both of these terms interchangeably it seems...

[thorn barn]

One way to test is to use that totem with a low level weapon against a high level enemy who has a grey health bar, and then just keep parrying them. If their health bar eventually switches from grey to red (and stays that way without using any other abilities or attacks) it means the parries are permanently removing armour.