DIOR

Dior Summer 2013 Collection – Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo 002 Coral Glow Review, Swatch and FOTD

May 10, 2013

The summer 2013 makeup collection has started rolling out across major department stores in Australia. I really wanted to check out the products in person so I made an effort to go to the store and waddled along each counter. After a major debating of “Do I really need this blue/green color”, I only got one product in the end which is the beautiful and wearable Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo 002 Coral Glow from its Summer 2013 collection. I probably will pass on the rest of the Dior and Chanel collections as the color theme of this year is not so appealing to me though they are beautiful to look at.

The Dior Paradise Duo Coral Glow is a stunner as well as it makes a very practical bronzer/blush duo for everyday use. There are 2 colors to choose from and I picked the coral color (instead of pink) as I always love the healthy look of a hint of bronzer with coral cheeks for a sun-kissed look. It comes with an uber cute mini kabuki brush which is very soft and fluffy for its size. The texture is absolutely superb – buttery soft and richly pigmented. Compared to the blush duo from Dior’s Spring Cherie Bow Collection, I much prefer this one as the texture is softer and smoother. I liked the Cherie Bow blush initially (when it was brand new), but I found there was a change in the texture after it was opened for some time, and now it has become chalky and dry which was disappointing! Anyhow, the quality of this is fantastic and I believe it will stay good for a very long time.

The color of the bronzing powder is very wearable for my NC15-20 skin tone. It doesn’t look completely matte in the pan, but when it is applied it blends into my skin naturally without making me look too tanned or orange. It can be used either as a contour product if applied sheer, or as a bronzer for a touch of sun-kissed look. The color of the blush is pink coral with a hint of watermelon undertone. I absolutely adore this color, as it instantly adds a pop of fresh and summery color with a youthful glow to the face. I have been reaching for it everyday and it lasts on me the whole day.

Left and right mixed

ON ME: Applied the bronzing powder underneath the cheekbones, as well as along the jaw lines. And applied the blush slightly above the apple of the cheeks.

Bottom Line: One of the must have blush/bronzer product to have amongst all the summer 2013 collections! I bought the Dior Paradise Duo for $82 in Australia. It is available on here or here in the US, or on Harrods with international shipping available with 20% off VAT deductions at the checkout.

{ 26 comments }

Labels: BLUSH • DIOR • FOTD

DIOR Cherie Bow Blush 729 Pink Happiness Review, Swatches and FOTD

February 27, 2013

The DIOR Cherie Bow is a collection that catches my heart this season. The theme is just so pretty, delicate and pink. I can’t pass by a beautiful blush like the DIOR Cherie Bow Blush in 729 Pink Happiness. It’s one of the most-wanted items for me from this collection when I first saw the preview, and after have been wearing it for the past few weeks it totally lived up to my expectations.

DIOR Cherie Bow Blush 729 is a dual pink powder blush in neutral pink. One side of the blush is matte, and the other side is slightly shimmer. I always like blushes that come with different textures, so it won’t look too flat on the face and always seem to make the application easier for a natural layering effect. The texture is standard Dior. It’s very densely packed so it doesn’t get powdery when you swirl the brush over. The powder feels silky smooth, and the pigmentation is good enough to show with a few swipes. For application, you can apply the matte side first then add the shimmering part for a layering effect. Or you can mix them up then apply as a lazy person like me would do! The results are the same – it adds a delicate touch of pink to the cheeks with a soft glow. It is not an overpowering pink, but pretty enough to give you a youthful look and make the face look more alive .

Swatches: Left: Matte, Middle: Shimmer, Right: Mixed

FOTD wearing Dior Cherie Blush in 729, and the Dior Diorshow Mono Eye Shadows in Spencer and Tweed (reviewed here) on my upper lid, and only Spencer on my lower lid.

On my face which is very tanned at the moment, the blush shows up very close to a neutral pink with a hint of coral.

Bottom Line: Definitely a must have blush if pink is your weakness! I bought mine in Australia for $75. It is also available here in the US, or here that ships internationally except Australia..

On a side note, a good news for the fashion fellas! Shopbop is holding its annual Spring Event with the following discounts. I always prefer this type of event as it applies to all merchandise (not just for the past season items), and I have so many items on my wishlist but I need to narrow them down from a maternal perspective which is very challenging 😛

{ 11 comments }

Labels: BLUSH • DIOR • EYESHADOW • FOTD

Dior Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows Swatches

February 11, 2013

A quick post on the new Dior Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows that just landed in Australia this week. The testers of the entire collection are out for display in major department stores, but not all shades are available in stock yet. So I have only picked up 452 Spencer and 760 Tweed for today, and still awaiting on the other shades I am interested in such as 653 Mordore which will arrive over the next few weeks.

The Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows can be used wet or dry. Dior makes richly pigmented and buttery soft eyeshadows, and these ones are no exception. Compared to the old Dior singles (which now have been discontinued), I find the new ones are of better quality. Most shades from this collection have a shimmer to mega-sparkly finish. The level of pigmentation is suffice for a natural finish when applied dry, but if you want a more intense finish with some extra wattage of the shimmer, it’s best to apply them with a damp applicator.

Some swatches of the entire collection I have taken with my iphone in store.

Top Row: Swan, Gris Montaigne, Sequins, Mordore, Spencer

Second Row: Garden Party, Ribbon, Grege, Panama, Swan

Left to Right: Bikini, Bow, Tweed, Lilas Mitzah, Mariniere

Left to Right: Blue Denim, Camouflage, Khol

A quick thought on the two shades I picked up today, which I thought are the two most interesting shades out of the collection that are unique to my current stash.

452 Spencer is a moss green grey with a silvery undertone. I picked this one because it’s a very wearable and earthy shade but not in the usual family of brown and taupe.

Left: Dry swatch Right: Wet Swatch

760 Tweed is a rosey mauve shade with a silvery taupe undertone. I chose this one because it reminded me of the Rose Platine Eyeliner by Chanel which I always hoped to have it in an eyeshadow form.

Left: Dry swatch Right: Wet Swatch

The new Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows are available here or here in the US. You can also purchase them here with free international shipping available.

I bought mine at Myer for AUD$47 each. There is a GWP at DIOR with a single purchase over $110 in Myer now.

On a side note, some of you may have noticed that I have not been blogging frequently lately. There are a few exciting things happening in my life which I would love to share the news with you all soon! So as much as I love blogging, it has taken a backseat for a while. But I am all ready to come out of hibernation and can’t wait to share and communicate with you all through this channel again 🙂

{ 22 comments }

Labels: DIOR • EYESHADOW

Dior 5 Couleur Grand Bal Eyeshadow Palette 524 Fairy Golds Review, Swatches and FOTD

November 17, 2012

This is another eyeshadow review for the Dior 5 Couleur Grand Bal Eyeshadow Palette in 524 Fairy Golds (Limited Edition) from the Grand Bal Holiday 2012 Collection. My compulsive makeup hoarding is getting a little out of control lately as I am completely engulfed by the waves of new eye shadows being released at the moment. But what could be a better time to shop than this festive time of the year?!

Before I start my review, please allow me to ramble about the sub-par service at various Dior counters. The SAs were either busy chatting or showed no interest in doing their jobs at 3 different counters I visited! Whilst most of the other cosmetic counters thrive to deliver the best possible customer service in such a competitive economy, it was such a let down experience from a premium beauty house like Dior.

Nonetheless, this did not distract me from buying this uber gorgeous eyeshadow quint. It’s a neutral eye shadow palette with some of the most beautiful sparkly shimmery shades I have ever seen – and that is what drew me in the most! I love a sparkly shade when it is done right. It needs to have the perfect spongy creamy texture (not gritty) and adheres without any fallout, and most importantly it needs to be sparkly in a grown-up way. And the color is important too, as it needs to be subtle but you can still see the color with some translucency so it doesn’t overpower the base eye color when you apply the sparkly shade on top. This Dior quint ticked all the boxes.

COLORS

Top Left: Shimmery champagne pinky beige

Top Right: Rusty gold with a sparkly finish

Middle: Silvery white with a sparkly finish

Bottom Left: Shimmery mushroom taupe

Bottom Right: Shimmery chocolate brown

All shades are rich in pigmentation, feel buttery soft and blend so well. As mentioned above, the two sparkly shades are exceptionally superior and rivals the Tom Ford which I thought were the best!

SWATCHES:

FOTD:

Upper Lid: Applied the beige color all over the eyelid, then I blended the light taupe color from the upper lash into the eye socket. The dark brown shade was only added to the outer-v, and I used my finger to pat the gold sparkly shade on the inner corner, and the silvery white shade on top for an ultra sparkly festive look!

Lower Lid: The white sparkly on the inner third, and the brown on the outer third.

It is worth nothing that I have been obsessed with highlighting and contouring lately, so I have used more-than-the-usual amount of base product to create a luminous complexion that also looks more defined.

OTHER PRODUCTS:

Face: Laura Mercier Moisturizing Foundation (discontinued) mixed with Dr Jart+ Waterfuse Moist BB Cream.

Highlight & Contour: Prescriptives Contour Stick (discontinued) + Nars Copacabana Illuminator. YSL Touche Eclat for under eye concealing.

Blush: Chanel JC in Rouge

Lipstick: Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine SS BG 957 (reviewed here) + MAC Dazzleglass Glamour

Bottom Line: A perfect eye shadow palette for a touch of sparkly glamour this festive season.

I bought mine at David Jones for AUD$99. The Dior Palette can be purchased here in the US. You can also get this new collection including the palette here with free international delivery, and use the code GIFT10 for 10% off!

{ 22 comments }

Labels: BB Cream • DIOR • EYESHADOW • FOTD • FOUNDATION • HIGHLIGHTER • Laura Mercier • MAC • Makeup Base • NARS • Shu Uemura • YSL

Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in 74 Ultra Rose Review and Swatches

November 9, 2012

Whilst everyone’s attention is on the drool-worthy Eclats du Soir de Chanel Collection (reviewed here), Chanel has quietly released two new Joues Contraste Blushes in #74 Ultra Rose and Rouge as part of their permanent collection. I picked up #74 Ultra Rose recently, and the Rouge is a re-promotion from the Byzance de Chanel collection which has been reviewed here.

I first heard about the release on Jen’s blog here, and I literally stomped out to the shop straight away. In my opinion, Ultra Rose should be renamed to Ultra Neon Bubble Gum Pink. I have a fair share of cool pink blushes in my makeup stash but this one completely outshines the others in terms of color and opacity. It’s the brightest, most pigmented bubble gum pink blush I have ever owned!

As far as I know, Ultra Rose only comes in the euro baked version. In general JC in baked version can be slightly less pigmented than the US version, but rest assured the pigmentation of this one is insanely pigmented (on par with Rouge if you know I mean…). There is no visible shimmer in this blush, but it gives a beautiful glow to the skin and that’s exactly what I love about the baked version. The formulation somewhat manages to add a touch of translucent lit-within glow to the finish. As you can see from the comparison swatch below, the JC Ultra Rose has the most beautiful sheen compared to blushes of other formulations.

Some comparison swatches:

clockwise: Chanel Tweed Fuchsia, Chanel JC Ultra Rose, Dior Rosy Glow, Nars Desire

Compared to Chanel JC Pink Explosion and Malice

I have been wearing this blush a lot lately and I will show you a FOTD with it shortly. When it is applied sparingly, Ultra rose gives a beautiful cool pink flush that really brightens the complexion and yet is still very wearable on fair skin.

Chanel Joues Contraste Blush retails for $73 in Australia.

{ 14 comments }

Labels: BLUSH • CHANEL • DIOR • NARS

The Sheer Maxi

March 18, 2012

I have been searching for a sheer and flowing black maxi skirt for the longest time! And Zara seems to always be the problem solver. Wearing it out on a rather perfect windy day was just coincidental.

Saba Shirt, Zara Maxi Skirt, Chanel Tote, Dior Sunnies

{ 14 comments }

Labels: ACCESSORY • CHANEL • DIOR • Fashion • OOTD • ZARA

DIOR DIORSHOW NEW LOOK Mascara Review

February 15, 2012

Along with the Spring 2012 collection, Dior just released their latest mascara – DIORSHOW NEW LOOK in Australia.The original Dior DiorShow mascara was a phenomenal success, and I was blown away by how it performs against my poor Asian lashes so I have pretty much tried every single mascara Dior has released ever since (reviewed here). I bought this new mascara a while ago, and it wasn’t until yesterday that I tried it out. Bad timing – I shall never wear a new mascara on Valentines Day! I ended up with raccoon eyes every few hours on such a special occasion, needless to say I would never wear it again.

Before I am going to pass it on to my mum who recycles my “unwanted makeup” 😛 I want to quickly share my thoughts with you. Dior claims that the DIORSHOW NEW LOOK is an revolutionary mascara, with the combination of an exclusive nano-brush and a high precision serum treatment formula, it offers an unrivaled and spectacular volume multiplying effect. The serum treatment formula will also strengthen and repair your lashes day by day.

My thoughts on:

Brush: Has a unique design and is able to catch every single lash with precision definition.

Texture: It feels buttery soft and is neither too dry nor too wet, and it applies smoothly and feels feathery soft and lightweight on the lashes.

Effect: My lashes appear much thickened and slightly longer upon application, unfortunately it doesn’t hold the curl and weighs my lashes down immediately.

Lasting Power: very disappointed…

Bottom Line: Mascara is very subjective, and my review is based on my naturally straight Asian lashes with medium length and volume. My preference for a mascara is to give nice definition to my lashes and is able to hold the curl that can last the whole day without smudging. As much as I was impressed with the unique design of the brush and the texture, DIORSHOW NEW LOOK fails in holding the curl and smudges terribly throughout the day. Therefore it is not a good mascara for me, but it might work for those of you who have better lashes.

{ 12 comments }

Labels: DIOR • MASCARA

Dior Le Vernis Waterlily 504 Swatch

January 29, 2012

Ever since I missed out on the infamous Chanel Jade Le Vernis (which was all sold out during pre-order!) I developed a quite odd addiction for green nail lacquers. Unquestionably, the Dior Le vernis in Waterlily 504 was on my must have list for this spring.

Waterlily contains a very subtle degree of emerald green shimmer that I did not even notice until I inspected it closely under the direct sunlight. Dior normally makes the best formulation for nail polishes in my opinion. With waterlily, unfortunately I thought the formula was little on the thick side, so I had to add a few drops of nail polish thinner as I personally prefer to apply 3 thin coats rather than 2 thick coats.

picture 1: taken under direct sunlight

The color is a leafy green on me. Picture was taken with 3 coats of waterlily without a topcoat.

Compared to OPI Mermaid’s Tears (reviewed here) and Essie Turquoise and Caicos which lean towards the cool side of green, Dior Waterlily appears very warm when swatched against them.

Bottom Line: Store your usual vampy and dark shades for now, Spring is all about pretty pastel hues, and Dior Waterlily is one of the most unique shades this season! Dior Le Vernis retails for AUD$39 in Australia.

{ 14 comments }

Labels: DIOR • NAIL POLISH

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