Dior Smoky Nude 3 Couleurs Smoky Eye Palette for Fall 2011

Dior's new 3 Couleurs Smoky Eye Palettes ($48) offer gorgeous eye color choices for fall. In addition to Smoky Khaki, which I featured this morning, I purchased Smoky Nude. There are six of the new color trios. If I had been feeling rich, I could have purchased all six. They are stunning.

Just like Smoky Khaki, Smoky Nude isn't what you might expect from its name. It's not a wallflower. The trio of shades offers a warm, neutral look for the eyes. The only thing nude about the palette is the ivory base shade. Like all of the new trios, Smoky Nude offers a one satin-finish shadow, one shimmering shadow, and a base shade that differs in its finish from palette to palette.

Ordinarily, I prefer cooler brown tones on my face. Interestingly, makeup artists would rather warm me up by blending in shades like these. I have one of those blank canvas faces; I can wear warm or cool tones. I'm not sure whether that's good or bad.

I applied the shades heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator, and I took these swatch photos in full, morning sun - finally! I've been trying for two weeks to get half-decent swatch photos of these palettes.

The satin-finish cocoa brown shade in this palette is incredibly useful. While the word "useful" sounds like a boring warning, it's not meant to be. When applied with a brush, it can be sheer and subtle for day or smoky and sultry for night. It's all about the application. We can use it on the outer lid, in the crease, or blended.

The shimmering neutral is a warm taupe. It's drop-dead gorgeous and should make @Glowyjoeybunny's heart sing. It makes me extremely happy. It looks fabulous swept over the lower (moveable) lid. The ivory base shade is perfect for my coloring. It lights up my eyes with its subtle shimmer. It will do that for yours too - no matter what your skin tone - although you may use it differently if your skin is significantly darker than mine.

I love the new compacts from Dior. Slide back the top of the case, and a mirror flips up, exposing the three eye shadows (and two tiny brush and sponge applicators). I love the look and feel almost as much as I love the colors. It realize it's a novelty, but it's a fun novelty - classy!

You can purchase Dior's new 3 Couleurs Smoky Eye Palettes at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks - probably anywhere with a Dior counter. If money were no concern, I would purchase Smoky Brown and Smoky Navy, the latter just for the incredible shimmering blue shade that I'd find a way to wear. These new eye palettes should be on your "go see" list.

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

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Dior Smoky Khaki 3 Couleurs Smoky Eye Palette for Fall 2011

Dior's new 3 Couleurs Smoky Eye Palettes ($48) offer gorgeous eye color choices for fall. I purchased Smoky Khaki and Smoky Nude weeks ago - the second they became available. I held off on showing them to you for multiple reasons - camera troubles, bad weather, you name it. Now, I'm ready to start with Smoky Khaki.

A breakthrough makeup innovation introduced by Dior: an unparalleled sliding palette that reveals a three-color eye shadow harmony to get catwalk-smoky eyes in three easy steps. This smart palette features soft, powdery textures for an effortless and made-to-measure smoky-eye effect. The extremely bendable base perfectly preps and colors the eyelid, while the eyeshadow duo offers different effects: more matte for a natural ready-to-wear style or more shiny for a glamorous couture style. A collection of trend-setting, sultry harmonies.

Khaki is one of my favorite eye shades. Dior has given it an unusual twist in Smoky Khaki. All three shades in the trio have a khaki cast. No single shade is pure khaki. You might think a khaki lover would find that distressing. Not me! I love this palette.

The khaki cast to each color is subtle. My swatch photos were taken in morning sunshine. I have nearly 50 other swatch photos, taken in various lighting conditions, but they didn't work to my satisfaction. I applied each shade heavily with a sponge-tipped applicator.

At the top, there's a brown shade that "leans khaki." You can see the khaki hue in person, but in the photos, the shade looks brown. You'll have to trust me; that Dior brown leans khaki. There's khaki in the sparkling grey shade too. I hope you get a hint from the swatches. The gold is an antique gold base shade, and I think it's easiest to see the khaki in the gold.

This is a palette you have to go see. You will love the slide-flip compact, with its pop-up mirror. The Beauty Look Book has a feature on Smoky Khaki, so make sure to check that out. You'll see the three shades on a different skin tone.

You can purchase Dior's new 3 Couleurs Smoky Eye Palettes at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom - probably anywhere with a Dior counter. I'll keep working with that new camera until I get it right.

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

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Dior Lady Dior Limited-Edition Palette Fards à Paupières

Two guys overheard in a bar near Wall Street...



"My wife is crazy."

"What has she done now?"

"She's buying makeup she claims is collectible."

"Is it expensive?"

"Not really, but she doesn't use it - she just gazes at it. She says it's a masterpiece of color."

"Hey, at least she's not hanging around at Christie's with my wife, who's threatening to buy a Richard Diebenkorn painting."



So it goes. We buy makeup we don't need because we have a passion for color. We collect Dior (or Chanel or whatever, pick your poison). That's how I came to own Dior's numbered, limited-edition Lady Dior Palette Fards à Paupières eye shadow palette ($90), exclusive to Saks Fifth Avenue. It's somewhere between dear and darling.



In 1947, Christian Dior invented the New Look, a revolution that he instigated by designing a distinctive type of fashion with accessories and makeup for a truly new look from head to toe.



Created in the same tradition in 1995, the Lady Dior handbag became the iconic statement piece that embodies the very essence of the Dior spirit and the perfect emblem of the know-how of the house... It instantly became a cult object. Featured in every trend-setting press photo, it created a real frenzy in boutiques all over the world. This object of desire also inspired prestigious contemporary artists and filmmakers, who took it from Paris to Shanghai, with stopovers in New York and London, all the way to the Red Square in Moscow.



Today, Dior pays tribute to this handbag and creates the Lady Dior numbered, limited-edition palette. The inside reveals elegant eyeshadows in the vibrant colors of the latest Lady Dior from Spring/Summer 2011, replicating the shade and canework of this legendary handbag. These delicate eyeshadows, assembled and adorned by hand in an artisanal style, prove the incomparable know-how of the color craftsmen who perpetuate the exceptional art of Dior makeup.



I now own Number 1551. It's a curiosity as an eye shadow palette. The red in it won't work on my eyes, but used lightly, it's a pretty blush. The trick to using it as a blush lies in the brush and application.



I took photos to show you the grey shade, applied moderately and heavily, the red shade, applied moderately and heavily, and all of the shades swiped top to bottom evenly. The Dior representative at the store told me that the blended shade would be purple (there was no tester). She was right.



My photos were taken in full sun. I applied the shades with a sponge-tipped applicator. At the top of my arm, the grey shade is applied with different intensities: moderate and heavy. The heavy swatch (second down) shows how pretty the shade will be when used as an eyeliner. The red is a curiosity. Also applied moderately and heavily, it's a gorgeous blush. I can't wear this shade on my eyes. I would look like a fashion victim. On my cheeks, though, when applied with a small brush (extra work to cover the cheek area), it's gorgeous. When blended, as you can see in my photos, the colors yield a strong purple.



This palette deserves much more experimentation than I've had time to give it. I wanted to show it to you while it's available at Saks. Rather than put it unused in my makeup museum, I decided to use it. I'll have fun playing, like a kid with a new paint box.



The Lady Dior Palette Fards à Paupières, elaborately boxed with an insert as shown above, is available only at Saks Fifth Avenue, where I purchased mine.



Photos by Best Things in Beauty

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Dior Rouge Sérum from the Blue Tie Collection for Fall 2011

Steady my heart, Dior introduced new Rouge Sérum Luminous Color Lip Treatment ($34) shades in a new formula with the Blue Tie Collection for fall. Filled with even more active skin-care ingredients than the parent Sérum de Rouge lip color, Rouge Sérum features an amazingly creamy texture to moisturize, smooth, and pamper your lips day in and day out. Enriched with mango butter and other natural extracts, this nourishing treatment is said to boost your lips' microcirculation and collagen levels and enhance their appearance with gorgeous, luminous color. That color is sheer - my favorite lip color look!

The new shades are shown beautifully at MakeUp4All.

• Carmine Crystal
• Coral Crystal
• Passionate Pink Crystal
• Primrose Crystal
• Sweet Pink Crystal
• Tea Rose Crystal

What's a gal to do when faced with a display filled with gorgeous shades? Select two to start! I came home with #675 Passionate Pink Crystal and #645 Sweet Pink Crystal. I could easily have bought four more.

My new shades are shown in the tubes at right. Passionate Pink Crystal is shown at the top and Sweet Pink Crystal below in my photo. Both colors look a little warmer in my photo than they appear to my eye. Naturally, I took many swatch photos and selected the one that most accurately portrayed the shades on my skin.

My photo was taken in morning sunlight. Passionate Pink Crystal is on the left, and Sweet Pink Crystal is on the right. Hopefully, you can see that they are very different pink shades - both sheer, gleaming, and luscious. Passionate Pink Crystal appears red-pink in the tube, but applies as a stunning pure pink. Sweet Pink Crystal is warmer - more rose and with just a hint of brown. I'll be living in both shades.

For the original Sérum de Rouge forumula, Dior said that after one month of daily use, Sérum de Rouge increased the hydration of our lips by 40%, added 24% more smoothness, and helped regain curves and firmness. I wasn't sure about those statistics; they were nice, but not important to me. I simply loved the colors, look, and feel! Now, the new, improved Rouge Sérum formula has captured my heart. This week, I'm going over to Neiman Marcus, where I bought the first two, and I'm going to try to resist buying more...for now.

If you love lighter-than-air, luscious lip colors, check out the Dior Blue Tie Collection Fall 2011 display at your local department store. These new lip color-treatment hybrids are my favorite part of the collection.

Photos courtesy of Neiman Marcus and by Best Things in Beauty

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Dior Blue Tie Collection Rouge Dior Lip Color for Fall 2011

Dior's Blue Tie Collection for Fall 2011 started to sell out the moment it hit the counters. One week after the collection arrived at Neiman Marcus at Tysons Galleria, the dual-toned blushes were gone. While most of the attention has been focused on the Blue Tie Palette for eyes and lips, my eyes were instantly drawn by the lip colors. I came home with two Rouge Dior shades and two new Rouge Sérum shades.

Haute couture color and a new ultra-nourishing, long-wearing formula, luxuriously packaged in the House of Dior's signature cannage pattern with a jeweled emblem.

Four shades of Rouge Dior ($30) grace the fall display.

• Allegro Pink #741
• Angelique Beige #314
• Pasanelle Pink #428
• Tourbillon Pink #651

They are all pretty, but I had to exercise some self-restraint. Pasalelle Pink and Allegro Pink came home with me. Pasalelle Pink is shown at left, and Allegro Pink is shown below right.

I debated with myself in the store over their similarities. They appeared on my skin to be members of the same "warm rosewood" family, but with different intensities. I couldn't decide between them, so - you guessed it - I bought both. I need to become more decisive.

My in-store impression was correct. On my lips, they are both warm rose shades - much warmer than you might expect from their appearance in the tubes. My swatch photos were taken in sunlight filtered by high clouds.

Pasalelle Pink is shown at the top of my arm, with Allegro Pink below it. Now that I've had a chance to wear each, I think Pasalelle Pink is the best shade for me. I like it! It's cooler than Allegro Pink, which shows its coral hue clearly on my lips. I can wear that warmer tone, but not in an intense lipstick. Rouge Dior is opaque; I need a sheer look to pull off warmer shades. I'll have to trade Allegro Pink with one of my trading friends - or send it to one of my blogger buddies. I'm not sure I'll wear it.

Looks in the tube can be deceiving - as we all know. Normally, I test on my fingertips, which have color approximating my lip color, but I didn't the day I was shopping. I skipped that step because I was in a hurry. I also skipped my normal trip to a skylight to see the shades in a realistic light.

Don't let my preferences influence you, though. We all have our peculiarities (in opinion and looks!), and what's not perfect for me may be your holy grail. All four shades appear to have been designed to offset a dramatic eye perfectly.

Rouge Dior is long-lasting and does have a perfumy fragrance. The fragrance is not troublesome to my nose and dissipates quickly.

I purchased my new Dior shades for fall at Neiman Marcus. I'm sure all the Dior counters have the fall collection now. You can see it online at Nordstrom if you'd like to armchair shop.

Photos courtesy of Nordstrom and by Best Things in Beauty

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Diorskin Nude Glow Healthy Glow Summer Powder in Aurora

At first glance, this summer look from Dior is all about orange. Learn a little, and you''ll find the model is wearing Diorskin Nude Glow Healthy Glow Summer Powder in Aurora ($46). Aurora (001) and its bronzer sister shade, Sunset (002), have received a lot of recent blogger press. There's a great reason for all the attention.

Here's a photo of the Aurora (#001) bronzer compact, taken in outdoor sunshine so the beautiful woven pattern in the compact sparkles. I also snapped a photo in the shade (shown below) so that you could see that the powder doesn't sparkle without that direct sunlight. The three woven shades (it's a new product so I'm not dead-sure what's below the surface) coordinate perfectly.

Aurora is a flattering bronzer. The multi-toned lightweight powder reproduces the natural summer glow of healthy and radiant sun-kissed skin. Aurora was created for blondes and fair-to-medium complexions, and Sunset for brunettes and medium-to-dark complexions. Aurora was the natural for me. With the rosy pink tones threaded through the compact, I was sure it would be perfect. This is one of the products I nagged the Neiman Marcus gals about - every day. I ended up buying two, the first one from Nordstrom and the second from Neimans. I was getting impatient.

I like it - a lot - even though the shade isn't absolutely perfect for me - darn close, but not perfect. Aurora is extremely pretty; make no mistake. It has set hearts aflame. I'm not criticizing it by saying it isn't absolutely perfect for me. With all the beautiful bronzers on the market, particularly the summer 2o11 introductions, it compares very favorably to most of them. I'm getting so jaded, I think - for me - that the new Guerlain Terra Inca Sublime Radiant Powder is better. Dior's bronzer is warmer. It's a good thing I don't have to choose! The Dior bronzer is significantly less expensive than Guerlain's. It's smaller too.

My swatch photo, taken in outdoor sunlight, shows the bronzer swiped across all the shades at the top with a sponge-tipped applicator and a very heavy application below, achieved by layering with a dense face brush. Remember, bloggers do heavy applications to get shade photos, but you would never apply a bronzer this heavily - hopefully. You don't want to cross the line between a glowing gal and a carnival attraction.

I don't see the rosiness I can see in the Aurora compact on my skin. I "get" the golden bronze, which is an extremely pretty shade and not at all muddy. On the face, when properly applied, it adds a beautiful glow and a nice contour on my fair skin. It is warm, though, and that's what separates it from the Guerlain bronzer on my face. The Terra Inca bronzer has that cool, rose-bronze tint, perfect for me. What some don't like about Guerlain's bronzer is the shimmer. It doesn't bother me, probably because I don't apply bronzer as liberally as others can.

Sabrina posted a lovely comparison of three new summer bronzers from Chanel, Guerlain, and Dior at The Beauty Look Book yesterday. You should read it!

Here is my bottom line. Diorskin Nude Glow Healthy Glow Summer Powder in Aurora is gorgeous. It's just not perfect, and this season, with so much competition, a bronzer must achieve perfection to be a single choice with such an embarrassment of riches available (Chanel's is incredibly gorgeous). Will I be wearing it? Absolutely yes! It surpasses many warm-toned bronzers in my collection. Picky, picky. Isn't it a pleasure to have so many choices?

This bronzer is available at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks, and other Dior counters, I'm sure.

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom

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Dior 5 Couleurs Palette Fards à Paupières in Rosy Tan for Summer 2011

Yesterday, I showed you Rosy Nude. Today, it's Rosy Tan. The two palettes, introduced for summer, offer pretty variations on a theme: shimmering, sun-kissed colors. I couldn't decide between the two 5 Couleurs Palettes Fards à Paupières ($58), so naturally, I bought them both. It's what a makeup addict does best.

I described all of the characteristics of the palettes yesterday, so I'll direct you to that feature (scroll down or click here) for Dior's description. Here's mine, for what it's worth.

This palette offers a shimmering pink, along with neutral shades that range from shimmering to stain and matte. Once again, the pink is set apart - to my taste, but it's not as jarring to me as it is in Rosy Nude because the brown has a mauve cast. You can see in my swatch photo below right that the pink in the upper left corner mixes nicely with the brown in the upper right corner of the palette. They are the top two shades on my arm.

I swatched the colors using a sponge-tipped applicator and sampled clockwise, starting at top left and ending with the neutral center color shown at the bottom of my arm. The two shades shown at the top of the palette, the pink and mauve-brown, are cool tones that mix nicely. The neutrals at the bottom of the palette are very different. One has a satin finish. The other has a shimmering finish. I like them both. The pale beige in the center looks white on my skin in sunlight, but has a bit more color indoors or away from the sun.

As with the other new 5 Couleurs Palette Fards à Paupières, if there is one shade that's not my favorite, it's the pink. While the two pinks from Rosy Tan and Rosy Nude are different in finish, they are both very pink - not my best look. The other colors? Fabulous! The textures of the new shadows is Dior-like: very creamy, blendable, and long-lasting.

I purchased my new 5 Couleurs Palettes Fards à Paupières at Neiman Marcus. I'm sure other Dior counters have them. I saw the two new palettes at Nordstrom.

Will you buy one of these palettes? Which one?

Photos by BTiB

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Dior 5 Couleurs Palette Fards à Paupières in Rosy Nude for Summer 2011

Until last week, I had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new Dior 5 Couleurs Palettes Fards à Paupières in Rosy Nude and Rosy Tan ($58). The arrival of my coveted shadows gave the Dior reps a break; I could stop asking.

Inspired by the haute couture treatment of materials and dyes, these must-have palettes provide what Dior calls Couture Color variations with an "unrivaled Color Art formula." The formula is said to "capture and organize a high concentration of pure radiance micronized pigments to ensure a vibrant color finish," with matte, satiny, and finely shimmering results.

Dior further describes these colors with graphic and verbal descriptions of the shades and how to use them in the directions that come inside the box. I'm delighted with four of these shades. I think the Rosy Nude palette (shown at top left) is gorgeous, and I love the color mix - except for the discordant pink in the center. To my eye, the pink doesn't coordinate well with the neutral variations in the compact. You'll see why in my swatch photo below.

I love the four shades that ring the palette, from a highlighting pinky-peach tone to a matte brown. My swatch photo was taken in very full sunlight, which exaggerates the shimmer. The shadows were applied with a sponge-tipped applicator for maximum color. I swatched clockwise, starting with the pinky-peach at the top left and ending with the pink at the center of the compact.

The highlighting shade looks less pinky-peach and more white on my skin in full sun. In the shade - or indoors - it has more color. There is a close-up of it below. The beautiful golden beige in the upper right corner translates as it is. It's a shade I adore in most palettes - or on its own. The peach in the lower right corner is a great shade - wearable by this cool-toned blond, but wearable by warmer skins too (I think). The brown is a medium golden brown - not terribly dark, which is terrific in my book. Don't these shades coordinate beautifully for a summer look?

Then you throw in that pink in the center. While I love pink and brown together, to my eye this pink and this brown don't play well together. The pink is too dark and cool, and the brown is too light and warm for the two to be paired. Maybe Dior was challenging me to think outside the dark blue, mirrored box?

Four out of five isn't an issue for me. I love four of the shades, so I am pleased. I'll share my impressions of the other new palette, Rosy Tan, very soon. It was also worth the wait. I purchased my new 5 Couleurs Palettes Fards à Paupières at Neiman Marcus. I'm sure other Dior counters have them. I saw the two new palettes at Nordstrom.

What do you think? Would you wear the center pink shade with the other shades in Rosy Nude?

Photos by BTiB

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Dior 5 Colours Lift Wide-Eyed & Radiant Effect Serum-Enriched Primer & Eyeshadows in Lifting Rose and Lifting Grey

I was never able to get decent swatch photos of the Dior 5 Colours Lift Wide-Eyed & Radiant Effect Serum-Enriched Primer & Eyeshadows in Lifting Rose and Lifting Grey ($60). The shadows are so light, they don't really show up well on my arm. My inability to photograph swatches shouldn't discourage you from checking out these fabulous palettes. They are wonderful for anyone who goes to work every day - flattering with subtle shades. Both are lighter on my skin than they appear in the compacts.

The Lifting Ivory (#532) palette is shown at top right, and Lifting Rose (#842) shown at left. Each, like the Lifting Grey I already featured, include five products. They are the first palettes of revitalizing, radiance-boosting, treatment-based shadows by Dior. The palettes bring together a new generation of luminous pigments and eye-care serum powders.

Here's what you'll get in each palette.

• A smoothing Lift Base, infused with skin-care ingredients, that you apply with your fingertips, gently sweeping over the eyelid and into the crease
• The color Serum Shadow, which you apply to the lid, starting at the inner corner and moving outward
• The contouring Serum Shadow for the outer corner of the lid and the crease
• The Radiance-Boosting Shadow to be applied with a light touch to the brow bone
• The Liner & Brow Structuring Touch with adjustable intensity to use as a liner and brow color

Here is a swatch photo at right of Lifting Ivory, taken in full sun. Because the shades are so close to my skin tone, a few are extremely hard to detect. I applied them with a sponge-tipped applicator, trying to get as much pigment for the swatch photos as possible. I swatched clockwise, starting with the flesh-toned peach at the top left of the palette, and ending with an almost invisible ivory Lift Base at the bottom of my photo. You'll have to trust that they do show up on my eyelids.

At left is a swatch photo of Lifting Rose, taken under the same conditions and in the same order. The pink shade near my wrist is the Serum Shadow at the top left of the compact. The Lift Base shows up a little more clearly because it has a pink tint.

I love the texture of all five colors. They apply like a dream with a regular shadow brush or a cream shadow brush. Because the shades are subtle, they are perfect for those who don't want daytime drama.

The ingredients, depending on the shade, include hydrators and the humectant sodium hyaluronate. The creamy Lift Base is particularly nice. It applies like a cream and attracts shadows without creasing. I'll use the base shades with many other shadows.

You can find the Dior 5 Colours Lift Wide-Eyed & Radiant Effect Serum-Enriched Primer & Eyeshadows at Neiman Marcus. I've scouted the counters for them at other stores and haven't found them anywhere else - yet. Don't make any decisions based on my swatch photos. Go see these beauties if you can.

Photos by BTiB

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Dior 5 Colours Lift Wide-Eyed & Radiant Effect Serum-Enriched Primer & Eyeshadows

It's always a dilemma. Use the French name or the English one? Today, I chose to use the English name: Dior 5 Colours Lift Wide-Eyed & Radiant Effect Serum-Enriched Primer and Eyeshadows ($60).

Isn't that a mouthful? With the new 5 Colours Lift, Dior promises skin care in our makeup.

There are four new Dior 5 Colours Lift palettes at Neiman Marcus. They were so gorgeous, I purchased three of them! I'll be featuring all three, but I wanted to show you one today. I bought them last week - the second they arrived. Pretty soon, they are going to start calling me the telephone stalker. When I know something is on the way, I check every day - even when they aren't expecting a shipment.

The new 5 Colours Lift palettes have a unique twist. They are the first palettes of revitalizing, radiance-boosting, treatment-based shadows by Dior. The palettes bring together a new generation of luminous pigments and eye-care serum powders. The Lift&Glow (no spaces in the trademarked name) bring together shadow and base formulas with a soft, blendable texture to smooth and even skin tone. Every item in the palettes blends like a dream. They are all creamy - even the powders seem creamy to me.

Our quick and easy radiance boost for the eyes comes courtesy of five products.

• A smoothing Lift Base, infused with skin-care ingredients, that you apply with your fingertips, gently sweeping over the eyelid and into the crease
• The color Serum Shadow, which you apply to the lid, starting at the inner corner and moving outward
• The contouring Serum Shadow for the outer corner of the lid and the crease
• The Radiance-Boosting Shadow to be applied with a light touch to the brow bone
• The Liner & Brow Structuring Touch with adjustable intensity to use as a liner and brow color

The quint shown here is #042, Lifting Grey. It's the hardest one to photograph because the colors are so light on the skin, but it's a charmer for everyday wear. Clockwise, starting at upper left above, my photo shows the Serum Shadow, Radiance-Boosting Shadow, Liner & Brow Structuring Touch, and Contouring Serum Shadow. The Lift Base primer is in the center. Directions come in every box in case you need a reminder of what's what, and there is a printed, clear plastic overlay that labels each shade.

All of the shades appear to be darker in the compact than they are on my skin. I applied each for the swatch photo with a sponge-tipped applicator, and I took my photo in full, morning sun. The Serum Eyeshadow color is a shimmering grey - so useful! The Radiance-Boosting Shadow is a light pink. I would use it anywhere, not just on the brow bone. The cream liner/brow shade is a nice brown for blonds. Want more color? Simply apply more. The Contouring Serum Shadow is charcoal. The cream Lift Base primer is a very light, matte pink.

I love the texture of all five colors. They apply like a dream with a regular shadow brush or a cream shadow brush. The shades of #042 are subtle - perfect for those who don't want daytime drama. I can't wait to show you the other two palettes I purchased. I just need time and sun to get swatch photos. One is Lifting Ivory, and the other is Lifting Rose. There is a much darker palette with amber shades that I didn't purchase. I'll tell you more about the ingredients in my next feature.

You can find the Dior 5 Colours Lift Wide-Eyed & Radiant Effect Serum-Enriched Primer & Eyeshadows at Neiman Marcus. I scouted the counters for them a week ago, and they weren't in stock at other stores. Maybe all the Dior counters have them now, and I'm sure they will get them.

Photos by BTiB

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Dior Addict Lipstick - Part 3

Can you believe there's a Part 3 to my Dior Addict story? The new formulation of Dior Addict ($28) has captured my heart - and my wallet. You can peruse my first feature at this link and my second at this link. There are swatches of my first two rounds of purchases at these links.

In the comments of my Part 2 feature, Al told me that Sephora had just added more shades. Off I went to explore them. Naturally, I ordered a few more - four to be exact. Inspired by the cutting-edge runway fashions of Dior, this hydrating formula dresses the lips with a veil of "addicting color" and spectacular shine. What I love is their sheerness - pretty color without a lot of pigment. I'm a pushover when it comes to sheer lip color! I don't need to use gloss over Dior Addict - a bonus for pretty lips in a hurry. They feel good too.

On my latest order, I purchased these shades, listed here with Sephora's descriptions.

#535 Tailleur Bar (nude)
#797 Stiletto (deep red)
#864 Couture (sheer hot pink)
#971 Foureau (plum)

I was thrilled with them when they arrived! Even though the color swatches at Sephora weren't entirely true, the lipsticks are all gorgeous. Here is a swatch photo, taken outdoors in full sun, that shows the shades in the order listed above. Representing different color families, they are all exquisite!

Despite the number of Dior Addict shades I now own, I am thinking of ordering even more. Do you think I need an intervention?

These lipsticks have been a Sephora exclusive. They will arrive in the department stores soon (the launch month is April). I haven't been hanging out at the department stores lately to know if they have started to appear at Saks, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, or other counters. When they do, grab at least one!

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora

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Dior Addict Lipstick - Part 2

I knew I would order more of Dior's new Dior Addict Lipstick ($28), currently exclusive to Sephora. I had purchased three of them online "to try them out," and I flipped when they arrived. You can read my first feature at this link.

Inspired by the cutting-edge runway fashions of Dior, this hydrating and volumizing formula dresses the lips with a veil of "addicting color" and spectacular shine. What I love is their sheerness - pretty color without a lot of pigment. I'm a pushover when it comes to sheer lip color! I don't need to use gloss over Dior Addict - a bonus for pretty lips in a hurry. They feel good too.

This time, I purchased these three shades. I have listed Sephora's color descriptions.

• #330, Garçonne (sheer spiced rose)
• #554, It Pink (sheer strawberry pink)
• #578, Dior Kiss (sheer dark pink)

I am just as deliriously happy with these three shades as I was with my first three. Now I have half the shades, and I really need to stop myself from ordering more. My brain is saying, "Use these to nubs before you buy more." My heart is saying, "Don't you want to joy of trying out the rest of the shades?" Hopefully, my brain will overrule my heart.

Here are my three newest treasures, swatched in the same order listed above, from top to bottom on my arm. My photo was taken in late afternoon sunlight outdoors. I applied each shade straight from the tube.

Garçonne at the top is a warm peachy pink. It Pink is pure pink, baby pink. Dior Kiss is worthy of the house's name. It's a stunning rosy pink that adds the perfect pop of color to enliven my face. As you can see, all are sheer, which equates to divine from my perspective.

I've told everyone I know - from beauty professionals to friends - to check out these lipsticks at Sephora. It's too bad they are not yet available at other stores. Some women need to see and try lip colors before they purchase, and they can't pop into a Sephora store easily. I hope these roll out to the department stores soon.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora

More about → Dior Addict Lipstick - Part 2

Dior Addict Lipstick - New and Exclusive to Sephora

It was called Dior Addict High Shine Lipstick. Now it seems to be called Dior Addict Lipstick ($28) - at least on Sephora, where it's "new and exclusive." I can't explain the new part, but I can tell you that Dior has reduced its own stock of High Shine Lipstick to one shade, and Nordstrom has a different set of shades than Sephora offers.

I purchased three from Sephora this week. Inspired by the cutting-edge runway fashions of Dior, this hydrating and volumizing formula dresses the lips with a veil of "addicting color" and spectacular shine. I like all three, selected from the 12 shades Sephora offers. What I love is their sheerness - pretty color without a lot of pigment. I'm a pushover when it comes to sheer lip color! I don't need to use gloss over them - a bonus.

These are the shades I ordered.

• #564 Model (sheer warm pink)
  
• #566 Taffetas (sheer petal pink)
• #583 Backstage (sheer plum)
  

The three shades are shown on my arm, in the same order listed above. I took my photo outdoors in full sun, and the sun really makes my arm - and the lipsticks - sparkle. The colors are true, and the shades shimmer in "real life." Aren't they gorgeous? While they are all in the pink family, each offers its own look. Now I want more - even if they aren't new or exclusive!

According to Sephora, these shades are exclusive to Sephora. If you have more information than I do, let us know, please. I didn't have time to call Dior reps to find out the story.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora

More about → Dior Addict Lipstick - New and Exclusive to Sephora