Dior Backstage Box - Summer 2014 Harrods Exclusive

As soon as I spied this new backstage box on Harrods (£84) I couldn't get it out of my head. The Backstage Box is a unique all-in-one set to recreate the beauty look of the Spring-Summer 2014 runway show. All the products are exclusive to this set.


The 5 Couleurs palette contains three beautiful shimmery golds, one more cooler toned, one neutral and the other warm with copper. There are also two mattes, a turquoise green and an azure blue.


The golds have a slightly crumbly texture to the touch but apply smooth, the mattes which I was worried might be  chalky and dry are nothing of the sort and apply really well. All the shades blend really well.

The best aspect of this palette for me is the versatility of the shade depth. Used dry the pigment is softer and you can get a nice gentle wash of colour, however used wet and the mattes are beautifully vivid and the golds have a metallic foil look about them.
Swatched dry and then wet,



The Rouge Dior is a beautiful slightly warm, pinkish beige. It has a soft satin finish and a creamy moisturising feel.

This shade has become one of my favourites, I'm feeling somewhat aghast knowing that this shade is not one I'll be able to get again once I've used it up....holds precious Rouge Dior close....


Lastly we have the Dior Vernis in a sunny orange. This is not in the newer gel formula which is a shame as I do personally prefer that. However this does go on well with two coats, though I make sure to wear a top coat to get a longer wear.

The colour is unashamedly bright and looks very cheerful. I think this particular tone would work better on someone warm toned, but that said I do wear it as there is something very fun about it.


Overall I am really pleased with this set, its colourful, fun, yet well balanced in that there is nothing too out there for someone like myself to feel comfortable wearing.


The below site is really good, it shows the products being applied on a model,
www.diorbackstagebox.com

I bought this from http://www.harrods.com

Rouge Bunny Rouge: Quartz Eyeliner Tanzanite Essence & Papyrus Canary Eye Shadow

Rouge Bunny Rouge brought out a new shade of their devotion ink liners this year, Tanzanite Essence.

Its a medium blue with silver sparkle. There are no wishy washy grey hues here, its a true blue and though it is infused with a lot of sparkle its not over the top, more of a grown up sparkle.

The water-based formula dries quickly and has a very long-wear with no flaking. The applicator is very user friendly as the tip is not too long and is more rigid (unlike a lot of other liners) which allows for a lot more control, which is great for someone like myself who is very clumsy with liner application.


I've been looking for a beige that gives a clean, nude lid look and Long-lasting Matte Eye Shadow Refill in Papyrus Canary fits the bill.


It has a Semi-opaque finish and is a pale, creamy, slightly yellow toned beige. A matte finish seems to be the one that most brands struggle with but RBR have really got the formula spot on, with good pigment and a creamy, smooth application that does not feel or look dry.


I bought Papyrus Canary from http://en.rougebunnyrouge.com/ and the Tanzanite Essence was a gift with purchase from the same site.

Dior Addict Fluid Stick Frisson & Rieuse

There has been quite a buzz about the latest lip formulation from Dior, there are a lot of new liquid lip launches at the moment but I was especially eager to try these new wonders after reading the enticing review from the lovely drivelaboutfrivol.

The SA let me buy some shades before the official release in the UK (16th April), of course this meant that I didn't get to swatch/test the colours before buying but I am pleased with my choices.

Available in 16 shade, I bought 2 of the more natural/sedate looking shades (£26 each).

#239 Frisson is a peach /apricot

 

 

#373 Rieuse is a warm pink (both shades have a shine finish, though appear more satin if you wear them lightly)

 

 

The colours are extremely opaque/pigmented (there is no bleeding of colour), though also adaptable as you can wear as a sheer wash or full on colour. 

 

They apply really smooth, with a creamy, lightweight feel however they really cling/hug onto the lips and are tacky when you press your lips together. They have a long wear time which fades evenly.

I really love that these feel moisturising and do not leave lips feeling dry after wear. 

 

Ingredients below (they are scented). 

This product is a thumbs up for me; it packs a punch with colour, yet is great when used sheerly to give a wash of colour, it has a flattering finish with a good wear time and doesn't dry out the lips.

 

I bought these from Boots

Estée Lauder Double Wear All Day Glow BB Glow Moisture Makeup

It just sounded so good, a luminous/glow finish with lightweight texture and long-wear, what's not to like?
I bought the lightest shade, 1.0 (£29) which is actually a very good match as its not particularity cool or warm and is pale enough for my skin that's a shade lighter than a MAC NW20.

The texture is quite creamy, heavier than I expected from the description. I didn't expect high coverage at all but was surprised by just how sheer it was, it does even to some degree but is not buildable. Pores are a major problem for me and this really only barely conceals them. It has a slight glow to the finish and I mean slight.

I thought this would be moisturising, but don't find that the case, skin really needs to be completely smooth and a good moisturiser used to ensure that this doesn't go on cakey or highlight dry areas.
Now I can forgive this as I have bad skin, so when I try a skin base I never expect miracles to happen, but where I feel disappointed with this product is the wear time.
Estee Lauder has a lot of well established long wear foundation/concealers and this addition it meant to wear for up to 8 hours. My skin is predominately dry and this lasts barely 4 hours before its pretty much completely gone, that's just not good enough for a product boasting long wear claims.
Ingredients:

As far as I am concerned this product falls short of its claims, there are some good features such as the SPF30, being fragrance-free and a good range of shades, but it does not give skin a "vibrancy, imparting a clear, bright tone and lustre to skin for a flawless, healthy glow" and the wear time is poor.

I bought this from Boots.

NARS Spring: Kauai Eyeshadow Duo

I'd been trying so hard to resist this spring duo from NARS, as though the colours of Kauai (£25) look beautiful, the high frost/metallic finish didn't quite fit with my natural every day favoured shadows.
I of course finally gave in and am pleased I did.


The duo contains an antique gold with a dense metallic finish and a medium bright purple with a iridescent/metallic finish.
Swatched below and then both shades together on the right,

Both shades apply true to pan as they are extremely pigmented/opaque, so much so that I do blend these out to get a sheerer effect. Both feel smooth, soft and creamy, blend wonderfully and last all day used over a primer.

As much as I love the texture and ease of application, the finish of these shadows is so metallic that they do verge on being just to glitzy. However, used with a light hand I do really like the finished look.

Ingredients:

I bought this from johnlewis.com

Lancome Lip Lover

The newly launched Lip Lover formula (£18) is meant to be an all in one; giving the comfort of a balm, the pigment of a lipstick and the shine of a gloss.

The packaging is quite neat as it has a little button you press which makes the applicator pop up.


The shade I bought called Beige Adage #332 is in fact not beige and instead a rather warm pink.

The pigment is good and it does have the dewy/shiny finish of a gloss but I'm not so sure about the balm like qualities which are meant to provide "eight hours of moisture". Though it has a creamy/moisturising feel, it's also a bit tacky and I'm very aware that I am wearing it, furthermore I do find my lips feel rather dry after wear.

Now I have to say that the description of Lip Lovers is extremely similar to the recent launch of Lancome's parent company, L'Oreal Paris, Color Riche L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick (£8.99) with the 3 attributes listed as "colour intensity of a lipstick, magnifying shine of a gloss and the softness of a balm". Though the Lip Lovers have a far better shade range, and are a tiny bit less tacky I find the L'Oreal does not make my lips feel dry after wear.

Swatched below L'Oreal Rose Melody, Lancome Beige Adage

Essentially I am not impressed with either but I think if you wanted a liquid lipstick/gloss you shouldn't discount the much cheaper L'Oreal.

I bought these both from Boots.