Dior Dandy Lady Haul

Dior's fall'08 collection, Dandy Lady started arriving at the counters in Singapore over the past couple of weeks. Intrigued by the gorgeous ad visual, I attended a preview party organised by Robinson's department store but left without getting anything as the makeup demonstration didn't manage to convince me that the items were impressive enough to warrant the high price tag.



But the collection remained stuck in my head after that and then one evening, I happened to watch the video of the shooting of the ad visual and the makeup used on model Jessica Stam just looked stunning, all smokey perfection, that I promptly reserved most of the collection at Tangs. I finally picked up the items earlier this week.



The Dior staff at the Tangs counter was nice enough to keep the last remaining set of their GWP (with purchase of S$250) for me. The GWP comprised of the HydraAction Hydra-Respect Cleansing Foam 50ml, HydraAction Deep Hydration Lotion I 50ml, HydraAction Deep Hydration Radical Serum 10ml, HydraAction Deep Hydration Creme Gel 15ml and a super-cute mini 5-Colour Eyeshadow #970 Stylish Move. When I picked up my items, the SA also threw in a J'Adore EDT sample and the Eau Magique Demaquillage (Cleansing Water for Face and Eyes) 15ml.



I got the Impression Cuir (S$76), the 5-Color Eyeshadow #673 Earth Tones (S$87) and 5-Color Eyeshadow Iridescent #539 Iridescent Leather (S$87). On a whim, I also got the Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen #2 Candlelight (S$55).



What impressed me about the eyeshadow palettes was the silky and pigmented texture. While I'm not usually a big fan of browns and neutral tones, the Leather palette has been garnering many raves on Makeupalley so I decided to pick it up. After trying it for the first time today, I would rate it about 4 stars out of 5. The shades all complement one another very well and it's very easy to create a gradational look. The light highlighter shades have just the right amount of shimmer without being too frosty while the darker shades were very velvety and easy to blend.

There is no chunky glitter in the eyeshadows, only a smooth glimmer that is not too over the top or sparkly so it's suitable for work. I did not experience any fallout, fading or creasing even after more than 8 hours of wear. This palette is a great option if you want an elegant, classy look without having to think too much about how to combine the different shades. The only drawback is the price, which for me is quite exorbitant as it's even more expensive than Chanel!



On the other hand, I was less impressed by the Impression Cuir. I liked the python print effect on the surface but I was disappointed to discover that the pretty shimmer on the middle brown shade does not go all the way through. I hate it when cosmetic companies mislead you by spraying a shimmer overlay on the surface that does not go all the way through. The shimmer rubs off almost immediately to reveal a much less shimmery medium brown shade below. The texture of the eyeshadow is of the same excellent standard as the 5-Colours Iridescent palettes, very smooth, silky and pigmented. But I felt that the colours, while flattering with a nice warmth that would suit most skintones, are not that unique and can easily be duped with shades from other brands for much cheaper. You do get a lot of product (10g), which is about the equivalent of about 6 MAC eyeshadows, so it will take pretty much forever to use up.

I haven't tested out the Earth Tones palette yet. As for the Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen, it provides a decent amount of coverage for my dark circles with some illuminating effect that helps me to look more awake. But it was not pigmented enough to cover up my dark circles completely and, sadly speaking, I could still see some fine lines. But I liked the light creamy texture which is easy to apply and blend to a natural finish.

My buddy, the Muse, has written an excellent review of it comparing it with YSL's Touche Eclat, which I highly recommend reading.