I pretty much die of happiness every time I see a new Dior palette. I can’t handle it, there’s just some little part of me that goes crazy over the gorgeous shades and finishes and I lose my mind. You may think I’m exaggerating, but (and friends will attest to this), I’m probably understating my excitement.
Anyways, I’m sure you can imagine the near makeup-induced meltdown that occurred when I received the new Dior Fall 2014 Makeup Collection and found that it was all about the eyes with 5 (yes, 5! One is not pictured above due to a little mixup) 5 Couleurs palettes. My mind nearly exploded.
This collection shifted the focus to Dior’s 5 favourite colours – red, grey, pink, black and blue – for a combination of palettes that may not be entirely typical of fall. I find that it feels like a collection that takes the transition between the seasons into consideration, still keeping things warm and fun with some brighter shades as well as those that blend into the autumn season. Each palette, with its different shade focus, has been carefully paired with shades of Rouge Dior and Dior Vernis that flow effortlessly for a complete look. I’ve separated each into their “groups” so you can take a look. *Nail polish swatches will follow at the end – after my stint at the cottage, my nails aren’t too happy with me but I will update when they’re in better shape!
Dior Trafalgar Red: “In the 1950s, Christian Dior would send out scarlet coloured designs during catwalk shows to wake up the audience and get their attention. He called these designs his Trafalgars.” The sensual punches of red in this group certainly stay true to this – all three of these are equally eye-catching. The 5 Couleurs palette in Trafalgar is very intriguing although not entirely one that I would typically choose. While the four main shades are stunning, the central red-hued shade is giving me a little trouble. As gorgeous as it is in theory, it’s a shade that I personally have trouble wearing on the lids without making my eyes look tired or sick. I’ll keep playing with it, but for the time being it’s not my first choice. The Dior Vernis in Massai is a gorgeous deep, brick-red that syncs perfectly with the Rouge Dior in Rouge Massai, a bright shade of red that applies like a dream.
Dior Bar Grey: Unfortunately I had a wee bit of a mix up and didn’t end up with the 5 Couleurs palette in Bar but wanted to show you what it looks like (it’s a stunner, no?). I’ll source some swatches from some friends so you can take a look! In the meantime, I have gotten my hands on both the polish and lipstick from this group. The Dior Vernis in Bar is gorgeous. More black than grey, this polish is very deep and rockin’ with a hint of subtle silver shimmer throughout. To help balance out this dark look, Rouge Dior in Bar is a nude, almost pink-hued lipstick with a shimmery finish – absolutely gorgeous.
Dior Tutu Pink: Granted, this may be the grouping that seems the most out-of-place in a fall collection, but secretly it was the one that excited me the most. Mainly because it screams rainbows & unicorns and looks like it was made for a princess. As the Dior team states, “And what if, all of a sudden, colour overturned style codes? What if pink, the symbol of all possibilities and trump card of freshness, blossomed in the heart of winter? Like a promise of happiness, youth and flushed cheeks, Dior has created an autumnal pink.” I, for one, welcome this slight departure from the typically darker and warmer fall shades with open arms. It might just be that I’m a sucker for pink, but I really enjoy seeing a bit of a shake up from tradition. The 5 Couleurs palette in Tutu is the stuff Barbie’s dreams are made of – shimmery shadows in shades of pink, ranging from pearly to those that take on an almost violet feel, coming together to create a daintier and more girly version of the smoky eye. Rouge Dior in Tutu has to be tied with Rouge Massai for my favourite lipstick from this collection. It’s a pretty, light pink that gives just a hint of a flush to the lips, while the Dior Vernis in Rose Tutu is just a lovely petal pink for the nails. Can you see why I’m in love?
Dior Pied-de-Poule Black: With its deep shades, this group is easily the most chic and sophisticated of the bunch. The Dior 5 Couleurs palette in Pied-de-Poule is a collection of charcoal-hued shadows with varying tones (blues, greens and golds) to create the quintessential smoky eye. The shimmery shades are perfect for highlighting the lid and adding shading, while the velvety central black shadow helps to add perfect definition. The Rouge Dior in Pied-de-Poule is a beautiful deep, wine red shade which reminded me of something Lorde would wear upon first glance, but comes off a little lighter once applied. The greige tone of the Dior Vernis in Pied-de-Poule is the epitome of sophistication, adding a warmer version of a nude to the nails.
Dior Carré Bleu: Finally we come to one of the more colourful groupings, inspired by Raf Simons’ looks from the Fall ’14 runway. At first glance, I thought the Dior 5 Couleurs palette in Carré Bleu was lovely, but I became enamoured once I had swatched the shadows. They really seem to come to life on the skin, with bright and smoky blue shades punctuated by a hint of shimmer. The Dior Vernis in Carré Bleu is another gorgeous addition to the collection, with an inky, midnight blue tone full of shine. The only disappointment for me here was the Rouge Dior in Carré d’Or. This golden beige shade may work on others, but it was too light and came out looking almost streaky on the lips once I applied it. This is one I’ll have to pass on.
What do you think of the 5 Couleurs Dior Fall 2014 Makeup Collection?
Price: Dior 5 Coueler Palettes – $61 CAD, Rouge Dior – $36 CAD, Dior Vernis – $26 CAD
