For spring 2015, Dior is giving beauty lovers the keys to the kingdom. The Dior Kingdom of Colours Collection is full of pinks, nudes, greens, and textural contrasts (shine, matte, shimmer) that feel like a breath of fresh air after the dark, vampy shades of winter. It's enough to make me crave fresh-cut tulips and and sprinkle doughnuts, oddly enough. (You'll see what I mean when I start talking about the nail polish.) A photo-heavy look at the entire collection after the jump, starting with a show-stopper of a limited edition palette!
In every Dior collection, there's at least one must-have that inspires deep, Gollum-esque covetousness in beauty lovers' hearts. This season it's the cannage-embossed, midnight blue Kingdom of Colours Spring 2015 Colour Palette ($80), which features ten assorted shades for face, eyes, and lips. There's a black eyeliner; three eyeshadows (lilac, shimmery light green, shimmery silver); skin mattifier and luminizer; bright coral blush; clear and peachy-pink lip gloss; and pink lipstick. The palette also comes with three double-ended applicators (an eyeshadow swab, a double-ended lip brush, a blending and angled liner brush), and an angled blush brush that slips easily into the pack pocket of the enclosed velvet pouch.
Here's a shot with the plastic overlay on top so you can see which product is which.
And here's a closer shot without the plastic overlay. These are light, wearable colours that look natural during the day and add polished effortlessness for evening. The palette is a sleek, elegant affair that you'll be proud to pull out for touch-ups, and it feels sturdy enough to spend serious time in an office tote or travel bag. (In fact, I'm tempted to take it along on our European honeymoon.) This palette won't do it all (you'll still need mascara, a primer, and foundation), but it goes a long way in helping minimize your makeup bag.
In the depths of winter, super-bright pink and coral blushes can look unnatural on pallid complexions. Consider Diorblush Kingdom of Colours Blush in 'Peach Splendor' ($46) the antidote to seasonal pallor then. It's a peachy-pink with the slightest hint of gold shimmer—not too pink, not too bright, just enough to make your face look fresh—and the finely ground pigments go on like a second skin. I also really like the contoured flat brush as it allows for precise application and blending.
Two limited-edition Dior 5 Couleurs Kingdom of Colours eyeshadow palettes ($64 each) are also launching this spring. As you can see, the centre shades are embossed with the same Dior coat of arms as the other palettes in the collection.
'House of Greens' is a quintet of olive and camo greens with one pale pink shade for contrast. Flattering and sophisticated, especially for brown eyes.
'House of Pinks' is a mix of mauve-y pinks with one plum shade—also very flattering on brown eyes. (If you need some inspiration on how to wear these palettes, check out these eyeshadow tips from Diorshow national artist Pascal Grand'Maison.)
Dior Cheek and Lip Glow ($39) is a new permanent addition to the family of "like you but better" Dior Glow products.
The colour looks intimidatingly neon in the bottle, but it actually goes on very sheer. The formula is very fluid with a slight fruity, peppermint scent and has a tingly plumping effect when worn on the lips. Dab a couple drops on with the swab, blend with your fingertips, and then lightly tap the colour into cheeks and lips.
Dior Vernis Gel Shine nail polishes are probably my all-time favourites for their superior wear, high shine, and incredible brush. I'm getting better with my DIY manis, but I'm still a total klutz with getting nail polish on the skin around my nails and flooding my cuticles. The Dior brush fits the curvature of my cuticles and deposits colour in one wide, even swath. Three strokes for a perfect application—or at least as close to perfect as I've ever gotten.
Dior Top Coat Eclosion Blossoming Top Coat ($29) is so much fun; it reminds me of pastel confetti or a sprinkle doughnut when applied over creamy opaque shades. I've been wearing it on my nails the past couple days, so trust me when I say it's quite the compliment magnet.
Dior Vernis Gel Shine in 'Glory' ($28) is somewhere between a vivid coral and a neon red; it also skews fuchsia depending on the light.
See what I mean about near-perfect application even for klutzes?
I love Dior Vernis Gel Shine in chic neutrals like 'Lady' ($28) for polish-and-go situations when I'm in a bind and need to replace a chipped mani fast. The superior brush lets me avoid mistakes even if I'm rushing, but if a mistake were to happen, the light shade makes it less noticeable. There's no need for a base coat to prevent stained nails and the finish is so glossy a top coat is a moot point. Two coats of thin colour dry to a dent-free finish in about 15 minutes and can give you 4-5 days chip-free.
Fans of Dior's lip glosses (pigmented, creamy, not as sticky as other brands) will be pleased to see two limited edition shades of Dior Addict Gloss ($31).
'Fastes' is a peachy pink that skews more pink with plenty of gold shimmer. On my bare lips, the colour is a bit too frosty to be flattering, but it'd be pretty layered over another lip colour and would suit someone with blonde hair and fair skin very well.
'Mylord' is more my speed: a mauve-y pink that's more glossy than shimmery (although it has the teensiest, barely noticeable bit of the latter).
Rouge Dior Baume in 'Palais' ($37) is that rarest of nude lip shades for us girls with naturally rosy lips: it's got just enough muted rose in its lip-balm-like, slightly sheer, slightly shiny formula to avoid looking terminally ill (an unfortunate downside of most nude lipsticks), but still tones down the pinkness.
Like the Cheek and Lip Glow, the newly launched Diorshow Khol pencils ($32) will be a permanent addition to the Dior lineup. These retractable liner pencils can draw thin or thick lines, smudge out easily for an effortless single-product smoky eye, and go on like butter.
'Smoky Black' is always a classic, but it's the 'Pearly Silver' that makes me want to jump up and do a happy dance. The pencil glides on in a smooth, vivid line that mimics the look of the silver-lined eyes from Dior's fall 2014 couture show. Consider this the next best thing if you missed out on the Dior Silver Eyes stick-on eyeliner that creative director Peter Philips used in that show.
The Dior Kingdom of Colours collection and the new permanent launches are now available at The Bay and at Dior counters nationwide. Anything catch your eye?
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