Dior:
Pros: Every sunscreen offers sufficient UVA protection; a handful of
outstanding cleansers and makeup removers; some extraordinary foundations,
some of which include sunscreen; the liquid concealer; very good loose powder,
powder blush, and powder eyeshadows; some great mascaras; brow gel;
elegant creamy lipsticks and several good lip glosses; Dior’s makeup
tester units are much more accessible and user-friendly.
Cons: Expensive; lackluster moisturizers and serums that contain more fragrance
and preservatives than elegant ingredients; ordinary masks; lack of products
to address the needs of those with blemishes or skin discolorations;
some foundations with SPF ratings that are too low; the cream concealer;
mostly average makeup brushes.
Dior Skin Forever Compact Flawless & Moist Extreme Wear Makeup:
SPF 25 ($42.00) is a terrific, mica-based pressed-powder foundation
with an in-part titanium dioxide sunscreen. This applies easily,
feels wonderfully silky, and leaves a sheer matte finish that can provide sheer
to light coverage. That means you can add this to the very short list of
pressed powders with sunscreen that not only blend like a second skin,
but also come in a gorgeous range of neutral shades,
though there are no options for dark skin.
Note: Each shade applies lighter than it appears in the compact,
and Dark Beige 050 may be too peach for some tan skin tones.
All skin types can use this foundation with success.
Dior Kiss Luscious Lip-Plumping Gloss: ($19.50)
Regrettably, this lip gloss isn’t recommended due to the irritants it contains.
In addition to lemon peel oil (which can cause a phototoxic reaction when lips
are exposed to sunlight), a major ingredient in this smooth-textured
non-sticky lip gloss is methyl hydrogenated rosinate. This ingredient has
many functions, including as a thickening and flavoring agent (all of these glosses
are flavored after coffee beverages or cocktails) and as a fragrance.
It's inclusion, combined with the lemon peel oil, only increases the risk of irritation.
There are many outstanding lip glosses that work just as well as this one
but without the problem ingredients.
Dior Show Black Out Spectacular Volume Intense Black-Kohl Mascara:
($24.00) has a large brush that is similar to but more spiral-shaped
than the original DiorShow Mascara. It can be difficult to control and apply evenly,
but with patience this builds dramatically thick, full lashes. This is also
one of the blackest mascaras; the color really makes an impact.
You’ll appreciate how soft this keeps lashes, plus it wears beautifully
yet removes easily with a water-soluble cleanser.
A less cumbersome brush would have earned this a higher rating.
Dior Skin Sculpt Lifting Smoothing Concealer: ($29) has a price that should
give you pause, but there’s no denying that this is a formidable concealer
that is worthy of your attention. The silky, silicone-enhanced formula
begins slightly thick, but blends very well. It has minimal slip, so it does
a great job of staying precisely where you place it, drying to a satin
matte finish that provides significant coverage. Dark circles and redness are easily
erased, but this concealer never looks too thick and it creases only minimally.
It comes in three superb shades, though only for fair to medium skin tones.
Forget about the sculpting and lifting claims because they are mere fantasy,
but the rest is as real as it gets.
Dior Capture Total Multi-Perfection Creme: ($120.00/1.7 ounces) claims
to correct all the visible signs of aging, but since there’s no sunscreen
here you can forget about making your wrinkles or dark spots look any better.
It’s a standard, emollient moisturizer for normal to dry skin that contains
far more fragrance than legitimate bells and whistles (and the jar packaging
won’t help keep the tiny amount of antioxidants stable once this is opened).
For more info, download Dior Makeup Reviews, a free ebook.
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