Dior 'Diorblush' in Corail Bagatelle (Spring 2014 Trianon Collection)

Dior's Spring 2014 collection calls out hardcore to my girly, ribbon-loving fancy self.  I have to admit that I have a weakness for bows, pinky corals, and blush - all of which the Diorblush in Corail Bagatelle fulfills.  Quick note about this collection - it seems like it's very limited in quantities!  The lady at my Dior counter said she only received 6 of these blushes and that the first 5 went like hotcakes.

Back to the blush - the packaging on the outside is standard Dior, but the pan on the inside has a darling embossed bow/pearl border detail.  I tried my best to resist its temptations (at least, that's what I tell myself), but I already knew on first sight that I really wanted this blush.  I adore the French Rococo feel of this collection.  A little part of me will shed a tear when the design eventually fades away with use.

I'm quite happy with the texture, blendability, and lasting power of this blush.  All are superb.  I do have oily skin and need to blot throughout the day, and sometimes my blush cannot endure multiple blotting sessions.  This, however, looked lovely at the end of a long (12 hr+) day.  The finish is slightly shimmery for my tastes and does emphasize my pores slightly.  Then again, I have quite large pores around my cheek/nose area and most things that aren't matte will do so anyway.

Corail Bagatelle is a lovely peachy pink.  In the pan. I thought it looked like it would veer more towards coral/orange, but it pulls more pink on my complexion.  Other reviewers online called it "Chanel Jous Contraste in Rose Initiale, but less pigmented."  A normal person would see that and say, "Oh, I already have that, so I don't need this."  But alas, that is not how my brain works.  My reaction was, "Oh god, Rose Initiale is my FAVORITE color, so I definitely need this one too...possible new favorite?  AND it's limited edition, so you better get it before you regret it."

• I will say that to my (very discerning) eyes, these shades are different.  I don't find Corail Bagatelle to be particularly unpigmented, but it does require a little more build-up than Rose Initaile.  You can definitely overdo it though, so don't go too crazy!  The textures are very similar, but the finishes are not.  Corail Bagatelle is definitely a bit more glittery, while Rose Initiale provides more of an all around sheen to the cheeks.  Again, not too different, but not exactly the same either.
• The colors are also slightly different.  I've included swatches below.  Corail Bagatelle is (of course) more coral, making Rose Initiale seem almost mauve-y in comparison.  On the skin, Rose Initale is pinker and darker, while Corail Bagatelle is peachier and brighter.  Corail Bagatelle is quite similar to NARS Day Dream (reviewed here), but obviously not matte and more pink on the cheeks.

Overall, my favorite is still the Chanel JC in Rose Initiale, but I still enjoy Corail Bagatelle.  It's quite nice for everyday use.  The color can be applied lightly for a very natural flush to the cheeks, or it can be built up for a more "BAM!  I'm wearing blush here" effect.  I suspect I'll get a lot of use out of it and that the pretty embossed design's days are numbered.

Swatches:

Price: $43

Rating: 9/10

Dior Crème de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm

First off, happy new year to everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and have an even better year to come.  I spent my Christmas with my family (gingerbread houses, tree decorating, the works) and NYE in Las Vegas.  I got back to LA a few hours ago and I'm now all settled back at home.  

On to the review!  I purchased this Dior Crème de Rose lip balm right before my trip to Vegas as a little splurgey Christmas treat.  I've always just used Chapstick and the like from drugstores, so I was curious if this pricey little lip balm would be as good as I expected it to be.  

The lip balm itself is a lovely baby pink in the pot, but is clear on application.

I'll start with what I like about it:

• The container aesthetics.  I'm a sucker for girly pink/white things, and this little pot of lip balm is stupidly cute.  It gives me a little nudge of happiness whenever I pull it out.
• This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really like the rose scent.  It's not too crazy, but definitely still noticeable.  It reminds me of a toned down version of the scent of Chanel JC blushes.
• I also really enjoyed the texture of this product.  Not too slick, fast-absorbing, and made my lips feel quite nice and smooth.  I hate feeling like there's a lot of product just sitting on top of my lips.

And now for what I didn't care for:

• I was expecting to be blown away by the moisturizing aspect of this lip balm.  My reaction was something more like, "Eh, it's not perfect, but it'll do."  Now for a little disclaimer - I tested this in the dry desert air in Vegas on my very dry lips.  I did notice that my lips started to feel significantly dry after ~5 hours (no eating/wiping).  But I suspect that for most people (including myself), it would be adequate for everyday use.  
• I'm a bit of a germaphobe when it comes to cosmetics (having had acne in the past will do that to you) and I find myself worrying about how sanitary this packaging is.  Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I don't like using anything other than freshly washed fingers to apply this lip balm.  I mainly used it in the morning, night, and midday in my hotel room.  While I was out, I tended to just go for convenience and reapplied my YSL Rouge Volupte Shines or Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, which are fairly hydrating on their own.
• I don't really mind this last point, but there was no plumping effect at all from this lip balm.  I dislike those tingly lip plumpers, so I'm glad there wasn't any of that action in this product.  On the other hand, it is advertised as a lip plumper and it failed to come through on that promise.

Overall, it's a fairly good product.  It won't do you a solid in terribly dry conditions, but it's not a like it's a dud either.  It's texture is excellent, which is why I will continue to use it -  but it's not the super lush, life-changing moisturizing product I wanted for its price tag.  I have chronically dry lips, however, so if you have more normal lips, you may find that the Dior Crème de Rose lip balm better suits your needs.

Price: $27

Rating: 6.5/10