Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | Carré Bleu trio

In 1969, Dior beauty made quite a sensation with the launch of the “Les Yeux Dior” eye shadow collection, and for 2014, the brand is once again revolutionizing the blue eye look. Instead of the 80’s overdone excesses, think ‘sophisticated modern’ with these hues, made that much more wearable by their sublime textures. Juxtaposing the palette, is a softly golden/nude lip, while nails once again call your attention with their midnight intensity. The Carré Bleu trio is a selection of blue shades that definitely impresses (see my reviews on the previous trios here & here) and well worth looking into, especially if you’ve always steered clear of blue shades before.

Raf Simons, Creative Director of Christian Dior & an image from the Cruise 2014 Collection

Rouge Dior #135 Carré d’Or (CAN $36.00) | An ultra pale nude shade with light golden reflects along with a pearly gleam, in Dior’s ultra-creamy and moisturizing formula. As this is such a light shade, it’s not without some issues; for starters, lips need to be smooth and flake-free before applying #135 Carré d’Or, or you run the risk of it catching on every little flaw and ultimately magnifying said flaws. On darker skin tones, ordinarily a nude this pale would pull somewhat ashy but there is enough hint of gold to keep it looking mod and fresh. Those with super fair complexions will absolutely love this as well, as once again the gold tints bring just enough colour to keep lips from looking washed out. On my light-medium skin tone, #135 Carré d’Or works – but not at first application (which only seemed to emphasize all my lip lines, of which I apparently have a bazillion), but after wearing it for a few minutes, it seemed to warm up and give a soft nude glow which I absolutely love. Wear time, as expected for a hue this light, was average – about 4-5 hours without reapplying, although once more, my lips felt well nourished and soft long after the colour had worn off.

Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | Rouge Dior #135 Carré d’Or

5 Couleurs #276 Carré Bleu (CAN $61.00) | A truly spectacular eye shadow palette in varying tones of cool and warm blue shades. A breakdown of the hues, starting clockwise from the upper left:

pale sky blue with a hint of grey in the base, well pigmented satin finish
off-white with a light pink/gold gleam, applies much softer than it looks in the pan & makes for an amazing highlight shade
steel blue with pink/grey undertones for depth & warmth, superb pigmentation and blendability
blackened navy with blue reflects (which only really show up when this is applied damp), surprisingly more sheer than it looks in the pan
mid-tone turquoise with amazing pigmentation, ultra creamy application in a dense satin finish

As mentioned in my previous reviews on the Dior palettes, the compact has been designed to help you create several looks; using the top 2 shades with the middle hue provides a soft, more daytime-friendly look, while the bottom 2 shades + the middle hue are great for evening drama, but once again, the options lay open before you. As all of these colours can be worn either straight from the pan (dry) or with a dampened brush for serious depth and impact, there are then multiple ways to wear any or all of the shades.

Usually a compact will also include a matte shade as a sort of counterpoint to the other textures, but as the darkest shade here applies with the least amount of shine, it serves beautifully in that capacity. I experience no fallout or powdery residue when swirling my brush through any of the colours and find that they all afford a seamless blending ability, one into the other. Each shade has a sort of ‘sub-colour’ running through it, giving depth and providing visual interest, keeping them from appearing flat (and boring) once applied.

Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | #276 Carré Bleu

Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | #276 Carré Bleu, with flash

Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | #276 Carré Bleu, swatched dry

Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | #276 Carré Bleu, swatched damp

Dior Vernis #796 Carré Bleu (CAN $26.00) | A rich denim blue shade with Dior’s ‘secret shimmer’ (or not so secret in this case), that still remains subtly visible once applied, in an über-glossy & totally self-levelling jelly-like formula. There’s a cushiony, almost plush overall look to #796 Carré Bleu, and while the colour is indeed dark, it still manages to retain its blue properties and never really veers into black territory, giving your fingers a long & elegant appearance. Non-staining upon removal – provided you apply base coat first, otherwise I can’t guarantee it won’t lightly stain. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | #796 Carré Bleu

Dior 5 Couleurs Collection Fall 2014 | #796 Carré Bleu, in sunlight

Definitely light years out of my colour comfort zone, I could not help but fall absolutely in love with the #276 Carré Bleu palette from the second I laid eyes on it – the love only intensified as soon as I began swatching. This variation on a blue theme stands unique in my collection and I can’t state often enough how simply amazing the new textures are to use. If you love a smokey eye, then here’s a brand new way to wear it: softly silvered and ever so subtle with the top 2 & middle hues – simply stunning, I tell you. The lipstick is a touch finicky, but I love its tone just the same (makes me think of 60’s icon Twiggy) – just be aware going in that proper prep is key for a flawless look. A dark blue nail will be seen all over the place come the Fall, and the Dior formula is one of the best out there – I can’t recommend enough that you indulge in a shade. Or five.

Available now at all Dior counters, find more information via: