New Diorskin Forever Cushion (and Lip Sugar Scrub) Review

Dior's just launched the brand new Diorskin Forever Cushion, and this latest foundation offering promises to not just be matte and long-wearing but also skin perfecting. As a fan of traditional bottle/tube foundations, I'm always eager to check out matte cushions simply because most have never been able to deliver on the promise of setting matte or staying fresh for hours.

The tropics are a terrible place for cushion foundations. Cushion formulas are lighter and more fluid than bottle foundations; they usually stay moist and don't set quickly or completely. Even the ones targeted at oilier skins tend to be a bit lacking in staying or mattifying power compared to typical bottle or tube formulas. The constant humidity, heat and sweat throughout the day causes them to slide, smear, or oxidize to a different shade, even for someone with normal to dry skin like myself.

I was quite drawn to the new Diorskin Forever Perfect Cushion formula because besides promising a lasting, luminous-matte finish that blurs imperfections and pores, it also contains pore-refining ingredients, and a new color-lock pigment technology that resists oxidation through the day. So I gave this a good test for the whole of the past week.

At SGD$78 for a set of cushion and case, and $59 for just the refill sponge, the pricing is quite standard for a luxe brand. It comes packaged in a sleek midnight blue case with the standard soft patting sponge for quick application on the go.

Texture and scent

The foundation is weightless as you would expect of most cushion formulas. It has a fresh scent that almost smells like cologne. The formula has a light cooling feel on the skin and while it's not meant to be a hydrating formula it still felt comfortable on my dry areas.

Once it's on, it's weightless and there is no tacky or sticky feel after it sets, which is a big plus for me.

Finish

I tried it with a traditional paddle-shaped foundation brush, a buffer brush, an egg-shaped blender sponge as well as cushion puff in the last week. I find I get the most matte finish using the accompanying cushion puff or a blender sponge in a tapping motion. 

The formula does slowly set to a more matte finish after you give it a minute on the skin, and you end up with exactly what it says - a luminous matte finish.

Coverage

This has a light-medium coverage which is buildable to a fuller medium as you can see below. It can cover small marks or uneven skin tone, but will not cover dark circles or blemishes completely. Where it excels is in evening out skin texture and the appearance of pores, without looking too flat or powdery-matte. A "my skin but better" effect.

Diorskin Forever Perfect Cushion applied (right) without concealer or powder

Tip: It's best not to over-apply cushion foundations (regardless of brand) because a very heavy layer will not set the way the manufacturers intended. If you need extra coverage in areas, apply a proper concealer instead. Your makeup will look and last better through the day.

Lust, Not Must: Luxe Beauty Products I Prefer Not To Be Without

You know there are always products that you buy even though you know logically, that there are lot of affordable alternatives? They aren’t a “MUST” and life most definitely can go on without them. However budget allowing, you will keep going for these - over cheaper alternatives - every time. 

Here are some of mine!

Tom Ford Eye Color Quads - so pricey, but so gorgeous. And the color combinations are always so beautifully put together that you don’t need to be great at color coordination to put a great eye look together.

Fresh Sugar Lip Balms - finding perfect lip balm is like finding a perfect mascara; everyone likes something different. And it's like Goldilocks trying different bowls of porridge when you're looking for the perfect one - some are not moisturizing enough, some are too gloopy and sticky, some are too runny, some are too thick... I always sigh despairingly at how expensive a tube of Fresh Sugar balm is compared to something I can pick up at the drugstore - but I always repurchase them. And I sigh and wish I was one of those for whom Maybelline Babylips works just fine.

YSL Rouge Volupte Lipsticks - no these are not the most expensive lipsticks I own; but I do use them up pretty darned fast because they are so soft and creamy and need lots of touching up through the day. But we still love them.

La Mer The Intensive Revitalizing Mask - sleeping packs and leave-on masks are a dime a dozen these days. So why do I have to fall in love with one of the most expensive ones around? This is instantly nourishing but still feels fresh on my dry skin. The comfortable feeling and glow lasts for the whole day.

Aurelia Bamboo Muslin Cloths - hot cloth cleansing has made a world of difference for my skin. It polishes and exfoliates without irritating my dry and semi-sensitive skin. And these anti-bacterial, ultra-soft muslins are still my favorite. I remove makeup and use a cream cleanser, then dampen one of these in hot water and finish my face cleansing routine with a few wipes. No foaming wash required.

Serge Lutens fragrances - no these aren’t the priciest as far as niche scents are concerned, but I definitely have more favorites from this line - and use these more - than my Frederic Malles or any of the other niche lines. So naturally I wish they were cheaper or came in larger, more economical sizes than the standard 50ml.

La Prairie Skin Caviar Foundation and Concealer - this costs a veritable bomb. But it makes my skin feel so good and gives such a perfected, luminous, demi-matte finish that I just buy it against my better judgment. Plus, having a matching concealer in the cap is just - handy.

Diorsnow "Bloom Perfect" Perfect Moist Cushion - A First Look!

Dior brings out new Diorsnow products around Spring of each year, and for 2016 it's their own interpretation of the eponymous Cushion Foundation which has started invading all the Western brand line-ups after several years in Asia.

Like Chanel's Le Blanc, Diorsnow is a "whitening"/brightening line created originally just for the East Asian market, where there is an eternal obsession with luminous, unblemished skin with no trace of sun damage. Many people around the world are only just learning about how bad sun exposure and photo-damage actually is on the skin, but it's always been a big deal in East Asia, and good formulas are expected to do double-duty - treat existing damage and prevent future damage.

I will go out on a limb and say that good whitening skincare IS often great skincare for treating first signs of aging. I feel the separation of the two lines is more about marketing and selling more products to consumers. Most of the soothing, repairing, and protecting extracts and ingredients in whitening skincare - like stabilized Vitamin C, Licorice extract, or Edelweiss extract which is used in the Diorsnow range - also can protect against collagen and DNA damage.

Dior's put their skincare ingredients into their latest foundation - the Bloom Perfect Perfect-Moist Cushion - which is an ultra-hydrating, protecting, and brightening foundation which promises to both treat as well as protect. If you've used and gotten good results with other skincare products in the Diorsnow range, you will be happy to know they also have two new skin priming products -  the Bloom Perfect Brightening Effect Skin Creator, and the Brightening Makeup Base, which I'll review separately.

I was sent shade 020 in the cushion foundation for review, and it is available in Singapore in only 3 shades with neutral undertones (005, 010, 020,m). It costs SGD$105, comes in a box with two cushions (one in the case, one in a sealed pouch), and the standard issue application puff. I usually dislike all puffs aside from the new Shu Uemura flocked one which is ultra soft and doesn't soak up a ton of product. The Dior is slightly softer and more plush than the average Korean-style puffs, but it's still mostly the same and I still don't love it.

On application, you get a light coverage, but as with most cushion foundations you can pat a bit more on over the first layer to build up slightly. I did find that the Dior does not build up to the level of coverage you get with most classic Korean cushions. The most you will get is light-medium at 2-3 coats. If you need to apply more than 2-3 coats of a foundation to get the coverage you want, you are using the wrong product.

You can see in the before after below that it does even out my skin considerably. I am slightly paler on the brow bones and in the lower parts of my cheeks, and I have some uneven darkness around the mouth and chin, eyes, nostrils, etc which (aside from making it look like I permanently wear brown shadow) can make my face look slightly deeper than my neck. I usually use 021 (medium-light yellow) in Dior foundations and 020 is slightly more neutral/pink than my skin

It does give enough coverage to cover broken veins and old marks from spots, but I had to tap my finger in the product and pat it gently on specific areas where I want more coverage. Brushes, sponges, and puffs will always take some product off. For max coverage, fingers are the best.

(And before you cringe, remember it's a hundred times easier to ensure your finger is sanitized, than a used brush or sponge.)

PROS:

• A good strong dewy glow
• A light feel
• Very fine texture on the skin; doesn't look heavy or unnatural
• Good SPF
• Skincare ingredients
• Puff is a bit softer and easier to work with than many other puffs around

CONS:

• Too dewy for girls with bumpy, uneven skin or large open pores
• Only gives light-ish coverage
• Will not lock on and stay on in humidity or on oily skin - this will rub off and transfer quite easily
• Not enough PA (UVA) protection - I feel on principle every product that has SPF50 should have PA++++, because many people get a false sense of security from using a "50" and think they can skip sunblock, when in reality they are not getting maximum protection against aging UVA rays
• Not enough shades for deeper skin tones - 020 is around N2 for MAC. Diorsnow is a line created primarily for fair-skinned Asian consumers (Japan is a major market)
• Heavily fragranced

So - same story with pretty much every other cushion foundation I tried - they will not really set and lock on and stay intact the entire day if you are oily, or running about in humidity and sweating a lot. Don't even think of using this if you have oily, blemished skin because it makes my semi-dry/normal skin look a bit greasy after 30 mins even with setting powder. You can apply a ton of powder to try and make it last longer but I don't see why you would get a dewy foundation if you are just going to matte it down. Wear it if you have relatively smooth skin, small pores, and just want something to add a youthful glow, hydration, and to even out the skin for a couple of hours. 

My biggest beef with this product is the lack of lasting power. I let it sit for a couple of minutes and then pressed a sheet of tissue very, very gently onto my skin. It came off with a LOT of product.

That's not to say I hate this product. It's exactly what I expect of a cushion foundation, honestly. This is a very fine formula, smells lovely, feels luxurious going on, and has some sun protection and skincare. I just don't love cushions in tropical climates to begin with. If you need something that stays intact all day and can withstand heat and grease or hide large pores, you might want to try the regular Diorsnow foundation, which has amazing coverage, similar sun protection, and a semi-matte finish that will last a lot better.

The Bloom Perfect Brightening Effect Skin Creator on the other hand, is a silky pre-makeup salve which feels lovely and imparts a subtle smooth glow to the skin. I am very excited about, and will post more info after a bit more testing.

A Look At: Dior's State of Gold Holiday 2015 Makeup Collection

Dior's known for bringing out luxurious "gilded" makeup collections every holiday season, filled with golds, reds, and plush velvety colors. This year is no different.

Named "State of Gold", the 2015 Holiday Collection features rich late-Fall colors like burgundy, red, squash orange, and all manner of nuanced gold tones. Every product is a gift worth giving if there's someone special in your life you want to pamper.

There are the requisite gold compact Illuminating Pressed Powders; 001 (a light champagne gold) and 002 a rose gold. I love both but only picked up 002 as 001 has not reached stores yet. 

Someone mentioned on Instagram that these are like collectibles to treasure and keep. I agree but I would also recommend using them cos they are gorgeous on the skin; more pearlescent than last year's and shot through with flattering gold rather than silver sparkles.

There are 2 cream shadows and 2 lip glosses which I won't speak of because they're not the standouts to me. There are also 2 pressed powder blushes which are shot through with lots of gold sparks. I'm not the biggest fan as there is so much gold sparkle in the formula that it would look quite dramatic on the cheeks. Both of the burnished orange-tones also look like they would work better on medium to tan skins and might be too orange on pale girls.

What I do highly recommend are:

• the two 5-Couleur palettes
• two of the 5 nail polishes
• both illuminating compact powders
• any of the 6 shades of Diorific Mat lipsticks

The 2 palettes come in variations of Fall tones. One accented with a beautiful sage green, the other a rusty brick red.

 576 Eternal Gold is a slightly more neutral grouping of shades, and my pick between the two, although 886 Blazing Gold is gorgeous as well, especially if you have blue/grey eyes or prefer warmer tones in general.

I like all the lipsticks. Fall and Winter are the best times for seasonal lip colors because instead of the more watery and translucent colors from Dior Addicts and Rouge Diors which are common in Spring and Summer, the brand tends to bring out rich satins and mattes in the Diorific range (which is my fave formula from Dior).

Plus - the ribbed gold cases are so vintage looking.

All 6 shades are gorgeous but the 4 I personally love are:

Fantastique - rich fuchsia

Fascinante - rich warm brown-rose

Fabuleuse - rich deep crimson

Troublante - dark burgundy red

As for the nail polishes, it really depends on your preference. But the two that I find a bit more special and worth picking up this season are 

• 227 Gris Or - a dimensional oyster-gold that shifts slightly grey and rose depending on the light
• 001 State of Gold - a gold glitter topcoat; sounds bring but this deposits SO much glitter in one coat that I instantly fell for it. Use it as an accent on one nail or partially over another color. (If you paint over the whole nail, you will blot out most of the color beneath.)

Dior Addict Lipstick Fall Relaunch Review and 4 "It" Shade Swatches

Dior is relaunching its Dior Addict Lipstick range this year, and besides a new "Hydra-Gel" Topcoat to help seal in color for longer, and a Triple Oil Complex at the core (where the "CD" logo runs down through the entire lipstick) to smooth and plump lips, they've also updated the colors to fit current fashion trends, and also increase shine.

These are translucent balm-like hybrid lipsticks with a variation in cream, shimmer, and pearl finishes. While they certainly do last longer than old-school tinted balms from 5-10 years ago, these are still creamy sheer lipsticks that will come off on cups, tissue, and someone's cheek quite easily. Balms will be balms, so let's not harbor any unrealistic expectations. 

On the other hand they are very comfortable to wear. Some of the sparkly shimmer formulas may feel just a touch more gritty on the lips than the creme and pearl formulas but they are in no way rough or uncomfortable on the lips. I actually did not find these as glossy as I had expected given the description of the Triple Oil Complex and the promise of shine. They do take on a bit of sheen as the soft hydrating formula warms up on your lips, but these are not ultra-glossy by any stretch.

Color-wise, as with many sheer balmy shades, many of the soft colors will look pretty similar to one another so you would have to go with some of the brighter or deeper shades if you want color impact. There is almost no point owning more than 1 or 2 of the soft pinky/nude shades at a time. Also, if you have pigmented or dark lips, some of the paler shades can look ashy and patchy, so I would again go with the deeper options.

By now you might be thinking I actually dislike the product. Not so!

I do love a good balmy tinted product that I can throw in my purse and whip out without a mirror for a touch of color without having to worry about making a mess. And these do feel really nice on the lips. Not patchy, sticky or oily. 

Dior is featuring 4 shimmery, pearlescent "It" shades this season, and the one that immediately caught my eye was Be Dior, the raspberry fuchsia. It  might look dark and scary in the tube for some of you, but remember these are sheer. You will see in the swatches below that it will just look like a nice berry stain on the lips.

553 Smile - nude pink creme; brightens and evens out the lips slightly

451 Tribale - soft coral pearl; nice and flattering with slightly buildable color

561 Wonderful - petal pink shimmer; the most sparkly of the 4 "It" shades

976 Be Dior - raspberry shimmer; flattering rosy berry with subtle sparkle

My favorite shades from the 4 are probably 451 Tribale and 976 Be Dior (UPDATE: yes, this is the shade Jennifer Lawrence wears in the Shine, Don't Be Shy ad; it's a beautiful color, although the actual shade is not quite as violet as it sometimes appears on screen), although 553 Smile is a versatile "throw in your bag" nude-pink that you can just throw on as a balm anytime. 561 Wonderful is pretty if you like a sparkly baby pink, but I personally don't go for this type of shade too often as they make my lips look a little grey. If you have a lot of natural pink/red in your lips (as opposed to no pigments or brown pigments), this would be pretty for softening the color and adding a spun sugar effect.

All in all, it's still a great range of casual, fashionable colors to throw on for those who want soft color but don't like the stickiness of gloss or the feel of heavier lipsticks. I would compare these to the YSL Rouge Volupté Shine range in terms of the payoff and finish although the YSLs are a bit more glossy in finish, and these come in a lot more shimmery pearlescent shades. I'm still a die-hard Diorific Lipstick fan (I just love the intensity and drama), but I do always keep an "easygoing" product in my purse for occasions when my lips are feeling ragged and I can't deal with the maintenance of a strong lip.

Dior Addict lipsticks retail at SGD$48 at all Dior beauty counters from 1 Sep 2015.

Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet SG50 Engraved Bottles

In honor of Singapore's 50th National Day, the house of Dior is celebrating SG50 with 6 exquisite limited edition engraved designs on their #1 bestselling fragrance in Singapore, Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet.

There will be 6 different designs available for sale at separate Dior beauty counters island-wide.

Vanda Miss Joaquim (pictured above) features Singapore's national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid, engraved all across the front. This design is exclusively available at Dior Robinsons The Heeren.

Garden City (Dior Boutique, ION) and Flower Kingdom (Takashimaya) are two rather similar palm leave and flower designs, except the Garden City design features an orchid, and Flower Kingdom has less distinct floral patterns.

I especially like Tropical Paradise (Dior Robinsons, Raffles City) which features chic fans of tropical palm/coconut leaves.

Marina Bay Sands (Dior Boutique, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands) and The Merlion (Dior Tangs Plaza) show off cute city skylines along the base of the bottles.

Dior's done a lot of glass engraving in the past year or so with their glass artist, but this series feels extra special to me. How many times do we get  to celebrate our 50th year of independence? Maybe my grandchildren can pull this out one day to admire and look back, when we're celebrating our 100th National Day.

Dior Fall 2015 Cosmopolite Collection Eye Product Swatches plus Addict Fluid Shadow Review

Dior's launched 6 Fluid Shadows with their latest Autumn 2015 Cosmopolité Collection. The items that took my attention immediately were obviously the Fluid Shadows, which are something new to the brand.

These six shades come in the usual Dior Addict tubes with the Dior button on the top, and often get mistaken for lipglosses because of the 3 rosy tones (petal, burgundy, and violet) in the collection.

Dior Addict Fluid Shadows in 275, 875, 825, 655, 025, 545

Now there are different ways you can use this. If you dab it on with your finger, you get a very sheer translucent sheen. But if you want intensity, stroke it on straight from the tube using the brush, and then lightly tap and blend out the edges. You have a reasonable amount of time to pat and blend before they set, but they do go to a powder finish so don't work too slowly.

If you want to layer, wait until the first layer is completely dry first, then dab on a second coat, but be careful to dab instead of rubbing when blending the second coat or you can end up dissolving and shifting the bottom layer.

You can layer shadows on top of these, but I think it's a bit of a waste to buy something so shiny just to cover it up. I would recommend just applying a deeper shadow (like the matte brown I used below) along the socket line to add some definition and transition, but to leave the liquid shadows to shine.

For the finished look below, I applied the 825, the pale pink liquid shadow, then a matte brown powder shadow along the socket line, before dabbing 875, the deep wine-red shade to the outer corners. Then finally, I used a small liner brush to apply more of the deep red along the lash line as a subtle liner.

I've worn these out an entire day with no creasing, but then I don't have oily lids, so I can't speak to its lasting power for those who do. It did hold up rather well for me in any case. I would never consider these ultra-longwear products though. They are relatively easy to remove with makeup remover so I'd consider these more special occasion makeup than all-day every-day products. 

I do recommend these worn opaque rather than sheer, because there's not much point to investing in something like this and not getting the full effect from it. You can use it as a base, but do note that these set to a powder finish and will not grab onto shadows extremely well after that, so if you want them to hold your powder shadows in place, you need to apply your powders before the liquids set too much.

But if you ask me, I wouldn't see these as a base at all. These give plenty of drama to your lids, and powders blend well over and around them, so I would use them as accent colors when you want your lids to really glimmer and sparkle.

The Autumn Winter 2015 Cosmopolité Collection features the above eye products; 6 Dior Addict Fluid Shadows (SGD$53) and two 5 Couleur Palettes ($104), which have an intensity and pigmentation that is actually much higher even than the regular 5 Couleur palettes. I have to admit I prefer the usual quilted embossing but when I swatched these I was quite impressed.

 I did end up picking up 766 Exuberante from the collection. The mix of neutrals and a pop of intense royal blue really appeals to me. There are more options for day and night looks with this palette, versus 866. You can get softer looks with the plum toned palette, but the options are a bit more limited because you wouldn't be able to create any warm-toned looks with it.

Dior Vibrant Colour Powder Blushes

This is a super-quick post for those who requested to see swatches of the 2 new Diorblush Vibrant Powder Blushes (SGD$70) which have been released for a limited time at the ION Dior Backstage beauty boutique as well as a few other counters like Robinsons Raffles City.

Like most of the Diorblushes, these 2 are very finely-milled and smooth. They aren't chalky and go on subtle at first so you can wear them sheer or build up to moderate intensity.

The 2 new striped Diorblushes come in 2 opposing tones.

• 001 Coral Shimmer - soft warm coral; it looks very orange/yellow in the pan but the red strip actually adds a beautiful soft salmon tone when all the colors are swirled together.
• 002 Pink Shimmer - cool-toned fuchsia pink.

Both shades go on quite soft at first but quickly build up to a more vibrant tone. They would work well on both pale to medium skins, but I think if you have a tan complexion, these would be very soft glow against the skin.

If you have dark skin however, these might only work as highlighters. They don't really look as chalky as some, but there isn't enough of a sheen to make a very noticeable highlight either, so I won't actually recommend these if you have a deep skin tone.

Dior Nude Tan Tie Dye Edition Blush Harmony

Dior's gorgeous Summer 2015 makeup collection is themed around beautiful tie-dye patterns and sunset/sunrise colors.

I'll talk about the other products in the line soon, but today I'm showcasing the two must-tries; the Nude Tan Tie Dye Edition Blush Harmony compacts.

Each comes with a white-haired kabuki brush and a velvet pouch, same as the other Nude Tan products.

The 2 shades available are:

• 001 Pink Sunrise
• 002 Coral Sunset

Both shades are quite soft, and probably better for those with light to medium skins. If you have dark skin, these might not show up that well, although the color can be built up a little.

I usually prefer pink blushes but I have to say I like 002 Coral Sunset more. It's just so pretty and tropical.

And both these blushes go perfectly with the eye palettes and cream shadows coming out in Summer. 

Dior Summer 2015 5 Couleurs palettes in 346 Pastel Breeze (left), and 556 Contraste Horizon

 There are 2 more colorful palettes; 346 Pastel Breeze and 556 Constraste Horizon. 346 Pastel Breeze is released in Singapore as a special edition ION Backdstage Boutique exclusive along with the 2 2015 My Lady blushes, and not "officially" part of the rest of the collection here.

556 Contraste Horizon however, is part of the Tie Dye collection, and one of the few color palettes that I really like.

There are also 2 neutral palettes. 

The 5 Couleurs palette 539 Variation Nude is gorgeous. If you have seen or own Cuir Cannage palette, this is a softer, less smoky version of that. It's also like an all-neutral version of the discontinued 754 Rosy Tan palette, with beiges in the place of pinks.

Eye Reviver 001 Illuminating Neutrals Eye Palette was just released as well, although it's not officially part of the Summer collection either. This 6-shade silver palette is contains 2 matte shades, 3 shimmer shades, and a liner for maximum convenience on the go. The colors are similar to 539 Variation Nude, so you probably don't need both. If you want a mix of mattes and shimmers go for the Eye Reviver palette. If you prefer Dior's ultra-silky shimmers, then pick up 539.

I'll feature all these separately, but if you're curious to see swatches I did in-store of the full range, including the very cute Tie Dye Lipsticks and Fluidsticks, hop on over to dayre here!

Dior Diorskin Nude Air Serum Foundation, Loose Powder and Healthy Glow Invisible Powder compact

Dior's updated the Nude range with 3 new products under the "Nude Air" series; a Serum Foundation, Loose Powder, and a pressed compact Healthy Glow Invisible Powder.

The first thing to talk about would be the drop-dead gorgeous silver packaging with the signature Dior quilting on the caps. Everything is sleek and luxe, from the silver dropped foundation bottle, to the silver capped loose powder, and the quilted compact powder which would be at home in any Dior bag. 

 But all the packaging in the world would not be any good if the products themselves can't perform.
After all, there are beautiful luxurious products everywhere.

The original Diorskin Nude range was designed to be skin-like and natural. And the Diorskin Nude Air range shares that characteristic, but also differs in 2 key ways. 

1. Texture/feel: the new range is free of talc, and formulated with volatile oils, so it goes on weightlessly and sets quickly, leaving only pigments. Compared to the previous Nude liquid formulation, this has almost no discernible texture on the skin. 
2. Skincare properties: Nude Air products contain a proprietary formula of plant oils, vitamins, and minerals to provide antioxidants and essential fatty acids, treat and nourish the skin, as well as a "hyper-oxygenated" base which delivers oxygen to the skin.

A drop of Diorskin Nude Air running lightly down the back of my hand

Nude Air Serum Foundation

The liquid is ultra-light, like all of the new generation of volatile oil foundations. It blends out extremely smoothly, but doesn't feel like it will smear around endlessly or looking patchy, as some foundations can. The coverage is light-medium; not as heavy as alternatives like NARS All Day Luminous Weightless foundation.

The closest alternative in terms of coverage and the soft-focus velvet (matte with a slight glow) texture would be Armani's Maestro foundation. I own both, but I do have to say the Diorskin Nude Air formulation is quite a bit more sophisticated.

Diorskin Nude Air foundation coverage

That's because it's more lightweight than many of its volatile oil foundation predecessors, so it blends out quicker and more evenly. But at the same time, the pigments are much finer grained and more translucent, so it almost feels like you won't get any coverage. But these translucent pigments manage to blur flaws and unevenness so effectively that I look like I applied light concealer above. My veins, dark circles, and light marks are hidden so effectively that I was extremely surprised because the foundation was so lightweight.

But the best thing for me is that the natural-looking glow of the skin is not gone. Another favorite of mine - NARS All Day Luminous Weightless foundation - has the same ultra light texture and a coverage that surpasses this, but it gives more of a matte finish and will not be able to create that
no makeup makeup" illusion.

There is no SPF so you will need to wear your own sunblock, but do also be careful to blend it out properly because while it is easy to spread and blend, and might look fine in the mirror, the pigments do refract light and it might be visible if your coverage is uneven. (See near my jaw in the right image above where I didn't take note to pat away the excess product.)

Skin-types:
The only skins I would say this might not be suited to would be the very oily and very dry. All volatile-oil foundations are a bit paradoxical because they're very weightless feeling and most set matte or velvety, which appeals to oilier skins. But at the same time, they are oil-based, and the volatile oil formulas sometimes don't set that well on very oily skins, or certain skincare products.

Diorskin Nude Air Serum Foundation retails for SGD88 from 1 April and will be available in shades 010, 020, 030, 040

Nude Air Loose Powder and Healthy Glow Compact Powder

The Nude Air powders are designed to be like "intelligent fabrics" which are breathable and also contain skincare ingredients to help limit absorption of harmful particles.

Now these will give more of a matte finish to the skin when just applied, which is expected. The textures are ultra-light and weightless, as with the foundation, but for me personally, the key differentiation would be the skincare benefits.

The loose powder will instantly cut most of the shine from the skin, even though it doesn't have that unnatural mask-like effect some powders can create. It adds no coverage, and I don't personally find that it helps provide any additional color correction, so it's literally just an additional step to set your base.

My personal preference is for the pressed compact powder because it can do double-duty (many people who want a matte and perfected finish also prefer a little more coverage). Plus, it's easier to use and more portable.

And ultimately, if you love the Dior quilting and packaging in general, compact powder IS the key item you would bring out. So if you have to pick one, I would pick the compact. Besides being more portable and having more coverage, it also comes with its own kabuki brush, if you prefer using a brush instead of a powder puff.

But this is not a powder foundation; it's a pressed touch-up powder. So don't expect high coverage.

Same as the foundation, both powders contain skincare properties, which is great for adding extra antioxidant protection to the skin in the day, but don't contain sun protection.

The Diorskin Nude Air Loose Powder retails for SGD88, and the Compact Powder for SGD86 in shades matching the serum foundations.