Dior: Lifting Amber 642, Rosy Tan 754, Ara 999

I seem to be having a Dior moment. I was a bit intrigued with their new Lift eyeshadow palette, which is supposed to contain some amazing serum that cares for your skin whilst looking pretty. And then typical me, once I started buying, I couldn't stop, so I got a few more things... 

This is the 642 Lifting Amber. It has a creamy base in the middle, three powder eyeshadows and in the bottom right hand corner is a very dark brown meant to be used as an eyeliner or eyebrow colour (only if you have dark hair, obviously). What I have noticed with this palette and the other one (below, Rosy Tan) is that Dior eyeshadows seem to have pigmentation issues. If you are used to solid, deep colours eg NARS, then you might find these frustrating. On the other hand, if you don't like having to blend so much, then these work really well. Perhaps well suited to beginners because they are all soft and natural, and there is no way you could apply too much and look like a clown, even if you wanted to.   

642 Lifting Amber

Here are the swatches - all except for the base, which is off whitish/slightly pink and not supposed to be visible once you've packed on the other colours, anyway - and I must say, I am very pleased with them. Very wearable. Just so you know, the brown isn't necessarily as dark as it looks here.

Here are the swatches again from a different angle. The brown eyeshadow looks better here. None of them are matte; the powder eyeshadows all have a subtle shimmer. And some more good news: The eyeliner seems to stay on really well (at least on my hand): I couldn't get the swatch off with soap and water! I had to use a make-up remover.

I think the cream shadow brush by Bobbi Brown might work very nicely for picking up the base. Dior suggests using fingers but I'm not so keen on that. 

642 Lifting Amber

I told myself that it made NO sense to buy two eyeshadow palettes at the same time but I still did because I have no self-control... This is from their summer collection: 754 Rosy Tan.

754 Rosy Tan

Five powder eyeshadows, very straightforward. They are all everyday colours. My favourite is the taupe in the bottom left hand corner. The light brown in the bottom right corner is matte. I haven't been able to decide yet which palette I prefer... because they are so similar.

And both go well with the lip products that I also got. The Lip Glow, which I'm sure you know about, I've had before (and lost within a week of buying it). It's a lip balm that is supposed to enhance your natural lip colour. I remember ending up with bright lips after applying it several times. I just wanted to try it again.

And a red lipstick. This is the Dior Rouge 999 Ara. What an amazing red. It looks like a true red to me but I'm not much of a red lipstick expert. 

Dior Rouge 999

I'm already nervous about wearing red lipstick during the day! I almost always have nude / only lightly-coloured lips. But when I see the look in magazines, I love it... These neutral eyeshadows will be the perfect balance for the bright lips! How often do you wear red lipstick and do you have a favourite?

Chanel lip balm

Do you know that feeling when you really want to like something but it's not quite right for you? You're a bit disappointed but determined to make it work? (what was it?) 

Well, I wish I could declare right now that this Chanel lip balm is the best. I can't, though, because it's not quite as perfect as I'd like it to be... but I'm not giving up just yet! Maybe I'll even blame myself - my expectations are just too high sometimes - so I don't have to criticise a Chanel product :-) 

This doesn't dry out the lips, which I swear some lip balms seem to do. It's moisturising and does its job... it's just not as rich and creamy as the Baume de Rose by Terry that I love so much. Unless you apply a lot, it can feel a bit thin and watery, if that makes sense.... which is uh... perhaps a good thing if you want to apply it under a lipstick?

At least the packaging is chic, light and relatively travel-friendly for a lip balm in a pot.

MAC lip conditioners

When I did my post on favourite lip balms, I didn't include these ones. The MAC lip conditioners that I have are all tinted so for me, they're in the make-up category.

I have four, of which three came out with recent collections and are limited edition (or pro).

Dim, Feelin' good, Close for comfort, Fuchsia fix

Dim is technically a "lip erase lip balm" and not a lip conditioner. It's like a concealer for lips. I liked the idea and got it but to be honest, I forget to use it.

Feelin' good is a really pale pink that can look too blue and unattractive on some people. I use it at home, or when I'm feeling lazy, or to create low maintenance nude lips.

Close for comfort looks darker in the pot than it really is. The colour is more flattering than Feelin' good. It is a hint of coral-brown.

Fuchsia fix is permanent. This certainly has the strongest colour but when applied lightly, it just gives your lips a healthy glow.

They're definitely worth trying out.

The best lip balms: My current top three

I cannot live without lip balm. I just can't concentrate on anything when my lips are dry.

This is why I have a lip balm on the bedside table, one in the kitchen and another one by the computer. And many more in handbags, coat pockets and drawers.

But not just any old lip balm will do! They have to be soft and creamy. I don't like having to scrape stuff out with my fingernail (like Bobbi Brown's).

Here are my top three:

1. By Terry's Baume de Rose SPF 15
It does smell of roses but it's not strong. At least I don't notice it. Which is lucky because I hate lipsticks or lip glosses that smell sweet.

Fab stuff. My absolute favourite.

But as pretty as the packaging is, it's heavy and not handbag- or travel-friendly.

2. Estée Lauder's Re-Nutriv Sun Supreme Lip Balm SPF 15
This is part of the expensive, anti-ageing Re-Nutriv series. It has small shimmer particles in it, which you're not really likely to notice unless you're out in the sun.

For carrying around in a handbag, this is the best because the packaging is small, slim and plastic.

3. Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 SPF 4
I used to think this was expensive but it's the cheapest of my top three now. Sun protection is a bit low in comparison with the other two (this one is SPF 4 only, the others are SPF 15).

I have a feeling that my top three selection will change, though, once I get my hands on Dior's crème de rose lip balm...