Welcome to the Jungle, Dior’s Got Fun and Games

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette ($59.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a new and limited edition eyeshadow palette inspired by the jungle for the fall season. It contanis five shades: a yellowed medium brown, coppered bronze, glittering platinum, dark brown, and deeper brown.

The first color (upper left corner) is a medium brown with yellowy tan and a soft gold sheen. The color payoff was excellent, and it had such a nice softness to it, which resulted in a really smooth application of color. NARS Paramaribo is darker. theBalm Schitoz is similar, a smidgen lighter. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone is close, slightly less yellow-toned. MAC Wedge is darker, no yellow. MAC Soba is close–a smidgen less yellow in the base color. MAC Double Feature 4 is pretty close but slightly darker–it shares the yellowness, though.

Next, we have a warm-toned, coppery bronze with a soft frosted finish. It has nice pigmentation with opaque results and a smooth, soft feel and application. This kind of color, though, is incredibly common, even if this particular shade is more subdued than a lot of other coppery hues. Urban Decay Snakebite is a little darker. Bare Escentuals Cognac is less copper. Urban Decay Baked is very comparable. MAC Bronze is a bit darker. Inglot #405 is more metallic.

The center shade is a metallic platinum with a silvery-gold shimmer and glitter. It’s very reflective, and it’s sheer. Truth be told, it feels and acts like a layering shade. It has a sheerness that seems like it was deliberate so you could use it over the other shades in the palette, but I can’t confirm this, as it’s not part of the description of this palette or of Dior’s 5-Couleur palettes in general. When I wore it, I tested it over another shade in the palette, and surprisingly, there was very little fallout after application. MAC Manila Paper is similar but has no silver. Make Up For Ever #101 is very similar but more opaque. Dior Couture Gold has a shade nearly like it in the center as well.

In the bottom right corner, there is a medium-dark olive-tonted brown with an almost cool undertone (but there is definite warmth). The color payoff is fairly good, and the texture was soft and applied smoothly. Giorgio Armani #24 is darker. Urban Decay Cobra is darker and more matte. Urban Decay Deeper is comparable.

The fnial shade is a dark brown with a subtle gray tinge that makes it look like a neutral-toned brown. It has a soft sheen. This shade was slightly drier than the others, but the color payoff was still good, and it did apply evenly. Inglot #409 is more metallic. Urban Decay MIA is a bit darker. Tarina Tarantino Dreamy is very similar.

What I didn’t love about this palette was the same thing as Guerlain Les Fauves: the colors are too alike. If you have a good-sized stash and are applying makeup at home, it’s not a big deal, but if you only want to take this palette and maybe one other for traveling, then it’s a little less ideal. This palette has a lot of brown, but they’re on the darker end of the spectrum–a beige or light-medium olive green could have worked exceptionally well in this palette.  Aside from the sheerness of the center shade, the palette was high quality from the pigmentation to the texture to the wear.  I had no fading or creasing (and very, very little glitter fall out from the center shade) over a twelve-hour period.

The Glossover

	Golden Savannah A
	If you have a good-sized stash and are applying makeup at home, it's not a big deal, but if you only want to take this palette and maybe one other for traveling, then it's a little less ideal. This palette has a lot of brown, but they're on the darker end of the spectrum--a beige or light-medium olive green could have worked exceptionally well in this palette.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Savannah Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Golden Light Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Golden Light (207) Vernis / Nail Lacquer ($23.00 for 0.33 fl. oz.) is a sheer, champagne gold with subtle yellow undertones and then dirty gold and red shimmer. OCC Cruising is more opaque and yellower. Shades like Chanel Diwali are all more brown, less yellow. China Glaze White Cap is more of a white gold.  I couldn’t think of a dupe for this shade, though–the red sparkles do make it different from other potential golds.

After two coats (which is what the swatches show), there’s still a fair amount of visible nail line, and there was still some visible nail line after three coats. You’d need at least four to get more opaque color.  It’s the type of color I think one can get away with as a sheer, and it might even be intended (but without color descriptions, I can’t know, and I’ll err on a lower grade than a higher one), because it has a slightly translucent look even in the bottle.  There are subtle brush strokes in the end result as well.

The consistency was a hair on the thicker side, though it did not impede the application, as it applied fluidly, evenly, and didn’t bubble or pool along the sides of the nail.  I typically get a week of wear out of Dior’s formula.  If you’re unfamiliar with Dior’s lacquer, it does come with a wide, tapered brush, which I’ve had a good experience with but if you have narrower nails, it might be something to consider.

I’m not sure why, but Golden Light is a very confusing shade–namely because there are several name variations. It may be best to know it by its number, 207. Nordstrom lists it as Golden Era, while the press release (and bottle) list it as Golden Light or Or Lumiere. It has been released previously, so if you tend to pick up Dior’s polishes, you may already have it.

The Glossover

LE	Golden Light B-
	It's the type of color I think one can get away with as a sheer, and it might even be intended (but without color descriptions, I can't know, and I'll err on a lower grade than a higher one), because it has a slightly translucent look even in the bottle.
	Product 8.5/10 Pigmentation 6/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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Dior Golden Light Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Golden Light Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Golden Light Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Golden Light Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Golden Light Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Golden Light Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Fall 2012: Amazonia Vernis / Nail Lacquer

Dior Amazonia Nail Lacquer ($23.00 for 0.33 fl. oz.) is a dark olive green with murky brown undertones. There is the faintest medium olive shimmer that is barely detectable even under really bright light. Deborah Lippmann Billionaire is several shades darker, and it is cooler-toned, less olive-like. China Glaze Agro is shimmery and lighter. Cult Nails In a Trance is much lighter. MAC Fatigues is less olive, lighter, less brown. China Glaze Westside Warrior is lighter, less brown. NARS Mash is shimmery and greener. Chanel Khaki Brun is lighter and browner.

It’s new and limited edition for fall, and it’s certainly a fall-inspired color with its murky, but kind of inky, hue.  I’m never sure exactly why brands put shimmer into a formula that nearly always looks like a cream finish. You can’t even see the shimmer in the bottle, but there are a few bits on the brush (see the second photo) and in the final swatch–at least with this shade you can’t really see it in the bottle, so you don’t expect it in the first place!

Amazonia is opaque in two coats, though nearly opaque in one.  The formula wasn’t too thick or too thin, and it was balanced so it didn’t pool along the sides of the nail, streak, or bubble up.  Every time I use Dior’s larger, slightly tapered brush, I really like it.  You can almost cover the entire nail (depends on the nail!) with one brush stroke.  The brush on Amazonia was a little wonky, though, as it had some upturned edges–I haven’t had this happen on any of my other Dior polishes (including the other shade from this launch).

The Glossover

LE	Amazonia A
	The formula was excellent--flowed well across the nail, great color payoff, and no bubbling or streaking. The only thing amiss was the brush, which is likely a random occurrence.
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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Dior Amazonia Nail Lacquer

Dior Amazonia Nail Lacquer

Dior Amazonia Nail Lacquer

Dior Amazonia Nail Lacquer

Dior Amazonia Nail Lacquer

Dior Amazonia Nail Lacquer (Diffused Flash)