Archived Post

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder Review, Photos, Swatches

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder ($80.00 for 0.21 oz.) is described as a highlighter “infused with golden yellow shimmer.” It’s a yellow gold with gold shimmer and slight sparkle. Becca Champagne Gold (P, $38.00) is very similar, just more shimmery and more gold than yellow, but applied, they’re similar (just Becca is way better). Cle de Peau Gold (12) (P, $55.00) is lighter. Giorgio Armani No. 04 (P, $59.00) is a liquid. Chanel Routes des Indes de Chanel Illuminating Powder (LE, $80.00) is lighter. bareMinerals The Shining Moment (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery. Bobbi Brown Party (LE, $42.00) is cooler-toned. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

This is one of the more disappointing high-end highlighters I’ve come across, and while I don’t usually find Dior’s eyeshadows to be impressive, I usually have good experiences with their cheek and face products. The texture of the powder was dry, almost chalky, and it’s more yellow than it is really shimmery or luminous on the skin. The only thing about the powder that feels luxurious to command an $80 price tag is the compact, which is hefty, though it is thick and smaller in diameter than your average highlighter powder. The majority of the sparkle you see initially is an over-spray; there is still some gold sparkle within the powder itself, so it is subtler than it appears. I’m really frustrated by the texture, though, as the drier, chalkier consistency means less color payoff and shorter wear-time (six and a half hours)–but it just doesn’t feel like a luxury product. At least it doesn’t emphasize pores, and the included brush isn’t that scratchy.

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder
Dior Gold Shock (001) Diorific Illuminating Pressed Powder

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure Gold Foundation
  • Guerlain Les Voilettes Loose Powder
On eyes:
  • Laura Mercier Rosegold
  • Moonlight
  • Amethyst
  • Cocoa Caviar Sticks
On lips:
  • Bite Beauty Sable Pencil

64 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Pami Avatar

Christine, maybe you could move “The Makeup Look” up to under the photo. I think it might be easier for people to see, and realize that feature is there. I notice you still often get questions about your look (which is why you started posting it in the first place). 🙂

Stacey Avatar

I have last year’s version and it is scented. Bought it at Harrods last year since it was not available in the US. Pricey yes….but beautiful packaging……really for collecting….
I looks refillable with that pin hole on the back…..

jeanfrancoiscd Avatar

This is such a bummer because is visually looked really nice. But with the swatches and your review I’m even more disappointed. Looks soooooo yellow and dry 🙁
Thanks so much for this post darling!

Sarah Avatar

I don’t want to offend anyone. This is just my personal opinion. I find this to be hideous looking in the swatch picture. Luckily, the yellow isn’t really what comes across on your FOTD, honestly I can’t really tell you have much of anything on your cheeks & for this post that seems like a very, very good thing. What a disappointment Dior. Maybe the lippies will be the saving Grace of Dior’s holiday collection? I’m hoping so, as the concept seems interesting. Hope you’ll have reviews of those coming up. (I had a really difficult time with the LSs last year. They had no staying power & I didn’t feel wowed by any of them, but the wear time was the real issue.)

Becky Avatar

I cant believe i am saying this but I am so glad you didn’t enjoy this product- i was so ready to cough up the 80 bucks for it! I am a sucker for Dior’s cheek products!

Larissa Avatar

Wow that is way, way too yellow for someone as fair-skinned as me. So glad I waited for swatches and a review! I’m glad it doesn’t come off QUITE as ‘midas touch’ or ‘Marge Simpson’ on your face like it does in the swatch, Christine, but this is a definite disappointment.

Lotus Avatar

Whoa!!! I am filled with shocking surprise as I was expecting a beautiful refined product like the LE Gold from the Transatlantique (sp?) collection.. But with a pretty snowflake pattern.. And tjis is just awful!!! I’m not even going to venture towards the light pink one. Disappointing! Very valuable and informative, money saving, review! Thanks, Christine! I did not expect this at all.

BOTTÂNICA BOTTANIQUE Avatar

Such a inanity! So gorgeous from the outside, so disappointing on the inside!
GOLD SHOCK? PAINFUL SHOCK is a more appropriate name !!!

Helene Avatar

In a way I’m glad it isn’t as sparkly as it seemed when I swatched it instore. I guess I must have been one of the first to do so. Could just have been that batch, but that sparkle was as sparkly and glittery as, oh, I don’t even know what.
I’m glad you reviewed this, now I really know it wouldn’t be for me, first sparkle then yellow, neither would make me look or feel good.
For me the whole Dior holiday edition is a big NO. I saw nothing I liked among the two quints, the highlighters or even the lipsticks. I hope I get proved wrong, though.

Allison Avatar

Such a pretty product. Too bad it disappoints. I should look at the Becca products. I know you said Champagne Gold was a dupe for this one, but did you recommend a rose gold from Becca last year? I’m thinking about what to buy during the Ulta sale, and I’ve gotta see if Becca is at Ulta or just at Sephora.

Mariella Avatar

For 80 bucks, I want waaaay more than a C+ rating, especially since there are so many good highlighters around. I agree with the poster who said she’s sort of glad this got a low rating. I doubt I’d have bought it at this price range because the colour is too yellow for me and I rarely use highlighters but if it had been a “Temptalia recommends”, I’d have had that “should I/shouldn’t I” sort of craving that defies all logic.

Jenn @ Scarlet Beauty Avatar

I was so excited when I started seeing promo pics of this, but it’s disappointing to hear that it’s overspray, and it is a bit more yellow than I’d like. I guess I’ll be passing on this one, but that’s okay. More money to put towards the Chanel highlighter I have my eye on. 🙂

Lydia Avatar

Almost purchased this today on a whim and resisted, thought to myself “got to check what Christine says about it!” and I’m so glad I did! Would have had to fork out $99 for it here but I think I was just hypnotised by the packaging haha.

fancie Avatar

I’m so glad I went with the Bobbi Brown bronzer instead! This looks very disappointing. I could live with the strong yellow tones but the lack of shimmer is a deal breaker. It does look very natural and pretty on you though. But I’m gonna need to glow into the afterlife before I shell out $80 for a highlight powder lol

Felicia Avatar

When I first used Golden Shock and swiped the brush, I also was kind of surprised. I actually don’t think its an overspray though, just the fact that it is a cream highlighter pressed with a very fine, intricate pattern which quickly wears down when swiped with a brush.

I was fortunate enough to have a top regional artist from Dior apply this product for me and she did not use a powder brush. Instead she very gently tapped one side of a liquid foundation brush on it, then tapped the brush onto my upper-cheekbones and also in the center of my eyes.

It is actually a very stylish, classy look when done right, however I would not recommend using a powder brush and only tapping on it – not swiping as that will pick up way too much product.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!