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Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette ($62.00 for 0.21 oz.) is a brighter, more colorful set of shades for summer. You know me, despite having a fairly consistent negative experience with Dior’s palettes these days, that bluish-teal color drew me in, and shortly after receiving my order, I deeply regretted purchasing. The texture of the eyeshadows is drier overall, and they just performed poorly as far as wear and application went without some sort of helper (base or primer).

(And as a heads up, Nordstrom is doing price-matching, so all Dior eyeshadow palettes are 10% off at the moment.)

Contraste Horizon #1 is a light-medium, meadow green with warm undertones and gold, frosted shimmer. It had semi-sheer pigmentation with a dry, powdery texture that kicked up a lot of excess powder in the pan and performed poorly applied, as it sheered out and was difficult to get it to “stick” in places. This shade had faded within six hours of wear. Giorgio Armani Gold Hercule (32) (LE, $33.00) is more shimmery, darker. Tarina Tarantino Secret Pond (LE, ) is brighter, warmer. Tarina Tarantino Wonderful #4 (P, ) is lighter, brighter. MAC In the Meadow #3 (LE, $21.00) is darker, brighter, warmer. Makeup Geek Charmed (P, $9.99) is more shimmery, darker. MAC 2 Dozen and One Greyhounds (LE, $16.00) is darker, brighter, warmer. Clarins Garden Escape #3 (LE, ) is darker. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Contraste Horizon #2 is a medium, yellow gold with a frosted finish. It had semi-sheer color payoff paired with a drier texture that gave the lid a more textured appearance when applied. I had some fall out over time, and the color started to fade after seven hours. theBalm Iron Maid-in (P, $16.00) is more shimmery, darker. Milani Drenched in Gold (P, $6.99) is more shimmery. Make Up For Ever ME512 Golden Beige (P, $21.00) is more shimmery. Too Faced Nutmeg (LE, $16.00) is darker. Stila Vitality (P, ) is more shimmery, darker. Too Faced Honey Pot (LE, $16.00) is darker. Too Faced Honey Pot (LE, $16.00) is darker. Dior Golden Shock #5 (LE, ) is more pigmented. Makeup Geek Magic Act (P, $9.99) is more shimmery, darker, more pigmented. YSL Dewy Gold (08) (P, $30.00) is more shimmery, warmer. Tarte Vivacious (LE, ) is lighter. Rouge Bunny Rouge Golden Rhea (P, $19.00) is lighter. Dior Sundeck #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery. theBalm #41 (P, $6.50) is less shimmery. Sleek MakeUP Meet in Madrid (LE, $9.99) is more shimmery. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Contraste Horizon #3 is a lavender-tinged white with a matte finish. It was somewhat powdery and had semi-opaque coverage, but it was prone to sheering out on the skin. It started to fade after six and a half hours of wear.
bareMinerals Velvet Lavender (LE, $14.00) is darker. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Contraste Horizon #4 is a medium-dark bronzy brown with warm undertones and a pearly sheen. It had nice color payoff and was one of the best shades in the palette, as it blended well and adhered to the lid. This shade stayed on well for eight hours before fading. It is extremely dupable, though. MAC Divine Decadence (P, $16.00) is more shimmery, darker. NARS Fez (P, $24.00) is lighter, warmer. Benefit Dandy Brandy (P, $18.00) is more shimmery. Inglot #421 (P, $6.00) is darker. Le Metier de Beaute Axiom (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery. MAC Eclair (LE, $18.50) is more shimmery. MAC Lie Low (P, $21.00) is less shimmery. MAC Twinks (P, $16.00) is darker. Make Up For Ever D652 Celestial Earth (P, $21.00) is more shimmery. Make Up For Ever I634 Praline (P, $21.00) is more shimmery, lighter. Too Faced Chestnut (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery. LORAC Mocha (P, ) is more shimmery, lighter, more muted. Kat Von D Papilio (P, ) is darker. Clarins The Essentials #7 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker. Guerlain Petrouchka #4 (LE, ) is warmer. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Contraste Horizon #5 is a medium-dark blue with a hint of green and a frosted sheen (it’s more blue than teal to me). It had good pigmentation with a drier texture, so the color translated poorly onto bare skin, but it worked a lot better over primer (for reference). On bare skin, it lost vibrancy and tended to dust away to more semi-sheer coverage and lasted a mere six hours on me. Sugarpill Starling (P, $13.00) is more shimmery, cooler. theBalm Open to Offers Olwen (LE, $16.00) is more muted. Guerlain Les Aquas #3 (P, ) is darker. Disney by Sephora Diamond Sky (LE, ) is less shimmery, warmer. Tom Ford Beauty Emerald Lust #3 (LE, ) is warmer, better quality. Makeup Geek Mermaid (P, $5.99) is lighter. Kat Von D Bukowski (LE, ) is lighter, brighter. Urban Decay Madness (LE, $18.00) is cooler. Rouge Bunny Rouge Mysterious Tinamou (P, $19.00) is darker, more muted. Sugarpill Holy Ghost (P, $13.00) is cooler. ColourPop Coconut (P, $5.00) is darker. Tarina Tarantino Ozma (LE, ) is warmer. Gucci Beauty Iconic Ottanio (P, $37.00) is more shimmery, darker. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette
Dior Contraste Horizon (556) Eyeshadow Palette

68 Comments

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Lisa Avatar

Really Dior? What’s with all the bad eyeshadow palettes. When I buy a dior I expect luxury! You’d think they’d work on producing better quality shadows.

Nicole Avatar

THIS is why I pass by the Dior section at Sephora! This is why I am just now learning about their glosses. Consistent bad performance in other color lines. I think I have liked their Airflash and another foundation in the past. But, I very rarely see anything do good from them.

StrangeOne Avatar

I was browsing makeup one day and SA brought out a dior palette to tempt me and I physically recoiled like it was a snake. Your reviews have conditioned me to jump away as far as I can when I see this particular configuration of eyeshadows.

Christine Avatar

They have some of the worst eyeshadows at this price point. I like some of Chanel’s quads but not all, but even when they’re more “duds” they just tend to be sheerer but wear okay or aren’t a total annoyance to apply. Dior tends to disappoint across the board.

Katherine T. Avatar

You’re definitely a glutton for punishment, but better you than me! I’ve already given up on the newer Dior palettes. That pic with the sad-looking teal on your eye is worth a thousand words, and F’s for 2 of the other shades? Yikes. On a brighter note, the teal dupe (Colour Pop Coconut) is awesome! It’s such a stunning-looking teal, and it lasted from 7 AM -10PM (14 hours) with primer on my oily lids, no creasing, no fading! Take that Dior!

Katherine T. Avatar

My fave – Bare Minerals 5-in-1 BB Cream Shadow with SPF 15. It soaks up oil like crazy, has SPF, and the shade Linen is my skintone, so doubles up as a concealer too.

Mariella Avatar

Oh, what a shame….I almost gasped looking at the top photo because #5 (the blue) looks SO eye-catching. D’s and F’s from a brand like Dior – it really is disgraceful, especially when most of us know they can, on occasion, really hit one out of the park with these 5-pans (Bonne Etoile and Golden Savannah are 2 that I’ve experienced which were great).

Mariella Avatar

Well, I don’t think either of us should be holding our breath for a set with the quality of Bonne Etoile, because we won’t be breathing for a very long time! As you said earlier, even $20 would be too much for something of this quality (when you consider that WnW’s Comfort Zone is about $5!!!) but at this price point it really is highway robbery in a sense.

Jenny Avatar

Wow I feel the exact same way about this palette and totally agree with your grades/review overall. The teal shade drew me in and was the main reason this palette looked so tempting. The light sage green looked promising but barely appeared on my eyelid even with primer and packing it on with a brush or my fingers. The only shade that was fully pigmented was the brown shade which I easily can find dupes of. Overall this palette was a letdown and I wish I had waited for your review!

Helene Avatar

I love how optimistic you are, trying yet another Dior palette 🙂
Thet said, shame on you Dior, shame on you. I’m actually surprised they keep coming out with these inconcistant, substandard palettes time and time again. If it was a cheap drugstore brand I might understand it, but being a high end brand I find it unforgiveable.
I do like other products from Dior, but sometimes I just feel like never buying anything from them for a long time.

Helene Avatar

I managed to, so I know the feeling. I was quite addicted (LOL) to the eyepalettes, but there was just so much disappointment I could take after buying makeup. I did have a relapse earlier this year, buying one of their single eyeshadows. Major disappointment! These days I pass the Dior counters quickly unless I want something else from them, and then I don’t look at the eyeshadows.

Helene Avatar

You are stronger than I am. I keep mine in a box, I even keep the ones that are really bad. Not that I think I’ll wake up one day, loving underpigmented sheer eyeshadow that disappears after some hours. Maybe it’s the hoarder in me, or I need them to remaind me of how bad they really are.
I do have some absolutely fantastic ones, I must admit, but there are more bad ones than good ones, unfortunately.

Susan Dowman Nevling Avatar

Wow, not such a positive review for that price.
I don’t know how, but the application is still stunning on your negative issues. Your eye makeup is always beautiful.

Genevieve Avatar

What on earth is happening to Dior? I loved the look of this palette – I even urged you to test it – what a disaster! I can tell by the swatches and your eye look that the formula is so bad. The swatches from Milani and Colour Pop are so much better and they sell for a fraction of the price.
Yes, that blue is a blue, not a teal. As I have Les Aqua, Wonderful and Emerald Pretty – I have the main colours in a much better formula than this. I hope Dior reads these blogs and takes note.

Kat Avatar

I often use these Dior palettes as great color combination inspiration, but it’s really ridiculous at this price point to be getting anything less than an A- overall. The color combination is gorgeous though, the bronze and gold with teal and that very unique sage shade. I’ll definitely look into the MUG dupe for it. At least it’s good inspiration (which I’m pretty sure I’ve said about every other Dior palette you’ve reviewed in the past six months!).

Stacey Avatar

Which reminds me, Dior used to have a blush and powder set. Vey pretty. Probably why I never throw the old stuff away…mostly powder stuff. Never to sell it again. It wasn’t a highlighter or bronzer. It was powder.

Candice Avatar

Hi,
I’m really disappointed of your judgment on this nice product.
It’s been like over a month ago I purchased it, my goal was to find out a nude palette eye shadow. I was trully concerned and afraid to get something too powerful and show off but at the end even combining the 5 shades I was able to get a very nice nude summer eye work.
Plus, I have to admit that the green one is really crapy but I just put on under the eye ( I mean, i tried it once only) so whatever this one haha

Christine Avatar

Hi Candice,

I’m glad you are enjoying yours! I can only share my experience with a product, which is why I always invite readers to write a review for the product or leave a comment to talk about those – I just ask that you respect my experience 🙂

Candice Avatar

For sure I do respect your experience on it.
Just wanted to share and add the fact that for a nude summer eye makeup it is really agreeable look.
So go ahead girls

Jill Avatar

I almost bought this online yesterday…so glad I waited, I was wondering what type of review you would give it. I could have settled for a B rating and still be ok with purchasing it but F, well that grade speaks for itself!

Donna Lee Avatar

I have been disappointed with every product I have ever purchased from Dior cosmetics except for the rosy tan palette. The lipsticks don’t last 6 minutes on me let alone 6 hours

Kimberly Avatar

I was drawn in by the Bluish color, too. Well, that and the 20% off SAKS gave me on top of the 16% ebates rate. Despite purchasing this over a month ago, I have not used it yet. So disappointed to see you did not like it. The swatches of the darker colors look amazing, but I am not feeling the lighter three colors here.

Kimberly Avatar

I finally tried it and as usual, your assessment was right on. The colors were difficult to blend and creased with NARS Pro prime base (much cheaper shadows usually stay crease free with that base). In the palette, they look so beautiful, but it does not translate. It took many passes to build color. At $248 an ounce, this palette is very disappointing.

Amanda Avatar

I liked this palette. I thought the blue have a very interesting green pull on the lid. And the colors weren’t the bust but I agree with Christine with the c rating. But every eyeshadow you should be using a primer. It’s not the best summer quad but I wore it the other weekend and felt beautiful.

Ru Avatar

thanks for the review. Have to say these seem to perform differently on me. The teal color is really popping bright teal on my eyes, especially the lower lash line. Also the gold and brown are lasting all day on me. The sage is a little meh, true. I actually know a lot of people over here in europe who loved this. Too bad you didn’t 🙁

Lotus Avatar

I can’t even comment on these quids anymore.. I love how they used to be. They still look beautiful in pan.. And Christine makes an eye lovely every single time.. But I think I have enough Dior. Until something exactly on my ally pops up.. Doubtful. Saves money, though! 🙂

Lotus Avatar

Christine! Oh my goodness! I’m lmao! Reading that almost made me choke on my smoothie! Lol!!!!! The way you put that.. Priceless! 😀 XOXO!

Jess Avatar

Just wanted to share my experience: I am no huge fan of Dior shadows and rarely buy them, but I’ve been really impressed with this palette. The shadows in mine are smooth, buttery and pigmented (although I will say that the light green doesn’t perform as well as the others), and I get great lasting power on my oily lids (I will also say that I always wear primer). Before buying this quint, I only owned two Dior palettes that I rarely reach for because of the so-so quality. Anyway, just another perspective for people who might be interested in this one!

Jane Avatar

I totally agree. The colors are not deep enough for Christine and I agree that it doesn’t look very good on her skin tone. It is by far the most beautiful palette that I have seen in the last few years’ summer collections and it performs well too. To surprise you even more, I bought 2 as a backup because I found the color combination really nice and liked the finish 🙂 I have a lot of respect to what Christine has done with Temptalia and swatches comparison is extremely useful, but for the reviews I have developed a personal rule – if Christina gives the product a rating F it means I need to check it out – it is an absolutely awesome product. I don’t know how is that possible but all my most favorite products of all times are ranked by Christine as D/F. I don’t mind, as then I can quietly buy it without crowds crushing down websites and stalking last items on ebay. Remember how Burberry Nude eyeshadow was sold out everywhere for a while, after Christine’s positive review? that’s was funny, the eyeshadow though turned out just an ok product for me, only to confirm my rule 🙂

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