Dior Copper Gold Backstage Glow Palette Review & Swatches
Copper Gold (005)
Dior Copper Gold (005) Backstage Glow Face Palette ($45.00 for 0.35 oz.) is a new, limited edition sparkling cheek palette with a mix of “highlighter and blush,” though to read the brand’s general description, it seemed like a highlighting palette more than anything else. As you might imagine, one person’s highlighter is another person’s highlighting blush or shimmery bronzer. The four shades were mostly opaque to opaque in coverage, had buildable glow from light glow to metallic, and were blendable with good longevity.
Ingredients
Copper Gold (005)
LELimited Edition. $45.00.
Coral
Coral seemed to have more of a translucent base to it, though it was packed with peach, cool pink, and gold pearl and faint micro-sparkle. It had more opaque color coverage than not–you could only detect the translucency straight-on when swatched as once it caught the light, it looked more solid.
The texture was smooth, dense, and firm without becoming stiff, so it still picked up with a brush (though a very feathery brush might not work as well, typical of this gel-powder hybrid formula!). The product applied evenly on my skin and diffused well and left behind a soft glow that could be built up to something more metallic. It stayed on nicely for eight and a half hours before fading a bit.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Everybody's Got a Weakness (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Gnomie (P, $7.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Iluminacion (P, $39.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Too Faced Canary Diamond (P, $34.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Smashbox Prismatic Petal (LE, $39.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Felicity (LE, $10.00) is more shimmery (85% similar).
- MAC Last Dance (P, $18.00) is more shimmery, cooler (85% similar).
- Smashbox Gilded Rose (LE, $39.00) is brighter, warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Show Gold (P, $42.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Makeup Geek I'm Peachless (DC, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
-
The formula is described as buildable from "a natural healthy glow to an intense luminosity." The brand goes on to list a slew of finishes--metallic, intense, shimmery, and glittery--though on the actual product, a few shades listed as "intense" online were listed as "sheer" on the label.
A lot of the "buildable" characteristic is tied to the glow/finish, which is common with the gel-powder hybrid formula that the brand is using, but the brand isn't as clear with respect to actual pigmentation. The brand's online promotional images show fully opaque "swatches." Worse, the actual pigmentation varied from shade to shade quite a bit, though they tended to be more medium to opaque, often buildable if they weren't fully opaque.
The texture was more of a smooth, slightly firmer formula that wasn't stiff to work with, but they did work better with a more moderately-dense brush or something with a larger surface area (to pick up product more evenly) when patted into the pan.
Browse all of our Dior Backstage Glow Face Strobe Powder swatches.
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Alumina, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Dimethicone, Silica, Peg-12 Dimethicone, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, [+/- Ci 15850 (Red 6, Red 7, Red 7 Lake), Ci 15985 (Yellow 6, Yellow 6 Lake), Ci 19140 (Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake), Ci 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Ci 45410 (Red 27, Red 27 Lake, Red 28 Lake), Ci 73360 (Red 30, Red 30 Lake), Ci 75470 (Carmine), Ci 77007 (Ultramarines), Ci 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide), Ci 77742 (Manganese Violet), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Coral
LELimited Edition.
Copper
Copper is a medium copper with moderate, warm undertones and flecks of pink, gold, and copper sparkle woven through a more metallic finish. It had nearly opaque pigmentation in a single layer, which applied evenly to bare skin and blended out well with minimal migration/fallout of sparkle during application.
The texture was soft, slightly drier than I would have expected from the formula (which is often not powdery/dry at all), but it sat well on my skin after I buffed it out, as anticipated. It wore well for eight and a half hours before fading visibly.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Rare Beauty Flaunt (P, $25.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ILIA Fame (P, $34.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Anastasia Sunset Aura (P, $25.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC In on the Secret (LE, $42.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Morphe Mirage (P, $14.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Lucent Jungle (P, $26.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- bareMinerals Fierce (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Cover FX Sunkissed Bronze (Right) (PiP, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Galet (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Champagne Heist (P, $25.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
The formula is described as buildable from "a natural healthy glow to an intense luminosity." The brand goes on to list a slew of finishes--metallic, intense, shimmery, and glittery--though on the actual product, a few shades listed as "intense" online were listed as "sheer" on the label.
A lot of the "buildable" characteristic is tied to the glow/finish, which is common with the gel-powder hybrid formula that the brand is using, but the brand isn't as clear with respect to actual pigmentation. The brand's online promotional images show fully opaque "swatches." Worse, the actual pigmentation varied from shade to shade quite a bit, though they tended to be more medium to opaque, often buildable if they weren't fully opaque.
The texture was more of a smooth, slightly firmer formula that wasn't stiff to work with, but they did work better with a more moderately-dense brush or something with a larger surface area (to pick up product more evenly) when patted into the pan.
Browse all of our Dior Backstage Glow Face Strobe Powder swatches.
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Dimethicone, Alumina, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Peg-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Silica, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 60, Tin Oxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, [+/- Ci 15850 (Red 6, Red 7, Red 7 Lake), Ci 15985 (Yellow 6, Yellow 6 Lake), Ci 19140 (Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake), Ci 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Ci 45410 (Red 27, Red 27 Lake, Red 28 Lake), Ci 73360 (Red 30, Red 30 Lake), Ci 75470 (Carmine), Ci 77007 (Ultramarines), Ci 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide), Ci 77742 (Manganese Violet), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Copper
LELimited Edition.
Tan Bronze
Tan Bronze is a rich, golden bronze with muted, warm undertones and a sparkling, luminous sheen. It had faint, gold and copper micro-sparkle over a softer sheen. It had intense pigmentation that applied evenly to bare skin and blended out fairly easily, though I felt like the texture was more yielding and softer than expected, so using a lighter hand would be recommended for those who prefer less coverage or more buildable coverage. It lasted well for eight and a half hours before showing signs of fading.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Becca Strength (P, $38.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Dior #004 (DC, $56.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Chocolate Dipped (P, $39.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Flicker (Bottom) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (80% similar).
- Kevyn Aucoin Sunlight (P, $52.00) is less shimmery, warmer (80% similar).
- Glossier Play Molten Umber (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (80% similar).
- ColourPop Do Not Disturb (P, $8.00) is darker, brighter (80% similar).
- Laura Mercier Seduction (P, $45.00).
- Cover FX Gilded (LE, $34.00).
Formula Overview
-
The formula is described as buildable from "a natural healthy glow to an intense luminosity." The brand goes on to list a slew of finishes--metallic, intense, shimmery, and glittery--though on the actual product, a few shades listed as "intense" online were listed as "sheer" on the label.
A lot of the "buildable" characteristic is tied to the glow/finish, which is common with the gel-powder hybrid formula that the brand is using, but the brand isn't as clear with respect to actual pigmentation. The brand's online promotional images show fully opaque "swatches." Worse, the actual pigmentation varied from shade to shade quite a bit, though they tended to be more medium to opaque, often buildable if they weren't fully opaque.
The texture was more of a smooth, slightly firmer formula that wasn't stiff to work with, but they did work better with a more moderately-dense brush or something with a larger surface area (to pick up product more evenly) when patted into the pan.
Browse all of our Dior Backstage Glow Face Strobe Powder swatches.
Ingredients
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, [+/- Ci 15850 (Red 6, Red 7, Red 7 Lake), Ci 15985 (Yellow 6, Yellow 6 Lake), Ci 19140 (Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake), Ci 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Ci 45410 (Red 27, Red 27 Lake, Red 28 Lake), Ci 73360 (Red 30, Red 30 Lake), Ci 77007 (Ultramarines), Ci 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide), Ci 77742 (Manganese Violet), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Tan Bronze
LELimited Edition.
Golden Bronze
Golden Bronze is a muted, medium-dark copper with warm, rusty undertones and a pearly sheen. On the back of the palette, it was called out as a “sheer” finish, but online, the brand called it an “intense” finish, which is always a conundrum. The brand mentioned twice in the general marketing of the formula that it was buildable in glow/luminosity (so going from subtle glow to intense, metallic glow). This particular shade seemed to have finer pearl without any sparkle, so it was buildable from a barely-there sheen to a more metallic finish.
Frankly, this one was a tough set of descriptions to reconcile, because the place that matters the most is point-of-purchase since a customer can’t have the palette in hand (it’s only on the back of the actual compact, not the back of the box). Generally, when a brand is in conflict (even within the same description!), I defer to whatever is harder to achieve, which is usually more (rather than less) pigmentation, which is consistent with the brand’s promotional “swatches” (which showed all shades as opaque).
The shade had opaque color coverage paired with a smooth, moderately dense texture that was easy to pick up with a dry brush and blended out well on bare skin. It stayed on well for eight and a half hours before fading a bit.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay O.N.S. (LE, $26.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Westman Atelier Peau de Peche (P, $75.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Gilded Glow (P, $48.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Pat McGrath Bronze Mirage (P, $48.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Maybelline Nude Glow (200) (P, $9.99) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Flesh Beauty Promise (P, $28.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- OFRA Blissful (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Afternoon Glow (P, $48.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Estee Lauder Mirage (LE, $47.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Dose of Colors Mírame (LE, $28.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
-
The formula is described as buildable from "a natural healthy glow to an intense luminosity." The brand goes on to list a slew of finishes--metallic, intense, shimmery, and glittery--though on the actual product, a few shades listed as "intense" online were listed as "sheer" on the label.
A lot of the "buildable" characteristic is tied to the glow/finish, which is common with the gel-powder hybrid formula that the brand is using, but the brand isn't as clear with respect to actual pigmentation. The brand's online promotional images show fully opaque "swatches." Worse, the actual pigmentation varied from shade to shade quite a bit, though they tended to be more medium to opaque, often buildable if they weren't fully opaque.
The texture was more of a smooth, slightly firmer formula that wasn't stiff to work with, but they did work better with a more moderately-dense brush or something with a larger surface area (to pick up product more evenly) when patted into the pan.
Browse all of our Dior Backstage Glow Face Strobe Powder swatches.
Ingredients
Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Alumina, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Squalane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Glycerin, Tin Oxide, Polysorbate 80, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Silica, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dicalcium Phosphate, Tocopherol, [+/- Ci 15850 (Red 6, Red 7, Red 7 Lake), Ci 15985 (Yellow 6, Yellow 6 Lake), Ci 19140 (Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake), Ci 42090 (Blue 1 Lake), Ci 45410 (Red 27, Red 27 Lake, Red 28 Lake), Ci 73360 (Red 30, Red 30 Lake), Ci 77007 (Ultramarines), Ci 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens), Ci 77491, Ci 77492, Ci 77499 (Iron Oxides), Ci 77510 (Ferric Ferrocyanide, Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide), Ci 77742 (Manganese Violet), Ci 77891 (Titanium Dioxide)].
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Because I do have DoC Miramé and a few other coppery highlighters, I may not need this quad, but I really do like it a lot! That one super deep bronzer I would be using as a rich bronze eyeshadow, though. If I’m not mistaken, I’ve heard reviewers who are lighter BIPOC say the same about this one shade.
Big ups to Dior for making a highlighting/bronzer Palette for darker medium thru rich skintones!
I sort of wish all the cubes in these palettes from Dior could be popped out and rearranged so you could customize from among the 4 (I think it’s 4) of these palettes. Dreaming, of course, but it’s an idea that appeals to me in my makeup fantasy world.
To me, seeing the actual swatches of the shades, the palette seems to be more of a highlighter/bronzer than including a blush. The first coral shade was very pale and it was hard to see the coral pigment.
It’s a good result from Dior, with all of the shades achieving a decent rating. And those with deeper skintones would find this attractive.
I’ve been waiting for your review! I’ll be picking this up, I’ve wanted to try the Dior quads for some time but in each only 1 maybe 2 shades would have been passable every shade in this quad will work on my skin tone. Big ups to Dior for making their range more inclusive and accessible to all us Dior lovers.