DIOR GARDEN PARTY: GARDEN PASTELS REVIEW

Despite the release of a spring collection in January being somewhat cruel and taunting, the romantic pastel shades in Dior’s new Garden Party collection were just the pick-me-up I needed. Upon opening any of the pieces from the launch, I feel like I’m suddenly enclosed in a lush rose garden. I can almost feel the warmth of the sun and smell the sweet floral-scented air.  (Too bad it’s actually a cold snowy evening.) One of my favorite products from the collection is the Garden Pastels (#441) eyeshadow quint. The colors are pigmented, long-wearing and work together beautifully.  In short, it is the total opposite of the holiday Couture Golds dud.

In natural light. No flash.

PACKAGING: Garden Pastels comes in Dior’s traditional navy blue lacquered eyeshadow case that is about the size of the palm of my hand. When opened, the palette contains a full mirror, 5 rose-embossed eyeshadows, and 2 double-ended sponge applicators. Everything comes housed inside a navy blue velvet pouch.

PRICE: $59 for 5 eyeshadows (0.16 ounces of product) and 2 doubled-ended sponge tip applicators.

EYESHADOWS: I was a little apprehensive about buying another Dior palette after my disastrous encounter with the holiday Couture Golds quint, but I’m so glad I picked up Garden Pastels! Even without a primer, the eyeshadows are buttery smooth and pigmented; however, I find the color is most intense when I use the applicators.  When I use a brush, the eyeshadows apply slightly more sheerly, but they layer nicely and blend beautifully into each other. If you want to create a really dramatic look, I suggest using a colored base and layering the Dior eyeshadows on top because although pigmented, the colors are on the lighter side. Each eyeshadow is impressive in terms of texture, wear and color payoff – there are no duds here!

In full sun. No flash.

The shades included in this selection are quite shimmery and colorful, so they’re not for the faint of heart. That being said, I think they can be muted so that even neutrals-lovers will feel comfortable using this palette. I have blue eyes and think this looks nice on me, but I imagine these colors will look especially gorgeous on people with brown eyes. The colors in this palette remind me of the Giorgio Armani Spring Luce d'Oro Eye quad in #1, although I haven't seen the Armani palette in person to be able to say for sure.

            Spring Green: Shimmery spring green. Despite the shimmer, it doesn’t feel gritty.

            White: Shimmery white with a hint of green iridescent sheen. Smooth texture and good
            color payoff. (This reminds me of Mac's Vanilla pigment.)

            Pale Yellow: Shimmery buttercup yellow. Good color payoff and grit-free.

            Teal: Shimmery teal with hints of gold. Quite pigmented with a smooth texture.

            Pale Pink: Shimmery pale petal pink. Smooth texture, and decent pigmentation. (It’s  
            somewhat sheer compared to the other shades, but it still builds well.)

SWATCHES:

In full sun. No flash.
Green, White, Pale Yellow, Teal, Pale Pink

APPLICATORS: Although sponge tip applicators usually have a bad reputation for being flimsy and useless, I actually love the ones that Dior produces. Garden Pastels has two double-ended applicators, each with an eyeshadow and eyeliner side. The thicker end is useful for packing on color to the lid, crease or brow. The longer, thinner end is excellent for lining the upper and lower lashes.

OVERALL VERDICT: At $59, Garden Pastels is definitely an investment; however, I think it is money well-spent. The colors work well with each other (which isn’t always the case with small palettes) and blend exquisitely.  Every eyeshadow has a smooth texture with good color payoff. They apply best with the applicators, but can be layered to the desired intensity with brushes. This is how a designer palette should perform!