Dior released a new lip gloss formula called Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshine and Care Couture Colour ($35 each for 6 ml/0.20 fl oz, made in France). These are currently exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Dior.com but will be released at all Dior counters later this spring (update, now also available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Bergdorf Goodman and all Dior retailers). I picked up several shades last month and have been playing with them for a few weeks. These are incredible glosses. They are luminous lip glosses with a skincare aspect Dior calls Rouge Dior Brilliant a “couture lip balm gloss with lip care oil.” The colors I saw all act like creams but each has a very subtle hint of shimmer to give the gloss dimension on the lips.
Coverage of these glosses is medium in terms of pigment. The brighter and darker colors do have more pigment than the neutrals but overall the color of each shade will show up on the lips. There is a subtle signature floral Dior scent on the glosses but it is significantly lighter than some of their previous formulas of lipstick and gloss so those with sensitive noses should be able to tolerate the fragrance.
The formula itself is quite soothing and moisturizing on the lips. They wear well alone or with a liner. The texture is not thick so you can easily layer it over lipstick without feeling like there is too much product on the lips. The colors I’ve been playing with all apply with a smooth streak-free finish and add a medium tint of color. Lasting power is medium – it stays put without sliding off for a few hours but it will transfer off the lips if you snack or drink tea/coffee frequently.
The Dior Brilliant Lipshines come with a sponge tip applicator that have a unique design. The shape is tapered to give you precise application around the edges of the lip and there is a small reservoir designed to give you the perfect dose of gloss for your lip. The applicator is different from anything I’ve seen and works beautifully.
The colors I picked up:
Swan is a medium rose pink
Paname is a neutral nude beige
Miss is a bright but soft pink
Bonheur is a sheer light pink (the sheerest of the ones I tried)
Victoire is a peach
Swatches below on the lips:
A few comparison swatches:
NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight (swatched here)
Tom Ford Lipgloss in Peach Absolut
Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Frisson (swatched here)
Armani Lip Maestro #500
Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Tiny Pink (swatches here)
Tom Ford Lipgloss in Pink Sugar
NARS Lip Gloss in Angelika (review here)
NARS Lip Gloss in Corsica (discontinued, reviewed here)
Dior Addict Gloss in Mylord (review)
NARS Lip Gloss in Belize
In terms of formula comparison, these are similar in concept to the Chanel Rouge Allure Glosses released last October (review of my picks here). The color schemes of the Chanel and Dior are very different, Chanel being more edgy and classic and sharp while Dior has more nude options and the colors are softer. Texture wise the Chanel has a thicker formula that lasts longer, however Dior has one that is more moisturizing. In terms of lasting power the Chanel lasts longer on me compared to the Dior, mainly because the Chanel is thicker.
My counter didn’t have all the shades available as testers, in fact three of the five shades I bought were bought based on what they looked like in the tube so I went with the safe ones. There are others that are deeper and brighter that look phenomenal (in particular Times Square and Soho) but I wanted to be able to swatch on the hand first. I will probably go back for one deeper/darker shade. In the meantime I have five lovely neutrals that aren’t nudes that work perfectly for everyday. If you’re in search of a medium coverage gloss, I recommend these with a huge thumbs up. Either these Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshines or the Chanel Rouge Allure Glosses are phenomenal in terms of formula. They come with a high price tag but in my testing experience with all kinds of glosses these are among the top in terms of performance, lasting power and being fuss-free. They are glosses that just work.
Have you checked out the new Dior Lip Glosses? There are three new nail polishes that go with this collection as well in Pink, Rose and Corail – working on swatches this week 🙂
The Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshines retail at $35 each. Both currently available at Neiman Marcus and Dior.com. Now also available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Bergdorf Goodman.
