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Dior Backstage Eye Palette Cool Neutrals, Review

Dior Backstage 002 Cool Neutrals Eye Palette Review

beauty straight from the runway

Foreword

Friends to the blog know how much I love all things Dior, the Backstage line in particular. It is modern in feel, trendy, with products being easy to use and well-formulated. In upcoming posts, we will be chatting about three of the brand's 9-pan eyeshadow palettes, while this review will focus solely on the 002 Cool Neutrals.

Curious? Then please keep on scrolling

About the Product

So far, we have talked about Dior Backstage Foundation, Concealer, and Face And Body Glow all of which turned out to be amazing everyday staples among both beauty enthusiasts and makeup artists. The Dior Backstage eyeshadow palettes come in a variety of color stories, that are inspired by the latest fashion trends and runway collections.

Dior Backstage Eye Palette 002 Cool Neutrals (52 USD; Made in France) - is described as a universally flattering "all in one" palette, that features one primer and eight shadows in different finishes.

Packaging: stylish yet minimalistic palette with a clear lid. In total, you get 10g/0.35 oz worth of product. Each pan, except the primer, has the brand's logo imprinted on the powder which adds a nice luxurious touch. This palette is portable and travel-friendly.

002 Cool Neutrals

Formula: designer brand eyeshadows can be a hit or miss, with some formulations being outright bad. Having said that, Dior did this line justice. There is no chalkiness, patchiness, or an excessive amount of fallout.

Texture/Finish: Dior offer us a variety of finishes and textures in every Backstage palette including mattes, shimmers, metallics, and what they label as "sculpting powder" (aka another satin matte). In my opinion, these labels are not always on point. A small example is how some of the "shimmers" are merely opalescent highlighting shades or metallics with no actual shimmer particles in them.

Nevertheless, most shadows feel buttery smooth and are quite pigmented.

To me, the shimmers in the 002 Cool Neutrals are on the drier side compared to brands such as Natasha Denona. They also don't pop as much as pressed glitters from other brands, despite a decent amount of shimmering specs in them. On the eye, they appear as cool-toned metallics.

Shades: despite being called "cool neutrals", I would say there is a clear mauve/lilac touch to the palette. I happen to love these tones as I find them more lively and flattering compared to ashy grays.

As always, my swatches are unedited (applied on dry skin; natural daylight)

Application: at this price point I would expect my shadows to be as user-friendly as possible so that they practically blend themselves. Thankfully, the 002 Cool Neutrals did not disappoint. These shades apply and blend easily whether you use fingers or brushes. In short, every artist's or beauty lover's dream.

Although I don't always use the primer from the palette, I must say it does a decent job of enriching the intensity of darker mattes or metallics in particular. Alternatively, you can use any other base you already own and love. I find that this formula plays well with others.

Wear: on average, the wear time varies between 6-8 hours before you see noticeable fading which happens gradually and gracefully (no fall down, no major creasing).

Verdict

If you are searching for that "one and done", cool-toned, small-ish palette that you can create a plethora of looks with, you might opt for the 002 Cool Neutrals by Dior. The color story is cohesive and well thought-out. You can easily achieve some simple daytime looks, as well as take the sultry route and create something more special for the nighttime. Elegant and tasteful looks are guaranteed. Now, my only wish is that I hope to see some extra sparkly shimmers and glitters in the future (think Urban Decay Moondust), that can be used as pop or topper shades. Nevertheless, the palette is sophisticated and a joy to play with. I believe that this is something that beauties of all ages will appreciate. I give this Dior creation an A- rating.