The Lady Dior palette is part of Dior’s spring 2009 collection, and it is certainly among the most expensive makeup items I have ever bought.
I saw it in person last month, and the long decision process began. My first impressions were not all good, mainly because I had high expectations for Dior’s most expensive seasonal limited-edition item to date (68.5 pounds). First of all, it was smaller than I expected. (The bottom (6.7cm) is slightly wider than the top (6.3cm), and the side measures 5.4cm.) Secondly, I didn’t like the acrylic parts attached to the handles.
My indecision was also surrounded by the fact that I didn’t have enough Boots points for this. If I had gathered enough at the time (which has usually been the case), I would probably have got it sooner.
However, I did think it was overall very beautiful and that it was among the most visually appealing items from Dior. Also, Lady Dior bag and the doctor bag are my two favorite bag designs from Dior, and it was nice to see one of them as the inspiration for a makeup item.
While trying to make a decision, I found some information on the Lady Dior bag and I was reminded that some of the classic versions do have acrylic handles. (Then I stopped fussing…) Also, with all Lady Dior bags, “CD” was stamped on all the oval parts to which the handles are attached (and you can see them in the photos above). Based on these, as well as the obvious quilting and the “DIOR” charms, it does seem that quite a few details are replicated on this palette.
Finally, after I saw the palette at the counter for three times and twice nearly decided not to buy it, I decided to get it. (I also decided to delete a few items on my makeup shopping list.)
The palette comes in a drawstring pouch, and a chain is attached to the palette. It can be too heavy if you want to use it as a bag charm or a key chain. But I am only displaying it on my dressing table, so I actually prefer it to be even heavier for an even more luxurious and substantial feel.
The two sides of the palette attach to each other magnetically. Inside the palette are a mirror, a lip/cheek color and a highlighter. French Chic (002) features an off-white pink with a pale-gold undertone and a warm red. (In the UK, two shades are available (001 and 002). I find that the lip/cheek shade in 001 to be too peachy for me. On the other hand, 001 and 003* are sold in Asia. The lip/cheek shade in 003 is the coolest of the three.)
Both colors are cream-based (not cream-to-powder-based) and they glide relatively well. The highlighter mainly adds shimmer rather than color. (The finish is more intense than what Dior Night Diamond creates.) The lip/cheek shade can go from sheer to intense depending on how much is layered. It has a moist and dewy finish and isn’t too shimmery. (This is based on the testing at the counter. I think I will leave the palette unused for some time until I want to dig in.)
Sold at such a price, it is clearly more of a collector’s item rather than just a makeup product…and I did buy it as someone that enjoys collecting Dior’s limited-edition items that I like. However, I have a feeling that, as a whole, the prices of Dior’s future limited-edition items are likely to continue to go up, partly because it seems that Dior is trying to be even higher-end than it is now. I was thinking to myself that there would probably be a time when I might have to stop collecting them simply because they are too expensive.
In the meantime, it is still handy to have all my Boots points ready. We never know what Dior is going to come up with next…
(For another review of this item (also in 002), please head over to Beauty Anonymous.)
(*003 is also called French Chic, but the colors are different. For a review of it, please check out the post on My Women Stuff.)
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Yay! I got mine in 002 too coz it looks better than 001. I wrote about it a couple of weeks back – glad to read your views on this one. Like you I’m not likely to touch it… yet. Its way too pretty :)
Hi PJ
Congrats on your Lady Dior purchase. I splashed out on one myself as soon as it came out. I had optimistically pre-ordered it without knowing the price (guessing it would be around the £40-45 mark) and got quite a shock!.I chose option #1 Parisian Chic which suits me quite well. Usually I would not give into such extravagance but once I saw it I couldn’t resist. I then received #2 French Chic as an early surprise birthday present from a loved one. This is probably going to be my last Dior special addition purchase for a long time, as I have to agree that the price of the Lady Dior is way too high. I will have to stop purchasing the special editions (not that I have that many) if they keep just going up and up in price.
As always I have very much enjoyed catching up with your reviews.I have only just launched my own little journal which is mostly beauty, but part beauty spots around Britain. Only three articles there so far, but it’s a start :0) I am also wondering how much my subscription to Biteki will be this year when I renew in May now that the Yen is so much stronger than the pound! Yikes! I couldn’t bare to give it up though. I want to thank you again for inspiring me to buy it as I absolutely adore it and it is encouraging me to continue to study my Japanese. As always I have had a great time catching up on all your wonderful reviews. Take care Chloe
just my two cents. if Dior wants to go higher end than it is now, it has to improve its products rather than losing its touch! i have seen it decline lately and i am shy away from this brand. pity as i was such a fan
I also bought the 002, but the colors do not look the same. Could it be that 002 in the US is different from the 002 in the UK? Mine looks more like the one featured on Beauty Anonymous.
Is there a difference between the 002 and 003? I’ve gone to the Dior websites and they look the same and carry the same name.
Up in Canada, they’ve only released the 001 and that’s it! Sadly the colours don’t do anything for me and it’s weighing in at a hefty $100!
Hi Paris,
I saw your photo of the two shades in the palette as well as some other photos of 003 on other blogs in Asia, and it seems that the French Chic sold in Asia (003) and the French Chic sold elsewhere (002) are different. The red shade in 002 is more of a warm brick-red, while the one you have is more of a pink-red.
I actually think 003 looks a lot prettier… :)
Thank you for stopping by again! :) (I have linked to your post for my readers.)
Hi Chloe,
It is good to hear from you again.
I was expecting Lady Dior to be more expensive than the Night Diamond compact from holiday 2008, but I was still rather surprised by the price.
I think I will definitely keep saving up my Boots points for the next limited-edition item that I want to have. We’ll see if I will have enough…
As far as I can remember, the subscription price for Biteki has been slowly going up in the last few years. I think it goes up a couple of pounds a year. But, like you, I’d always like to keep subscribing to the magazine.
Thank you for letting me know about your blog. I will certainly stop by when I can.
Thank you for your comment again! :)
Hi Jojoba,
I am in two minds about how Dior has been doing. I still think they are coming up with some lovely items. But, with their eyeshadow palettes, I think they are going down to the very shimmery/iridescent road, and I personally would prefer something slightly more understated.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts again! :)
Hi,
Thank you for your question.
I am quite sure that the 002 sold in America and the 002 sold in the UK are the same.
I am aware that the red shade on my blog and the one on Beauty Anonymous look a little different. But, as I have mentioned in a previous post, red shades are very tricky to capture on camera, especially if they are in a semi-solid form (as in the case of lipsticks). (It also seems that the editor of Beauty Anonymous photographed 002 in a cooler lighting condition.)
Thank you very much for stopping by! :)
Hi Ebontien,
Thank you for letting me know that only 001 is available in Canada. It seems that Dior in Canada usually goes with the European releases, and I would have thought both 001 and 002 would be sold in Canada.
I have linked to a post at My Women Stuff which has a photo of 003. I have also come across some other photos of 003, and it seems to me that the red shade in 003 is more of a pink-red and not the warm brick-red in 002.
Thank you for stopping by again! :)
Hey PJ
Thanks for the link – it does look pinky at my end – I’m not sure why. Some day we’ll all have to collate and cross compare to get the exact shade lol…
Keep it coming!
Hi All,
As a collector of Dior Limited Editions, going back to the Dior Street Chic wrist strap, I am really disappointed with this one. I have passed on three Dior Limited Editions so far because there really isn’t anything about them that screams classic or unique – I even saw the Jewel palette on sale in Debenhams but still wouldn’t bite. I might go have a look at this in the shops before I buy though. Does it really have staying power for collectors do you think?
Hi PJ~
I’m from Canada and I saw that only 002 is available at the Bay which is a department store that is opened nationwide. It is priced at $100 CAD + tax, which when converted to local currencies from the UK and US, is rather a much better deal because we save around $20 CAD if we bought it here. I purchased mine in 002 because it is the only colour available. I somewhat regret it now because if you use it, it kinda ruins the palette, and its way too heavy to be used as a purse chain. Its an amazing collectors item though!
Sheila
Hi Paris,
Yes, they do appear to be different, and I think 002 and 003 are probably different shades. But I would certainly love to see the two of them side-by-side…
Thank you again! :)
Hi Bushra,
I remember the Street Chic wrist strap…I think it pre-dates all my Dior limited-edition items…:)
There are quite a few Dior’s seasonal limited-edition items that I don’t have, as I only collect what I like. Last year, I didn’t get the spring and the fall palettes. The spring one (which I presume is the one you mentioned) was pretty but I didn’t particularly want to own it…
I am afraid I can’t say much about the staying power, since I only tested the colors on the back of my hand at the counter. However, according to the review on Beauty Anonymous (link above), the staying powder is good.
If you have a chance to see it in the store, do let me know what you know. I would be interested in knowing your thoughts on it.
Thank you very much for your comment! :)
You have a really cute charm there!! Love the highlihter shade, and of course the charm’s shape. If only I could afford a Lady Dior Bag… (*-*)
Hi Sheila,
I see. You have probably seen the comment left by another reader from Canada, Ebontien. It may be that different department stores carry different shades. (It doesn’t happen very often in the UK, but it seems that it can be the case in some countries.)
I am not yet ready to use the palette for the reason you mentioned. Maybe one day I will decide to use the colors….:)
Thank you very much for posting your comment! :)
Hi Eru,
Indeed…if only we could…
But at least, for the moment, this is a nice charm to have…before *maybe* one day I will think about getting the actual bag! :)
Thank you for stopping by again! :)
i got mine the moment i saw it launched at my old location… i absolutely love it. i also picked up 002, because it was the only one available when i saw it, plus i was able to collect a lot of optimum points (like the boots points, if you remember from my comment ages ago!) from my purchase so i was very happy.
i wanted to clarify that dior canada merged with the US, closing down it’s head office in montreal a little over a year ago, so we now follow the US more or less in their selections. As such, the 001 palette is exclusive to sephora in both the US and canada, or that is what I have been told. 002 is available at other locations, such as holts, the bay and shoppers. that is the distribution, i believe. but both are available in canada as i have seen them both at shoppers (002) and sephora (001). hope that clears things up!
Hi Hightea_xx,
Thank you for all the information. It clears things up perfectly! :)
So it seems that Dior Beauty in Canada will be more likely to carry items available in the US (rather than those in Europe). This is something I will bear in mind.
I am glad that you are liking your Lady Dior as well. Great that you got all the optimum points. (I do remember them.) I got my Boots points as well. :)
Thank you very much for sharing the information and your thoughts again! :)
Hi PJ do you know how much this costed you at Boots? Please let me know the exact price. I got mine today from a friend need to pay him back so need to know the price as he is refusing to take the money from me. But I cant do that so i thought you’d be the best person to answer this.
Hi Abha,
Thank you for your question.
I have mentioned in the post that it costs 68.5 pounds. You can verify the price at the Boots website here.
Thank you for stopping by again! :)