First Impressions (in humidity!): The Dior Diorskin Star Foundation

Those of you who have been with me for years (firstly, thank you!) will know that my love for Dior's old, early 2011 formula of their Diorskin Forever Foundation - tagged their Extremewear Flawless Make Up, was an HG-status foundation love that ended abruptly at their reformulation, which I can only describe as a massive mistake. So my approach to this newly launched Diorskin Star Foundation was excited but cautious.

When the raves started pouring in from the bloggers over in the US, I found myself at a Dior counter here in Tokyo and made a relatively uneducated foundation purchase - this is something I haven't done since an impulsive yet extremely successful purchase of the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua back in June 2012. So before I go on, I have to put a massive caveat on these first impressions - I've only tried this in the insane humidity of Japan, where liquids that stay on my face and don't get oily all day in the UK, slide off my face in a matter of hours.

So how have I got on in this climate?

Packaging

There was no question about whether I'd love the functionality of this bottle - it's practically the same as the Diorskin Forever. The pump is still the best one I've tried - it dispenses a decent amount, but not too much, and it's intricate enough that you can get even a quarter of a pump. If I were to pick at straws, I'd say I prefer the frosted glass of the Diorskin Forever, and its navy and multidimensional lid.

Formula

In terms of texture, I find this extremely similar to the old Forever - it's fluid yet creamy, which allows for an extremely luxurious applying experience. It's super easy to blend, and is soft enough to almost caress your skin while you apply it. No tackiness, no dragging, no dryness - just pure, silky luxury!

The coverage is just superb. I probably use less concealer than I do with my MAC Studio Fix Fluid, but this foundation is as weightless as, if not more than, Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua. I'm confident most people will say this is on the lower end of a high coverage foundation.

The finish is what everyone talks about, and it truly is a hybrid and so very difficult to describe. I'd say it's the most skin-like finish I've seen, in that it just looks like what true, normal skin looks like - not the semi-matte Hollywood make-up skin. Just bare, everyday skin. It is quite literally "no make up make up". This does not catch the light and disperse it over a large area - you will get a healthy, normal amount of shine focused on small areas like the tip of your nose and the highest points on your cheek and forehead, but it'll be beautiful and soft elsewhere.

So is this finish what I expected? Absolutely not. But as I said earlier, in London, I might get a totally different result. I was expecting that soft glow. However, perhaps that definition of "studio" make up is dated - the runways these days are often full of natural, skin-like finishes.

Now most foundations that are on the non-matte side of the spectrum don't tend to last very long. But the lasting power is where I am perhaps the most flabbergasted by this foundation - it lasts yonks AND it looks beautiful in the process. It defies what we have come to expect from natural finish foundations. And yes, this is even in the heat and humidity in Tokyo. It basically stays and doesn't break apart with sweat and it stops getting dewier before you become a chip pan. It just stays that beautiful midway between dewy and semi-matte.

In conclusion..

Am I in love? I am and am not - I'm so used to being semi-matte, that it's difficult for me to instantly fall in love with something different. BUT, I'm also in love with the foundation because of how well-designed this foundation is. It's just so.. "now". The combination of a high coverage and the unique finish makes it THE perfect no-make up make up, because you have that flawless coverage but natural glow, AND it lasts ages which makes it perfect for the busy lifestyles that many people lead. It is an incredibly, incredibly modern foundation. It is such a beautiful creation on Dior's part - it is a very very advanced formula that pushes our existing expectations about foundations.

Anyway - enough geeky gushing. If you live in humid, hot places, you can take this review at face value. But if you live elsewhere, please keep an eye out on here and on my Twitter for other instalments :)

Have you had a go at the new Diorskin Star? What are your thoughts?

Yu