I know it's odd to be posting a wintry palette such as this at the end of April, but Dior's Asia-exclusive Icy Halo collection came out a little over a month ago, and I simply couldn't wait till next winter to share the stand-out from the collection: the Voile de Neige Light Amplifying Face Powder.
The outer case is a beautiful pearly white that seems much more expensive than white plastic normally is.
Inside, white shimmering snowflakes gently drift against a background of pale pink stripes with the Dior name in the lower right corner.
With flash:
According to the Dior website, the palette was designed by Dior makeup artist Yasuhior Tokunaga especially for Asian skintones. "Like the sky reflected in snow…A hazy, barely blue sky, ice crystals that toy with the light… Dior draws inspiration from the beauty of winter to create Diorsnow Icy Halos. Inspired by the purity of snow crystals, Diorsnow Voile de Neige is applied as a final touch of beauty whose transparency reveals the skin's radiance. The 4 Voile de Neige shades were specially designed for Asian skin. Once blended, the four delicate shades give the face beauty and synergy. The radiant pink gives the complexion a healthy rosy glow. The pale pink neutralises the yellow of the skin tone, giving it greater freshness. The soft beige swathes the skin in a lightly golden halo. Finally, the pearly pink catches the light in incredible fashion. The four shades are rich in new-generation shimmers that reflect almost 100% of the light, just like snow. "
I wonder how the concept is different from the Lumières de Neige palette that was released in 2009:
(image from weloveshopping.com)
I like the idea of "ice crystals toying with the light" and the snow's luminous reflections. If I wasn't collecting this palette I'd use it for an ethereal glow. I also would like to be wearing it should I ever experience an installation like this. Designer Tokujin Yoshioka created an otherwordly installation for design chain Kartell's flagship store in Milan to go with his "Invisibles" collection – furniture made of sturdy clear acrylic that will leave the sitter feeling as though they are floating in mid-air.
(images from architecturephoto.net and cubeme.com)
Says the artist for the Snowflake installation: "I will create a serene world with numerous transparent prism sticks in plastic. The accumulation of transparent sticks is tinged with white color just like real snow. I believe that the installation will offer visitors extraordinary experiences as if stepping into the snowflake." This guy has great ideas – chairs that make you feel weightless and installations that mimic being nestled within a pristine snowflake? Both sound fantastic.
Getting back to the Dior palette, I think I prefer their other limited-edition palettes that reflect the history of the couture house (Mitzah, Tailleur Bar, etc.), plus I feel as though the design could have been a little more inventive. The snowflakes are all the same shape, but no two snowflakes are exactly alike, correct? They could have made them all a little different. Still, this is rather pretty and will make an excellent addition to winter exhibitions. If only I could get my hands on the 2009 version!