Sneak Peek Vol. 5: Dior Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows

Dior Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows (available here) - A flawless wash of color in sensual matte or iridescent shades.  New Diorshow Mono eyeshadows boast a unique wet/dry formula for a custom and professional finish.  Sweep shadow across the eyelid with a dry brush for a subtle, sophisticated look. For a bolder statement, wet your brush before application.

There are some much talked about Spring collections releasing (and already released) this time of the year, but there are also some quiet launches that don't really get as much attention, and one of them is the Dior Diorshow Collection.  As part of the collection, Dior has launched a whole range of single eyeshadows - the Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows.  I love collecting single eyeshadows since they give me the freedom to mix and match colors and pick only what I like rather than being stuck with what comes in a palette (even the best ones seem to have at least one useless shade in there).  I also find that with most brands, single eyeshadows, while expensive, do pack in much better quality.  The Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows are/will be available in 18 shades, and I bought 4 of the colors that I thought would work for me.  Here's a sneak peek.

Dior Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows - Spring 2013

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows
Left:  Camouflage (top) and Velvet (bottom)
Right:  Choc Clair (top) and Panama (bottom)

The Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows come packaged in the typical, classy Dior packaging, a deep blue compact that holds the eyeshadow and a generously-sized mirror on one side.  I don't have any Dior quints to compare this to, in terms of size, but these don't seem too small for eyehsadow singles.  Included with each shadow are 2 sponge applicators, and they do look luxe - for sponges.

In the pic:  Diorshow Mono Eyeshadow Panama 566
I took the photos in natural lighting, and this was what what the color looked like.
A while later, though, with the lights turned on, the color looks a darker brown.
Love the pattern on the eyeshadows - too bad they go away with use :(

The Diorshow Mono eyeshadows can be used both wet and dry - similar to the YSL Pure Chromatics eye shadows - but personally, I prefer the texture on the Dior ones.  While the Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows cover a range of textures, the 4 that I picked out all have a satin texture (I bought online, going by the Nordstrom online photos which seemed more matte).  It's a very small sample size and too short a time - I just got them today - to pass judgment on the entire collection, but the Dior eyeshadows do seem beautiful and quite subtle on the shimmer/sheen department.  Here are the 4 shades I picked - Choc Clair, Panama, Velvet, and Camouflage.

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadow Choc Clair 564 (beige with a hint of cocoa :P)

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadow Camouflage 477 (greyish khaki)

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadow - Panama 566 (golden deep warm brown)The color looks lighter because of the lighting - it's actually a deeper brown.

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadow - Velvet 783 (cool dark taupe brown - leans a bit purplish in swatches)

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows - Panama, Camouflage, Velvet, Choc Clair - Swatches (Wet/Dry)

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows - Swatches (Dry)L to R:  Velvet, Choc Clair, Camouflage, Panama

Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows - Swatches (Dampened)
L to R:  Panama, Choc Clair, Velvet, Camouflage

The four shades that I picked all have a satin texture (Velvet looked shimmery in the pan but seems satin on swatching) and are quite pigmented and smooth even when swatched dry.  I did not really wet the shadows for the swatches in the second photo, rather just heavily moisturized my hand and swatched for a slightly dampened effect.  As of now, I do think these shadows can be used both wet and dry, but definitely go on smoother when a little wet.  I love that the colors (at least the ones I got) are all lovely neutrals, pigmented enough to show up on my darker skin, and I love the satin finish on them.  I do hope they stay equally amazing when I actually use them!  Reviews/better photos once I get to use them a bit.  I bought the Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows from Nordstrom online (only 8 shades available).

I found a couple of other blogs with reviews/swatches/photos on the Diorshow Mono Eye Shadows:
The Non-Blonde:  Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows Nude, Grege, Kohl (swatches/photos)
The Non-Blonde:  Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows (Overview/Photos)
Beautezine:  Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows Velvet and Nude (Swatches/Photos)
Fruity Lashes:  Diorshow Mono Eyeshadows Panama, Velvet, Nude, Ribbon, Camouflage (Swatches/Photos)