I love those 5-color eyeshadow compacts from Dior. Each one offers several different looks, the colors are great and the quality is superb. Since I was on a quest for new and fresh spring looks that don't include bubblegum pink, Malibu Barbie or an enbalmed corpse, I decided to see what I can find in those navy blue compacts.

I was curious about the lighter shades, though I knew that most likely they wouldn't work for me. That's the problem with my particular skin tone. It's not spring-friendly and leaves me envious of those who can wear pastels, whispery pinks and most everything that's traditionally associated with the season. I also don't have the personality for anything of that sort, but a girl can dream, right?

As I expected, none of the delicate colors suited me. Unlike most light colored eye shadows, the Diors are very pigmented and do show up on my skin, but both Moonray and Mystic Jade (the one I was most curious about since seeing it on one of Neiman's spring looks) looked horribly chalky on me. Both would be fabulous on very light complexions, on which the almost-white base of the powder won't show up. It was frustrating, because I really wanted to find something in a light sage green color (mint green would never look right on my face), but neither were made for me.


I looked longingly at Myriad. It's one of the most stunning compacts I've seen. All those shimmery blues are beautiful. I can pull off muted blue eye shadows quite easily and own several, but this was just too much. I don't need electric blue shimmer,and chances are that you don't, either. Unless you go clubbing every week.

I wasn't in the market for anything brown, but on a whim, decided to try the colors in Beige Massai. They are brighter and livelier than in the photo, and the minute I tried them I knew that I found my cheery spring look. The biggest surprise was the light beige sheen. I have such a hard time finding a beige eye shadow that actually shows up on my skin and highlights my brow. This one is perfect. I'd definitely buy it in a bigger individual pan. All the other colors are pretty and very warm. They have a sheen, but not a shimmer, they light up the face and are very flattering. Their decidedly warm base might not work for everyone, and I know that on the very pale skinned with bluish undertones you'd get the infamous muddy effect. However, if you're rust and bronze friendly, you'd want to try Beige Massai. It just might be the compact you'd use most this spring/summer.