Over the past week, I've also been trying out the new DiorSkin Forever Compact foundation. Like the fluid version, it is touted as "Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup". On the box, it is described as offering a "silky, sensual and skin-fusion powder that evenly melts into the skin like a cream for an ultra-smooth, even complexion and visibly perfect skin day after day" thanks to the use of a "smart skin-shaping Skincare Essence".
The foundation comes in an elegant silver-rimmed case that is about an inch longer than Dior eyeshadow quints, but around the same height and width. Unfortunately, the cover is a fingerprint magnet. There is actually no catch to keep the lid securely shut. It just claps shut when you lower the lid. This makes opening the case a breeze and there is virtually no risk of nicking your manicure.
It comes with a velvet sleeve, which should help to minimise the chances of the case accidentally opening in your bag, but there's really nothing to stop the case from falling out of the sleeve so it's best to carry this in a snug pouch if you want to bring it about with you.
Under the lid is a generously sized mirror. The lid bends sufficiently backward to allow one to look closely in the mirror. There is a plastic insert that covers the foundation pan and dips under the sponge but I discarded it immediately.
I picked 023 Peach, which was the second lightest shade and a pretty good match for my skintone. The 'Dior' print on the surface of the foundation disappears quite fast with just a couple of uses.
The lack of a clasp reminded me of the case design of Lancome's Maqui Blanc Miracle foundation. The similarities extend further inside where the foundation pan lifts out of the case, leaving a big hole.
It snaps back into place quite easily and securely. The box states that the foundation is "Refillable - except Americas", which is frankly bizarre. Why design a refillable foundation case if there is no intention to sell the refills?! I purchased this at Sephora in France, where there were also no refills available yet.
And again just like the Maqui Blanc Miracle foundation, the Dior Forever Compact sponge features two different textures on each side. The insert recommends using the fluffier, velvety side for "extreme softness and an ultra-luminous finish" and the sponge side for more coverage.
On my first try, I used the velvety side to apply the foundation and it was a disaster with a lot of the foundation pooling in my pores. I was surprised because with Maqui Blanc Miracle, the velvety side works perfectly for applying the foundation and I never use the sponge side.
With the Forever Compact foundation, I discovered that the best way to apply it is to first use the normal sponge side (below), and then use the velvety side (pics above) to buff to a more natural finish, especially in the areas where the foundation may have been applied too thickly, such as around the nose.
Forever Compact provides pretty good coverage of my pores and skin unevenness, but does not completely conceal the skin pigmentation. The finish is quite natural without looking too flat or overly powdery. Oil control was average and about the same as the Dior X4 Compact Control Foundation (which I used up in January). I needed to blot every 2 to 3 hours, which is normal for me in hot weather. When my skin gets oily, my pores do become more prominent (sigh...) so at mid-day, I usually blot and touch up with Ettusais Quick Fit Powder.
Overall, I think the fluid foundation provides a slightly more natural finish than the powder version but if I'm in a rush, I prefer the powder version as it's just quicker to apply. In terms of oil control, the powder foundation is a tad superior but it still can't keep the oilies completely away for me. Forever Compact retails for 49.50€ (about S$85) in France, which is the price point that one would expect of a prestige brand. It works quite well for me but it's not a Holy Grail product that I would re-purchase, but then again I never re-purchase any foundations as I'm always curious to try new ones. As it's so expensive, I would advise getting a sample or trying it at the counter to see how it applies on you before deciding whether to invest in it. Also, do step outside to check how it looks like under sunlight as store lighting can be very deceptive.
List of ingredients.
The foundation comes in an elegant silver-rimmed case that is about an inch longer than Dior eyeshadow quints, but around the same height and width. Unfortunately, the cover is a fingerprint magnet. There is actually no catch to keep the lid securely shut. It just claps shut when you lower the lid. This makes opening the case a breeze and there is virtually no risk of nicking your manicure.
It comes with a velvet sleeve, which should help to minimise the chances of the case accidentally opening in your bag, but there's really nothing to stop the case from falling out of the sleeve so it's best to carry this in a snug pouch if you want to bring it about with you.
Under the lid is a generously sized mirror. The lid bends sufficiently backward to allow one to look closely in the mirror. There is a plastic insert that covers the foundation pan and dips under the sponge but I discarded it immediately.
I picked 023 Peach, which was the second lightest shade and a pretty good match for my skintone. The 'Dior' print on the surface of the foundation disappears quite fast with just a couple of uses.
The lack of a clasp reminded me of the case design of Lancome's Maqui Blanc Miracle foundation. The similarities extend further inside where the foundation pan lifts out of the case, leaving a big hole.
It snaps back into place quite easily and securely. The box states that the foundation is "Refillable - except Americas", which is frankly bizarre. Why design a refillable foundation case if there is no intention to sell the refills?! I purchased this at Sephora in France, where there were also no refills available yet.
And again just like the Maqui Blanc Miracle foundation, the Dior Forever Compact sponge features two different textures on each side. The insert recommends using the fluffier, velvety side for "extreme softness and an ultra-luminous finish" and the sponge side for more coverage.
On my first try, I used the velvety side to apply the foundation and it was a disaster with a lot of the foundation pooling in my pores. I was surprised because with Maqui Blanc Miracle, the velvety side works perfectly for applying the foundation and I never use the sponge side.
With the Forever Compact foundation, I discovered that the best way to apply it is to first use the normal sponge side (below), and then use the velvety side (pics above) to buff to a more natural finish, especially in the areas where the foundation may have been applied too thickly, such as around the nose.
Forever Compact provides pretty good coverage of my pores and skin unevenness, but does not completely conceal the skin pigmentation. The finish is quite natural without looking too flat or overly powdery. Oil control was average and about the same as the Dior X4 Compact Control Foundation (which I used up in January). I needed to blot every 2 to 3 hours, which is normal for me in hot weather. When my skin gets oily, my pores do become more prominent (sigh...) so at mid-day, I usually blot and touch up with Ettusais Quick Fit Powder.
Overall, I think the fluid foundation provides a slightly more natural finish than the powder version but if I'm in a rush, I prefer the powder version as it's just quicker to apply. In terms of oil control, the powder foundation is a tad superior but it still can't keep the oilies completely away for me. Forever Compact retails for 49.50€ (about S$85) in France, which is the price point that one would expect of a prestige brand. It works quite well for me but it's not a Holy Grail product that I would re-purchase, but then again I never re-purchase any foundations as I'm always curious to try new ones. As it's so expensive, I would advise getting a sample or trying it at the counter to see how it applies on you before deciding whether to invest in it. Also, do step outside to check how it looks like under sunlight as store lighting can be very deceptive.
List of ingredients.
4 comments:
This is another one of your flawless foundation picks! You really know how to get products that work brilliantly for you!
Since my skin is dry, I normally wear powder foundation only in Oman, or places where there is a lot of heat and humidity (Hawaii).
Hope Hubs scored at Duty Free...
note about refills except in the americas.... it sad, but the refills don't seem to do well here. only few brands actually make refills i find, and they are (usually asian) brands that usually sell their products separately from their casing (ex: shiseido, shu uemura, etc). the refill culture just has not taken off over here, which is quite disappointing as we produce so much waste!
do all dior compact powder have the same refill size? I have a white dior compact and I'm wondering if the refill for this powder will fit into my existing dior compact thanks
hi Anne,
I'm afraid I do not know, it's best if you can check with your local Dior counter.
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