For a healthy Pink Glow on cheeks, apply Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo with the red tipped Summer Blush Brush

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Despite all my attempts at using a bronzer, and despite how user-friendly the Dior Nude Tan Aurora Bronzing Powder from Summer 2012 was, I’m still not your best example of a bronzing beauty. But pair the bronzer powder with a blush and my sights zero straight on to the product – no blinking, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

This was the 1 item from the Dior Bird of Paradise Summer 2013 collection that I was most excited about – the Dior Nude Tan Paradise Duo Blush and Bronzer duo. In Asia, we only get Pink Glow (001) while the collection boasts 2 shades – Pink Glow 001 and Coral Glow 002.

What the product is, is a 2 in one face colour with a bronzer on one side and a pink toned blush on the other. You can blend all the colours together when applying to skin, or just use each side separately. I’ve pictured it here with the limited edition Dior Summer Brush, which is a fluffy face brush for light coverage, and has distinctive red bristles. I’ll tell you about it and also about the Pink Glow bronzer-blush. If you are a blush fiend though, I suspect you already own it and can tell me a little more about it yourself! 😉

You don’t need the Summer Brush to use the product, actually. The Dior Nude Paradise Duo comes with a mini kabuki brush.

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Don’t be fooled by its diminutive size. This soft, dense and full kabuki brush picks up colour very easily and very well, and applies it to skin very easily too. I find that using a gentle hand and applying the product in circular motions on skin gives a smooth, even colour, and you can buff it to blend as well. A very worthy inclusion, just as they did with last year’s bronzing powder. A+ for execution!

The compact is similar to that of the Diorskin Nude Tan bronzing powders. The palette is a heavy shiny metal case with the Dior signature cannage print on the top. I have to say, packaging wise, they made sure you got your RM198 worth! 🙂

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Diorskin Nude Tan Aurora Bronzing Powder (2012) and Dior Nude Tan Paradise Duo Pink Glow 001 pictured with the Summer Brush

Here is the comparison with the Diorskin Nude Tan Aurora Bronzing Powder from Summer 2012 for comparison purposes. Aurora was the lighest shade available in the Nude Tan Bronzing Powder collection and had pink tone to give me a more natural, gentle touch of colour to my skin. By contrast, you will notice that the bronzer side of Pink Glow has a deeper tone.

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On the pink side, you get 2 shades of pink – a light pink and a deeper, brighter pink. I personally found that the colours were rather pigmented when I use a brush with them, but when I tried to swatch the shades, it wasn’t so easy. Here is my best attempt 😛

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Left-Right: Top Left quarter, Bottom left quarter, Top Right quarter, Bottom Right quarter

You may notice that the shades don’t show a dramatic change in colour gradation, but are fairly pigmented. The bronzer half is rather warm while the pink blush side has a slightly cooler edge to the colour. Personally, when used alone, I find that the bronzer side pulls some strong orange tones on my skin and can look much too warm. The pinks when used alone, have a warm rose-pink tone that is quite flattering even on their own.

However, you won’t be using it quarter by quarter. You’d just swirl your brush all over in a circular motion and then blend. You could also use it half and half – bronzer to contour and blush for colour. I just do an all over colour because of the previously noted orange tones.

I also find that the blush side has very fine milled shimmer but the bronzer side is matte. So I don’t quite agree with the reviews that say that the Paradise Duo bronzer-blush applies matte. It applies with a hint of shimmer on skin so do note that if you prefer something matte. It isn’t obtrusive, but there is most certainly a glow.

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If you are a touch heavy handed, you end up with something like this 😛

I used the Summer Brush initially, and I was very surprised at how much product it picks up. So, I strongly suggest that you swirl the brush over the product and be sure to tap off excess before you apply to your skin. I spent a while blending out the colour before I could comfortably step outdoors LOL! 😀

But I showed you this, because I wanted to show just how different the colour looked on skin as opposed to in the pan. In the pan, I expected to get a light pink toned powder but on skin, it turned out peachy-pink! The rose pink tones blend with the bronzer to create a peachy shade that I think will flatter most of us.

If you have a skintone that’s deeper than mine, you will find it much easier to wear this product because it will give you a very pretty glow to the skin. The pink tones add colour while the bronzer side adds warmth and the result is a healthy glow. If you have light skintone, I will warn you to please be a little light handed or you may end up looking like you spent a little too long in the sun. I just spent the weekend sitting by the beach so as you might imagine, I look a little like my photo above… without using Pink Glow! LOL! 😀

After I blend it out a little more, I get something a little better.

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Other products: Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Silk Eyeshadow in #15, Dior Addict Extreme lipstick in Lucky

A peachy pink glow with a touch of warm base. I like to add on a little more pink on the apples of the cheeks for a little pop of colour. Also, I found that if you use the little kabuki that’s included, you actually end up with a slightly more forgiving colour on skin and its very easy to blend. A very soft blush brush too gives a softer, more forgiving colour.

I do however, also find that the product is rather powdery. So, after using, I have to blow off the excess powder from the surface. Nothing that really bugs me, but something I have to mention 🙂

Is it for everyone? Well, nah it isn’t. But its a beautiful piece of work, it stays on well on my skin, its incredibly easy to blend, it gives you a beautiful glow and for me, its really pigmented so I’d say its bang for your buck! 😀

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The accompanying product launched in the collection is this Summer Brush Blush Brush. The bright red bristles are, I’m told by the SA, synthetic and it is pretty soft, although not as soft as other synthetic brushes I’ve used. It is supposed to be a blush brush, so it is tapered to allow for easy blush/bronzer application.

I have to say that the red bristles do add a bright, fun pop of colour to the usual black brush arsenal most of us will own, but its actually a bit of a damper, because its not easy to see just how much product you have picked up. I find that it does pick up product very well, having tried it with various blushes I own, but its hard to tell just how much you’ve got on the brush. So its actually quite easy to make mistakes.

In terms of application however, it does live up to its claims of offering light coverage and easy blending. If you tap off excess colour, it will apply a light veil of colour to your skin, just enough to give you a gentle blushing glow and blending product is also very easy. It feels soft on skin, not too scratchy and it does a pretty good job overall. I’m just not too sure about the colour.

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Left: Dior Backstage Powder Brush Right: Dior Summer Blush Brush

Here’s a comparison between the Dior Powder brush and the Summer blush brush for an idea of size. Its not as fluffy or as dense as a powder brush, and the longer bristles mean its more pliable which results in a softer application of product and colour. Its nice to have but not a must have, in my view. I’d still stick by my Lunasol blush brush 🙂

In a nutshell

The Dior Tan Paradise Duo Pink Glow bronzer-blush is a limited edition offering in the Bird of Paradise summer collection. The product can be used by swirling the included mini kabuki brush around the colours, tapping off the excess and then applying to your cheeks as you would a blush. I personally find its best use this way. You can however, also use it separately as bronzer to contour and then blush for colour and  a pop of colour on the apples of the cheeks. For me, I find that Pink Glow applies to skin a rather peachy pink tone that will be flattering to most skintones. There is another shade in Coral Glow that isn’t available in Asia.

The Summer Blush Brush is a limited edition red bristled blush brush. I’m told by the sales assistant that the bristles are synthetic but they do pick up product very well, and do apply and blend product well on skin. I do find that the red bristles, albeit very eye catching, can be a bit hard to use in that you can barely see how much product you have picked up. I already have a blush brush I adore so I’d say that this one is a nice one to have, but not a must have.

Paradise Duo Pink Glow Pros: Flattering to most skintones, Pigmented, Kabuki brush included is practical and very usable, Fine milled powder and very easily blended on skin

Paradise Duo Pink Glow Cons: Limited edition, Very fair skinned ladies will need a very light hand

Who will like this: Anyone who loves a pretty blush or a peachy pink blush

Summer Blush Brush Pros: Bristles are not scratchy, Easy to apply product and blend

Summer Blush Brush Cons: Red bristles make it hard to see how much product is picked up

Who will like this: Anyone who wants a fun and usable blush brush in their collection

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Asia doesn’t get Paradise Duo in Coral Glow so you can see it in action on Tine. To say I wanted Coral Glow badly after reading her review is an understatement. I wanted it so badly, I told my Aussie beauty/bag buddy to hoof it down to her closest Dior counter and test them both side by side for me to tell me if I needed Coral Glow. I trust her views implicitly and I knew she would tell me if I did. This was A$82 we’re talking about here. Waaay more than RM198!

Thankfully (or maybe not) the report was that no, I did not need Coral Glow. Swatched alongside each other, they look similar enough that I could forsake one for the other. Christine of Temptalia agrees. That’s A$82 saved for … Tom Ford makeup brushes! LOL 😀

Did you pick up the Paradise Duo in Pink Glow or Coral Glow? Is the Summer blush brush something that you might like to own?

I had my eye firmly on the Paradise Duo powders the minute I saw the promo images. I have to say I’m very happy with this and I think its quite worth what you pay for, if you’d like to get a workable bronzer and blush in one handy compact. I’m less crazy about the brush. I love the colour red, but red bristles on a brush is rather unnerving LOL! 😀

Paris B

Dior Nude Tan Paradise Duo Pink Glow Price: RM198 ; Dior Summer Blush Brush Price: RM210; Availability: Dior counters nationwide Limited Edition: Yes, Bird of Paradise Summer 2013 collection