Early this year I came across a strange new product from Dior Capture Totale which they call “DreamSkin”. Now, wouldn’t you admit that a name like that makes you sit right up and go “Ooh! Will it give me my dream skin?!”
Well that’s the idea. Dior calls it the “DreamSkin Perfect Skin Creator” and tells us that it will at once, refine skin texture, even skintone, diminish wrinkles, increase radiance… and it provides instant results upon application. Instant! The first day I came across a pop up counter offering samples, I sat back, had a short chat with the SA and walked away with a sample.
The thing is, my skin takes well to Dior Capture Totale skincare. Not so much the other ranges, but with Capture Totale I know I’m in good hands. Yet, when I knew that this contains mica platelets to give you that “instant radiance” I immediately felt my scepticism kick in.
I took the wee sample for a quick trial run just to see what the fuss is about (since people are raving up and down the internet about this marvellous serum) and I can tell you I’m singularly unimpressed.
My spidey senses started tingling when the SA told me that this product would help my makeup stay on better and control oil. Further, she told me to use it in the day, AFTER all my skincare but before my sunscreen. I found that odd. But not so odd, once I’d had a feel of the texture.
The pale pink serum has a strong silicone feel which brought to mind a primer. I don’t know if you will notice it, but if you look to the right of the dollop of product above, you may notice how the lines on my hand appear a little blurred and smoother? Squint, it’ll help you see it better 😉
But that’s where I’d blended out some of the Dreamskin serum. It does give your skin that immediate effect of smoother skin. Interestingly, so does a good makeup primer.
I then asked the SA if I could use it at night, since it is a serum after all that’s supposed to help my skin get better and she looked rather hesitant and told me that it was better to use it in the day. However, if I wanted to use it in the evening, I could, also after I’d applied all my serums and creams as it would help “control the oil” so you won’t wake up with an oily face the next day. To be honest, I don’t wake up with an oily face and even if I did, I don’t quite care because I’d wash it anyway. It was puzzling to me therefore, that it would bug anyone.
So, heeding the SA’s advice to use it only in the day (and because I’m not the sort to wear primer to bed, nor did I want mica platelets providing any instant radiance to my skin), I stretched my sample out to almost 5 day’s use and I have to say it was alright…. as a primer.
In fact, I’ve used better makeup primers in my time. Dreamskin was fine. I didn’t notice any immediate skin brightening, nor immediate radiance. It did make my skin look a bit smoother but it should, since it’s chockfull of silicones and unlike the 90% of women sampled in the promo blurb above, I did not experience a visible skin transformation and total beauty enhancement. I was me. Not even better, just me 😛
The SA also told me it could be used on its own without a cream or moisturiser. I urge you, for the love of your skin, NOT to heed this because this isn’t one bit hydrating or moisturising. The silicone tricks your skin into thinking it feels velvety and smooth when in fact it doesn’t moisturise. So please moisturise and then apply this AFTER your moisturiser.
So Dior Dreamskin isn’t moisturising, feels like a silicone primer and isn’t advised to be used at night (just quoting the Dior SA’s advise here!) My conclusion after my sample of Dreamskin is that it’s a glorified and very expensive primer, and only a passable one at that.
If you’re curious about this, I’d urge you to get yourself some samples and then work out for yourself if it is your Perfect Skin Creator because it surely wasn’t mine! I love your Capture Totale skincare range, Dior but this gimmicky product just makes me look askance at you.
Here’s the ingredient list so you can work out for yourself if it’s something you can or will use.
Me? I wouldn’t simply because I don’t like mixing up my makeup and skincare. I’m quite happy to use skincare until it gets my skin problems solved. If I wanted a primer, I’d just wear one.
Were you curious about this Dreamskin serum? Did you manage to get a sample to try?
I was curious but sceptical and it appears my scepticism has borne out. I don’t quite understand all the raves this has been getting but then I suppose it’s hard to tell with skincare… or is it makeup? It comes down to personal preference and this isn’t mine.
Paris B
I’m curious about it too! They’re all doing this now-trying to pass off a primer as skincare! Even L’Oreal with the perfector range has this Pore Perfector Cream. I’m testing it and it’s full of cones. It says to use it at night too-WHY WOULD I WANT CONES ON MY FACE AT NIGHT? No thanks! It’s a primer trying to be passed off as skincare. Why they won’t just call them primers is beyond me. I don’t care that they’re primers as they work well at it. But call a spade a spade!
Yes! Why are they doing silly things like this! We don’t need a primer at night and I think that’s what the SA was trying to tell me. That this is mostly a primer product and not meant for night use. Bah! Enough with confusing customers already.
That’s kinda shitty. I’m disappointed that for something that’s touted as a skincare product is actually a makeup products. That’s the problem I have with most skincare items containing makeup ingredients, such as this and also some of the L’Oreal skin perfecting “serums” that have been released recently. Skincare is skincare, makeup is makeup, with the whole confusion around the BB/CC Creams, we don’t need anything else to blur the lines and mislead consumers.
It absolutely is, Sheila and I don’t even know why they did it. I did come across the L’Oreal group ones too (but we don’t get them here) and I’m told that even Sulwhasoo has a similar product available! I’m like WHY?!?!
This is pretty much a perfect example that I wish I could shove in certain people’s faces. People who think that more affordable or cheap skin care products are always inferior to high end ones, that is.
Sorry it didn’t work out for you. What a disappointment. And wow, that SA seemed kind of fishy almost…
It was disappointing but then, luckily it was a sample eh? 😛 I think the SA was just telling what she was taught. I have read of people saying it’s so moisturising they can go without moisturiser but seriously, nothing takes the place of a good and proper skincare regimen which is what I think few people understand 🙁 Oh and you’re absolutely right. Cheap skincare is NOT inferior! Some are really good stuff!
I totally understand how some silicones would trick people into thinking they have smooth, velvety face, which is instant but silicones are just bad on the face. If I need a base, I would just wear a primer to extend the wear time of my foundation. I honestly think this is TOO glorified, and again, I must reiterate my disappointment over some SAs who “advised” customers to skip daily moisturizers and use that-supposedly-skincare-but-no-it’s-makeup thingy. Moisturizers are irreplaceable, right? I don’t know. Reading what the SA said to you and the gimmicks, I am just pissed. NOT AT YOU, though. LOL!
I’m actually not personally fussed with silicones per se, but I’m just not a fan of anything that proclaims “instant” perfection because skincare isn’t supposed to work immediately, that’s what aesthetic treatments are for 😛 I don’t get the need to create this product which I think may have been better if they had marketed it as a primer but with skincare benefits instead of the other way around. Just all round bad >.<
I was offeeed Dreamskin when looking fir a primer, so I guess I got a very honest SA. Regardless of the claims, I use it after my morning routine and I absolutely love the results. As a primer it works wonders in my face.
You did get a very honest SA Patricia 🙂 It’s good to know that it’s working well for you. At least you’re deriving some skincare benefits from it too (if their claims hold true 😉 )
Kudos Paris! This is a perfectly honest and transparent review as always despite you being a Dior fan 🙂 It is heartening to know that you (and I) maintained a high level of beauty ethics and promise to your skin – skincare is skincare, makeup is makeup. They should not be cross breed as each is fit for purpose and do what it does best. Principle wise, I’d say if we don’t stand for something we will fall for anything.
It may sound too philosophical, after all it is just skincare and cosmetics, if the makeup product claims it can function as skincare as well, ain’t it great? We have discussed and shared our views at length just a while back in your post with one catchy post title I must say.
Using makeup as skincare can be devastating – you are constantly under the illusion of having great and better looking skin but all these are just as good as the product name aptly called Dream Skin. In this sense, it seems Dior did clearly name this product as Dream Skin and not something like Real Skin 😛 Dior is already a leader in its league in both skincare and makeup products…yet this makeup cum skincare mumbo jumbo is quite bewildering.
I prefer to see myself as plain but gradually see the improvement with proper skincare and get better skin than constantly see myself with dream skin makeup cum skincare. *Sorry for this long commentary on a Sunday morning! Catching up on beauty world when I am not a corporate Minnie Mouse!
We have to be realistic, Jennifer 😀 As much as I love a brand, I dislike it when I feel like I’ve been taken for a ride and even more so when it comes to skincare! 🙁 Cross-breeding is precisely what I think they did and in this instance, I don’t quite like the result! I don’t think you’re being too philosophical at all. Ultimately, we all want what’s best for our skin but we shouldn’t just fall willy-nilly for every new innovation out there without using our heads. And especially not when it costs an arm and a leg 😛 Feel free to write a War & Peace novel if you like – I write such long posts, it almost makes sense that you would all have a long commentary to add to it too! 😀
Strangely I love this during the day and I’m a man. It does give that velvet smooth finish (silicones hello) but I don’t need any moisturizer underneath. Sometimes a bit of serum but it just works.
For me it’s more of a perfector when you have almost flawless skin already. The last step before sunscreen or not if you stay inside all day. Very expensive but hey I like it and it was PR sample anyway 😀
I absolutely love it! Im not 1 for wearing alot of make up and at the age of 32 i dnt really have alot of lines on my face. I put this on in a morning after my moisturizer and my skin glows and looks brilliant and i dnt need any foundation on during the day as my face looks brilliant.
I really like this – as a primer, nothing else. But I just saw the price on Strawberry Net and I freaked out. It’s great but not $160 AUD great! I’d rather buy the new NARS eyeshadows instead and get a MAC primer.
I was at House of Fraser & was duped into buying this. It felt great on my skin & I was told it would moisturise my skin. If I hadn’t been told it could be used as a moisturiser, I wouldn’t have bought it. The girl at the counter also sold me the 50ml one when I specifically asked for the 30ml. It’s just lying to people & selling me a 50ml (I didn’t notice right away because I bought other things as well) deliberately. I fell out of love with Dior makeup a few years ago & now I’m glad I did. Wish I hadn’t bothered going back again. Been trying to use it for about a week & guess what? My skin feels good with it on but my pores are clogging up. THANKS DIOR!!
I tried this serum and the dream skin. was told not to use any other moisturiser . But it is just a primer – not feeding the skin at all. will use it up then goodbye! What a waste of money .