Diorific Perfumed Illuminating Powder #001 Rose D'Or from Dior Golden Winter Holiday 2013 Collection

I was trying to resist this one but failed miserably. Diorific Perfumed Illuminating Powder in Rose D'Or must have been the prettiest highlighter compact I have... It comes is a black pouch, which has an additional pocket for the tiny golden brush. 

Brush is very soft and is perfect for touch ups on the go. Compact is very heavy and feel so luxurious. This one has a gorgeous vintage feel to it. Although the compact looks tiny, it has 6 g of product, which is a regular powder blush/highlighter size.

It is described as "Perfumed Illuminating Powder" so I sniffed it. I could smell some vanilla and white flower mix, it must be their new version of J'adore called L'Or. The scent is very subsided, which appeals to me because I don't like perfumed cosmetics. Powder has a gorgeous detail, according to Selfridge's website, it is embossed with the beads of Masai necklace. To me it looks classy and timeless.

Dior's Golden Winter Collection is inspired by winter in Versailles, which reminded me of another highlighter compact with gorgeous Versailles detail embossed on it, Chanel Mouche de Beaute. I thought back then this must have been my most beautiful highlighter but once placed next to Dior Rose D'Or, even this one doesn't have a chance, what do you think?

Once swatched side by side, Chanel Mouche de Beaute is darker and more frost. More of a traditional highlighter. Diorific Rose D'or on the other hand is a cross between a pressed highlighter and a loose powder if that makes sense. It is more like Chanel or Guerlain's loose sparkling powders for holiday once applied on the skin. It is very subtle on a rather transparent base.

Another rose golden highlighter came to my mind, Laura Mercier's Spellbound, remember how much I loved that one (review here).

Spellbound is even darker, more rose, less shimmery but more pigmented. Diorific Rose D'Or is lighter, more transparent with tiny glitters which play with the light. Rose D'Or would also be perfect for decollete. The effect of it becomes more apparent once the light hits on it.

Final thoughts: Diorific Rose D'Or has such a luxury feel to it. It is the designer's item, which I would probably not use everyday but once you are there out partying, take this out for a touch-up and it is a sudden show stopper. Be aware that it is not a regular pressed highlighter though, with its rather transparent base, it can be used to add some shimmer, without giving much color. Perfect for a subtle all over glow on your face, hair and decollete. I got mine from eccentuals.com (from UK) where it seems to be cheaper than the list price in Germany. I have heard though that this never made it to US. Or maybe you have seen it?

What do you think? Worth the splurge or doesn't justify the price for using it just once for a glamorous occasion? Now I must go and start working on getting invited to the red carpet where I can use it! ;-)