Dior 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette in Golden Savannah from the Golden Jungle Collection for Fall 2012

Dior's new Golden Savannah 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette ($59, Fards à Paupières in French), one of two eye shadow palettes in the Golden Jungle Collection for Fall 2012, belongs to Dior best-selling range of rich, versatile 5 Couleurs palettes designed for easy application, complementary colors, and long wear. Golden Savannah "creates a shimmering smolder with a palette of sensual copper and brown shades" - perfect for neutral lovers like me. I'm not sure about sensual, but I am sure it's sensational.

Not to pick on Dior - I could say this about most beauty companies - but why is makeup always marketed as sensual, or sexy, or alluring? Isn't it enough that it makes us happy - it makes us look good and feel good?

Golden Savannah passes the look-good, feel-good test. I love the colors. The palette offers a nice range, and with the exception of the sparkly center shade, the colors offer superb texture and coverage.

The sun finally showed its face today, and I got some photos when I got home from work. My photos were taken in afternoon sun. I swatched with a sponge-tipped applicator and worked clockwise, starting at the top left and ending with the sparkly golden ivory center shade. The swatches show four gorgeous variations of brown.

The shade at the top of my arm, golden light brown, is as pretty as it gets. I could use a vat of it. I feel the same about the copper shade below. Wow oh wow. It may not be unique when everyone is showing copper, but this one's stunning. The mauve-toned shade is brown enough (just a hint of lavender) that I can wear it without bringing out the red in my eyes and waterline. It's love. The taupe?  Drop-dead gorgeous.

About the sparkly golden ivory in the middle...it's useless. With a brush, it's nearly impossible to pick up color. It's even hard with a sponge-tipped applicator. I haven't tried it, but I'm sure a damp brush would pick up more color, but along with the pigment will come those sparklies. I don't need them. In both photos, you can see the shade at the bottom of my arm - barely. I worked really hard to get more color to show.

It doesn't matter to me. The four shades that comprise the majority of the palette are so pretty, they make up for the one dud. If you want to overlay the center shade to add sparkle to one of the other shade, you can. Otherwise, you could just look at it and think about how tempting it looks, knowing that the bite of the apple isn't worth it.

Dior suggests you use the oval wand (sponge-tipped applicators come in the mirrored palette) to apply the lightest shade to the upper part of the inner eyelid, then blend the darkest shade along the lash line. Shade the outer brow with one of the remaining colors. For more intensity, use a fourth color under the lashes. You could do that. I'd recommend you experiment with the shades and use them in a way that pleases you. If you like neutrals and brown tones, you'll love Golden Savannah.

I purchase mine at Neiman Marcus, where they had only one or two left when I got there. Fortunately, the new collection is available at Nordstrom's Web site, where shipping is free. I also purchased Khaki Design too and will show it to you tomorrow.

Photo at top courtesy of Nordstrom; other photos by Best Things in Beauty