Dior 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palette from the Golden Winter Holiday 2013 Collection

Yesterday, I showed you Dior's Holiday 2013 Golden Winter display. Today, let's focus on one of the two 5 Couleurs Couture Colour Eyeshadow Palettes, #634, Golden Flower ($60). The two palettes on the display were quite similar in theme (golden winter), but there was one significant distinction that pushed me toward this one. The other, Golden Snow, has a very sparkly shade in the top right position. It's beautiful, but combined with the sparkling centerpiece, it was more sparkle than my lifestyle supports.

Dior really knows how to do gold. Look the photo directly above from the Spring-Summer 2014 Ready to Wear show. If you want to aim for a less theatrical look, but still love gold, you'll find the new eye palettes extremely pleasing. The Golden Winter Collection was inspired by Versailles in winter. That conjures a romantic and elegant vision.

I took swatch photos of Golden Flower in full, mid-day sun (yes, it finally returned!). I swatched each shade with a sponge-tipped applicator, starting at top left in the palette, moving around clockwise, and ending with the centerpiece shade - all shown in that order from the top to bottom on my arm.

The peachy pink at the top is a very pretty color - on its own or as a base. It's not too pink, and it's not too peach. It coordinates beautifully with all the other shades. I like the gleam it provides. The white is a saturated white (thank you, Dior). You don't have to struggle with it to get color.

The brown is very different from the shade I expected from looking at the palette. It has a lot of mauve in it - some might say red. However you describe the shade, it's one that you should try before you purchase Golden Flower.

The bronze is as gorgeous as bronze can be (except, perhaps for its cousin in the collection, to be shown here soon), and the sparkling white in the center of the palette will top any other eye shadow shade for a transition from day to night.

All colors are nicely pigmented, and the only fallout I saw was in the form of micro-glitter that had migrated away from the swatches on my arm. That does mean you should check your face after you apply these shades and before you head out the door - unless you like the glitter fest look. The amount of fairy dust on my arm wasn't bad - given what I've seen in my days of testing makeup - but it was definitely present.

I purchased my new Dior Holiday 2013 treasures at Neiman Marcus. They are likely to be everywhere - at counters and online - soon. I did a quick tour of the Internet and didn't find any sources today, but I wasn't thorough.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty; Golden eye photo courtesy of Dior Facebook