We Review the Dior Beauty Parisian Romance Makeover Experience

To celebrate the boutique's one-year anniversary at Ion Orchard, Dior is launching an exclusive limited edition makeup collection and makeover experiences at the store. Isabel Ong tries out one of three exclusive makeover looks. 

The Amour, Dior collection comprises lipsticks, lip glosses, eyeshadow palettes, blushes and nail lacquers, and are only available at Dior's Ion Orchard store. Three makeup looks (from left: Nude Couture, Parisian Romance and Versailles Regale) have been created by the brand's elite Backstage team to capture different facets of the House of Dior, from sweet romantic to mysterious and avant-garde. 

I tried one of its makeup looks, Parisian Romance, based on founder Christian Dior's affinity with the city (it's where he housed his Couture label). The exclusive items used for this look include My Lady Palette Blush in #006 ($90), 5 Couleurs eyeshadow palette in #346 Pastel Breeze ($102) and Rouge Dior lipstick in #399 Hermine ($48). 

Dior Backstage Artist Keith Wan first preps my skin with a hydrating toner, serum and moisturiser, and also applies a lip maximiser to moisturise my dry, cracked lips. He shares a few useful tips on creating fresh-looking skin after a long day at work: Use a hydrating toner, squeeze the product onto a cotton pad and apply it on the forehead and cheeks for five minutes to get brighter, clearer skin immediately. He adds that moisturisers should be massaged into face, instead of simply smoothening it over, and to focus on the corner of the nose and around the lips as those areas are frequently neglected. 

Thereafter, Wan uses Dior's Nude Air serum-foundation, which feels very lightweight and spreads easily on skin, as well as a glow maximiser on the nose bridge, cheeks, chin and forehead to highlight these areas. After contouring and applying blusher (he recommends applying it in circular strokes and on the apple of the cheeks so you look fresh), he puts on all five shades of eyeshadow, as well as eyeliner and mascara, on the eyes. For lips, he first tones down my naturally pinkish lips with the Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen, and applies the frosty pink lipstick over it so it goes better with my skin tone. He finishes by dabbing lip gloss at the centre portion of lips. Why? Because "light will hit the centre of the lips first and doing so will give lips a 3D effect", he explains. 

Wan's focus for this makeover: Giving me a natural complexion and a romantic look comprising soft pink blusher and subtle eye colours (the smidge of dark blue eyeshadow below the lower lashline makes eyes more distinct). I am amazed at how clear my complexion is (#nofilter needed!) and love this shade of pink on my lips. While the makeover took slightly over an hour – mostly because he explained the purpose behind every single product used – I found it to be an extremely informative session and thoroughly enjoyable.

The Amour, Dior collection and makeover experience is available the whole month of May. Each makeover (make an appointment in store) costs $120 with the purchase of any Dior product. #B2-44/46 Ion Orchard.