Christian Dior Diorific Perfumed Illuminating Powder 002 Perle D'Or

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not always the biggest fan of Dior face and cheek products, as they tend to fade on me after a few short hours. They're also not the most pigmented to begin with. Needless to say, I don't pay too much attention to Dior's new releases. However, when I saw pictures of the Diorific Perfumed Illuminating Powders circulating on Enablergram Instagram, I knew I needed to get my hands on one. It didn't help that it was limited edition for the holidays 2013 AND was part of the Europe exclusive Golden Winter Christmas Look collection. Also, in case you've missed the memo, I'm a highlighter addict.

Dior released two illuminating powders in this collection: 001 Rose D'or and 002 Perle D'or. After the longest game of eenie meenie miney mo to help me decide between the two, I finally settled with 002 Perle D'Or. (Picking both of them up was not an option, as these ran quite exorbitantly price-wise.) To start, the packaging. To call it luxurious would be an understatement, as this is one of the most beautiful and most hefty compact I own in my makeup collection to date. The highlighter itself is a true work of art, and some have even said that it was designed to mimic Charlize Theron's dress in the J'adore ad campaign. Additionally, it also comes with a brush, that is rather soft and useful, to match the compact's golden exterior.

Now Dior wasn't joking when they called this a perfumed illuminating powder. In fact, when I first opened the compact, I was able to detect Dior's infamous J'adore scent, which had been infused in the the product itself. Not to worry as the scent itself does not linger too long once the product is applied. The highlighter has a glittery gold overspray that disappears once I dipped my brush in the pan. What's left, however, is a beautiful pearly gold highlighter. In terms of texture, this is soft but not exactly the most finely-milled highlighter I've come across. Instead, it's borderline powdery. The pigmentation is quite good, yet subtle. I would call Perle D'Or a more tamed version of the Becca Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone and definitely less potent than theBalm's Mary-Loumanizer. As far as wear-time goes, this lasted a good eight or so hours with no noticeable signs of fading -- one of the better performers in Dior's recent face product offerings.

Now, would I say that Perle D'Or is an absolute must have? No. Is it nice to have? Definitely. The product is more suited for light to medium warmer skintones and for those who are not sensitive to fragrance in their makeup. Lighter skintones could possibly pull this off as a finishing face powder when lightly dusted all-over, whereas slightly darker skintones can use this as a traditional highlighter. Perle D'Or not only is a collector's piece but a functional one at that. Despite the hefty price tag, it is one product I know I will be getting a lot of mileage out of.

Laura Mercier Color to Go: Natural Nudes

I'm a strong supporter that one can never have enough neutral palettes! Not just any neutral palette, but one that is extremely compact and travel-friendly.

Take a look.

The top tier boasts three office-friendly shades and one of Laura Mercier's infamous cakeliner. The quality and blendability of the eyeshadows are similar to that in her permanent range. My favorite look to create is pretty self-explanatory: buttercream as in inner corner highlight and under the browbone, rosewood on the lid, and cocoa brown in the crease. As for the cakeliner, I have to admit I don't find myself reaching for it as much as I should. Having to wet my brush with water or with the tightline activator in order to get the most out of the product can be a hassle on days when I'm pressed for time.

Now the cheek colors have been compared -- understandably so -- to NARS Laguna and Orgasm. Truth be told, the similarities are there when swatched on bare skin. However, they translate differently when applied on the face and certainly in the wear times. The Matte Bronze inside this palette stays true to its color without any signs of oxidation, unlike NARS Laguna that tends to oxidize an odd shade of orange as the day goes on. The blush, Sweet Mandarin, is a more mature, subtle version of NARS Orgasm, as it does not boast quite the shimmer factor. The formula of both the bronzer and blush is unbelievably smooth and pigmented.

Laura Mercier really knocked it out of the park with this palette. If there was one thing missing, it would be a highlighter. However, seeing how Colors to Go are released usually around the holiday season, maybe she'll incorporate one in her next palette for Holiday 2014!

Last time I checked, this was sold out on Lauramercier.com. Fret not, as Neiman Marcus and Macy's online are both still showing availability, as should your local Laura Mercier counters.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nude Glow

As a highlighter hoarder, I find it appropriate that my first review is for a highlighter. A limited-edition one, that is.

Say 'Hello' to the beauty that is Bobbi Brown's Nude Glow...

What sets this highlighter apart from the rest in my collection is the fact that I can use this as both a highlighter, as well as eyeshadow palette (while incorporating one other transition shadow.) I know her previous shimmer bricks have allowed for both applications, but I've always found it a hassle to go in with a fluffy crease brush without picking up adjacent shades. Nude Glow, on the other hand, was designed for a no-fuss of an eyeshadow application with how the shades are laid out.

The looks one can achieve with this shimmer brick is endless. One can swirl a brush into all four shades or focus specifically on one quadrant. It's a golden highlighter, champagne highlighter, rose gold highlighter, and bronze highlighter all in one. Because of that, it's a great product across all skintones. For a subtle glow, I'd recommend going in with a small duo fiber brush like a MAC 188. For a more pronounced, concentrated highlighting effect, a fan brush.

Personally, I like using this as a standard highlighter, ie on top of my cheekbones, down my nose, Cupid's bow, and a bit on my chin. I lightly dusted it as an all-over face powder the first time I applied this product, and I looked like a shimmery disco ball. That said, the staying power is one of the longest I've come across -- a solid eight hours at the very least! Another plus is that this does not emphasize pores one bit.

Nude Glow is still available at most Bobbi Brown counters, and I can't recommend this product highly enough. I would go as far to say that this is one of the best holiday cosmetics purchases of 2013, and it's found a permanent home in my everyday go-to makeup drawer.