Diorskin Nude Air foundation, loose and pressed powder review & swatches

I can't remember when I last bought a Dior foundation, but I do definitely recall enjoying a Diorskin Nude foundation a couple years ago. I skipped their Star foundation, but when they released their new Nude Air line for spring 2015 I just couldn't resist. All products from the line seemed to be right up my alley and when I saw that with the growing discount (the more you buy - the less you pay) and a combination of loyalty points and gift cards I was going to pay for three products than for one I grabbed almost the entire range, except the bronzer. 

So let me begin with the Diorskin Nude Air foundation,  which is actually called a 'serum foundation'. Dior claims this is a completely new concept of fluid, oil-based foundation (all details below). I must say, however, that the description of the product does ring the bell and brings to my mind Armani Maestro foundation, the difference being that the word 'serum' was never used in case of the Maestro, but its skicare benefits were stressed in the product info as well.

So what is this new Diorskin foundation like?

It really is a dupe of Armani Maestro. It comes in a very similar bottle with a dropper, it has the same runny consistency and incredibly smooth feel to it. It blends perfectly, feels weightless and after the oils have evaporated it leaves a beautiful velvet finish. I have oily skin and this foundation performs beautifully without inducing sebum production and looking flat matte. I have no idea whether this accentuates dry patches or not as there are none on my skin these days.

The shade I picked (020) is the shade I normally go for as far as Dior foundations are concerned and they're rather fair, even for me. But when I saw this I went all 'aaaarrrgh'. It was sooo dark and yellow! Blended on my arm it didn't look any better, but somehow on my face it self=adjusts and looks just right.  

The coverage is described as sheer, but it's not tinted moisturiser sheer. The foundation has enough pigmentation to cover minor imperfections and blur any kind of unevenness to achieve flawless, yet natural look. 

If I were to choose between Diorskin Nude Air and Armani Maestro, my decision would be influenced by secondary factors like the price or shade range. I'm a great fan of both. You may think I'm disappointed with having a dupe of Maestro, but actually I'm not. It's a replacement, not a dupe. My Maestro is running low and its shade is more winter appropriate, while Diorskin Nude Air will be a perfect match for my skin in spring.

To my foundation order I added 2 powders, one to pair with my foundation and another one which seemed to match my skin tone better, in case the 020 one was too yellow for me. This pick is Diorskin Nude Air Loose Powder in the shade 012 Rose/Pink.

According to Dior this is an invisible, weightless powder for an even, mattified complexion with a sheer finish. The transparent pigments  do not alter the natural skin shade and offer  velvety, sublime, luminous finish.

There are also some added benefits like preventing the absorption of toxins, protection from external factors thanks to the content of sweet orange extract and vitamins. 

The powder comes in a plastic tub with a silver lid embossed with Dior signature quilted design. The sieve sifts a bit too much product onto the puff , but the powder is indeed so sheer and weightless and blends so well that this is not an issue for me. 

True to Dior's words, this powder, even though undeniably pink in the tub and on the puff, applies sheer and more translucent than pink. I believe this powder brightens my complexion beautifully, offering  gorgous glowy, yet velvety matte finish to my skin. I feel this is similar to Guerlain Meteorites in a loose powder form. 

This seems like a perfect powder for me, but here's the thing. It's glittery. The leaflet mentions luminosity, but I thought it would be more of a glow-from-within kind of sheen while what I got was a lovely powder with tiny silver sparkles which are fairly visible. I must say I don't feel comfortable with that. I feel this powder is a bit work inappropriate and I wear it only on private occassions, which is a shame because the quality of the powder is exceptional and I would gladly reach for it more often.   

And finally the last product from the range, Diorskin Nude Air Powder in 020 Light Beige.

This powder comes in the standard Dior compact which all powders, blushes and bronzers from the Diorskin line are packaged in. It's make-up bag friendly as it's made of sturdy metal and comes with its own pouch. Unfortunately, like other Diorskin compacts it comes with a kabuki brush instead of a sponge, which is not all that easy to carry around neat and tidy. I also feel that the dense kabuki isn't the best applicator for this powder.

 After a nasty surprise with the foundation shade, which turned out not as disastrous as I'd expected, I really feared to open the compact. Fortunalely, the powder shade is nothing like the foundation. This is more of what I'm used to when picking Diorskin Nude 020 products. It's a light beige with neutral undertones.

The powder is one of the best quality powders I've used. It's super finely milled, but it's very densely pressed and not powdery at all. The brush picks just enough product without kicking up dust.  This is a sheer powder which offers velvet finish to the skin without going cakey or looking too obvious. Air Nude pressed powder has no shimmer whatsoever and matifies my skin naturally, leaving a dose of healthy glow on my skin.

 I think it's a close dupe for Chanel Les Beiges, I hope I don't have the same issues as with Les Beiges and the surface won't turn to crust. So far so good.

While the foundation is very slightly scented, the powders are completely fragrance-free.