Thriving is a Strong Word

The hype around the OG Universal Glow Dior Maximizer palette is palatable. It’s still featured as a favorite in every Dior review video years after its release. I’ve mulled over getting this palette for years, but I knew being the ghosty-girly I am that half the shades weren’t going to work on me.

When I saw that Dior had released two palettes of pale-friendly shades I jumped on their most recent Black Friday Sale to finally see what all the hype was about.

• Backstage Glow Maximizer Palette: Holiday Limited Edition Frosted Opal Glow
  • Shades (swatches)
  • Application
  • Packaging
• Backstage Glow Maximizer Palette: Rose Gold Glow
  • Shades (swatches)
  • Application
  • Packaging
• Price Point and Cost Analysis
• Final Thoughts on Dior’s Highlighter Palettes

Backstage Glow Maximizer Palette: Holiday Limited Edition Frosted Opal Glow

I thought this editorial look was so beautiful and it inspired me to play with more creative highlighter colors. I was interested in purple, blue, and pink. The highlighter the artist used was revealed to be this highlighter from Fwee.

At $20 a highlighter, the three colors I wanted were $60! The Dior palette was $54, and not only included the three colors I wanted, but an additional frosty white, so I chose the latter.

The shades include:

• A frosty white glitter finish
• A frosty lilac shade with a metallic finish and more subtle glitter
• A light pink with a more subtle pearly finish
• A blue glittery two-tone highlighter with a pink shift

Though glitter-finish highlighters are not my go-to, I had never intended for this to be an every day palette, so I don’t mind. If anything, the glitter will make the editorial looks pop even more.

• The white: this is so bright it might as well be silver. This is a truly blinding highlight with lots of glitter.
• The purple: I would wear this for going out. Purples tend to turn pink on me, so this gives a subtle pink-almost-skin tone shimmer finish on my skin. There are micro-glitters so beware for everyday.
• The light pink: the most every-day highlighter in the palette. Metallic finish with a subtle pink sheen.
• The blue: very sheer – very glittery. I’m not gonna lie I’m a little disappointed in this. I really wanted a noticeable blue sheen, but on me it looks like a clear base with blue and pink glitter.

Application

For the love of all that is holy DO NOT try to apply these with a fan brush unless you want to look like a Christmas tree decorated by my two-year-old. It’s like having a glitter bomb go off in your face. I found the best way to apply is sparingly with your finger, patting to blend and then layering more if needed.

Packaging

The compact itself is simple and plastic, but doesn’t feel flimsy and has a silver Dior design across the clear front. It’s not the luxurious feel of a YSL palette, but it’s not drugstore either. (Did anyone else have at least one powder with a broken lid at all times in the early 2000’s or was that just me?) For four highlighters, $54 is on the lower-end of luxury pricing, so I’m not surprised they skimped on the packaging.

Backstage Glow Maximizer Palette: Rose Gold Glow

The shades include:

• A yellow-gold metallic finish
• A pink shimmer base and glitter finish
• A subtle cool pink pearlescent finish
• A copper shimmer with an icy glitter finish

There were a lot of complaints about the new formulation having glitter. It seems like they took the classic highlighter palette, and tried to make it into a multi-use palette? No one asked for that Dior.

• The gold: she is a YELLOW gold! I see myself popping it in the inner corner of the eye for a brightening effect.
• The darker pink: THIS is what I wanted from the pink in the Frosted Opal Glow palette! I very visible pink base with high shine – perfect for the editorial look.
• The light pink: a beautiful gentle pink cool tone I’d use often.
• The copper: the copper base is pretty subtle once applied, but again those glitters are killing it for me for an everyday option.

Application

The glitter bomb isn’t quiet as bad as the Frosted Opal Glow – but I would still highly suggest a gentle finger patting motion with a small amount of product, and building as needed.

Packaging

The packaging is the same as Opal Glow, clear plastic with a silver Dior logo on the front.

Price Point and Cost Analysis

Both palettes retail at $54 each, or $13.50 per pan. With 10g of product, this price is pretty comparable to other luxury and high-end highlighter prices (Gucci, Charlotte Tilbury) and even a little cheaper than some highlighters with only 5-7g of product (YSL, Prada, Bobbi Brown, Westman Atelier).

Final Thoughts on Dior’s Highlighter Palettes

Not worth it with the new formula, one Fwee highlighter and one of the everyday single highlighters from Dior would of gotten the same job done and saved me $30.

Similar to everyone else, I wish they wouldn’t have reformulated. I feel like a missed a gem in the original formula, and hope they realize they made a mistake and rerelease it.

What a bummer. So what about you; are you super into the glitter highlighters? Were you considering picking up one of the new highlighter palettes?