Set against the baked ochre and verdant green landscape of Marrakech, Peter Philips could easily have been tempted to throw caution to the wind and go for a dramatic, more-is-more look.
Instead, as he debuted the newest additions to the Dior Backstage family, Philips told Vogue he was excited to show women make-up that didn’t have to feel like make-up. “In these extreme hot and very sweaty climates, I just couldn’t imagine doing a very heavy look. I wanted something natural, but also, something that would last.”
His secret weapon? Dior Backstage Face & Body Primer (£27.50). In a lightweight gel texture, hydrates, controls shine and adds a slightly soft-focus blur effect. “It really grips on to make-up. I know women really do not want to have to be bothered with re-applying.”
It’s a beautifully comforting primer that also does the heavy lifting of good skincare, leaving the skin fresh and plump. After dabbing on a skimpy layer of Dior Backstage Foundation, Philips used the new Backstage Glow Face Palette in “Glitz” (£36) to add lustre to the skin. “It’s very easy to apply” explained Philips. “The shades aren’t too extreme and they don’t all have the shimmer – it’s more of a satin finish. I chose peach and golden tones which are universally flattering, but I made sure the gold had a slightly cooler tone so it looks good on olive and darker skin tones as well.” Philips is right – the powder added a soft, healthy glow to all the models’ cheeks and décolletage, and Philips demonstrated you could even apply it with a finger for a more concentrated shimmer finish on the eyes or high points of the face.
“My inspirations were of course, Ruth Bell, our Dior Beauty girl, but I also found this amazing photo of Amber Valletta with her hair wrapped in silk, with zero make-up that really spoke to me,” added Philips. Indeed, the models who sauntered around the El Badi Palace later that evening sported printed headbands and patterned silk wrapped around their heads, containing the bohemian theme.
Also joining the collection is a new eye palette, Dior Backstage Eye Palette Amber Neutrals (£39). From a burnished bronze to a deep terracotta with taupes and single bold Bordeaux hue, the palette is reminiscent of those hazy Moroccan sunsets redolent with oranges, reds and amber. “There’s a mix of shimmers and matte shades – I didn’t want it to be intimidating,” explained Philips. “So the textures are slightly more varied, you can do a very simple sheer look or more of an impactful smokey eye.”
Philips was quick to point out that this fresh skin isn’t just limited to those with perennially clear skin: “Sometimes you have can have three different skin tones on one face, or maybe areas where your skin is uneven, that’s very common. I would advise to use a mixture of concealer and foundation and use them together, just adding little by little where you need it. You might need to buy two shades of foundation and blend, you might be able to get away with using just concealing on some areas.”
Fresh-looking skin, a breathable base and warm, rosy eyes? There’s a look we can get behind.
The new Dior Backstage Beauty Products will be on a flash sale on Dior.com from 8-10th May and will be available nationwide from 5th June.
