Skimlinks Test 
The Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette collection has recently added 3 new, limited-edition shades (Pure Gold, Rose Gold, Copper Gold). I’m planning to get one of them during the upcoming Sephora VIB sale (my blush recommendation is here)! But now I’ll be reviewing the first Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette ever came out, the shade 001 Universal.
Table of Contents
About Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette in 001 Universal
This Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette in 001 Universal retails for $45 USD and is found in Dior’s website and in Sephora.
This Dior 001 Universal palette is said to have ‘ultrafine textures that are concentrated with shimmery pigments can be worn alone or blended together, for a customizable look—from a natural, healthy glow to intense radiance’.
I would add that all the shades in this palette is quite sparkly and have some sort of micro-glitters in them. The glow can be pretty intense and noticeable in person. If you’re not a fan of micro-glitters, or a very shiny highlighter, this may not be for you.
Shades and formulation of the Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette in 001 Universal
At the back of the palette, they say the top 2 shades in ‘white’ and ‘gold’ are ‘strobe’, while the 2 shades below in pink and bronze are ‘blush’.
On my skin tone, the bronze shade is definitely not a blush though, it is a very shiny bronzer for me. I usually don’t wear bronzer, so this shade is virtually of no use to me except as an eyeshadow.
I love and do use quite often the rest of the palette though. I use the white and gold shades as highlighters, the pink as blush, and they are stunning! I only sparingly dust them on my cheek as I tend to wear makeup that looks natural, THE my skin but better sort of look for the complexion part (I know… this palette is not as ‘natural’ to begin with..). I’m not usually a glitter-wearer, but they look very pretty on the cheek!
This palette is talc-free. For the formulation, all the shades have a very fine texture and the glitters are not chunky at all. Dior describes them as ‘pearlescent pigments for buildable intensity’. I can see pearl-like finish and I agree it is buildable as the powders are very light-weighted, when you apply the product with a brush (a fluffy or dense one) and blend it out, the base color is barely visible. The color will build up with more layers.
Swatches for the Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette in 001 Universal
This is how they look when blended (on bare skin):
As you can see in the swatches and the video for how they look from different angles, the shades are very pretty and reflective as they contain some very fine glitters. My favorite is the white shade. They can be doubled as eyeshadows too! For the video below, I took them in room lighting instead of natural daytime light. I think the micro-glitters in the shades are only seen clearly (super sparkly!) under artificial lighting in nighttime. You can see them compared to the smooth shine from Ofra’s highlighter:
Comparing with Nabla Skin Glazing, Ofra highlighters and the Balm Mary-Lou Manizer
The texture and the micro-glitters in this Dior 001 Universal palette reminds me of the shiny highlighters and blushes from Nabla. I remember when Nabla first came out with their Skin Glazing a while ago, it was very hyped and always sold out on Ulta. I wasn’t able to get my hands on them until couple months ago. I picked up the Nabla Skin Glazing in Amnesia (golden champagne) and Truth (peachy rose) from Ulta.
Also compared are the highlighter Beverly Hills from Ofra and the staple Mary-Lou Manizer from the Balm. They’re not as sparkly as the Dior 001 Universal palette or the Nabla Skin Glazing under artificial lighting, but some of the shades are comparable and most of you probably have one or the other!
Here are the swatches. The order (top to bottom) on the arm swatch is: Amnesia, Truth, the 4 shades from the Dior glow face palette, each of the shades in Ofra Beverly Hills (the white, the beige, the coral, the gold and the mauve), Mary-Lou Manizer.
The Ofra and the Balm highlighters also look very smooth on the skin and are buildable. They are having a thicker texture on the skin than the Dior 001 Universal Glow Face palette.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really like this palette despite the micro-glitters in it may seem intimidating at first. I will recommend it if you like a noticeable glow on your face. This is not a work day or everyday highlighter for me, but it’s uplifting whenever I use it. I enjoy it a lot.
I will rate this Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette in 001 Universal as:
- Texture: 9/10
- Color payoff: 8/10
- Longevity on face: 7/10
- Powder fineness: 8/10
- Affordability: 6/10
