Cheryl Shops

Little-broadcasted fact: I am a Lucky magazine Alpha Shopper, which basically means that I get sent free stuff, and sometimes I write about it. Recently, however, Lucky went all out, inviting a select group of the Alphas to a luncheon at Condé Nast headquarters to celebrate the launch of Dior Beauty on Dior.com. We were treated to a presentation, complete with product demonstrations, lunch, and even a makeover, which felt very decadent in the middle of the day. But the point was to show us the updated Dior Beauty site, which is now shoppable. Of course, you can buy Dior makeup and fragrance everywhere from Sephora to Nordstrom, so why shop Dior.com? It's the difference between buying at a hectic, cluttered department store counter versus buying at the Dior boutique--you are getting the entire Dior experience, which is somewhat decadent and definitely glamorous. Not to mention, there's all manner of fun content on the site, my favorite of which is the Miss Dior minisite, which features a cute little diorama (pun intended) with a Brigitte Bardot song playing in the background (très Dior). Appealing to shoppers' practical sides, however, there's the Dior Diva club, which promises members shopping rewards, free shipping offers, special news, and more--it's the web equivalent of having an attentive in-store salesperson.

The most fun part of the luncheon was getting to actually shop the Dior website; I ordered the new Diorshow Brow Styler, which is like my favorite Kevin Aucoin brow pencil but better (it comes with a tiny built-in brow comb); the 5-Coulours Iridescent Eyeshadow in Sunset Café, a collection of flattering but not boring neutrals; and my old standby, Diorshow Backstage Mascara, a mascara that has yet to be outdone in my book. If you're looking for other goodies, they let us test the new J'Adore Dior L'Or, which is a souped-up version of the bestselling fragrance and, if you like florientals as much as I do, smells like heaven. (While we're on the subject of fragrance, I should also note that you can buy the impossible-to-find Dolce Vita on the website!) I was also taken with the Dior Addict Lip Glow, which creates a unique color based on your chemistry, and the Gris Montaigne nail lacquer, which just might give Chanel a run for its nail-color dominance.


When my order arrived, it was like an early Christmas--I opted for the Couture gift wrapping, which means your order comes in a fancy Dior box with ribbon and plissé tissue paper. Let me just say, you don't get this kind of service from Sephora. It's a mere $5 normally, but now through 12/22, you can receive it free with promo code LUCKBLOGS2010. If you're giving the gift of Dior this Christmas (a wise gift for any lady), it makes your recipient feel like a couture customer--which may be the best gift of all.

FTC full disclosure: Perhaps realizing I need all the help I can get when it comes to makeup, Dior.com gifted the aforementioned items to me.