Tom Ford Nude Dip Eye Color Quad Review, Swatches and Photos

There's something about hard(er) to get products that make them all the more attractive. Witness Tom Ford's fall 2014 collection which depending on which blog you read or website you visit entirely sold out within days (hours?) of it's release.

On my trip to NYC I was very lucky to stumble across the TF fall collection at Bergdorf Goodman while they were doing pre-sales. It was a good thing I took the plunge and pre-ordered because every US blog I look at lists these items as sold out online and in stores.

The centerpiece of the collection, and the item getting the most attention, is the limited edition Nude Dip Eye Color Quad ($77.00 US/$84.00 CA.) Tom Ford is available in the US at luxury department stores Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom; in Canada the full line is only available at Holt Renfrew in Vancouver and the Bloor Street location in Toronto. Nordstrom in Calgary as yet only carries the lipstick, nail polish and fragrance lines.

All photos taken in natrual light, swatches on NC 35/40 skin.

First let's get the obvious out of the way - Nude Dip is very expensive, very hard to get and the shades are neutrals which means that they are more likely than not fairly dupeable. So what is all the fuss about?

Where Nude Dip distinguishes itself is it's formula and finish, which is exceptional. All the shadows in the quad are unbelievably creamy to the touch, highly pigmented, buttery smooth and highly pigmented. They really are unlike any other shadow formula I have tried.

Tom Ford Nude Dip 1 - 4 clockwise from top left

Nude Dip 1 - is a sparkling, white-gold champagne.with a metallic finish.

Nude Dip 2 - is a beautiful medium rose gold with a metallic finish.

Nude Dip 3 - is a dark neutral brown with a pearl finish that is slightly more shimmery than a satin, but is not a full metallic.

Nude Dip 4 - is a medium, metallic taupe that leans golden at some angles and silvery in others. This shade will look either cooler or warmer depending on what other shadows it is paired with and what skin tone it's applied to.

Tom Ford Nude Dip 1 - 4 (clockwise from top left of palette)

What can I say about this? If you love luxury and are a neutral eye shadow fiend this is the palette for you. Yes, you have to lay down a sizable chunk of change for it, beg-borrow-or-steal to get your hands on it, or pay exorbitant amounts for it on eBay...so it really depends on what lengths you are willing to go to get it and your makeup budget priorities.

All I can say is I personally do not regret buying this. Yes, the shades are probably dupeable but the formula and finish is not. What I think we can all hope for is that the people at Tom Ford Beauty take note of the overwhelmingly positive (rabid) response to this palette and create more like it in the future.

Grade: A+