New in #107: Catrice New Products for Spring 2021

One Step Skin Perfector

Catrice says this is a 4-in-1 product: a primer, skin care, sunscreen with SPF 20 and a tinted moisturizer. It contains ginseng, vitamin C (Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate low on the list) and it's vegan.

AQUA (WATER), CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, OCTOCRYLENE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, ETHYLHEXYL SALICYLATE, SUCROSE STEARATE, C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC/SUCCINIC TRIGLYCERIDE, BUTYL METHOXYDIBENZOYLMETHANE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, PROPANEDIOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PANAX GINSENG ROOT EXTRACT, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, DIETHYLHEXYL SYRINGYLIDENEMALONATE, XANTHAN GUM, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, ZEIN, CAPRYLHYDROXAMIC ACID, ASCORBYL TETRAISOPALMITATE, SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE, ZEA MAYS (CORN) STARCH, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), CI 77491 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77492 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE).

I've had a few such products and they are all the same. For every one the companies say they contain pigments that adapt to every skin tone, which is not very likely. This is the same product as for example Balea Teint Perfection Magic Teint Crème, so a pale grey cream that contains mini beads with a tint in a medium depth and just like at Balea you really need to blend it for a quite a while to get the beads to burst and release colour. Pigmentation is very sheer, so it will "adapt" to all skin tones darker than light-medium or better said it won't be too dark too show, but on mine it's noticeably too dark. If I blended it well all over the neck and ears, it would work as a fake tan because the tone ends up natural and not orange, however, just like at Balea I have problems with applying this evenly, so it looks darker on some areas and poorly blended. I blend it with fingers first and then go over with a big oval brush to get it looking more even because otherwise it always looks odd, especially on the edges. It also has to be blended with fingers first or the tint doesn't show because the beads don't burst, so this is not a quick product to apply. It has zero coverage, everything on my skin still shows, actually the tint accentuates my circles, but on a deeper skin tone you can expect a slightly more even skin tone - this stuff will really work much better on skins that aren't much lighter than the tint. Finish is natural-glowy, as a primer it makes my matte foundation on top glowy, at least for a while (I have dry skin, most stuff becomes matte in time). As a sunscreen obviously don't expect an actual SPF 20 because you can apply only thin coat. This is actually impossible to apply in a large amount because it just doesn't want to blend in then. If you like Balea Magic Cream or Garnier's Miracle Cream, you'll like this too, but it's not for me.

Kind of pointless to show you this, since there is zero coverage. 

True Skin Mineral Loose Powder

010 Transparent Matt

This contains hyaluronic acid and 52% mineral ingredients, it's also vegan. 

ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE, SILICA, MICA, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, AQUA (WATER), TALC, SODIUM HYALURONATE, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE POWDER, CI 77491 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77492 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES).

I've tried the foundation from this line and I really am not a fan. But this powder is ok. It's nothing special meaning that it doesn't do any blurring, hiding lines or adding a soft focus effect, but it has a nice very fine, silky texture and it mattifies as well as sets the makeup in place. It doesn't look too powdery obvious on the skin and it takes some layering for it to look too much, so you don't have to be that careful at application. There's just one shade, transparent, which fits my skin, but I don't know if it may end up ashy on darker ones. This comes in a great packaging with a swivel system that keeps the powder tightly shut. 

Lift Up Volume & Lift Mascara

010 Deep Black

This promises a lifting effect with special lifting polymers. It's said to be smudge-proof and it contains rice protein (end of the list) and panthenol. A waterproof version exists too. 

AQUA (WATER), GLYCERYL STEARATE, SYNTHETIC BEESWAX, COPERNICIA CERIFERA (CARNAUBA) WAX, RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, SYNTHETIC WAX, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, STEARIC ACID, PALMITIC ACID, AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL, HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL, PANTHENOL, LEUCONOSTOC/RADISH ROOT FERMENT FILTRATE, GARDENIA TAITENSIS FLOWER, TOCOPHEROL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, PULLULAN, CELLULOSE, HYDROLYZED RICE PROTEIN, LECITHIN, SILICA, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, CITRIC ACID, PHENOXYETHANOL, SODIUM DEHYDROACETATE, CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES).

This mascara reminds me a lot of Essence I <3 Extreme Crazy (pink one), both in terms of formula and the brush. The latter is one of the most volumising mascaras I know, but it's a regular formula that weighs down the lashes, so I've been buying the waterproof version for years. Given that I find 99% of regular formulas utterly useless because they don't hold my lashes curled and this one promises a lifting effect, test on my lashes was a hard challenge for this formula. The first impression sucked. I applied it without curling my lashes and doing my routine (my pictures are from that test. I compared with and without mascara, so you can see the "lift") and those special polymers do nothing. It didn’t lift the lashes and the more I applied it, the more spidery and ugly it looked. So it just made my lashes look so awful and I took it off straight away. 

My second try was better. I did my usual routine with extensive curling and I applied a lot less, so I got a much nicer, defined look, however, you sacrifice some of the volume that way. Despite the silicone brush, it's not brilliant at definition and that simply comes down to the fact this deposits so much at once. It may perform better when the formula will dry a bit or you can wipe off the excess from the brush every time you apply it.

It's a wet formula that starts to clump lashes together fast and can't fan them out neatly, since it has no hold when you apply it. This is especially apparent on my left eye where I have a split due to the lashes hitting the glasses, so the grow apart these and this mascara can't arrange the lashes neatly. 

This is mascara for those who want a lot of volume quickly, aren't too concerned about separation and don't mind the heavy look, however, if you're looking for something that lifts the lashes, this isn't it. Maybe the waterproof version fares better.  

Glam & Doll Easy Wash Off Power Hold Volume Mascara

010 Ultra Black

A tubing mascara, which means it's easy to remove with just warm water. It does come off with just water and some rubbing - it comes off in flakes, but it's not quick and those flakes end up everywhere. It also claims to be sweat-proof and smudge-proof. I don't get any smudges, but I never do, however, this flakes and once or twice it flakes fell into my eyes, which was annoying. 

This is better than Lift Up as far as my preferences go. It has a silicone brush, but it's smaller and curved with more densely placed bristles, so it doesn't deposit a lot at once, meaning it's far better at definition. The curves design also assist a bit at lifting the lashes, so this one is actually better at application than Lift Up, but it's still a regular mascara, so not something that can rival waterproof formulas, though it's not terrible. Formula is thin, so first coat looks natural and defined, yet emphasizing the lashes enough. With extra coats I get a moderate amount of volume and a nice amount of length. It won't wow those who loves huge lashes, but it's a type of mascara that catches every lash, defines, fans out and makes the lashes look more neat. 

It's a nice simple mascara that is best at definition and is easy to remove, but the falling flakes at the end of the day annoy me sometimes. 

Glam & Doll Easy Wash Off Power Hold Eyeliner

010 Ultra Black

Another product than is easily washed off with just warm water  - also tested and it's super quick to remove, way faster than mascara. It says it has an innovative peel-off texture, but it just rinses off, it doesn't peel. It's very similar to my all-time favourite Liquid Eyeliner 010 Dating Joe Black also from Catrice that I've been using for years, but this won't replace it. While the applicator is a very similar fine felt tip, only slightly larger and the formula is intensely matte black, this doesn't last as long. Once it transferred in my crease, but mostly it just fades and flakes, so Liquid Eyeliner version is far better in terms of staying power. The may look the same when applied, but at the end of the day, the difference is stark. It's easy to wash off, I'll give them that, but it's not like Liquid Eyeliner is annoying to remove, so I don’t see it as a big plus.  

48h Power Stay Brow Gel

020 Medium

This is supposed to be waterproof and it says it last 48h - that's their selling point, that they done eyebrows last two days. This is an odd product for the brows. It's a fully opaque gel that is sticky until it sets and actually a bit even after that. I don't get why they added this applicator and even recommend using it on its own. There is so much product on and you end up with so much on the eyebrows. It's also very hard to be precise. It's far better to use a brush with this and go slow with the application and an added spooly brush would go amiss here. It's not a natural looking product. You know I don't use eyebrow stuff and this is the next level of too much for me when applied with the applicator. It can't be rinsed off with water, but my regular cleansing routine which didn't even focus on the brows removed it completely, so it's not really a 48h product unless you avoid your eyebrows completely when cleansing. This is a heavy product on the brows, it holds everything in place and feels crispy once it sets. 020 Medium is a cool medium brown with no red. There are two more shades. 

Ultimate Stay Waterproof Lip Tint

020 Stay on Over

Catrice describes this as a light tint that is transfer proof  and can be worn under mask. The swatches on the lips on Catrice's website are not true to life, as this has a much poorer pigmentation, but I don't mean that in a bad way. I've tried building up the colour, but this is very sheer and on their pictures it's a fully opaque matte colour, while in reality this is a faint liquid stain. It is similar to Revlon Kiss Cloud formula, except it's even less pigment and lighter, more liquid instead of a mousse. It's very sheer in one coat, with two you get a bit more, but this is never fully opaque. It sets matte, quite quickly and is indeed transfer proof. Despite being matte I didn't notice it being drying or being uncomfortable. It's a nice product, the lips need to be perfect for this. Any dry patches and they will be darker than the rest of the lips. This unevenness is more apparent at my shade than it might be at red, so personally I would pick one of the darker shades. 

One coat on the left, which as you can see barely shows up. It's layered on the right picture and you can see how uneven it ends up on my lips. Close ups are of course less forgiving that how it looks from far away. 

Powerful 5 Lip Care

030 Sweet Cherry

This contains cucumber, watermelon, goji berry, ginger root and hyaluronic acid - all high on the list and there's also vitamin E and sunflower oil. It's available in 4 shades. 

POLYBUTENE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, POLYETHYLENE, DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CERA MICROCRISTALLINA (MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX), HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, CITRULLUS LANATUS (WATERMELON) SEED OIL, SODIUM HYALURONATE, LYCIUM BARBARUM FRUIT EXTRACT, CUCUMIS SATIVUS (CUCUMBER) FRUIT EXTRACT, TOCOPHEROL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE, MICA, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, ZINGIBER OFFICINALE (GINGER) ROOT EXTRACT, PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE, HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, CALCIUM TITANIUM BOROSILICATE, CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE, SILICA, SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE, TIN OXIDE, ALUMINUM CALCIUM SODIUM SILICATE, ALUMINA, BENZYL ALCOHOL, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), AROMA (FLAVOR), LINALOOL, CI 15850 (RED 7 LAKE), CI 19140 (YELLOW 5 LAKE), CI 42090 (BLUE 1 LAKE), CI 77491 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77492 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE).

It's a semi-opaque creamy-balmy lipstick that’s not quite as softly balmy as I expected, but still a good choice for dry lips. Staying power is nothing special. It says it has a fruity scent, but mine doesn't remind me much of fruit and it's subtle. Packaging is cute and it's cardboard only on the outside. 030 Sweet Cherry is a rosy natural shade. 

Watermelon Shine Glow Lip Balm

010 I Carried a Watermelon

A moisturising lip balm that's tinted pink and also reacts to the pH of the skin. I'm not a fan of pH stuff, they stain the lips for days and they never look even, but this one has a tint on its own, a watermelon pink that looks even and shiny-juicy on the lips. Texture-wise this is my favourite product from the lip stuff. It's so nicely soft, moisturising and comfortable on the lips, so a great lip balm in my books. It's scented like watermelon candy, which is not my thing, though it's nice and I know a lot of people will love it. Obviously since it's pH product it stains the lips and remarkably it looks more even than with most products, maybe precisely because it's great lip balm and the colour doesn't catch on dry patches, like it does with liquid stains and the colour lasts after the shine wears off. This is really nice.

Stronger Nails Strengthening Nail Lacquer

07 Expressive Pink

A nail polish collection with a mineral complex containing zinc, magnesium, silicium, iron and copper. Catrice says "82% of consumers confirm that their nails have already become harder and break less after just one week of daily application". 

BUTYL ACETATE, ETHYL ACETATE, NITROCELLULOSE, ADIPIC ACID/NEOPENTYL GLYCOL/TRIMELLITIC ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER, ACETYL TRIBUTYL CITRATE, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, STEARALKONIUM BENTONITE, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, DILAURYL THIODIPROPIONATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, TOCOPHEROL, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, LEUCONOSTOC/RADISH ROOT FERMENT FILTRATE, ADIPIC ACID/FUMARIC ACID/TRICYCLODECANE DIMETHANOL COPOLYMER, DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL DIBENZOATE, AQUA (WATER), PISTACIA LENTISCUS (MASTIC) GUM, ALCOHOL, SACCHAROMYCES/COPPER FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/IRON FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/MAGNESIUM FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/SILICON FERMENT, SACCHAROMYCES/ZINC FERMENT, METHICONE, TRIETHOXYCAPRYLYLSILANE, BENZOTRIAZOLYL DODECYL P-CRESOL, TRIS(TETRAMETHYLHYDROXYPIPERIDINOL) CITRATE, ALUMINA, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, PHOSPHORIC ACID, CI 15850 (RED 7 LAKE), CI 15880 (RED 34 LAKE), CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES), CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE).

My nails are strong and don't break, so I won't be able to tell you whether it works. Catrice recommends to take it off and reapply after 3-4 days. I was sent shade 07 Expressive Pink, a golden frosty orange, which is just not me, but I was on a hunt for a pastel lavender and now I finally found an affordable one in the shade 02 Fierce Lavender, which I bought in Müller. Formula is nothing special. 07 is frosty, which are good by default and 02 behaves like a good pastel (a classic 2 coater), though it has some blue reflect in the bottle, which I don’t see on the nails. Fierce Lavender has been on my nails for a week now and there's no chipping, so a standard nail polish as far as my nails are concerned.

07 Expressive Pink

02 Fierce Lavender

Express Spray On Base Coat

This contains sunflower oil, vitamin E and glycerine, it promises to dry in 40 seconds and protects the nails from discolouration.

INGREDIENTS: ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, BUTYL ACETATE, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, FUCUS VESICULOSUS EXTRACT, ETHYL ACETATE, DISILOXANE, GLYCERIN, ASCORBYL PALMITATE.

 The name says it all and to me this is an odd product. It's oily when you spray it on the nails and dries very fast. It feels like light layer on the nails, not like a proper nail polish base and it's got a natural look when it dries. It's just a strange product to me, it's not a base in a traditional sense, but more like a moisturising primer for the nails and cuticles, though it's dry to the touch soon. 

Express Quick Dry Drops

These contain almond, macadamia and kukui nut oils and promise to shorten drying time.

ISODODECANE, HYDROGENATED POLYDECENE, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL DIBENZOATE, MACADAMIA INTEGRIFOLIA SEED OIL, ALEURITES MOLUCCANA SEED OIL, PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL, BENZOTRIAZOLYL DODECYL P-CRESOL.

I tried this the way they suggested, so on freshly applied, still wet nail polish and they ruined their nail polish a bit. So I find it's better to wait for a minute of two before applying a drop or two on each nail and it does indeed help to make the nail polish what I call "fake dry", meaning it's dry to the touch, but you still need to be careful for a long time to avoid any dents. I ruined my nail polish after 15 minutes, so if you apply two or three coats, a proper fast drying top coat is still far better. This feels oily and nourishes the fingers. 

Have a great day!