Mateja's Beauty Blog

Catrice and Essence Products (Blush Affair, Ink Eyeliner, Under Eye Brightener, Baby got Blush & More)

CATRICE Under Eye Brightener Instant Awake

010 Light Rose

Both Essence and Catrice launched under eye brighteners or colour correctors in the last year, but they are quite different. I got both to compare.

Catrice's version, which exists in two shades and I have the lightest, is a salmon/peach colour corrector that counteracts blue-purple tones of under eye circles. It's been among most sold products on Müller's website pretty much since its launch, but I was worried since it's in a pot that the texture is too thick and dry for my skin like their Camouflage pot concealer, so I only bought this recently after I was assured that it should work on dry skin just fine.

Formula is creamier than Catrice's Camouflage pot concealer and it's suitable for my dry under eye area. It blends well even without the warmth of fingers and doesn't look cakey, the creamy formula also allows layering of a concealer on top. The shade is not ideal for my circles. It doesn't counteract the discoloration on me and the shade is dark for my pale skin tone, so it doesn't brighten. It more just looks like a peachy concealer under my eyes. For comparion Maybelline's Eraser version in Brightener is a bit more pink and a touch lighter. Catrice's coverage is about medium, so it can be worn without a concealer on top if you feel it does the job well on its own.

I did a test with this under one eye and the other with NYX's Bare with Me concealer and I feel the concealer does a better job, but given that I've seen how well this brightener works on others, it's still worth a try if you're looking for such a product. For my very pale skin tone, I find Essence's version suits me better, while this one will likely suit those with a bit deeper skin tones.

ESSENCE Bright Eyes! Under Eye Stick

This was much harder to track down than Catrice's version. It's out of stock here very often, even online. This is a lighter product than Catrice's, as it's a very pale pink. I'd almost call it a highlighter, though it's mostly matte, but there is some minimal glow to it.

They decided to use stick format, like their blushes and I'm not a fan of that. I'd much prefer a liquid or a pot version like Catrice's, as the size of it makes it hard to apply it precisely under the eyes. I don't swipe it on because of that, instead I use a small dense brush or a finger. Formula is creamy and glides easily on the skin, but it's less creamy and smooth than Catrice's, so it has a tendency to look heavy and cakey under my dry eyes. I can't be sure if oiliness of the skin makes it melt it better or slide off, for that you'll have to find a different reviewers. But due to the texture this doesn't look as fresh as I'd like if you look close up. I've also heard from another reviewer that it slips into lines and highlights them if you're not careful at application (it was said to me it looks better over concealer in that case, which I agree).

Essence says to use it under makeup. I've tried it both ways, with it under concealer and over it, and I prefer the latter. Applying concealer over it adds coverage, but hides the brightening effect, while putting it on top adds brightness you'd expect from such a product. This can be used on its own if desired. I've shown you how much it covers by itself on the bottom pictures (and a Tik Tok video, if you'd prefer to see how it applies), but I prefer an extra concealer under it. It has a lot of pigmentation when you swipe it on the skin, but most of the colour blends away quickly, so I find I have to layer it for a good effect. Shade is very pale, so I think it's best suited for lighter skin tones. I don't know, but I feel it may look odd on deeper ones, where Catrice's versions would fare better.

I hope in time Essence comes up with a liquid version of this shade. Maybe something like their discontinued Camouflage Healthy Glow concealer, which was one of their most natural looking formulas.

CATRICE Blush Affair Liquid Blush

010 Pink Feelings

These are described as a liquid blush and lip colour with a natural mat finish. I've tried it on the lips, but it ends up much lighter than on the cheeks, so it doesn't match that nicely, plus the formula is a bit thin and bare-feeling compared to a lipstick. I've bought a couple of liquid blushes recently and this formula is the easiest to work with on my pale skin.

Formula is creamy when squeezed out, but it blends out to a thinner formula than most of my liquid blushes. This can be nicely blended with fingers and I feel you have most control when applied like that, but a brush works too. The problem with the latter is that it's hard to coat it evenly, so it can look splotchy in places when you start applying it on the skin. I start slow, with a very small amount of product and if needed I add a layer

I bought shade 010 Pink Feelings, a light pink. It's similar to Essence's Baby Got Blush Stick version in 10 Tickle me Pink on my cheeks, a favourite of mine, though Catrice's version can be applied more intense if desired. Shade has no shimmer. The new tube version of Essence's Baby got Blush in shade 10 is warmer and more pigmented. They have a very interesting deep berry shade that reminds me of the famous Clinique Black Honey, which I'm interested in getting next.

Staying power is better than Essence's version and it's still on the cheeks at the end of the day, provided the foundation hasn't worn off.

Packaging has a small nozzle which for now is precise, but it may start being problematic when the bottle will be more empty.

ESSENCE Baby got Blush Liquid Blush

10 Pinkalicious

It's nice to see so many cream blushes. About two years ago I could find a single one in drugstores. Essence has the stick version of Baby got Blush, which are rarely on the stands, but it's one of my favourites. Now they launched a liquid version.

The packaging has a sponge with a single hole in the middle, so the blush doesn't soak it evenly like Maybelline the Eraser concealer for example and if you don't close the blush by twisting its neck before putting the cap back on, next time you open the blush there is spillage. The sponge just deposits the blush on the skin, but it can't be used for blending. Formula is thicker than Catrice's liquid blush and it's more pigmented. It blends well regardless what you use and about three dots of product are enough for my cheeks.

The shade looks similar to Catrice's Pink Feelings straight from the tube, though it looks brighter when swatched. On my cheeks it turns warmer, a bit peachier than both Catrice's Blush Affair in 010 and the stick version of Essence's Baby got Blush in 010. Due to that those with a warmer skin tone may prefer it. Staying power is good, it's on my cheeks at least 8 h later.

ESSENCE Baby Got Glow Liquid Highlighter

30 Breezy Bronze

I got this shade by mistake, since I wanted colour 10, but this was in its place on the (very empty looking) stand and I just assumed it's the right one. It doesn't matter anyway, as Breezy Bronze is not bronze. It's not as light as my other liquid highlighters, but not pigmented enough to look obviously too dark.

I've had this for a while and I haven't warmed up to it. The formula is not my favourite, just like I wasn't a fan of Catrice's liquid highlighter. Applied from the tube with the applicator it doesn't work. It becomes patchy when I try to blend, it shifts and becomes barely noticeable. I find it's best to squeeze some on the back of my hand, warm it up a bit and then apply it on the cheek with fingers. The glow is not strong, so this is one of the weaker highlighters even when I try to build it up. At least it has no big shimmer particles.

I've since had a chance to buy 10, but I opted not to. It's just not as good of a formula as Oriflame The One version.

ESSENCE Blush Crush!

60 Lovely Lilac

Essence revamped their blushes again. I've tried most versions and honestly they never make that big of a change, but they are always good. I picked shade Lovely Lilac because it's the only purple blush in local drugstores and I've been looking for such a shade a while ago, as everything pulls warm on me and I wanted a cool pink.

Formula is creamy when I swatch it with fingers, just like their previous versions. A fluffy brush picks it up well and due to the depth of the shade I need to be careful as pigmentation is intense as far as my pale skin is concerned, so it can be quickly over applied. Luckily it can be blended out easily.

CATRICE Ink Eye Liner

Catrice discontinued their Liquid Liner Matt that I've been using for many years and have bought over 10 in row. They replaced it with this. It looks the same and in many ways performs the same, but unlike the old one, this is not the formula I can always trust to look ok at the end of the day. The change didn't go down well with others either based on reviews on Catrice's website, but who knows why they decided (of maybe had) to make it. A waterproof version exists too.

I tested the old vs. new side by side, one on each eye. They apply the same, though the new applicator is a bit less soft and flexible, but the lines are very alike in terms of thickness and how easy it is to create a wing. It glides easily on the skin, it's instantly fully opaque and there's no need to go over the line again. There's also enough formula on the applicator for the second eye and there's no need for an extra dip into the tube. The old one was never an eyeliner you could use to draw super fine lines like with Essence's 24h Ever Ink pen one, so the new one also draws medium thick lines. They both dry matte and both are very black, actually the new one is a bit more intense, but that's probably because my old is several months old.

I've had various results with it. The first day when I made the test comparison with the old eyeliner, the new Ink version smudged all over and it was a complete disaster. I don't remember what foundation if any I wore or what was my skin care routine that may have affected it, frankly it doesn't matter, as on the other side the line with the old Liquid Liner was still there and only slightly faded. So clearly the new one is not as resilient as the old formula. I've still worn it loads since and it fared better since then, but I make sure I apply a lot of powder as a base so the area is dry to the touch. Sometimes it fades a lot, but most of the time it survives well. Since my eyelids are not oily, I have no idea how it works on oily skin.

I was very angry the first day I tried it and I was immediately googling for a replacement. But I've since calmed down. After the first day, I've averted big smudgy disasters, but I still don't trust it - and that's sad given how reliable I found the old formula. Out of replacements I've tried the Trend it Up Serum eyeliner, which has an almost identical applicator, but the formula is less intense, it can look watery in places and it doesn't last not even as long as the new Ink version. The more expensive Revlon Colorstay Micro eyeliner is the best option for replacing the old eyeliner, but I may try some more options, including the waterproof version of Ink Eyeliner.

ESSENCE Juicy Bomb Shiny Lipgloss

104 Poppin' Pomegranate and 102 Witty Watermelon

These have been around for many years and are available in several shades/scents. You may recall the old tubes that had fruit drawn on them. These are some of the cheapest products you can get on Essence stands, in fact out of all makeup in drugstores here. They recently launched lip oils versions, but I have yet to see them, since Essence stands around here are becoming less and less stocked.

Formula is quite plain, especially compared to some great formulas I've had a chance to try recently. It's just a classic (thin) lip gloss that doesn't stay long on the lips or at least it doesn't stay glossy long.

I picked up two shades, the 104 Poppin' Pomegranate and 102 Witty Watermelon. First tints the lips pink-red and smells something like strawberry soft sweets. The other Watermelon one is less impressive in terms of colour, as it's clear, so you don't get a pretty pink tint on the lips. But at least it smells like Watermelon, thought it doesn't last long.

If you want a fruity smelling gloss that performs much better, is very nourishing and lasts well, Milani's Lip Oils are better, but also a lot more expensive. I'd like to try the lip oil versions of Essence Juicy's, maybe they'll impress me more.

ESSENCE Soft & Precise Lip Pencil

301 - Romantic

I have a couple of these in different shades (likely all discontinued colours). While the others have nice creamy formulas, this one is drier. It doesn't glide on the lips as smoothly and needs to be layered, but it can be applied all over the lips if you try. I've seen at other brands that such pale shades tend to be drier, so I'm not surprised. This is a "concealer on the lips" type of colour, so almost a skin tone shade.

ESSENCE Heart Core Fruity Lip Balm

05 - Bold Blackberry

Thin along with the Juicy Bombs this is one of the cheapest (non-pencil) makeup you can get in drugstores here. It's even cheaper than Labello/Nivea lip balms. And honestly, it shows. Formula is hard and doesn't feel as intensely nourishing as proper lip balms, though it should hydrate enough if the lips are moderately dry. There are four shades here, this is the newest and I think they were trying to jump on the Back Honey trend, meaning it's a deep berry shade. It ends up sheer on the lips despite the deep appearance in the tube and even for that you have to build it up a lot. Labello/Nivea Blackberry is its main competition, which has a softer, more pigmented formula, though Essence's shade ends up more pink on the lips. I miss a nice, strong juicy scent at these, like Labello has.

ESSENCE Extreme Shine Volume Lipgloss

103 - Pretty in Pink

This has a "best-seller" label next to it on the stand. I had Essence's glosses before and honestly I didn't expect much, at least that this won't be as good as Catrice's Plump it up, but was nonetheless a pleasant surprise, though more in terms of pigmentation. After trying the somewhat disappointing Juicy Bomb in Watermelon, I expected this to be sheer as well, but it packs quite a punch. Pigmentation is good and this ends up semi-opaque on the lips, giving a nice pink shade to the lips. Formula is not as nice as Catrice's, but better than Juicy Bombs. It's got a medium thick formula and a little bit of menthol, which very gently tingles. The only thing I miss is more shine.

ESSENCE Glossy Jelly Nail Polish

04 Bonbon Babe

I was drawn to these because they are scented and I wanted to grab all three of the shades because of that, but decided to hold back and try just one. I'm glad I did because the scent is is barely noticeable and I can't even describe what it smells like. Quite disappointing. Pupa did it so much better.

It's a jelly formula with the first coat being very sheer and the nail tips are still visible after three coats.

ESSENCE Cracking Magic Nail Top Coat

You may remember these having a moment years ago. Well, Essence launched it again, but only in black. It's a nail polish that shrinks while drying, thereby cracking and creating unique patterns. A thin coat works best and the effect is quick, it takes about a minute to really settle. This doesn't work over bare nails, there has to be a coat of dry nail polish under it. Too bad Essence only made a black one, as a gold and silver would be very impressive.

I'll change the picture when I get to it, this one is from a video. There's a top cot over it, the Cracking polish is matte.

ESSENCE Cover Stick

10 Matt Naturelle

I didn't give this a proper try nor did I do before/after pictures, but considering it's the cheapest concealer you can get in the drugstores, from what I've tried, it's not bad. It swatches creamy, but I was surprised that when swiped it under the eyes it looked like it's going to be a cakey disaster, however, it blended into the skin nicely (with fingers). It's still more of a concealer for oily skin and not really best for under the eyes (at least on my dry skin). Coverage is very good, medium-full. Finish is matte. Shade 10 is too dark for my pale skin, but's it's still light. There are only three shades.

ponedeljek, maj 13, 2024
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April Favourites and Wishlist

PUPA Vamp! Mascara Waterproof

A mascara that gives plenty of volume, length and keeps my lashes curled. When it was new, it wasn't that impressive and it still isn't as fantastic as the regular version (that one is truly impressive), but it gives quite a lot of volume with one coat, which is rare for a waterproof formula.

MAX FACTOR Miracle Pure Infused Cream Blush

01 Radiant Rose

I've been giving this another go and I've been wearing it a lot this month. I did not like it much when I bought it and just put it in a drawer, but recently I decided to try to make it work, so it doesn't end up forgotten. It's a difficult blush to apply. Fingers don’t' work well, as blush moves too much on the skin, but you also have to be careful with a brush too to avoid it looking uneven. I try to coat the brush as evenly as I can and with a thin coat for product, so I can apply it gradually. That way I get a seamlessly blended peachy-pink shade flush with some glow. It's one of those types of warm pinky shades that suit most skin tones. Though this is very metallic, the glow isn't intense on me because I have to be careful with the amount, as this is very pigmented, but the glow is noticeable. It lasts well on my skin and it's still on at the end of the day.

CATRICE Plump it Up

040 - Prove me Wrong

Such a gorgeous colour. It's the perfect my-lips-but-better shade and it's almost fully opaque. Formula is plush and moisturising, and while it doesn't last as long as their Glossin Glow formula, it can hang on well too. It tingles slightly

BEAUTY OF JOSEON Revive Eye Serum Ginseng + Retinal

I've been using this for about a month and I quite like it. I got it as a replacement for Geek & Gorgeous A-Game 10 that I waited to come back in stock for months. I can't report about results except that my skin feels nice, but the ingredients list is great. It has 2% liposome retinal (0.02% active), so it's weaker than Geek & Gorgeous with 0.1%, but my skin likes it and it's available in my local drugstore. It also has ginseng extract (10%), niacinamide, adenosine, hyaluronic acid, cholesterol, ceramides, a peptide and a couple of oils/butters. Texture is a light lotion, but it feels like a moisturiser on the skin. It has a typical gingseng scent, like Sulwhasoo products. There was no irritations or dryness at this formula. It's an eye cream, but there is 30 ml of product, so like most retinol/retinal products.

ORIFLAME Novage+ Proceuticals Ultra Light UV-Age Day Shield SPF 50

A very pleasant SPF. It doesn't feel greasy and I can easily apply 2-3 fingers worth of product. It's has some shine at the start, but it quite quickly settles to a matte/invisible one on my (dry) skin. It has no scent and it doesn't irritate my eyes.

LA ROCHE POSAY Lipikar Baume AP+M

First I was impressed by Cerave's Moisturising Cream and now I enjoy using this too. I like thick, rich formulas and this is precisely such a moisturiser. It takes longer to absorb than Cerave, in fact this sits on the skin for a while, forming a sort of a protective layer, so my skin feels nicely nourished in the morning. I'm particularly happy about the pump because it makes it all so easy, especially when I want to use it as a hand cream (though for that I still prefer Cerave's fast absorbing Moisturising Cream during the day). I like this as a face moisturiser as well. It is unscented, it contains thermal spring water from La Roche-Posay, Niacinamide, 8% Glycerin and 20% Shea Butter that nourish and restore the skin barrier, while AP+M technology in a formula that helps rebalance the microbiome. It's designed for very dry, atopic, itchy skin and for those with allergies.

WISHLIST AND WHAT'S NEW

BOURJOIS Healthy Mix Serum Roll-on Concealer 49 Ivory - I'm very excited about this. I've been a fan of Healthy Mix Formula for years and Bourjois concealers were some of my favourites in the past until they discontinued them (Radiance Reveal & 123 Perfect CC). Hopefully this formula looks as natural and nice as the foundation and that shade 49 is actually light enough for me. It's already on DM's website, but my local DM didn't have it when I went to look for it.

L'OREAL Elvital Glycolic Glosss 5 Minute Lamination Rinse-off - since I left my natural hair grow out, my (natural) hair colour looks so unusually flat and without shine. It could be the hard water, as I often forget the acid rinse, though I have been using hair oil as a pre-wash regularly, which should protect the hair. I haven't seen this in the shops yet, though there are Slovene ads, which is odd. I was researching for best hair gloss products and this was mentioned as the cheapest. I'll give this a go when I try it and hopefully it will add some much needed shine to my hair.

MOROCCANOIL Brumes du Maroc Fragranc Mist for hair and body - I ran out of Aussie's Scent-sational hair perfume which was brilliant and much to my dismay I discovered it has been removed from the shelves of DM and just about everywhere appart from Amazon. I bought a replacement from Balea, which smells really great, but it doesn't last all day like Aussie. I'd like to give this one a try if it's strong enough. It was mentioned as one of the best when I was searching for replacements online.

NIVEA SUN Derma Skin Clean with Niacinamide - I like Nivea's face sunscreens and I always have one in stock. This is one of the new ones and it looks likeable. It's meant for unclear skin and has niacinamide.

MOROCCANOIL Frizz Control Conditioner - a new line by Moroccanoil that both replaces the Smooth line and completes the Frizz Control line. Moroccanoil oil products are by far the best to combat frizz on my hair. I love their Mask, Frizz Shield, Lotion and the Blow-Dry Concentrate. I'll try this conditioner too - it's probably very similar to the Smooth one anyway and that one was great.

BALEA Beauty Expert UV-Protection Fluid SPF 50 - Sun Dance hasn't made the best SPF formulas in the last years when it comes to lightness, which is odd considering many years ago they had lovely lightweight formulas. We'll see if DM managed to create a light, liquid formula in the Beauty Expert line. It's without alcohol, which is nice to see. It's already on DM's website, but my local DM didn't have it when I went to look for it. Reviews are mostly positive.

BALEA Beauty Expert Vitamin C Eye Booster - I won't get this, but I like the ingredients. It has niacinamide, 2% of vitamin C in a stable ascorbyl glucoside form, caffeine and peptides. Reviews so far praise it.

PUPA Vamp! Fluid Eyeshadow - I haven't seen these yet, but the shades look wearable. I generally prefer stick eyeshadows, but this might be nice.

SCHAEBENS Peeling Fussmaske - one of those acidic masks that make the dead skin peel off in a super ugly way, but then your feet look nice. It's nice to see another brand came out with this. These usually don't work well on me though, as my skin is too thick.

SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL OSiS+ Sparkler Shine Spray - a shine spray that I found on a few best of lists.

COLOR WOW Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray - another shine spray I found on the best of list, but this one is very expensive.

torek, april 30, 2024
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