Mateja's Beauty Blog: Nail polish

Catrice and Essence Products 2024 (Invisible Cover Foundation, Correct & Conceal Under Eye Brightening Concealer, Flawless Skin Trio Loose Setting Powder,…)

CATRICE Invisible Cover Foundation

012C

Based on the name I imagined this foundation very differently, something more lightweight and hydrating, but to me it looks like they just reused the formula of their True Skin foundation when I compared them side by side. It's yet another Catrice foundation that doesn't suit my skin.

Formula: It's a thick foundation that's pretty much the same as their True Skin. I find that foundation paste-like and this one again lacks something that would make it melt/blend into the skin better. There is nothing "invisible" about this on my skin. It this looks a bit dry in places and I need a good hydrating or oily base to make it work better. I use a cushion foundation sponge and due to the thickness of the formula I find it has the ability to fill in the pores, but it doesn't always look good and I don't like how it looks on textured skin.

Coverage and finish: It has about medium coverage and a matte finish. It looks flat and obvious on my skin. Powder is out of the question, unless I want to make it worse.

Shade: The shade range looks very good. I picked 012 C which isn't the lightest one and it's perhaps a bit pale for me. It's a shade with cool undertones while they have a version of this depth with warm and neutral tones. Shades don't correspond to their True Skin range, as 002 at the latter is about the same depth as 012C at Invisible Cover.

Packaging: It's the same glass bottle with a pump as their True Skin one, just that it's black.

If you like True Skin, you might like this one too, but it's a no-go for my skin. I'm still waiting for Catrice to release something more hydrating, light and not texture-emphasizing that would work for my dry skin.

ESSENCE Correct & Conceal Under Eye Brightening Concealer

Light

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I was hoping Essence used the same shade as at the stick version of under eye brightener, which is a good match for me and has a nice brightening effect, but the stick format isn't brilliant on my dry skin. This shade is deeper, closer to Catrice's Under Eye Brightener in a pot, the lightest 010 shade, meaning it's not a pale pink, but a light salmon pink.

Since I'm so pale, I find this doesn't work as well for me. When I use it under a concealer or foundation, that pinkness shines through and just looks like I still have circles, but on skin tones deeper than mine this should work well.

If you like Catrice's version, but would like a liquid format, this is it, though it is a bit lighter. Formula is a nice hydrating one, good for dry skin and it reminds me a lot of their Stay All Day concealer.

Formula is lovely, but I hope they release a lighter shade, something just like their Stick version.

ESSENCE Flawless Skin Trio Loose Setting Powder

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A powder with three colour correcting colours: a pink and peach for under eye brightening and a lilac for counteracting yellow tones. You can also mix all the shades for a neutral powder.

There are three separate compartments and a removable disk that allows you to shake the powder out of just one compartment.

I saw no colour correcting or brightening on my skin tone. I checked the before/after pictures and videos and I don’t think there's a difference, just that it mattifies. Mixed together it also appears to be just a basic mattifying powder. Maybe the colour correcting is more obvious on deeper skin tones. I don't notice any blurring or smoothing on my skin and currently my skin is so dry that this can look obvious on the skin, especially over Catrice's Invisible Cover foundation.

Honestly, this was another miss for me, but it may work a lot better as a basic mattifying powder on oily skin.

ESSENCE Baby Got Blush Stick

30 Rosé all Day

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I have the pink shade 10 Tickle me Pink, which is one of my favourites. I picked this one online, so it was a blind buy and the colour of the packaging is luckily deceptive. This is a peachy pink, less bright than the Blush Affair Stunning Strawberry, but in the same colour family. Formula is creamy and I can easily swipe it on the cheeks, then blend with fingers. Pigmentation is more intense as at Tickle and the shade is deeper. This shade looks good on the lips too.

This quickly became my most used blush. It's so easy to apply and blend, plus it gives the cheeks an uplifting flush.

CATRICE Blush Affair Cream & Powder Palette

010 - Stunning Strawberry

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The textured part is the cream blush and the other a classic powder one. This is a very intense and pigmented formula on both sides. Both sides are nice quality, as is usual for Catrice's blushes. I only need the smallest amount of both shades, since I'm so pale.

Stunning Strawberry is a vibrant peachy pink shade, much stronger than anything in my collection and both shades have a natural/matte finish. The cream side is a hint more pink. This is best suited for deeper skin tones.

ESSENCE 8H Matte Comfort Lipliner

12 - Cushion Talk

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I also have this formula in 03 Soft Beige and 07 Classic Red. Formula is soft and glides on the lips easily. There's an added sharpener in the back, but even without using it, I find it precise enough.

It can feel a bit dry on its own, but not always. It doesn't wipe off easily, so it has quite a decent staying power. Cushion Talk is a light-medium mute pink with peach tones.

CATRICE Kohl Kajal Waterproof

160 Baby Blue

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Usually pastel pencils suck, but this is creamy and has a good colour payoff, though this is a very pale shade, almost off-white. In the waterline it looks more white than blue, but it does brighten the eyes. On the top lash line it doesn't glide as smoothly as for example Deborah 24 Ore Waterproof Eye Pencil, but going over the line twice gives an almost fully opaque look.

ESSENCE Holo Bomb Nail Polish

01 - Ridin' Holo

I expected more from this, especially after seeing it on video what a nice holographic effect it has. The holo effect is not that visible, not like at my ancient Depend nail polish that has been discountinued. It's more like a basic silver nail polish - still pretty, but I miss more holo reflects. First coat is quite sheer, while full opacity is achieved with three coats.

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CATRICE Iconails Nail Lacquer

03 Caught On The Red Carpet

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A deep cool red with a glossy creamy finish. It's opaque in one coat, but for better staying power it's best to apply two.

ESSENCE Super Matte Top Coat

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This applies glossy and it slowly turns matte. It takes over a minute for it to become fully, velvety matte. The matte effect disappears eventually due to any type of oil you might pick up, that includes hand creams.

CATRICE Quick Dry Top Coat

I've been using Seche vite for many years, but it's hard to get, so I wanted to find a decent alternative. The only thing I care about at top coats is that it dries the nail polish as quickly as possible. Seche Vite does that well, but it thicken quickly, way before you have a chance to use up the bottle. This Catrice version is very decent and easy to get (provided they don't discontinue it, which knowing them will likely happen). It dries the nails almost as quick as Seche, though it's not the promised 40 seconds, but in a minute or two it's dry to the touch, but you still have to be careful to avoid dings for maybe 15 minutes or a half an hour.

nedelja, januar 26, 2025
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S-HE Gel-Like'n Ultra Stay Nail Polish

Though S-He products were some of the first I ever bought because back in the days before Essence and Catrice, this was the cheapest brand, I've never been a fan of the theirs. However, the nail polishes have been a highlight since their beginnings. They have a nice selection of colours and for an affordable price. The quality is good and they last well on the nails. This Gel-Like'n Ultra Stay formula is I think more new, but it doesn't feel like a classic gel formula, at least not these two shades. They are classic thinner formulas. Their shade names are very bland, with just numbers.

245

The nude 245 has a somewhat of an odd formula, as the first layer sort of separates, like I were applying it over an oily surface, but the second layer fixes all and it's a nice opaque and even shade.

310

The deep plum 310 is a jelly shade that's even with the first coat, but isn't opaque until the second. It's like a mix of Essies's Bahama Mama & Sole Mate.

These are 2,79 € in DM.

nedelja, april 07, 2024
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Deborah Milano - New Products 2023

Skin Booster Serum Foundation

3 Medium

A foundation that claims to have skin care benefits, combining a serum and coverage. This one has a bit of vitamin C in a 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid form, which is by now nothing special and it can't compare to some foundations or BB/CC creams that have a ton of skin care ingredients - but it doesn't matter, what's important is how it looks on the skin. This one claims to have a "second skin effect", a lightweight formula, an illuminating effect and SPF 15. I got sent a shade much too dark for me, so I wore this for a short while before I took it off and there was no full day test.

Texture: Formula isn't super liquid as you might expect from the packaging, but it is regardless lightweight on the skin and it blends easily. It's similar to Catrice's Nude Drop Tinted Serum, so it has quite a lot of pigment in a light formula. It becomes dry to the touch quickly on my skin, doesn't slip into lines nor crease under the eyes or emphasize pores.

Coverage and finish: Finish is slightly glowy without looking or feeling greasy. Unlike Maybelline Superstay Serum it doesn't have shimmer in the formula, but the glowy effect is similar. Coverage is hard for me to asses, since 3 Medium is so much darker than my skin tone. Maybe light-medium, as my freckles are visible.

Scent: Foundation has a strong floral scent.

Shade: There are a only 5 shades, 4 are sold here. 3 Medium is something like Revlon's 300 shades in terms of depth, undertone looks cool. I tested shade 1 Light in the shop and it's not for very pale skins, so there is no match for me in this range.

Packaging: Glass bottle with a pipette. The formula is too thick for such a packaging, so the pipette has a hard time picking up product.

If you're one of those lucky ones who can find a match in this very limited shade range, it's a foundation worth a try, as I think it's better than Catrice's Nude Drop and Maybelline's Superstay Serum.

Like A Pro Mascara

A mascara with a silicone wand and a spiral design. It's one of those that quickly deposit a lot of product even when freshly opened and it's quite a wet formula. I need to comb my lashes with a separate clean wand so the lashes look more neat, but I expect that it will become better at fanning out the lashes as the formula thickens and dries. It reminds me of Milani Highly Rated Anti-Gravity Mascara, as they have a similar brush, both add a lot of volume and length when freshly opened. Since it's so wet it not suitable for my type of lashes, but if you don't have a problem with lashes holding a curl, this is a quick volumising formula.

Super Blush

Coral Pink 02

Deborah changed the packaging of their matte blushes. Their old ones had black, egg-shaped shaped pans for ages, but I never checked the shades, so I don't know if they are new as well. There are 4 colours. This I think is the peachiest or most orange-apricot, though I think all colours are warm.

Pigmentation is ok, I need two (light) layers and wish blending were just a little smoother - not that it's bad, but their baked blushes are better. Finish is matte, so I feel this looks a bit flat on my skin, but again I'm comparing this to the really good Hi-Tech formula which is baked blushes with tiny shimmer that add dimension. Shade Coral Pink is for those that love peachy shades, while on me I feel it ends up leaning too much to orange. I liked the look of shade 01, however, since I prefer the lovely formula of Hi-Tech, I'm no longer than drawn to add it to my collection.

Staying power is where it truly shines. I applied this at around 11 AM and it was still looking nicely fresh at 10 PM. The foundation I wore was nothing special, a cheap Eveline one.

Packaging is thinner than at Hi-Tech and it doesn't have an added brush (the one at baked blushes is useless anyway).

Red Touch Lipstick

Nude Bouquet 01

I always like to try matte liquid lipsticks and I didn't miss this one in the shops thought they've been out for a while, but I'm not fond of the shade range sold here. Even this lightest shade turns quite dark on me, but I saw there is an expanded range available (maybe just in Italy?) and there are a couple of shades that are more me. I own their other matte liquid formula, Fluid Velvet Mat Lipstick, which I think is still sold.

Formula is very lightweight and fully opaque with one swipe. The applicator is heart shaped so it's good enough for a precise application, though for perfect edges you may still need a lipliner. It sets matte quickly and without feeling tight, so it's quite comfortable for a matte liquid lipstick and feels better than their Velvet Fluid in that respect. However, as good as it looks freshly applied, it's not the most long lasting. I expect great staying power from liquid matte lipsticks, as a lot I tried can last all day, but this wears off in a patchy way and it's gone quite fast for such a formula. It still lasts a long time compared to classic lipsticks, but it's not as resilient as I'd like.

Nude Bouquet looks lighter when freshly swatched than how it oxidises on the lips. It ends up a medium beige-brown on me, quite dark. On the swatch on my arm it's fully oxidised.

Gel Effect Nail Enamel

20 Soft Pink and 130 Chic Violet

I think these were just repackaged, as I had several shades in the previous bottles and these feel about the same. However, these two have quite different formulas. 20 Soft Pink is almost clear with one coat, second also doesn't get you full opacity and at third the tips are still visible. It's not my favourite nail polish when it comes to application, the formula is thick and I need three layers, so it ends up a bit too much for my liking. But it's a good neutral shade.

130 Chic Violet is a medium violet with a smooth formula that needs almost just one coat (tips are minimally visible), but I always apply two. Staying power of both is good on me, but most nail polishes last well on my nails.

20 Soft Pink