Catrice Cosmetics Brand Review

Hey y'all! I mentioned in my previous blog post that Catrice Cosmetics was kind enough to send me several of their products to try out and review. Well I've given all of these products a good try, so now I think it's time to share my thoughts and opinions with y'all! I will admit that there were some products that I didn't particular care for, while there were others that are now some of my favorites. 

Catrice Cosmetics is a well known German cosmetics brand, that focuses on beauty trends around the world. It is highly affordable, and up until last year was hard to get in the United States. It is now currently sold online at Ulta.com though, which makes purchasing from this brand so much easier.

Keep reading to find out what products I received, and my thoughts on them. 

Glam & Doll False Lashes Mascara- $6.99

I recently featured this mascara in my October Favorites, and for good reason. This mascara literally makes it look like I am wearing false lashes. It gives my lashes good length and volume, without flaking throughout the day.

I also really like the wand on it. It has a nice curve to it, which really plumps up and coats every single lash. This is a definite hit!

Prime & Fine Anti-Shine Blur Stick- $7.99

This product claims to reduce the size of your pores and fine lines, all while giving your skin a matte appearance. I like that it comes in the stick form, because it makes application even easier. It has a silicone finish to it, which does help blur my pores. Even though the color of the product is flesh toned, it does apply clear to my skin.

However, my skin does not stay matte after using this, and my makeup actually started to break up around my nose. I'm also not the biggest fan of the way this smells. In my personal opinion there are products out there that work better than this one did, and will actually make my makeup last all day. I would pass on this one. 

Prime & Fine Beautifying Primer- $7.99

This primer also claims to help smooth your complexion, while giving you a nice glow. I normally don't go for primers that give a glow to the skin, because I'm an oily girl, and I have all the glow that I need. However, this particular primer looked gorgeous on my skin. 

It has a pink tint to it when you squeeze out the product, and after massaging it in, it leaves the skin looking healthy and glowy. It smoothed out my imperfections, filled in my pores and fine lines, and left my skin looking beautiful. It did not make me look extra oily either. 

My makeup actually stayed in place all day, too! This also has a much more pleasant scent than the stick primer. I would definitely recommend picking this primer up, as it reminds me of the Becca Backlight Priming Filter, but much more affordable. 

Volumizing Lip Booster- $4.99

I don't know about y'all but I love trying out new lip products, especially those that claim they will plump my lips. This product comes in 4 different shades. I received mine in the shade 010. 

It does have a cooling menthol scent to it, and it did leave a nice glossy finish to my lips. It lasted several hours on my lips, even after drinking. While it felt cooling on my lips, it never tingled, which is something you would expect from a product that claims to plump your lips. It was also not overly sticky either. 

As for the plumping effect, I didn't really notice much in that area. It did help hide the fine lines on my lips, but it didn't actually give my lips anymore volume. If you are looking for a nice gloss, I would recommend this; however, if you are looking for a product that actually plumps your lips, I would look elsewhere. 

Infinite Shine Lip Gloss- $4.99

I love a good glossy lip gloss, and I have actually been eyeing these for a while, so I'm happy that Catrice sent this to me to review. It comes in 7 different shades, and I received mine in the shade Be My Ballerina.

This lip gloss also lasted hours on my lips, even through drinking, and it wasn't too sticky on my lips. It gives off a great shine, and it honestly made my lips look just like the lip booster did. It concealed the fine lines on my lips, and looked beautiful. 

It also gave my lips just the barest hint of color, which was nice. I will definitely be picking up the other shades in this range!!

Ultimate Colour Lipstick- $6.99

This range of lipsticks comes in 12 different shades, and I received mine in the shade Legend'Berry. This shade is absolutely perfect for the fall time, and I have to admit, I have worn this non-stop since receiving it. 

It is highly pigmented, and the color lasts for hours on my lips. It applies nicely and evenly, too. It does leave a little shine to my lips, so it doesn't dry down matte. I'm personally not the biggest fan of matte lips, because they can feel drying at times. I love this! I will definitely be purchasing the other shades in this range!

Glam Fusion Powder to Gel Eyeshadow- $5.99

This particular range comes in 4 different shades, and Catrice was kind enough to send me 2 of them. I received the shades Jon Snows Favorite (HEYYY Game Of Thrones fans!!!) and Let's Go Browntown. 

This product has a strange consistency, in that it is powder in the pan but when you apply it, it feels like a gel. It really reminds me of the ColourPop shadows. It even has that same sponge-like consistency in the pan. I personally love the ColourPop shadows, so I was excited to see if these were similar. 

As for the lighter shade, there really wasn't much color pay off with it, even when I swatched it with my fingers. The darker shade had amazing pigment when swatching it; however, both didn't perform well at all when I applied it to my eyes. The lighter shade didn't show up at all, and the darker shade took forever to build up. I tried using them with a synthetic brush and my fingers, and the pay-off was the same. I would definitely skip on these, and just order the ColourPop ones. 

Chocolate Nudes Eye Shadow Palette- $6.99

This palette comes with 6 different nude/brown shades in it, that range from satin, shimmer, and matte. There is also a Absolute Rose Eye Shadow Palette in this range, that has pretty pink and purple shades in it. 

I've worn this palette several times now, and I was actually quite impressed with it. All of the colors blend well, and have decent color pay-off. There was fall-out with each shade; however, it was easy to clean up. I did have to use a wet brush to get the shimmer shades where I wanted them. This palette reminds me a lot of the Covergirl Nudes TruNaked Eye Shadow Palette. Overall, I would say this is a good palette for the price though. Swatches are below. 

Swatches are done with no primer underneath. I would definitely recommend a primer though on the lids, if you plan on wearing this out. 

Liquid Metal Eyeshadow- $4.99

This particular range comes with 7 different shades, and I received mine in the shade We Are the Champagnes.

This product has a weird design in the pan, which I'm not the biggest fan of; however, don't let looks deceive you. This shadow has some amazing pigment!! It does feel a little dry to touch in the pan, but when I applied it in this swatch and to my eyes, it felt nice and creamy. I applied it with my fingers and a synthetic brush to my eyes, and both methods worked well. Wearing a primer underneath will of course make the pigment pop even more. 

Here is the swatch of We Are the Champagnes. This color looks absolutely beautiful all over the lid. I was quite impressed with the color pay-off of this shadow. I definitely plan on purchasing the other shades in this range!

Alright everyone, those are all of the products that I received from Catrice Cosmetics. I would say that overall, this is a really nice, affordable brand. There are definitely some hidden gems amongst their products.  Let me know in the comments section below what products you have tried from Catrice before, and how you like them. Also be sure to follow me, so you don't miss out on future posts!

October 2016 Favorites

Hey everyone! It's time for another monthly favorites of mine. I cannot believe that this month is nearly over. I was browsing Youtube earlier, and I saw someone had posted their October favorites, and I thought "OH MY GOSH! ALREADY?!?" Yes folks, already. It's absolutely insane to think that the end of the year will be here before we know it.

Alright y'all, let's get to the good stuff, and find out what I've been loving this month!

1.) Catrice Glam & Doll False Lashes Mascara- $6.99

So spoiler for you guys, Catrice was kind enough to send me this mascara, along with several other products earlier this month. I plan on doing a full product break down on everything that they sent me, so be sure to follow me if you are wondering about their products. 

I absolutely adore this mascara. It literally looks like I'm wearing false lashes when I wear this stuff. It gives my lashes amazing length, and it doesn't make them look clumpy at all. It also doesn't flake on me throughout the day, which as everyone knows, is a HUGE plus. I've literally worn just this mascara for the past 2 weeks, and I have to say, I'M IN LOVE!!

2.) Bath and Body Works Marshmallow Fireside 3-Wick Candle- $22.50

When I think of fall time, I can't help but think of this scent. I have been burning this candle non-stop since the month of October began, and I can't get enough. I'm so happy I picked up several of these, so I can continue to burn it through the remainder of the year. This smells like sweet vanilla marshmallow, with a hint of smoldering woods. Unfortunately it looks like Bath and Body Works is sold out of the larger size of this scent on their website; however, you can still pick it up in the smaller candle. 

3.) Lazy Susan Brush Holder

I actually picked this beauty up at my local Marshall's; however, I'm sure you can find something similar online. I love this thing. It holds all of my brushes, and I love that it spins, so everything is easily accessible. I only paid about $18 for it, so that makes it even better! Check it out in action!

4.) Lorac Mega Pro 3 Eye Shadow Palette

I actually did a full swatch and review of this beauty when it first launched. My blog post on it can be found here!!  This palette has been absolutely perfect for the start of the fall season. The shadows are gorgeous, pigmented, creamy, and blend like a dream!!

Lorac, in my opinion, makes some of the BEST shadows out there!

I had no idea that this palette was already sold out!!! I cannot say that I'm surprised though. This palette is amazing!

5.) Studio Makeup On-The-Go Palette- $49.95

I actually received this palette in my September Boxycharm, and when I haven't been using my Lorac Mega Pro 3 Palette, I've been using this! The shadows are nicely pigmented, and they blend so easily. It's a great palette for achieving an every-day makeup look. I love that Boxycharm sent subscribers this palette, because I would never have known how amazing it is!!

This palette is still currently available on the Studio Makeup website; however, it is limited edition. If you don't have it in your collection, I promise you need it!!

Boxycharm is also sending out subscribers ANOTHER studio makeup eye shadow palette next month in the November box. The spoilers for that can be found here. If you aren't subscribed, I would highly suggest subbing, at least for the month of November, so you don't miss out on that palette!

Alright everyone, those are all of my favorites for the month of October! What products were you loving this month? Let me know in the comments section below, and also be sure to follow me so you don't miss out on future posts!!

November 2016 Full Ipsy Spoilers!

Hey everyone! It is once again time for Ipsy bag spoilers! For the month of November, all subscribers can look forward to receiving one of the following items in their bag.

Benefit Cosmetics The POREfessional Face Primer

Too-Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

theBalm Cosmetics Mad Lash Mascara

The bag this month will be one of two variations. The only difference will be one bag will have gold detailing, and the other will have silver. I think the bags are adorable!!

Here is a full list of items that Ipsy subscribers could possibly be receiving in their bags this month:

What do y'all think of the spoilers for this month? Let me know in the comments section below, and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on future spoilers and reviews!!

https://www.ipsy.com/new?refer=vhsxq

Play! by Sephora October 2016 Unboxing

Hello everyone! It's finally time for my Play! by Sephora unboxing for the month of October. Play! by Sephora is a $10/month beauty and makeup subscription service. They send 6 samples each month, along with a PLAY! BOOK of tips and tricks, and a PLAY! PASS for in-store learning. You can take the PLAY! PASS into any Sephora store, and use it to earn an additional 50 points with any purchases made. There is a waiting list to join; however, it does open up for everyone from time to time. Just continue to check in, and add your email address to be notified once it does! 

As I just mentioned, each box comes with a Play! pass, which you can take into stores to learn more about the products you received. If you make a purchase, and hand this card over at that time, you will receive 50 extra Sephora points added onto your total. 

When you open up the Play! book, it gives you a detailed look at all of the products that you received. I love this part of my box, because it tells you how to use each product, and even provides tips and tricks on how to make it work the best for you!

The theme for the month of October is "The Cool Cut", and it features innovative formulas and indie finds with a selection of the coolest must-have products. There were also variations of this month's box sent out to all subscribers. I received the box ending in 122.

1.) Skin Inc. Pure Revival Peel

This was my first time trying out a product from this particular brand. While it doesn't appear to have been out for very long, I have heard nothing but great things about this brand. 

This product reminds me a lot of the Real Chemistry Luminous 3-minute Peel Mask, that I have received from Birchbox before. However, this one works in under 10 seconds. I applied it directly to my dry skin, waited 10 seconds, massaged it in, and then rinsed it away. It sloughs away dead skin cells to supposedly reveal a bright, renewed complexion. I didn't notice any brightening effect on my skin; however, my skin did feel much softer after using it. There is enough in this sample to get a least 4-5 uses out of it, so hopefully I will eventually see some brightening of my dark spots. 

2.) Christophe Robin Regenerating Hair Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil

I love receiving hair masks in subscription boxes, because it isn't something that I would typically purchase for myself. The scent on this one is absolutely horrible. It smells like sour baby powder to me, if that could ever be a thing. Despite the horrible smell, I tried it out anyway, and I must say, I love this product. It left my hair feeling smooth, shiny, and healthy. Luckily the smell did not linger on my hair either. I will definitely consider purchasing the full size of this once my sample is gone. 

3.) Blinc Mascara Amplified

I have previously received the full-size of this product in my January Boxycharm, and I really enjoyed it! I did end up throwing out my full-size one, because it had surpassed it's expiration date. So I'm really excited to have a travel size of this mascara!

This is a "tubing" mascara, which coats your lashes with small "tubes", that are fairly easy to remove with eye make up remover. It doesn't flake throughout the day, and it really adds nice volume to my lashes!

4.) Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb

I actually received a sample of this in a previous Sephora order that I made, and I'm currently using it as my night-time moisturizer. I was hesitant at first to try this, because I have oily skin, and using really moisturizing products like this can break me out, and make me look even oilier. I have been using this now for about 3 weeks, and I haven't had a single break-out from it. It leaves my skin looking nice and moisturized, without being overly oily. I'm very happy to have received another sample of this, since my other one is running low!

5.) Yves Saint Laurent Mon Paris

I love receiving perfume sample in my Play! by Sephora box, because I have honestly discovered some of my favorite scents that way, and I can add this one to that mix, This perfume smells absolutely amazing! It's a fruity yet floral scent, with notes of berries, pear, white musk, and peony. It's so light and sophisticated. I will definitely be adding the full-size to my Christmas list this year!

6.) Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick in Driver's Seat

I have been wanting to try this liquid lipstick for a while now, so I'm super excited to have received a sample of it in my box this month!

It is a beautiful brownish-pink shade, with one of the best applicators ever. It reminds me a lot of the applicators on the L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Glosses. It makes it super easy to line, and apply the color to my lips, without getting it all over the place. It doesn't dry down completely, but it last forever on my lips. I went nearly 6 hours before needing to reapply!! I will definitely be purchasing other shades in this line! Swatches are below. 

Swatch of the Smashbox Liquid Lipstick in Driver's Seat. 

That is everything that I received in my October Play! By Sephora box. What items did you receive this month? Let me know in the comments section below, and if you haven't already subscribed to my blog, please do, so you don't miss out on future reviews and unboxings. 

The theme for the November Play! by Sephora is now available!