Review + Swatches: Catrice Absolute ROSE palette

Hi!

I may or not be, a couple of months late with this review. But honestly, it's been only now that I found this beauty in the stores. I guess they carry it only in bigger Mullers?

It is Catrice Absolute Rose eyeshadow palette. 

010 Frankie Rose To Hollywood;LA VIE EN ROSE
Soft nudes and trendy rosé shades – sometimes matt and sometimes shimmering – create a beautiful natural look no matter whether they are used solo or as a team. The supple texture convinces with a high colour-dispersion and thanks to the integrated brush, this set is also a practical travel companion.

The package looks sturdy, but I wouldn't count on it surviving many many trips.

The colors look very nice in the palette; great for everyday looks. The only thing I miss is a matte dark eyeshadow. I like that there's so many of colors to chose from (well, nudes), but the lack of another dark color bothers me. 

More after the jump... 

Shade 1: A matte highlight kind of color - very light pink

Shade 2: Pink nude, semi matte

Shade 3: Shimmery nude, a bit more brown that shade 4

Shade 4: Another shimmery nude, a bit paler than Shade 3. Looks very nicely as a highlighter.

Shade 5: A matte mauvy taupe

Shade 6: Shimmery dark red/brown with red micro glitter

The swatches have been made without any base underneath - so no primer.

I was looking forward using the Shade 6 - because it reminds me of Fyrianne Mephisto (on the skin, foiled). It was one of my favorite colors. And well, it does look great! 

I must say that these shadows work very well for daily makeups. I will try foiling them, because on me they look mostly the same - I mean as in finished daily look. I like each shadow on its own, but my favorite must be the Shadow 6. It's beautiful!

Here's a make up made with them.

Shade 2 all over the lid, Shade 4 in the crease and blended and Shade 6 in the outer V line  and blended. Over a primer. 

It doesn't look like much, but it does look great as a daily make up! Easy to use, quick to go!

I would like to address the fallout problem; for me it's not very problematic, I just blow it off. But for some it may be troublesome. The fallout isn't noticeable on the lids, only in the palette itself. The shadows are quite dusty.  

Longevity: As it gets warmer, my oily lids get oilier. Even if I use my primers + cream eyeshadow over it. But with this palette my make up looked intact after a whole day, except for the troublesome crease - that was oily, but the make up around it was still perfect. Kind of weird, because usually my whole make up goes to sh*t. So props for that! 

I wasn't expecting much, from it being an inexpensive drugstore palette, but at the same time I knew I wouldn't be disappointed, because Catrice makes some damn awesome eyeshadows.

+ fairly inexpensive

+ 6 eyeshadows in a palette

+ travel sized

+ looks cute

+ the shadows are nice

+ long lasting shadows (over a primer)

- the shadows get a bit dusty while applying them

- may not be for everyone

- I can see the cover cracking fairly soon (during travels)

In the end I am very pleased with it. I however hope they will come out with a version with an added dark shadow. I want to have all the pretty shadows on the go! The shadows are nice and soft, but get a bit dusty during application. The color payoff is fine for the darker shadows, but the middle two don't show up well on my skin (I must be too light, haha). In the end, it's a nice palette, great for those with green & blue eyes (because of the pink toned colors). 

Foundation routine for problematic skin

Hello!

My skin is currently a mess - I stared a new routine (including an acid peeling, which has written in the instructions that the first two uses may come with breakouts) and it shows.

I can see the progress day by day, but for now I had to change the way I apply my foundation. Alone it wasn't enough. And also I got this mineral base foundation and sadly, it's not enough on its own.

So I had this brilliant idea. Yes, brilliant! Combine the two!

My steps are simple;

1. Apply sunscreen (a must while using chemical peelings, and well.. the sun is getting stronger!)

2. Apply Everyday Minerals base in 0N with a Kabuki brush

3. Apply Catrice All Matt Plus with a stippling brush

4. Add a bit more of the EDM base where needed

5. Finish it all with a fixing spray or finishing powder (Essence).

6. Add blush (optional, but I love my blushes)

It does make quite a difference, right? 

I hope that in the next two months my skin gets better - that I'll be able to use only my mineral foundation. 

See, it's easy to get a porcelain doll skin look. Even with bad breakouts/PIH. ;)

I am really happy that I found out that these two products work so well together. 

What are your must haves for problematic skin?

New in: April 2015

Hello!

I checked my instagram and realized that I bought a bunch of stuff in the last two months. And also, it's been a really long time since the last "New in" post has been done.

I am now on a "no buy" and will be starting some new "hit the pan" or similar projects soon. I have a lipstick or two to finish in the next months and also my foundation is calling my name.

First is my prize from Vichy. I got a lovely cosmetics bag with it, which I forgot to take pictures of.

These products are on hold, because I am currently starting a new skincare routine. 

I wanted to start using acid peelings (AHA) for my skin again, especially for those closed comedones. I got these from http://www.sr-skincare.co.uk/, where they have nicely priced peelings and smilar stuff.  I got an Mandelic/Salicylic peel + a Rejuvenate cream (with 4% glycolic acid).

I can't wait to see the firs results and update you guys about them!

This is a little threat to myself..  I wanted to try a new palette and I picked this Rose palette by Catrice. I was considering the matte one, but then I thought about it and went for the rose.

Also Kabuki brush for mineral foundation and my beloved Carmex lip balm.

And this amazing blue polish by Essence. I can't get enough of it! 

I was also given this massive sheet of nail stickers. Good quality nail stickers! *awe*

This is partly my prize from Mademoiselle Eva, and partly a mini haul from Ličila.si (and some gift goodies from them). And of course.. who could say no to the new Essence nail polish line?

Gorgeous polishes! I gave two of them away, but the peach one is my favorite. I have already worn it for four times! 

These were the first polishes I bought from the new Essence line - you can ready more about them here. 

The last is my goodie bag from Bourjois. I wrote a review featuring all the products from it and my initial thoughts. 

I think this is practically it for this month (well months), I have nothing coming in so I will be focusing on using what I have. 

Do you want to see a review of a certain product from the bunch of them?

The 6 Must have lipsticks for this Spring!

Hello!

 I love wearing lipsticks and I think these will be a big hit this Spring! 

Here they are;

They go from nudes, to pinks and a peach colour. All in all there are 6 lipsticks. I don't feel that red is a Spring colour, but then again I may be sporting a dark red during night time or for partying. I am not saying it is forbidden, just that red is a very Winter lip colour. But of course, these are just my recommendations. 

Bourjois Fuchsia Libre (10€): A vivid cold pink that looks a bit purple in the package but goes on jelly like, so very lightly. I can see myself wearing this colour a lot! 

Bourjois Peach at the Beach (10€): A peach creamy lipstick, goes on very lightly but looks very natural when applied with a light hand. Perfect for colder nights. 

Catrice Mission PinkPossible (6€): This is a more glossy lipstick, goes on a bit harder/sticker and lasts a very long time. After it's already gone it leaves a strong stain. A hot pink colour perfect for most skin tones. 

Catrice Muave your lips (5€): 90's are still in and so are brown-ish lips. Nude lips are welcome anywhere, even if they are not your natural lip color. I love this lipstick, because it looks so natural and feels nicely on my lips. The staying power is also great (about 4-5 hours).

Catrice  License to Pink (4€): This is a jelly lipstick that will be my The lipstick this Spring. I can see myself wearing it during work hours, to grab a coffee or something. It doesn't have a strong staying power (2-3 hours).

Essence Natural Beauty (2€): For those that aren't into pinks or for days when I want to wear a lipstick, but it has to be low-maintenance is this the thing. Goes on creamy, looks natural and lasts quite a while (4-5 hours). Also, it's inexpensive. 

Which colours will you be sporting this Spring?

Review: Bourjois Grab Bag!

Hello!

I had a chance to grab this Bourjois bag for 13.95€ and I thought it was a great deal. It officially includes 1 mascara, 1 lipstick, and two mini nail polishes. 

Mine, however, included one lippy extra and I couldn't be happier. I showed it to the employees of the store and they said to just buy it since it was wrongly packaged, they can't do a thing. 

All out!

 Bourjois Lipsticks in Peach at the Beach & Fuchsia Libre (~10€): These lippies come in crayon/pencil form, I must admit they are the first lipstick that I have in such a form. All of the mine come in the classic lipstick form. But this is so much more fun! It has a twistable bottom, so you can get all the product out. The Peach lipstick is very creamy and can be too easily overdone. It is very hydrating and looks light on the lips, but it accentuates all the dry patches. However, the Fuchsia lipstick goes on light and is very moisturizing. I can see myself using it instead of a lip balm. Perfect! They don't last a long time, but I didn't expect much from such jelly like lipsticks.

Mini nail polishes (~3€): I was really surprised by them. In a good sense. They are very opaque and dry quickly. I am not a fan of the plastic wrap instead of printed text on them, but then again, that's just me. You can see the swatches & a more in-depth review, here. 

Volume 1 seconde Mascara (14€): I tried this mascara just so I could take the picture you see below. It is a damn expensive mascara on its own, but luckily it came in this grab bag! The mascara has this big and soft brush, that helps with adding length to my eyelashes. If I add another layer of mascara (I never apply a mascara more than twice), there is some volume, but not much. I do however like it, my eyes didn't burn while I was wearing it (there was some eye-watering action) and that's a huge plus. But then again, I am not very picky when it comes to mascaras. I like length, volume, and non-irritating formulas. Yeah. :D 

I think that overall this was a great purchase! Now, to find the grab bag by Isadora...  =D

Mini Bourjois polishes in 2013 & 1913

Hey!

I saw that Bourjois has this mini samples beauty bag that was relatively non-expensive compared to other Bourjois products.

The bag was 14€ and it contained 5 different products (officially 4, but someone made a mistake when packaging this one!).   

In this post I will show you the two mini polishes I got in it and tell you a little bit more about them. The bag review will come later, I still need to take pictures. ;)

If I got this correctly, the names are  1913 - Cendres de roses and 2013 - Bon Anniversaire!

1913 Cendre de Roses is a dirty de-saturated pink. It's a powdery rose pink, it really is a vintage color. Reminds me of old times, when I wasn't born. I didn't use any base or top coat in my picture and I apologize deeply for the crashed cuticles. The application was lovely, since it has a tiny brush it took some precision (which I am seriously lacking), but the formula makes it up for it. Creamy, well pigmented and quick drying. I could totally get away with just one layer. But only with a base coat under, because the ridges show up terribly with just one layer. It dries to a semi matte (satin) finish. 

2013 Bon Anniversaire is a berry pink color. Looks darker in the bottle than it does on the nails. It is very opaque but still needs two layers for full opacity on nails. Two thin layers to be exact. I didn't use any top or base coat with it either. I had problems with the small brush, but the formula was fantastic. It does dry to a satin finish. 

I think that these tiny bottles are very cute, but I don't like how they are sealed. They contain a plastic wrap seal and when I peeled it off from the first polish, I took it off the bottle completely (because there was a big white sticker saying GIFT all over it). And do you know what's under the clear sticker (with the name and all?). Nothing. Absolutely nothing. So I would prefer if they had imprinted the names, at least the brand. 

The brushes are obviously small and take a bit of practice or at least some precision. But as I said, the formula on both of them is great. Smooth, creamy, non streaky. Lovely. 

I think the price tag for them in the package is great, a deal, a steal (in the bag it comes to 2.8€ for each product) - that's it in my bag that was wrongly packaged. Not that I mind. Otherwise it would come to be less than 4€ for a product. Hm, which is expensive for a nail polish.  

These polishes aren't available anymore, because they came out two years ago in 2013 for Bourjois's 150th anniversary. 

Did you see any of the minies in store? 

Empties #13

Hi!

A new Empties post, because I'd like to keep updated with my empty products. So I don't hoard pictures of them and then forget about them. I sometimes do get forgetful..  =P

Philoset Bio Soak Contact lenses solution (~10€) 

A lovely solution that is easy on the wallet. It does its job well - cleans my lenses between uses and sometimes I do moisturize my lenses while I am wearing it. That's some extreme cases, but it happens. It's intended for soft lenses and I think it is a great product for the price. 

Repurchase? Yes.

Balea Shower gel & Shampoo for Kids (1,5€)

 I picked up this, so I could use it for my kid. I put it in his bath water so it bubbles up. I don't use it as a shampoo for him, but he doesn't mind. He likes to drink the bath water (sometimes, when he thinks nobody is watching) and luckily it hasn't caused any problems - he tried to do that with Paloma shower gels and they burned his mouth when he spat it. So there's that. 

Repurchase? Maybe.

Balea Shower Gel Cocos & Nectarine (1€)  

This has to be one of my favorite scents from the Balea line. It's so fresh and lovely and discontinued. It is still available in some DMs for a reduced price. It smells lovely and it leaves my skin feeling smooth. It doesn't dehydrate it. 

Repurchase? Discontinued.

Catrice Mattifying oil control paper (~4€)

 I am not sure abut this product. I used it only because I got it as a gift. I think I used it up in a month or two of constant use. Which is about 3 papers per day? I liked them when I did use them, since they did remove the extra shine from my T zone. But I don't really know if they are worth the price. I feel they should do a better job for the price cap. 

Repurchase? I am not sure. 

Alverde Clear Waschcreme Heilerde (2,6€) 

A staple in my beauty bag. I use it daily and I love it. It has almost no scent (some natural-ish thing...) and works well. It doesn't irritate my skin and it cleans well. It is also very gentle.

Repurchase? Yes, forever!

Johnson's Baby Shampoo (?)

I had a very hard time finishing this bottle of shampoo. It is just too much product, especially since I don't like it. It made my hair dry and coarse and I hated to use it. But I did find a use for it - make up brushes cleansing. That's a job it did well. I also didn't use it on the kid, except for once when he cried that it buuuuurns. Huh, ok.

Repurchase? Hell no!!

Swiss - O - Par Silver Hair Mask (~3€)

This is one of the first anti-yellow hair products I purchased. I liked that it left my hair soft and nourished after each use. But I did use it excessively and in one month, it was gone. 

It did help a bit with the yellow tone, but not as much as the shampoo did. Overally it is a nice product, but maybe not the best.

Repurchase? Maybe. 

Do you have any of these products? 

New Essence Gel polishes (4 Swatches + review)!

Hey!

I wanted to buy a couple of the newly reformulated Essence polishes, that go by the name Gel polishes. They were launched this month, and most of the pretty shades are already gone. The thing is, they aren't real gel polishes, just regular polishes that stay shiny for a long time.

I thought I may have a bit of luck, because here most of the collections stay intact, but no. These polishes were gone as a hot bun! Damn.

But I still managed to get four pretty colors. In this post, I'll tell you a bit about them.

You can read Taya's massive review + comparison of them, or see a comparison post from Katja.

I was fully expecting Essence to just reformulate the existing (old) polishes, and keep them as they were. But they didn't. They changed the formula (for the better!) and tweaked with the colors just a tiny bit. Some are very much the same (or similar), and only us polish-obsessed girls would notice the difference. Others are completely new (like the gorgeous light lime yellow that I am still lemming over).

I must say; the formula is amazing on all the four polishes I picked up. I am not sure if the brush is different too (maybe shorter?), but the application was flawless.

Except for my cuticles & nails. Excuse them, I didn't use any base & top coat. And my nails are full of ridges... 

I don't know how long does the shine last, because I prefer to use glossy top coats. Or if I am really in the mood I wait 24h and then top my manicure with a gel top coat. Then it surely is shiny ;).

Let's get lost - is one of the polishes that remind me of Spring. It's beautiful on its own, but I am sure it will have its appearance in some nail art manicures. The application was nice, nothing to add here. However since I didn't use any base coat, it did stain my nails a bit. And this was only after a couple of minutes. I think a base coat with this beauty is a must! 

Our Sweetest Day - Is a lovely light pink shimmery polish. It looks like fine purple holo microglitter from up close. And from far away it looks like a gorgeous nude polish. I think it will be great as a work safe manicure. It is build-able and dries quickly. I used two layers in this picture. Again I had no problems at all with the application. 

Play with my Mint - This has to be my favorite polish from the bunch I got. It's so fresh and minty. It's more vivid from the "old" one and it looks so much better on me. I am very excited about it. The application was nice, but the ridges will show (if you have any) if you won't use a base coat. Drying time was OK. Application was lovely! It went on a bit "drier" than the Jucy (pink) or Let's get lost, but it goes on smoothly nonetheless. I used two layers for full opacity on nude nails. 

Lucky - This is the polish I was the most excited about, before I bought it. The formula is a bit jelly like, it goes on smoothly and needs two layers for full opacity. I don't have a similar shade in my collection, even if I do have lots of pink polishes. It's just in between some shades, which makes it unique in my eyes. It is lovely and so was the application. I used two layers.  

I hope there will be many, many bloggers with better and mire in-depth swatches than mine were. But still, here it is and I hope you like it!

Do you have any of the new polishes?
How do you like them?
 Do you want more of them?