Catrice Ten!Sational 10 in 1 Dream Primer

catrice primer

Catrice Ten!Sational 10 in 1 Dream Primer

Admin   August 28, 2019   Comment  

Catrice has several primers and they keep adding new ones (as well as discontinuing them), Ten!Sational is their latest and maybe the most ambitions one with the 10 claims boldly stated on the front of the packaging. It only attracted my attention when I went through the ingredients list on their website because I saw this has glycerine (3rd) and niacinamide (5th) on the list and I knew immediately this won't be a typical mattifying silicone-feeling primer, but something more like Max Factor's Facefinity All Day primer, which is my all-time favourite, but it's no longer sold in Slovene drugstores. It looked like a good combination of a primer for dry skin combining some skin care benefits.

Texture: It's like a moisturising tinted lotion with a medium thick consistency. Despite the silicones on the first places on the ingredients list, this doesn't feel at all like mattifying primers and instead of that matt dry-to-the-touch feeling, it leaves a slightly tacky finish. In that respect it reminds me of Max Factor's All Day primer.

In terms of individual claims:

1. Priming - Yes, it creates a good base and it looks like it's prolonging the staying power of makeup. It can pile if you apply it with rough circular motions.

2. Hydrating - yes, it's good for my normal-dry skin.

3. Anti-wrinkle - niacinamide might have the long-term skin care effect, but when it comes to immediate result, this doesn't hide lines, however, it also doesn't make them worse like I experienced with Catrice 1 Minute primer.

4. Natural Glow - yes, it has a very small amount of mini shimmer that looks like a subtle natural glow. Unlike most glowy primers I’ve tried which look just too much, I like this one, though you won’t be able to see it on before/after pictures because it’s too subtle.

5. Anti-pollution - I have no idea.

6. Anti-oxidation - I don't know, as I have no foundation that oxidises to test at the moment, but primers overall tend to fix the problem of oxidation because the prevent direct contact with natural oils.

7. Pore minimizing - no, it's not comparable to mattifying silicone primers. It helps a tiny bit, but I've had better products.

8. Evens out the skintone - a bit, due to the tint, but it's less than 1 Minute Primer. The added niacinamide high on the list might help even out the skin with regular use.

9. Blurs imperfections - no, again it's not like mattifying silicone primers. The tint helps a bit, but this is pretty sheer.

10. UV protection - it has an SPF 15 which is nothing when you apply this in a regular amount. Another SPF under it is a must.

Shade: This comes in only one shade that's light-medium, but the tint is very sheer, so in a thin coat I don't even see this on my skin. Still I have to be careful around the edges of application to blend it out well otherwise I end up with dark patches. The tint is lighter and the formula has less pigmentation than at 1 Minute Primer Catrice has in a pot. 

Packaging: A standard soft squeeze tube. 

Ingredients: stand out ingredients are glycerine for hydration (3.) and niacinamide (5.) for brightening, anti-aging and clear skin, there's even some ginger extract, also an anti-ageing ingredients, but it's way too low on the list.

Price and availability: It costs 6.39 € in drugstores.

The 10 claims are of course exaggerated, especially when it comes to minimizing pores and blurring effect, but one look at the ingredients and I knew that's not what I was getting here. Instead of the mattiying primer that would do those things, this is a hydrating primer suited for dry skin. I'm particularly happy with the fact they didn't make it too highlighter-y and that the glow is actually a lot more natural because they didn't go overboard with the shimmer, as that one tends to emphasise the texture of the skin. I like it combines a primer + a decent skin care item with niacinamide high enough on the list, but the SPF should be much higher, 50 would be perfect and if they made either more shades or just remove the tint, it'd be perfect. Occasional pilling can be an issue with this one if you're rough with the application of the primer or products over it. 

Have a great day!

*PR product.

Catrice 1 Minute Face Perfector

catrice primer

Catrice 1 Minute Face Perfector

Admin   May 05, 2019   Comment  

Catrice had so many versions of primers over the years and this is just the latest. They describe it as a mousse, but it's more of a mix between a mousse and a cream. It promises to hide pores and skin imperfections, as well as it claims it can replace a foundation depending on the desired coverage. 

Texture and effect: The mousse-cream formula feels less silicone-velvety than primers I'm used to. Due to that it's also the least drying such primer I've tried, yet it leaves a matte finish. It hides/fills up more prominent looking pores and creates an even surface. It can't handle lines though and can make them so much worse in combination with more moisturising foundations. Foundation applies with no problems over it.

Shade: Catrice calls this an universal shade, but this is very dark for someone pale as me and I think anyone bellow light-medium skin tone won't be able to wear this alone. I need to be careful not to use a lot, blend it well and put some coverage over it, but it still ends up patchy looking on me, so I'm having trouble wearing this.  

Staying power effect: This lasts nice on my skin and unlike a lot of similar products it doesn't go all dry and cakey with time, but it also depends a lot on the foundation over it. I found that at more moisturising formulas it emphasises lines a lot time in time like I mentioned above and ends up so ageing. I would only stick to areas that need mattifying and hiding pores. It wears off nicely and evenly.

Packaging: This comes in a heavy glass pot with a lid. The opening is big enough that you can use a brush, but I prefer to apply this with fingers and in very small amounts.

Price and availability: It costs 6.39 € and is available in most drugstores. I'm not sure if this product is available on all stands or just the large one.

Catrice did an ok job on the formula when it comes to mattifying and hiding pores, though the discontinued Essence Mousse concealer was better. This is better suited for all skin types and it's less prone to drying the skin. However the "universal" shade ruins this for me. It's simply too dark and has too much pigmentation for my skin tone, so I can't properly wear it without the fear of looking patchy. 

Have a great day!

*PR product

L.O.V. RoyalLASH Superior Strength & Volume Lash Primer

L.O.V. mascara primer

L.O.V. RoyalLASH Superior Strength & Volume Lash Primer

Admin   March 11, 2019   Comment  

Superior Strength & Volume Lash Primer promises to make your lashes 3x stronger and more voluminous after 30 days, but its main task is still to add some extra volume, length and more curl in combination with a regular mascara. This is my first "individual" primer (not counting those 2-in-1 mascaras), so I have nothing to compare it to, but for a first try, it's not half bad.

It's completely white on the lashes and applies nicely with no clumps. It doesn't make the mascara application any more difficult unless the mascara you're using is already quite dry. A couple of coats of mascara on top covers the white tint with no problems. The promise I was most hoping to be true was that it adds more curl to the lashes, but it neither lifts the lashes on its own, neither does it hold the curl in place. In fact it acts like any regular formula mascara and not a waterproof versions like I wanted. In terms of adding length I also don't find it makes a difference, but when it comes to volume, it does a pretty good job, however, I've only noticed a difference when I did the before/after pictures, so it's definitely not as dramatic a difference as some might want.

 Just primer.

Essence Volume Styling on its own.

 Primer + Essence Volume Styling .

In terms of making your lashes stronger, more voluminous in time I can't say I've seen an improvement, but I haven't committed to using this daily because it's an extra step in my routine that I don't find that necessary. 

Price and availability: Primer costs 13.95 €. LOV is sold by Ličila.si, but sadly not this primer. L.O.V. it's sold in drugstores in some countries, but it's available worldwide through kosmetik4less.de.

For some added volume this does the job, but I resent that it doesn't do anything about holding a curl. The promise of long-term results sound intriguing, yet I haven't noticed anything and I have my doubts it'll make a big difference. It's only my first primer, so I really couldn't say how other are performing compared to this, but I wished for more length too, not just volume and the difference could be more dramatic.

Have a great day!

*PR product