Review | Catrice Cosmetics All Round Cover Stick 010 Nude vs Catrice Camouflage Cream 010 Ivory

Concealer is a big part of my makeup routine so I tend to stick to the ones that I know will get the job done. Recently, however, I had to change up my game because the concealer I was using just wasn't cutting it anymore and it was oxidizing on my skin. I switched to NYX HD Concealer for my under eye area but since it is not exactly cheap, I wanted a cheaper alternative for everyday use.

Luckily for me, Catrice Cosmetics have launched the All Round Cover Stick concealer and I got the shade 010 Nude to try out. Now if you have been following me for a while you would know that I already love the Catrice Camouflage Cream but since it is not that good to over up dark circles I like to keep it for covering up blemishes and minor imperfections on the rest of my face. Nonetheless, I am still going to compare both of these concealers to help you make a choice if you really have to ;)

Packaging wise, I like the All Round Cover Stick better for hygienic reasons because you just twist the bottom and the bullet comes out just like a lipstick and you apply it where you want; whereas the Camouflage Cream comes in a small pot that you either have to dip your brush or fingers in and I am not a big fan of that. That said, the latter closes more securely. Another minor issue I have with the All Round Cover Stick is that the product doesn't go all the way down in the packaging hence you have to be careful when replacing the cap. As for the amount of product you get, with the All Round Cover Stick it's 2.6g while with the Camouflage Cream it's 3g so you get slightly more. I'm not sure about the price though but my wild guess would be that the All Round Cover Stick comes at a slightly cheaper price.

Both shades bear the number 010 and while they are almost the same shade, the All Round Cover Stick is just a smidge paler and has more of a pink undertone than Camouflage Cream thus I think is perfect for use under the eyes to brighten the area further. The texture is somewhat creamy for both of them but the Camouflage Cream has an even creamier formula but both blend nicely into the skin.

Left: Catrice All Round Cover Stick 010 Nude
Right: Catrice Camouflage Cream 010 Ivory

Both concealers need to be set with a little powder and Catrice even claim that Camouflage Cream can be rendered waterproof in doing so. There really is no difference in staying power for the two of them though as I find they last all day on me.

Now I already said that the Camouflage Cream is not the best concealer for the under eye area just because it tends to settle in fine lines and crease after a couple of hours but it works wonders to cover-up blemishes on the rest of the face. However, with the All Round Cover Stick, as the name implies, you can use it to cover up dark circles and blemishes. So if I'm in a rush, I would just dab this concealer on the problem areas and I'm good to go!

That said, I really can't choose between the two because I like both these concealers and I will probably repurchase both of these. Both concealers are available in three shades that are not really suited for darker skin tones.

You can find Catrice products in authorised pharmacies and you can keep up to date with product launches and offers by following the Catrice Malta Facebook page and website.

Catrice All Round Cover Stick was given to me as a PR Sample.

Essence & Catrice Haul + Goodie Bag Show

Last April, you know I was invited to an Essence and Catrice event where us bloggers were introduced to the new products they launched locally. As usual, the people behind the brand here always make sure to give us a lot of products to take home and try out so in this post I will show you all the products that I got at the event as well as stuff that I bought myself. Let me know which products you would like me to review first :)

Essence

So first up is the much sought after Cinderella Trend Edition of which I only got three items - highlighter powder, a glitter topper nail polish and a nail polish. I skipped the blush and lipglosses because I have similar shades and the eyeshadow palette didn't receive very good reviews from overseas bloggers so I didn't really care for it. Unfortunately all nail polishes were gone save for the ones I got which were actually the last ones on the stand.

The highlighter powder (€3.50) comes in just one shade, 01 The Glass Slipper and I really love the embossed roses design and the pearly pink colour which is totally unique, in my collection at least. As for the glitter topper (€2.10), it also bears the name 01 The Glass Slipper and it has large and smaller silver hex glitters in an iridescent lilac base. The other nail polish (€2.10) is actually a very unique shade and I own nothing quite like it. It is called 04 Watch Out Lady Tremaine and I would describe it as a gold-based platinum-peridot kind of colour with a slight hint of pewter - it is really unique and worth having in your collection.

Next I have some eye products starting with eyeshadows of course. Essence have relaunched their mono eyeshadows with a new design and improved texture. There are 16 shades in all and here I have four to show you. The top three are in tester packaging but the actual packaging is that of the bottom one.

04 I'm Blushing* 

06 Pippa Mint*

08 Apricotta*

15 Hazel Me Not!*

Also from the new eye products range, I have the How To Make Brows Wow Makeup Box* which has everything you need to achieve perfect brows, no matter how dark or light your hair is!

Now next are the Effect Eyeshadows and Gel Eye Pencil Waterproof which are not new but it is m first time trying them and I can say that I really like both of these products! The Effect Eyehsadows (€3.00 each) I have are 01 Egypt's Treasure, 02 Brazil's Sunset, 03 Indian Lifestyle and 06 UK's Stonehenge. On the other hand, the Gel Eye Pencil (€2.40 each) shades I have are 03 Urban Jungle, 04 Blue Lagoon and 06 Cocoa Bean.

More new eye products come in then form or an Easy 2 Use Eyeliner Pen* and a Lash Princess  False Lash Effect Mascara*. I have high expectations from the latter product and I have also bought the older 'volume' version (€3.29) to see how they compare.

Moving on to lips, I have two lipsticks from the Long Lasting Lipstick Nude range and two XXXL Nude Lipglosses. The lipsticks are 01 Wearing Only A Smile* and 03 Come Naturally* while the liplgosses are 01 Shy Beauty* and 03 Taste The Sweets*. These are probably my favourite products from the whole bunch and I really like pairing them together. The Essence Silky Touch Blush in the shade 90 Summer Dreaming* is next on the list. While the Silky Touch Blush range is not new in itself, this shade is the latest addition to the collection and I really like this for summer.

I purchased two Essence Lip Liners after all the hype they seem to get and I am really satisfied with them! I got the shades 05 Soft Berry and 15 Honey Berry for €1.10 each.

I'm really happy I found the Powder Brush (€3.10) and Blush Brush (€3.00) just because they look so pretty in their new packaging and for the same reason, I want to get my hands on the other brushes in the set as well. I also bought a dual sharpener for just €0.99.

The last thing I want to share with you from Essence are nail polishes. They have revamped the Colour & Go range and it now goes by the name of The Gel Nail Polish. They even have a specific base and top coat to go with the range. Moreover, there are new ranges such as the I Love Trends The Nudes and a tone of new nail art items which I can't wait to get my hands on!

The Gel Nail Polish Base Coat*

The Gel Nail Polish Top Coat*

The Gel Nail Polish 04 Our Sweetest Day*

The Gel Nail Polish 11 4ever Young*

The Gel Nail Polish 25 Prince Charming*

I Love Trends The Nudes 05 Pure Soul*

I Love Trends The Nudes 07 Hope For Love*

However, while they are still on display, I bought four of the old Colour & Go Polishes for €1.70 each, 178 Hello Spring!, 180 It's Raining Men!, 190 Kiss Me, Freddy and 196 I Heart My Blue Jeans as well as the Better Than Gel Nails Top Sealer High Gloss (€3.07), Studio Nails XXL Nail Thickener (€1.90), Studio Nails Caring Nail Oil, Nail Art Special Effect Topper 19 Bird Of Paradise and Quick & Easy Sponge Nail Polish Remover Acetone Free.

Catrice

Moving on to Catrice, I have three new mono eyeshadow shades:

860 The Beauty And The Beige*

890 Here Comes The Bright!*

900 Li-La Bamba*

A few weeks after the event, I went ahead and bought on of the Velvet Matt Smokey Eyes Pencil in the shade 020 Avokhaki but I can't remember how much it was.

Besides introducing new colours to their exisiting lipstick ranges, Catrice have totally replaced the Ultimate Shine Lipsticks with a new range, Luminous Lipsticks and here I have the shades 030 Undercover Nude* and 040 Pretty Little Valentine*.

For the face, Catrice have a new foundation and concealer. I like both of these products very much and I use them nearly every day because they are so light in texture. Shown here are the Catrice 12h Matt Mousse Makeup 010 Soft Ivory* and Catrice All Round Coverstick 010 Nude*.

Lastly, here are some nail polish innovations from the brand. Like sister brand Essence, Catrice now also has a gel base and top coat designed for use with their polishes as part of a three step system. They also have a new range of colours and an Ombre Top Coat.

Ultra Stay & Gel Shine Base Coat* 

Ultra Stay & Gel Shine Top Coat*

Ultimate Nail Lacquer 71 CadiLILAC*

Ultimate Nail Lacquer 81 My Yellow Fellow*

Ultimate Nail Lacquer 83 All You Need Is Pink*

Ultimate Nail Lacquer 86 (S)wimbledon*

Ombre Top Coat 01 Colour Of Change

And that concludes this very lengthy post! Which products would you like to review? Have you tried any of the new products from Essence and Catrice?

Items marked with a * were part of the goodie bags

Tag | Get To Know Me

Last Monday I was tagged by the lovely Fiona over at Cruelty Free Malta to answer some questions about myself so the local blogging community gets to know each of its members better.

1. How did you get your blog / Youtube channel name?

I didn't really give it much though at the time, I just thought it sounded good.

2. If you could change your name to anything, what would it be and why?

I've been blogging for 5 years now and the name has kind of stuck so I wouldn't think of changing it.

3. If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be and why?

Don't worry too much, everything will sort itself out in due time, go on have fun and make experiences to learn from.

4. How old were you when you first learned to blow a bubblegum bubble?

Hmm probably 8? Maybe a little older.

5. What did you want to be when you were little?

I always wanted to be a veterinary when I was young, mainly because I love the sight of cats in general, no matter the size and colour :)

6. What's the hardest you ever laughed?

There are too many instances to pick just one.

7. If you could play any musical instrument, which would it be and why? 

Oh definitely the piano! I love the sound of it and listening to it relaxes me.

8. What's your favorite thing to do when your upset?

Ok don't judge me now, but buying new shoes always puts in a better mood. It doesn't solve the problem but it helps to put me in a better state of mind and calm me down. That, and looking at colourful eyeshadow palettes

9. What's your favorite movie?

I'd go with Sleeping Beauty. Yes, I know it's old and a cartoon but it brings back so many happy memories from my childhood when I used to watch it over and over again for hours on end.

10. What's one food you can not live without?

Cheese! If I had to be allergic to cheese, God forbid, there would be no more purpose for me to live.

11. What's your favorite dessert?

It's gotta be red velvet cake, mainly because of the cream cheese frosting.

12. Favorite pizza topping?

I don't really like my pizza to have a lot of toppings so I stick to the good old Margherita most of the time but if I'm feeling adventurous, I'd go for pepperoni.

13. Would you rather have the superpower to read minds, or the superpower to be invisible?

Both have their perks but the ability to read minds would be awesome I guess. 

14. What did you do for your last birthday?

I spent the morning shopping with two of my friends who also happen to be colleagues at work and in the evening, dinner at a nice Thai restaurant with the boyfriend.

15. If you had one personal "selfish" wish, what would it be and why?

Does having people do all the work while I sit back, relax and enjoy life count? If yes, that would be it ;)

Review | Born Pretty Store Mixed Colour Hexagon Glitter Powder 079

Who doesn't love a bit of sparkle? I know I do but for me, there's only so much glitter you can wear but luckily you can get away with a glitter bomb on your nails!

For something original, try these mixed colour hexagon glitter powders from Born Pretty Store! You can use them for glitter placement manicures and if you don't have time to apply each individual glitter one by one, you can always dip your finger into the little jar for a unique nail art design every time!

As you can see, the glitter powders come in these cute little transparent jars that hold 10g of glitter. There are lots of varieties to choose from and you can even opt for the finer glitter varieties too! I chose glitter mix 079 which has blue, pink and orange hex glitters that I used in this placement manicure where I alternated the colours along the line of my sideways French tip.

After they are sealed with a top coat, the tiny hexagon glitter will stay put and I like that they lasted as much as my manicure!

Get yours from the Born Pretty Store website at $2.45 per jar and enter the code EBABK31 at checkout for a 10% discount!

PR Sample

The Exit Interview Series | Volume #42

Here are last month's empties everyone :) 

First up, perfumes and deodorants which I go back to time and time again and I won't be switching brands any time soon. I love the long lastingness and fragrances by both Malizia and Impulse and I love to change the scents every so often by my favourites remain the vanilla based ones.

Next is a variety of skin care products including two masks from Montagne Jeunesse which always feel like a great pick-me-up for my skin and the Polaar Ice Pure Cleanser which I really like and will be repurchasing once I run out of the one I am currently using. 

I also have a couple of moisturiser samples my favourite of which is the one by Yves Rocher as well as a Vichy Dermablend sample of which I now have the full size. Vichy Dermablend has fast become one of my most reached-for foundations especially when my skin needs a little extra help and I totally recommend it!

Next I have two hair products which I both love but I will not be repurchasing the Yves Rocher shampoo simply because I've had lights done and I have switched to a shampoo for coloured hair but nonetheless, this shampoo did wonders at giving my hair volume so I do recommend it. L'Oreal Elnett is by far my favourite hairspray and thus I have already repurchased it. 

Lastly, two nail products. I have really been into sponge nail polish removers lately and this one by KIKO is a favourite of mine. It is the acetone version so I do recommend to apply a rich hand cream or cuticle oil after use but I like its rapid action at removing stubborn nail polishes. Lastly, I have Orly Clean Prep which is a firm favourite with my clients mostly because of its nice scent. It disinfects hands and feet to perfection prior to any nail service and I won't change it for anything else!

April & May Collective Haul

Since I had little stuff to show you in April, I thought it better to combine the hauls for April and May in one post which is a little overdue. I also have a ton of Essence & Catrice products to show you so stay tuned for a separate haul post ;)

I will start with the beauty stuff first with a little package from Born Pretty Store. BPS are releasing new stamping plates every so often and I really wanted to get some of their new large plates. I chose the following plates as well as some cuticle tattoos, French tip guides and a flashing nail sticker.

Next, from The Body Shop I bought a Fuji Green Tea Bath Tea and Diffuser as well as travel size shower gels and a shampoo that I needed to stock upon.

Moving on to fashion, this is the biggest purchase in this haul, the dress I bought for my cousin's wedding in April. I'm in love with it and can't wait to wear it again! Later that day I found a pair of shoes from Debenhams which were on sale and the last pair in my size that match the dress perfectly!

More from Debenhams, I bought this gorgeous pair of yellow flats, this pair of light blue pumps and ankle boots, all of which were on sale and feel extremely comfortable. I also bought this sleeveless polo shirt and two pairs of black trousers, a cute beach romper and a gold cuff.

I also bought this mint belt from Debenhams and my first bikini of the season from Peacocks. I like the vintage feel to it and the colour is perfect for summer :)

The last two clothing items are from Miss Selfridge (white crop shirt) and OVS (blue sheer sleeveless blouse) which I can see myself wearing a lot in summer.

Finally, from Mango I found this gorgeous bag on sale and these gold bangles which are firm favourites of mine to jazz up an outfit.