Essence Longlasting Lipstick: Matt Wanted

Hello ladies! I already talked about a few lipsticks from this line, it's essence's longlasting lipsticks. Most of them do not have a matt finish; however, recently they came out with some matt ones. I already reviewed two matt shades, and now here is the one that's left: no. 18, Matt Wanted.

Type of product: dark red semi-matt finish lipstick

Brand: essence

Product name: Longlasting lipstick, no. 18, matt wanted!

Price: 20 kn (3.8g)

Rating: 5/10

Would I repurchase: Probably not, this shade is not my cup of tea.

My opinion: First of all, I don't think this lipstick can be qualified as longlasting: you can get 4 hours out of it, but not even that much if you're drinking or eating. I like the packaging and the shape of the lipstick because it's easy to work with. Application is easy, this shade (as all of their lipsticks) easily slides onto your lips. I'm not loving this shade as much as I love no. 14 (no.14 is also a matt red shade). This shade is all sorts of wrong for my skin tone. I do not usually wear such dark red shades. It's not an ugly shade, don't get me wrong, it's just sort of a dark, deep wine-red which is not what I usually go for. I just don't wear similar shades, so I guess I don't like how this looks on me (it would look nicer on a tan person, IMO). Another thing I do not like is how much it accentuates the dry parts of my lips. It literally makes every line stand out. And the finish is not a creamy-matt, it's more of a matt with a metallic-shine crust on top of it. This sort of an unusual finish has made a few girls say it's not really a matt shade. It is, but it's like it has a oil-spill effect to it. I'm not liking it. When I wear this shade, I usually apply it, and then dab some of it off with a tissue so that I'm only left with a stain, because that way it doesn't look as heavy as it does when you do not dab most of it off. Below you can see the swatches, and I also compared it to the 'brother shade', the no.14 from the same line. No. 14 is a much better fit for me, and I like it a lot better. Unlike no. 14 which has a strong pink undertone, this shade is all red.

This product is for you if: If you're looking for a darker shade of red, and you have a budget. If you're just starting with matt lipsticks, this range is great for beginners.

You should avoid this product if: If you have Catrice (or better) matt lipsticks - because after those, this one's formula will be a disappointment. It's not a total disaster, it's workable, but there is a notable difference in quality.

Links: CLICK HERE to check out my review of the other two matt shades from this essence line.

Comparison: I compared both red matt shades from this line: no. 18 and no. 14. Personally, I prefer no. 14, it's a better fit for my skin tone, and I like the formula a little better.

Hopefully this post was helpful. I'm not so crazy about this shade, I prefer no. 14. However, this essence line is great because you have a wide variety of good lipsticks for such a cheap price. And brand new shades are coming to the range soon (I'm really excited about some nude ones). However, I prefer Catrice's matt lipsticks when it comes to drugstore brands available here.

Thanks for stopping by, don't forget to follow me on Facebook and my other social media.

Love, J.

Read more »

Catrice Absolute MATT Eyeshadow Palette: Swatch And Review

Hey everyone! When I saw the promotional photos, I knew I had to have this product: the gorgeous Catrice Absolute Matt Eyeshadow Palette. I already had Nude (but I skipped Bright because it sucks, LOL) so I needed this to complete my 'collection'. When Nude came out, I immediately said how happy I'd be if there was a matt version - and here it is! Yaay! I am a palette 'nut', so naturally I love this product and I've been enjoying it so much!

Type of product: Eyeshadow palette, 6 matt shades
Product name: Catrice, Absolute Matt Eyeshadow Palette, 010 Eyes Wide Matt
Price: 39,90 kn (6g of product)
Where to purchase: Muller (Croatia)
Rating: 10/10
Would I repurchase: Yes
My opinion: Let me start off by saying I've been really enjoying this palette and I use it almost daily. It's just what I was looking for: the colors are soft and easily blendable. Now, when it comes to palettes, I love them all, so it's hard to be objective, but I'll give it a try. The packaging is sturdy and you can bring it with you without fear of it breaking. All the shadows have basically the same texture, which is quite powdery (soft surface and a bit dusty). At first I was afraid that there would be a ton of fallout on my cheeks while applying these shadows. However, I was wrong and have no fall-out problems. All the shades are matt and give a matt finish which I adore. The colors have the same durability as any Catrice matt eyeshadows (which is pretty good). I always use eyeshadow base though, so I can't say how they behave without the base. Application is easy. Now, on to the individual shades:

1: A soft white matt shade. I do not use it under my brow (too light for me), but I do use it for the inner corners of my eye. The shade isn't very pigmented, so it's great for me, since I don't like the chalk-look. This shade is barely visible on my skin if I apply a thin layer.

2: A nude-pink shade. Barely visible on my fair skin. This is the shade I use under my brow: it's a very nice matt highlight shade.

3: A light brown with a hint of a rose undertone. This shade is very light (none of the shades are very pigmented, they're light, which makes them easily blendable and great for everyday; also great for when you're in a hurry and want a little smokey eye, but don't want to look like a panda).

4: A nude brown shade, with a purple undertone (visible in the sun). This shade is everything, it's my favorite in the palette.

5: A true brown, great for inside the crease.

6: A dusty brown-black shade (again, not with strong pigmentation). It seems black, but again, lacks the intensive pigmentation to be very black, so it still looks more brown-ish.

Conclusion: I love all my palettes, but I've been using this one a lot. It's just what I was looking for: great for an everyday look, the shadows are really matt (which I love). The ''lack'' of pigmentation is a plus for me, since I needed some matt eyeshadows with light pigmentation to use in a hurry. The shadows are easily blendable, and, despite I was afraid this might be the case, there isn't a lot of fallout on my cheeks. Also, you can apply just a little, or you can build up the colors for a more dramatic look. Overall, I'm happy with this palette because I got exactly what I was looking for.
This product is for you if: If you love matt eyeshadows, if you're into the Kylie Jenner look, or if you love Catrice eyeshadows.
You should avoid this product if: If you don't like matt eyeshadows, if you're looking for shimmery eyeshadows, or if you need eyeshadows with very strong pigmentation.
Swatches: I'd say the swatches are true to real colors. The eyeshadow base goes through the middle of the swatches - it makes a slight difference.
Links: My review of the Catrice NUDE palette HERE

Catrice Limited Edition Palette review HERE

Here is the brush that comes with this palette, it's quite similar to the brush from the NUDE palette. Nice try Catrice, but I honestly take out these brushes and I never use them. They're just not my thing.

As far as comparisons go, I do not have the BRIGHT palette (because it sucks), but I do have the NUDE one. Honestly, there's no point in comparing them: one is full of matt shades, the other is full of shimmery shades. I love both palettes, so pick and choose what you prefer. Obviously, all the shades are different.

So, this product arrived in Muller about a month ago, but they still did not have testers out. However, I think they put out most of the testers last week, so hopefully now you can check out this palette before buying it. I know many of you loved the NUDE palette, I wonder if the MATT palette will have the same effect. Will you get it? Are you excited about this palette? Let me know, and thanks for stopping by.

love, J.

Read more »

Catrice And Essence Sale, August 2014

Bok svima! Trenutno u dm dućanima traje essence sniženje (dok su novi Catrice proizvodi već stigli), a u Mulleru traje i Catrice i Essence sniženje. Dio proizvoda sam već ugrabila (kliknite OVDJE za taj post), a ovo je iz drugog 'pohoda'. Svi essence proizvodi na sniženju su 9,90 kn, a Catrice su 16,90 kn.

Essence, All about matt!, Oil control make-up base: Ovu bazu obožavam, ne isušuje mi kožu, zaglađuje ju, a matira me bolje nego išta. Inače, ovu bazu više neće držati u dm dućanima (ali moći ćete ju ugrabiti drugdje), pa ju se isplati uzeti sad kad je snižena (snižena je samo u dm dućanima, ne u Mulleru). Inače, ne vjerujem da ovaj proizvod treba koristiti svaki dan, ali budući da imam jako masnu kožu, definitivno ju uvijek imam pri ruci. Recenzija OVDJE.

Catrice, Ultimate Colour Lipstick, 270 Matt-erial Girl: Ne znam zašto mi je tako dugo trebalo da uzmem ovaj ruž. Dugo sam ga gledala, ali nisam bila sigurna bi li mi nijansa odgovarala. Sada kad ju imam, u jednom danu postala mi je favorit! Ruž je mat, predivne teksture, stvarno obožavam sve Catrice mat ruževe. Apsolutno preporučujem! Ubrzo dolaze dvije nove mat nijanse u novu kolekciju, ako volite mat ruževe, to je nešto što se isplati škicnuti. ;)

Catrice, Absolute Eye Colour Mono Eyeshadow, 710 Lilac Del Rey: Što reći - obožavam Catrice sjenila. Sve je super - od pakiranja, do teksture i kvalitete. Ovo je divna tamna ljubičasta nijansa, šteta što je otišla, ali nova ljubičasta nijansa dolazi (već ju možete pronaći u dm-u, ako ste slabe na ljubičasta sjenila).

Essence, Mono Eyeshadow, 70 Fox In The Box: Inače ne uzimam essence sjenila (pokleknem samo kad je popust), ali stvarno su sjajna. Preferiram Catrice zbog pakiranja, ali essence ne zaostaje. Ova nijansa izgleda potpuno drugačije na suncu i u mraku (u mraku je zemljano-smeđa). Padam na zlatna i brončana sjenila, šta ću kad sam slaba... :P

Essence, Sun club, Shimmer bronzing powder, 10 Sunkissed: Budući da preferiram mat proizvode, odlučila sam napraviti promjenu i uzeti shimmery bronzer. Ovaj proizvod SNAŽNO miriši po kokosu. Miris me poprilično odbija. Nijansa je ekstremno blaga, jedva da se primjeti, ne vjerujem da bi se uopće vidjela na tamnijoj koži. Skoro pa je ovaj proizvod potpuno proziran, na koži ostane samo lagani shimmer, pa je ovako ok za u žurbi, posebno ako ste na moru. Samo za JAKO svijetlu kožu.

Essence, nail art effect nails, 08 I'm so glamour: Ove perlice za nokte obožavam, kad sam ih krenula koristiti iznenadila sam se koliko dugo traju na noktima. Super nijansa, super zabavan proizvod. Za sve koji vole hot pink.

Essence Studio nails, XXL nail thickener: I jedna baza, eto da se nađe. Ne mogu reći je li dobra ili nije, jer sam ju samo jednom isprobala. Njihovim lakovima sam za sada stvarno bila zadovoljna.

To je to za danas, znam da je puno vas kupovalo proizvode na ovom sniženju - jeste li ugrabili nešto dobro? I love a good bargain! Čitamo se brzo, pratite me preko bloglovina, a možete me pratiti i preko Twittera i Facebooka, gdje ću javiti čim spazim nove proizvode u dućanu.

xoxo, Jelena

Read more »

Nail Look: Avon Matte Top Coat

I love nude nails, and this matte top coat takes it to the next level.

Products used:

Base coat: Avon, Nail experts, Peeling and brittleness solver

Nude nail polish: Eveline cosmetics, miniMAX, 9 days long, no. 496: very long lasting, 1-coater, a nude cappuccino shade, with a pink undertone (in the sunlight)

Matte top coat: Avon, Nailwear pro+, Top Coat, Destination Peach: long lasting, mattifying, but has pearl-like shimmer to it (visible in sunlight). If used over stamping, you need to be careful, because it might smudge the design.

Links:

See what a difference this matte top coat makes, you can see this nude Eveline nail polish without top coat IN THIS POST

How to make the heart stickers CLICK HERE

Do you like the heart stickers? Are you a fan of matte top coat? Let me know, and thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to follow me on bloglovin. ;)

xoxo, Jelena

Read more »

Black Widow Spider Nail Look

Hey everyone! This look was inspired by the colors on the black widow spider. I can honestly say, since working on this for a few years, I'm not afraid of spiders, but I am not comfortable when a big one decides to move into my home. But still, they do a lot of good (unless they bite you and you die hehe), so this look is for all my spider friends - please stay in my garden, thanks. LOL

Products used for this look:
Index and Middle: essence, nail art stampy polish, matt, 002 stamp me! black (10/10)

KKCenterHk product: N.NAIL 2.5mm Circle Glitter in Gold (NNAIL-HSA1-2-5mm), available HERE (10/10)
My review of this product HERE
Ring: Catrice, LE Rocking Royals, C05 Of Royal Blood, (10/10)

Catrice, LE Rocking Royals, Velvet Nail Powder, C01 Of Royal Blood (10/10, loving it!)
Small: Catrice, LE Rocking Royals, C05 Of Royal Blood (matte polish)  (10/10)

If you're wondering where my thumb is, I've slammed it a while ago and now I have a weird dent on it. It will take some time to grow out, but if it looks weird on pictures, I just don't feature it. What do you think of this look? Are you into velvet nails? They're so cute and fuzzy, I love them <3 Thanks for stopping by,

xoxo, Jelena

Read more »

Catrice 'Meet Rosy' And 'Meet Nudy' Matte Lipsticks

If you follow my twitter, you know how excited I was about this LE collection by CATRICE, “Une, deux, trois”. Check out the collection HERE. It features matte lipsticks, nail polishes, duo blushes and a mini kabuki brush. I've decided I do not like the duo-blushes, so I will not get them, but they seem to be amazing, just like (almost all) Catrice blushes. I got the two lipsticks (Velvet Lip Colours) I wanted the most - and I ended up being very disappointed. The colors look amazing swatched - but not on me. Ok, I guess I should have known with the 'Meet Nudy' that it's a hard-to-pull-off shade. But 'Meet Rosy' looks weird on me as well. And that's just the shade. The texture is not nice at all. They are very chalky, they leave little particles across the lips, they're difficult to apply, and they smell (and taste) kind of strange. If I want to make them work, I have to really moisturize and prepare my lips, and dab the lipstick on with my fingers. You really have to bend over backwards to make them work. To be brutally honest - I was in love with them - until I tried using them.

Gorgeous swatches above, right? But the texture, well, observe below.

Maybe it's me. Maybe I'm having a bad lip week. Maybe my lips are very dry. Maybe I'll love them in a week, but I wanted to write this post before these are completely sold out. I will try to make them work, so hopefully I'll get some use out of them. I am in love with the semi-matte lipsticks from the ''Feathers and Pearls'' Limited Edition collection by Catrice, but these are not for me. 'Meet Rosy' is sold out almost everywhere, so if you did not get it, don't cry. I might go back for 'Meet Cherry', because that one seemed to have a creamier formula than these two. 'Meet Berry' is far too dark for me, and as far as 'Meet Pinky' goes, it's a bold shade, so I'm not sure when I might wear it, and because the texture is difficult to work with, I will stay away from it. Did you try any of the lipsticks from the collection? Opinions?

A shame. If they were better, I'd get them all, look how gorgeous they seem:

Read more »