Review: Catrice Cosmetics

Catrice Cosmetics Review by All Dolled Up

For some reason I’ve never paid much attention to Catrice. I tried one or two products and wasn’t overly impressed so I basically steered clear… until now. Anna mentioned that she liked the Glam & Doll Volume Waterproof Mascara which was enough to ignite my curiosity in the brand once again and send me to my nearest Dischem at top speed. Here’s what I bought and what I thought:

Catrice Beautifying Lip Smoother

Beautifying Lip Smoother (R62)

This stuff looks like a dead ringer for the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector and in reality, they are indeed very similar. The packaging is identical, as is the flock-tip applicator which is really comfortable and satisfying to use. The shade I chose (040 Coffee To Go; a brown-tinged rosy colour) seems to have a tiny bit more pigment than the Clarins ILNLP but this is barely perceptible on the lips. It’s a great everyday lip product and it will be happily living in my handbag from now on. Overall, they feel and look very similar and the Catrice one is definitely a great, affordable dupe for the Clarins version.

Catrice Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm

Pure Shine Colour Lip Balm (R90)

I’m a massive lover of the Clinique Chubby Sticks and all the copycat products they spawned, so this was a no brainer for me. This product is another home run – juicy colour, a super-glossy, non-sticky finish, easy application and no sharpening required. The coverage is sheer but buildable – I loaded it on for an event recently and got really good colour payoff, but you could also swipe it on for just a touch of colour on the lips. This shade in particular (050 Cherry-ty) is a flattering raspberry colour that I think is going to get a lot of love this summer. They also smell delicious, as do the Beautifying Lip Smoothers.

Catrice Glamour Doll Volume Mascara

Glamour Doll Volume Mascara (R70)

You might as well know now, I’m not a fan. I had very high hopes (and maybe the waterproof version that Anna uses is better) but this mascara didn’t really do anything for me. The wand is very promising – slim, tapered and with lots of well-spaced rubber bristles. Application is easy, especially on those tricky inner corners of the lashline, but the effect is totally underwhelming. Not only did I hardly see any extra volume in my lashes but the formula is very dry and flakes badly. I like a drier mascara formula in general but this was extreme, and the way it fell down into my cheeks and under-eye area throughout the day was just plain irritating. Has anyone tried the waterproof version and liked it?

Catrice Re-Touch Light Reflecting Concealer

Re-Touch Light Reflecting Concealer (R70)

I recently ran out of my L’Oréal Lumi Magique Highlighter and you can’t get it here so I thought I’d give this one a whirl. It’s already made its way into a favourites video so you probably know by now that I think this is awesome. It has really good medium coverage (more than my favourite Clinique Airbrush Concealer) and definitely lives up to the “light reflecting” claim. It gives off a very subtle and sophisticated glow (no shimmer or glitter in sight); the kind of luminous finish that you usually only get from high-end products. I use shade 010 Ivory at the moment but I think I’ll need 020 Light Beige for summer as Ivory is almost too pale for me even now.

Catrice Longlasting Brow Definer

Longlasting Brow Definer (R60)

I’ve tried a couple of these felt-tip eyebrow pens before but never really warmed to them but I LOVE this! I think it probably has a lot to do with the fact that the colour (020 flASHy Brows) is spot on for blondes and the others I’ve tried have been a little too dark. It’s the perfect product for busy beauty buffs as I find it much easier to create an acceptable brow in only a few seconds; a pencil takes a little more time and precision. My only criticism is that it seems to dry out very quickly and the colour is very light – it only works on me because I literally have no brow hairs at all. I know Essence makes an identical product although I haven’t tried it yet – anyone had a go?

Catrice Multistyle Matt Eyeliner

Multistyle Matt Eyeliner (R62)

I prefer felt-tip liner to most other types because they tend to be so much easier to use. Using a brush with gel liner is a bit time-consuming and I find it easier to make mistakes with this method. Liquid liner is too runny for me and I don’t feel like I have control of the application. Pencils are great but you can’t usually get a super-precise, jet black line. I usually use the Soap & Glory Supercat Liner which is just brilliant and set a very high bar for this Catrice one. They have two main differences: the Catrice version has a wedge-shaped tip (the S&G one is more like a koki pen) and it’s matte, while the S&G one is a bit more glossy. I found the colour payoff excellent and the shape of the tip means you can do a thinner, more precise line or turn it on its side for a thicker one. The liner lasts all day and doesn’t fade or flake – it’s good stuff!

That’s a pretty impressive hit rate of 5 out of 6! Have you tried anything else from Catrice that you would recommend?

18 comments on Review: Catrice Cosmetics

  • Jane Tennet

    My absolute favorite Catrice product would be their Camouflage Cream – please tell me you’ve tried it?!?!? It’s 100% amazing.
    I also have the light reflecting concealer and love it, it’s such good coverage.
    I think I need to pick up that liner – I was looking at it the other day but managed to walk out of Dischem unscathed!

    • Jules (author)

      I’ve heard that the Camouflage Cream is excellent! Also, please teach me how to leave Dischem without buying anything?! 😉

  • Candice

    I really love their mascara!

    • Jules (author)

      Which one is your favourite?

  • Siobhan Hughes

    I love a few Catrice products – I’ve used the Camouflage Cream a lot, and am almost finished with my second pot, as it conceals any blemishes so well. I recently bought the Liquid Camouflage (a liquid tube version of the cream) and I got it in a slightly lighter shade, and it provides amazing coverage of dark circles and highlights under my eye area and nose so well!!! I’ve literally been using it every day, with BB cream or full foundation. This might just be a holy grail product for me now!

    I have 2 of their eyeshadow quads, one which I don’t like as the colour isn’t very good and the one shade is far to sparkly and chunky, but the other one I got (in bronzes and one bright teal) is perfect. The colours are amazing and last so well.

    I also have a luminising bronzer from one of their previous limited editions that is gorgeous, and they have an almost identical one, as well as a lighter one with their new limited edition range, and I also have the blush from the new range, which is subtle and gorgeous.

  • Prettiful Blog

    I love the lip smoothers! Their velvet eye liners are pretty good too.

  • Roz

    I tried the waterproof version of the Glamour Doll mascara and was happy in the beginning, super defining and separating but it smudged something terrible. I LOVE their matt bronzer, lipsticks and their Eyebrow Stylist, Oh and also the defining blushes 🙂

  • Svetlana

    I have been loving their blush this spring …. Illuminating Blush in the round clear packaging in the shade I am nuts about you. I bought it on Luzanne’s recommendation and the colour is really so flattering. It wears pretty well when fixed with MAC Fix+. I can also vouch for the Camouflage Cream as a cheaper alternative to the MAC concealer in the round pot. Long time ago, I used up a whole package of their single eyeshadow (which is no mean feat for me). It was a dead ringer for MAC’s quarry I cant remember the name but it was something “espresso”…Some disappointments – a foundation in a glass tube (sorry cant remember more) that did not blend and sat on top of the skin and the nail polishes which have the prettiest colours but zero staying power on the nail.

  • Bianca

    YES! The Camouflage Cream is incredible – been a staple for months for me. They also do a great nude eyeliner to brighten up the inner rims of eyes – mine are usually red! Their Nude Illusion Foundation is a definite dupe for Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk – just fabulous.

  • Astrid Sanders

    I just scooped the Waterproof version of the mascara (the last one at Canal Walk), also on recommendation from Anna, and love it! I don’t have much experience using waterproof mascaras, but decided that I’m over having panda eyes by the end of the day and it was cheap enought to try without guilt. I think it compares well to my Clinique loves (high impact and high length). Surprisingly it doesn’t really deliver in the volume department like, unlike the claims, but really lengthens and curls giving me ulta flirty lashes. Not completely natural, but not OTT either.

  • Tayla Calcott

    I love catrice so much I wish I could buy the whole range! This really helped narrow it down ⭐️

  • Samantha

    Your blog is turning me into a make-up junkie 🙂 I can’t go into a drugstore and not come out with with a lipstick, nail polish or blush..just to name a few. Haven’t been into Catrice much either. Needless to say based on this post, I will definitely be heading to Dis-Chem shortly to have a look at the range!!

  • Yashika

    Hi there, please help. I have dark lips what could I use to lighten my lips or what long wearing lipstick colour should I use. Thanks

    • Jules (author)

      Hi Yashika – anything with good coverage will cover up discolouration on the lips. The higher the concentration of pigment in the product, the more opaque it is, so liquid lipsticks tend to be good because they’re also long-wearing. You can try Stila’s range of Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks or L.A. Girl’s Matte Pigment Gloss.

  • Beri

    Greetings from USA!
    I am a transplant from SA in USA and current am an Independent Presenter for a (mostly) online make up and skin care products company. We have not launched in SA yet, but I saw that is sold at some salons. Have you don a review of the 3D Fiber Mascara?
    If you did, how long did it take to ship to you and was there any costs for customs? http://www.berisbohochic.com) that is currently sold in SA. Have you used this product? Have you done a review on it?
    If you did, how long did it take to ship to you and was there any costs for customs? Thanks so much!

    • Jules (author)

      Hi Beri – no, we have not tried the 3D Fiber Mascara

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