New week... new stuff!
Yes, it's that time of the year again - no, not Christmas (tho it may feel like it when you see all of these new products). No, what I am talking about the ritual shedding of skin that Catrice does twice a year, when it's time to say goodbye to old products and welcome new ones.
So, before diving into the new and intriguing stuff, let's first see what's retiring!
Oh man, look at all those yellow 50% off labels! So much stuff going away :(
BUT, this is also the perfect opportunity to try out some new stuff that you maybe never noticed before! Indeed, this is what I experienced - I found a few items that I legit never knew existed!
This time, there is a balanced amount of items on sale and no huge shocks like the entire ICONAILS being removed, like last time. Phew! I'm glad that I don't have to go through that shock again! Though I am surprised that the entire Tinted Serum Foundation is going away... are we going toward a more full-coverage effect? I hope so!
The whole Pastel Please and Dream In... ranges are retiring, likely to be replaced by a different trendy effect nail polish. Also, a lot of eyebrow products, interesting!
Oh... wait... the entire Matt Pro Ink Non-Transfer Liquid Lipstick is going away? Well, so much about not having any shocks... I hope the replacement is decent enough.
Some products had a very short lifespan; namely, the Glass Like Dewy Lip Tint and Metallic Spark Cream Eyeshadow (though not in Müller). I wonder why? Is something wrong with them or are they just not selling well?
But was this sale meh to me like the last one was (read here)? Good news! I actually found quite a few products that I wanted to try out, now that they are 50% off - as well as finally getting the Metallic Spark Cream Eyeshadow and the weird 4-way-brush! Yay! I never do lip tints but one shade of the Glass Like Dewy Lip Tint looked REAL nice when swatched. Also one more Pastel Please because why not?
Also, what are these??? The Invisible Matte Loose Powder and 18H HD Matte Powder Foundation exist??? I mean, I don't use powder foundations really, so it makes sense it never jumped out to me on the shelves. And the Invisible Matte Loose Powder was semi-hidden on the lowest shelf, I only noticed it because of the yellow tag. But now I have these two products that I am super excited for!
AND NOW....
That was the past, time to look to the future: the Fall/Winter 2025 Refresh! Perhaps it will be more interesting than the Spring/Summer 2025 ended up being? Well, let's see!
For ease of reading, I will be dividing this overview into sections focused on specific areas. This will make it easier for me to organise it, and it will be easier for you all to read, hopefully.
FACE
This is usually the first step in makeup routines, so it is logical to start with this area to me. And oh, are there plenty of products to check out! Most (all?) of the products are entirely new, not just new variants of old products. This is exciting! So, what do we have?
Whereas, if you used multiple serums, each with just one main active, you could still use them because they don't include everything but the kitchen sink, proverbially. Being lazy isn't good and this is being kinda lazy. Still, it might be very good, for all I know! The vitamin C serum is standard stuff, so, brightening. 5% is a good amount, but it isn't pure ascorbic acid. Still, a good thing to have! I already take vitamin C supplements and my sunscreen has vitamin C, so I don't need this serum, but it seems good!
Skin prepped, now onto makeup, starting with the primers and other such first-step products. And a golden dry oil? Well, this sure isn't made for pale skin... again. Sigh. I guess it could be nice if you are looking for a radiant golden glow but, then again, wouldn't a golden highlighter be easier to apply the exact amount of glow you want? Also definitely not good for oily skin, regardless of skintone.
For primers, there are two options: Bronze Glow Grip Primer and Soft Glam Foam Primer. Guess which one is only suitable for tan and darker skin? Yeah, the Bronze Glow Grip Primer, which is supposed to give you a sun-kissed look but even on model photos it just looks bad. It looks like a bad spray tan. Or like a certain politician. Way too fake orange. Like, what is that???
The second primer is what I am very interested in! I've never used a foam primer before! That's so innovative! And it surely must be airy and lightweight with such a formula. The slightly pinkish colour and golden shimmer is not something I am too jazzed about, but still cannot wait to try it out - this is a must-try product for me!
Next, an undereye brightener, but this time, liquid! Oooh! Anyways... well, at least it's available in 4 shades... of which zero are appropriate for pale skin. Figures. I doubt that 010/Light Rose would be light enough - and even if it was, not all pale skintones have pink undertones! So, pass.
Setting products get three items: the Blend + Bond Setting Spray, the Bright & Blur Setting Powder, and the Soft Blur Matte Setting Powder. The setting spray is eh for me; ever since I started using the L'Oréal 3-Second Setting Spray, I don't feel the need to try out any new ones. It's good that it's hydrating, though.
Now, the setting powders. The Bright & Blur Setting Powder comes in two shades, one for light skin and one for medium-dark skin. I am slightly worried that the pink one would still be too pink for my skin - if not a tad too dark, as well. It definitely seems to blur out pores quite well, judging by the photos. And the skin does look nicely bright and even. Interesting!
But what is more interesting to me is the Soft Blur Matte Setting Powder. Available in 6 colours, including a transparent one and a very light yellowish colour, there is truly a colour for everyone! I am always looking for a good blurring, mattifying loose powder, so that my skin doesn't look like an oil slick within a few hours. Hopefully, this powder will keep the oil at bay! I am definitely going to try this out!
For contouring, there is the Butter Like Bronze & Contour Palette, in two shades... again, the lighter one is much too orange and dark for pale skin. We need to contour, too! Shame, because this looked so promising to me. I would have loved to try out the buttery formula but it's simply too dark. Next!
Highlighting is next, and for this, there are two products: the Glass Like Highlighter Stick and the Aura Glam Balm Highlighter. Guess what? One of these is only for darker skintones... sigh, I feel like a broken record saying this but it's a recurring problem! The highlighter stick is supposed to give you that glassy skin effect. Interesting, but meh.
Now, the Aura Glam Balm Highlighter. This had so much promise. They claim that it's suitable for all skintones but I have eyes, I can see the colours. That deep rose and deep brown? It doesn't matter that there's some light pink in it as well, it will still be way too dark for us pale-skinned people! You can even see that in the swatch; only the light pink is suitable... and, while it looks amazing on the darker-toned model, I doubt that it will be usable for us. Man... why does everything have to be catered towards tan skin...
Come to think of it, Catrice have had issues with powder blush pigmentation for quite some time - the Blush Box, for example, was notoriously poorly pigmented. However, I am down to try 040/Midnight Berry, it looks like it might be a nice pink tone on pale skin!
That's the face. A few products that I find interesting but mostly the same issue again and again, which is, making stuff that is completely unusable for pale skin. Darker skin has good representation (mostly), so why skimp on us? I am mostly looking forward to the foam primer, that HAS GOT to be so wondrous!
Not the best start but oh well; let's continue with the...
EYES
Possibly, one of my favourite areas for makeup! I am torn between the lips and the eyes... but you can't do the same kind of creative looks on lips! I love to experiment with eye products, so this category is one I am usually most excited for. Now, let's see what's here! Ah, some variants, but mostly new products entirely - nice!
Starting off with the good old Kohl Kajal Waterproof, in two new shades! 190/Bright Nude is a light beige colour that will be useful for lining the lower lash line so that your eyes look larger. Always useful! However, it's 200/Pretty in Pink that I've got my eyes set on! Because ofc! I always need more pink in my life ~🎀🌸💟! And it's such a beautiful, intense pink! I simply MUST buy that one; I know it will be good because this won't be my first Kohl Kajal Waterproof. They are trusty little pencils.
Another ~ pink ~ variant is the Space Glam Liquid Effect Eyeliner, in this new metallic rosy pink. I don't need it... I don't need it... I don't need it. But it's so pretty! I know I was very dismissive towards it in my previous overview, but this colour is stunning. So I guess, if you want to draw me in, just make it pink, haha! I already bought the green variant (surprise to me, too), I still have yet to try it out and see how good this eyeliner is. That will determine whether I will get this pink shade.
Remember the Tiny Treasures Eyeshadow Palette? It was launched with the last refresh, and had 3 different colour stories (see here!). Well, now it has a fourth one: an icy blue mixed with gray colour story. Very fitting for winter, no doubt, but it's just bleh to me. It brings back Y2K memories... gosh, not that style of eyeshadow again. It doesn't even look that good on the model??? I will pass, no thank you.
I think this is another new variant? I believe I saw this mascara (Allround Mascara), but black, in stores. I don't believe for one second that it can truly be an all-in-one mascara, simply because there is a reason why there are so many different wand shapes and materials. One wand can only do so much. However, it does look like it offers a good deal of lengthening, which is nice! And it being brown is awesome! Brown is a much more understated colour for mascaras, and it looks - dare I say - better than black mascara on us pale girlies! But the effects aren't wow-ing me so... I think I'll pass.
I had a similar thing happen with the Essence Yee Haw! Jumbo Eye Crayon. So, that leaves 430/Pacific Teal, which is STUNNING! Idk why, I am just a sucker for these bright teals. Ever since I used a similar kind of teal in the Catrice 2025 Advent Calendar Eyeshadow Palette, I have been hooked on teals. So I may get this shade...
What's with so many unappealing oranges this refresh? I get that autumn is coming, but... idk, these oranges aren't it. "Jelly texture with a shiny wet-look finish" sounds like crease-city to me. Anything even remotely creamy or wet creases like crazy on my eyes, and since Cosnova has been using these kinds of formula a lot recently in their eyeshadows, this is just another one that I will ignore. I have had it up to here with eyeshadows creasing within 5 minutes so I won't subject myself to more of that, thank you.
Honestly? The swatches look terrible. 020/Fairy Dust looks dusty and bleh, though it is quite visible on pale skin, which is good. 030/Smokey Diamond is the worst offender; it looks uneven and smudgy (not in a good way) and just really, really bad. The colours aren't even that pigmented! 010/Hazel Spark is the best looking one, but how much would this colour even show on my skintone? It's barely visible on the model in the photos. Like, these swatches are not making me want to buy this palette. Why would I, when the model photos - which should show the product in its best state - are so bad? Though 010/Hazel Spark is pretty nice, I must admit...
Now, for the lashes, which get quite a few treats! Unlike eyebrows, which get absolutely nothing this time around. The first mascara I would like to check out is the Tubing Stay In Place Volume Mascara. Catrice doesn't have many tubing mascaras, and they never did have many in the past, even when they first blew up in popularity a few years ago. Tubing mascaras can be awesome or rubbish, and either are equally likely, in my experience. There shouldn't be any smudging or clumping with them, in theory. But sometimes, it does still happen. Why I love tubing mascaras the most, though, is because they are extremely easy to remove because the polymer tubes are sitting on top of your lash hairs, enveloping them, instead of actually dyeing them temporarily like most mascaras do. So this is great! But, this is supposed to be a volumising mascara... check out that model photo. This is one of the official photos for this mascara. Why does it look like a clumpy, barely-there, wet mess? You mean to say that this is what it should look like? That bad? And that people would want to go "yes, that how I want my lashes to look like"? I can get much better mascaras for the price of this one; ones that won't make my lashes look so messy. Sorry, but it just looks awful. See what I mean about tubing mascaras being either awesome or terrible?
I must say, the model photos are pretty darn convincing... there's so much lengthening going on! And a lot of volume as well! Also, so very black! I already have plenty of mascaras to try out but I am tempted...
PLUS, available in brown, as well, if that's more to your liking. I know it is to me! It's such a nice deep, warm shade of brown that is just enough of a difference from the black one. It's not aggressively brown, so it looks natural - much more natural than the black one. I would like it more if it were a tad lighter brown, but this one is great as well! Although, this shade wouldn't be the one I would pick...
Ah, that's all for the eyes. Overall, a mixed bag. I am still perplexed why some of these products even exist (Drunk'n Diamonds Eyeshadow Stick, e.g.), but I do really, really want a few of them. I simply NEED the pink eye pencil, and the teal Art Couleurs, and the burgundy mascara... maybe even the pink eyeliner! Okay, so a bit of good and a bit of bad. That's alright.
This is much better than the previous refresh, regarding the eye products. Hopefully, the lips will improve upon this? I hope there are more things to love with the next section!
LIPS
Ah, lips! How I love to experiment with all sorts of lip products! No matter if it's a lip gloss, liquid lipstick or anything else - I'm down to try most new things. Good, then, that this refresh includes a whole ton of new lip products, eh? And also some new variants for already existing products because they mustn't be forgotten! So, let's see...
Starting off the old-but-new-variant items is yet another new shade for the Plump It Up Lip Booster, this time a rusty reddish-brown that honestly reminds me of blood somewhat. Very pretty colour, but read the name - it contains menthol so NOPE! My lips don't tolerate plumping products well so I try to stay away from them.
Following that is a new shade for the Care In Colours Lip Balm, an... orange colour? But like a sickly orange? Seriously, what is up with all these damn orange shades??? This is already, what, the 5th (?) item that has some sort of unappealing orange colour? Anyways, colour aside, this is a lip balm that I have been interested in since it first launched last Fall/Winter refresh, I think. I have one shade but I have yet to try it out; in any case, I won't be getting this hideous orange colour.
Next, a new shade for a product that should be familiar if you've been following Catrice's refreshes (or read my overview!): the Melt & Plump Juicy Lip Plumper. Quite a nice mauvey rose shade, but, as I stated in my Spring/Summer 2025 Overview, I am not particularly interested in this product. Not just because it contains menthol, but also because (and I have swatched some shades on my hand between then and now) it really isn't noteworthy in terms of results. Just a bit of colour and a decent amount of shine. Maybe, if it didn't have menthol, I would consider getting it, but as it is, nah.
And lastly, for the new variants is something that really interests me a lot! A new shade for the Shine Bomb Lip Lacquer: a "juicy pink-coral shade", though it looks far more pink on hand swatches. It looks so gorgeous! Now, I haven't yet tried the Shine Bomb Lip Lacquer, but I do have one shade ready to test out. After I test that, I will decide whether to get this stunning colour as well (though I might buy it regardless of how much I like that one, haha).
That kind of smell can easily be nauseating in higher concentrations - I know it is to me, more-or-less depending on the part of the cycle I am currently in. Also, again with that annoying orange colour... I will definitely pass on this, just like I have for its Spring Awakening predecessor.
I guess this is more of a "lip gloss in a stick" kind of thing. Cool, I guess. If I wanted to single out one shade that I would personally pick, it would be 030/Too Glam To Give A Damn, the name is simply too fun (and it's so very pretty pink)! Plus, there is an old Essence eyeshadow palette with this exact same name! Hmm... the jelly-like texture and extreme gloss are drawing me in... I am still on the fence regarding this. We'll see...
Well, all 6 shades have very fun names, but the one that immediately stood out to me and made me chuckle out loud is 050/The Glossfather! LMAO! Like, that's just funny! Yeah, it's a warm-toned brown that likely won't look good on me, but the name is too good to pass up. Plus, I can always buy 030 or 040 later because this lip glaze is very affordable! Just 2.95€!
Anyways, I am really looking forward to trying it out and seeing whether it can actually repair damaged lips. But the main reason why I want to get it is because of the cushion/sponge applicator; I don't remember ever trying out a lip product that had this kind of applicator. This is usually reserved for concealers, highlighters etc, not lip products. Very curious about this! As for the colours, it is available in 5 shades, ranging from pinks, to peachy tones, to browns. I would pick 020/Gloss Angeles but the colour is just plain ugly to me. Sorry. So now I am torn between 010/Bae Watch and 030/Palm Punch... I like 010's name more, but 030 is definitely a prettier colour. Decisions, decisions!
It doesn't have any nourishing ingredients though... and the colours are mostly reddish. Ugh. But 030/Mousse-t Be Love (but it's over now!...) is SO PRETTY! Beautiful rosy pink... I am sure it will look gorgeous on pale skin! Indeed, it looks awesome on the arm swatch... but 010 looks almost as good. Agh... so many choices!
There's pretty much every "standard" colour there, and colours fit for both pale and very dark skin - we love inclusivity! They claim that it is soft, comfortable and kiss-proof - just like the old one. Hope that it looks a bit less crusty than the old one, though. Now, the Matt Pro Ink Non-Transfer Liquid Lipstick shade I have is called 040/Braveness Wins, which is a beautiful vibrant pink. I am looking for something that would be close to this so that I can compare & contrast the two lipsticks. And 040/Wifey is just perfect! Maybe a tad too violet, but it's way too gorgeous! But then again, 050/Kiss Me Quick is also gorgeous... oh man, how ever am I going to pick just one? I am extremely excited for this lipstick, though! Cannot wait to try it!
So... this was excellent, don't you think? This was the best part of the refresh, by far! So many cool and awesome products to try out! And so many stunning colours... it's impossible to pick just one! I am spoiled with choice here! I cannot wait for all of these to come to Müller so that I can swatch them myself! You've got everything here: lip care, lip gloss (and a LOT of it!), lip mousses, liquid lippies... ohhh, there are no "classic/bullet" lipsticks, I just noticed. Oh well, that's okay, when there's so many other innovative products to choose from, like the Colour Cushion Juicy Lip Oil. Fair trade-off, in my book!
Ah, this was swell! But there is one category left to investigate...
NAILS
Because what Catrice refresh would be complete without nail products? Catrice is well-known for having mostly incredible nail products; indeed, their old ICONAILS nail polish was adorned by many - myself included! I was heartbroken when I realised it was going to be retired and replaced with the Gel Affair range. But, aside from standard glossy nail polish, Catrice always offers bold new textures and colours. And nail care products, as well. And, as you can see, that all is represented in this refresh! So, what's here?
In any case, these are fantastic cololurs for both autumn and winter; oranges and reds and darker grays/blacks for autumn, and the off-white and denim blue for winter. Oh, and a bright pink for whatever reason. It's pretty, though!
And even when they are available, it's usually some sort of a green colour or a yucky puke yellow, for some reason. However, Catrice changes that with this range, as there are 4 colours that are nothing like those: dark red, rose gold, champagne, dark gray. Not a lot, but it's a good variety of colours! The red is definitely the most stunning, but I don't particularly like red nail polishes for specific reasons, so I am not interested in that shade. No, I want 040/Caught In Your Orbit, which is like a dark anthracite gray. And magnetic. Awesome! It reminds me of the Brave Metallics Nail Polish, 01/Starry Nights... that was one kickass nail polish! I have heard that drugstore magnetic nail polishes have trouble with the magnetic particles retaining their desired shape... hope this doesn't happen to this nail polish.
But how do you use a magnetic nail polish anyways? Most of the appilcation is the same as usual, but before the nail polish has a chance to dry, you need to hold a magnet over it so that you can shape the magnetic particles into the effect you want. You can even make a cat's eye effect! But you do need a magnet for this and I don't think it would be wise to use one of my old HDD neodymium magnets... if only I had a tiny nail magnet...
Oh, well, Catrice had that in mind, so they are releasing a small nail magnet alongside the Bold Magnetic Nail Polish! Nice! I had already bought one at Sinsay a few months ago, but it's god that this is part of the new refresh because not everyone will have done what I have. This is nothing too special, just a small, relatively weak magnet on a handle, so that you can hold it comfortably and use it precisely. Awesome foresight here! Wish Essence had done that 6 months ago, but oh well...
The other new range is the Glow Tint [x] Nail Polish range, featuring 3 nail polishes: Glow Tint Perfecting, Glow Tint Whitening, and Glow Tint Shimmer nail polishes. The Glow Tint Perfecting Nail Polish features botanical extracts and glycolic acid, so it should hydrate and care for the nails, while also providing chemical exfoliation via glycolic acid. Sounds neat, I just don't like the subtle red colour. It looks like what remains after you've been wearing a red nail polish and your natural nails are stained red. I hate it when that happens so I don't want any nail polish that resembles that.
Of course, this nail polish won't have that same impressive whitening effect, but it should help if any... mishaps... happen while using nail polishes. Maybe I should get this, just in case!
The third - and last - one is the Glow Tint Shimmer Nail Polish, which is just a subtly shimmery nail polish with a clear base. That's it. The shimmer is barely there. It honestly looks really meh, even on model photos. Nice that it, too, has caring ingredients (beetroot extract) and glycolic acid, but it really doesn't look impressive at all. And serves little purpose. Eh.
But since some people aren't in such a fortunate position, this nail polish should be good for them. Potentially, because I have no idea how good it is.
After that, there is the Cuticle Spa Nail Serum. Featuring cranberry fruit extract, vitamin E, grapeseed oil, glycerin and aloe vera, it should help hydrate the nails and make them less brittle. Sound pretty good! And very useful, especially if you wear and remove nail polishes all the time, like I do. But of course, it couldn't be a regular old serum, no. It just had to have glitter inside it. Why??? It was fine without that, I'm sure. Oh well, I will stick to my nail oils...
This is what Catrice has to say about this base coat: "Thanks to its innovative Stick & Grip Technology, the formula dries down to a slightly sticky texture—just like a gripping face primer—ensuring that nail polish clings perfectly to the base for ultimate lastingness.". Ah, makes sense. A grippy texture will allow the polish to have something to, well, grip to. But I've had problem after problem with various base coats, including Catrice's. Most of the time, they peel off my nails, taking the nail polish with them and wasting all the time I had spent painting my nails. This is why I probably won't get this, I somehow feel like the same will happen again... maybe it's just my nails that are defective...
For the ideal manicure, you also need a top coat after painting your nails, so that the polish is sealed and protected against chipping and scratches. For this, we have the Gel Affair Ultimate Stay Top Coat. It only made sense to have this in addition to the base coat. Apparently, "ultra-glossy, plumping gel-effect finish", which sounds very nice! I love it when nail polishes are very glossy, but I am worried that the gel-effect finish might be too goopy and lead to scratches. I would like to be proven wrong! However, I have the same issue with top coats as I do with base coats; they often peel off for no reason and take off the entire nail polish with them.
Now, I am not saying you don't need a top coat, but for me they have often been more trouble than they are worth. And plenty of them did not even protect against scratches... so what's the point? Maybe this one would finally be "the one", but I don't really care to find out.
This would be all the nail products. Honestly, not much that I would consider getting. But if you are somebody who likes dark nail polishes, then the new shades for the Gel Affair range will probably be to your liking. I might get the dark gray magnetic nail polish and the whitening nail polish, but otherwise, I think I am set.
OVERALL
So, there we have it! The entire Catrice Fall/Winter 2025 refresh thoroughly checked out and shown to you all. I am honestly satisfied with this refresh; I have stuff that I want from pretty much every category, even some that I didn't think I would want but I do, I actually do!
Of course, it's sad that most face products are not suitable for pale skin, so they are an automatic ignore to me, but the lip products more than make up for this! So many wondrous new formulas and applicators and the colours! Oh, the colours are just beautiful! And quite a few beautiful pink products to satisfy my inner Barbie!
I finish this feeling happy and content, but my question to you all is: which of these products interest you the most? If you'd like, leave a comment below, I would love to see what others think!
And most of all, thank you for reading to the end! If you've come this far, you're the real rockstar and MVP! 😎🌟
Soon, it will be Essence's turn to show off new products and I will, of course, be on the scene covering it when it happens.
See you soon!
Maja
Maja
ADDENDUM!
It seems that I missed one product because it only just popped up on Catrice's website, after I had already finalised the product pictures. The product is called Blur Perfect Mattifying Powder Waterproof and it honestly pisses me off so much. Just one shade??! And of course it's a freaking tan shade because of course. I am seriously getting angry at this point; limited edition after limited edition, most of the products are made for medium-and-darker skin, rarely for light skin and even more rarely for pale skin.
Look, it looks amazing on the model, it really does. The coverage is amazing and the skin looks blurred out and almost like it's got a filter on. As someone whose skin has a lot of texture and is very shiny, I would have loved to try this out but, sucks to suck for me, I guess. What am I thinking being this pale, right??? I'm so fed up...
Also, check this statement and then compare it to the swatch: "The translucent shade blends effortlessly on all skin tones without leaving a white cast." Oh yeah? All skintones? Is that why they are only swatching it on medium and dark skin? Is that why it's slightly too dark for even that medium skintone? I call cap on that.
I didn't want to end it like this, but I guess this is how it goes today. And to think I was in a good mood before this stupid powder...
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