Maychiri's Thoughts: Lipstick

NYX Love Lust Disco Suède Matte Lip Kit [LLDSDKIT06 - Alien] Review

June 29, 2025

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Catrice The Great Christmas Advent Calendar Full Shine Lipstick [C02] Review

December 11, 2024

The second of two Full Shine Lipsticks in this Advent Calendar, and the darker of two. I think it’s good to have some variety, especially with lip products, so I like that Catrice has given us not one lipstick, but two whole lip sets, lipstick + lip liner! And it’s savvy to make one neutral light and one dramatic dark. This colour has been spoiled to me by the lip liner, so I already know I am going to enjoy it; this is a dark rose kind of colour that I am sure is going to be awesome for winter! And it’s going to go so well with my Pupa Winter Blooming Nail Polish! However, I am cautious still as the first Full Shine Lipstick had some issues with dryness, and, seeing as this is pretty much the same just a different colour, I am worried it’ll be like that as well. Well, only one way to find out – so, shall we?

Packaging: now this solid gold case isn’t special anymore as I’ve already seen it on the C01 lipstick :’( . Still, let’s marvel at it – it is a solid gold block! Well, not real gold, but let’s pretend it is, shall we? This is already spectacular, but it’s also reflective, which makes it look even more luxurious and expensive! However, it is a fingerprint magnet, as all reflective metallic surfaces are. Guess I’ll have to polish it regularly then! The only detail is the Catrice logo, in darker gold (and an information sticker), but, really, it’s best not to tarnish this beauty with too much needless details. Let the gold speak for itself! There’s also a coloured sticker on the bottom that does match the colour of the lipstick quite well.

One thing I noticed is just how light this case is; this slightly ruins the whole luxurious feel of it as it feels cheap, it should feel heavy and dense. Anyways, the cap closes pretty tightly. The inside is solid gold as well! The retracting mechanism feels a tiny bit cheap as it is kinda wobbly, but in general it is sturdy enough. It retains the level of retraction and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to retract the lipstick. Pretty good build quality thus far!

Now, this bears special mention: the bullet. The work of art Catrice have created on this bullet is just next-level. It’s no longer a surprise to me, as I’ve already seen it on C01, but I am still blown away by the craftsmanship here! To laser-cut all these details when they and no actual need to... this is incredible! Just look at those art deco designs on the bullet, I kid you not, this is one of the most beautiful lipstick bullets I have ever seen! Though, if you want an even more elaborately designed bullet, check out the Essence Love, Luck & Dragons Creamy Lipstick! Let’s get back to this one, though. One side has this amazing art deco design, while the other has the Catrice logo. You know, the bad thing about these super detailed bullets is that the artwork on them is going to be destroyed eventually as I am using the lipstick! This makes me sad and makes me not want to use the bullet, just so that I can preserve the art – but, some art is made to be ephemeral, and there is beauty in that which isn’t forever.

Ingredients: vitamin E for nourishment. No parabens. The scent is, just like with C01 and the lip liners, a match made in heaven for me! For me, because I am a chocoholic and this legitimately smells like rich chocolate – yumm! Like, when you melt hot chocolate and add just a bit of milk so that it’s super rich and gooey... oh, now I am hungry. The expiration date is 18 months after opening.

Here’s a nice swatch so that you can see what this lipstick looks like. The colour is the same as yesterday’s lip liner, and the formula feels pretty much the same as the C01 Full Shine Lipstick... makes sense, after all!

Wearing just this lipstick

Colour: dark intense rosy kind of colour, though it may look more red depending on your skintone. I notice that it looks way more red on me when I use foundation; on bare skin it is more rosewood-like. It’s got neutral, maybe slightly warm undertones, so it meshes well with most skintones. It certainly looks intense and dramatic on my pale skin! It’s an almost raspberry kind of rose colour, which is so incredibly elegant but also unexpectedly sexy! It looks even more sensual when paired with the matching lip liner, but even on its own, this colour is really fricking nice. And it’s an awesome winter colour, perfect to contrast with the cold and snow! I do think I love this colour more than C01’s, it’s just so sensual and intense!

Wearing just this lipstick

Pigmentation is, unlike C01, very intense. One layer is already enough to get intensely red lips, and additional layers don’t really add much. But they also don’t ruin everything, so it is safe to layer it in multiple layers. I am wondering why C01 had such lacking pigmentation, when both are ostensibly the same thing, just different colour? This is not at all like the usual shiny Catrice lipsticks, this is seriously pigmented and vibrant. I am very happy for this, don’t doubt that!

Wearing just this lipstick

Applying this lipstick is a breeze! However, since it is much more pigmented and dark, you have to be more careful how you apply it so that it doesn’t end up being too smudgy. But since it is so soft and creamy, it applies easily, with no tugging or pulling at the lips at all! And it applies evenly as well, so no need to fiddle with it trying to get it to look even! Just note that, if you want a perfectly lined cupid’s bow, you’ll have to use a lipstick brush, as this bullet isn’t precise enough for that. I can get it to look good, but it would definitely look better if applied with a lipstick brush. Or you could just use the matching lip liner!

Wearing just this lipstick

Oh my, this is a very thick lipstick formula! It feels thick and waxy but also very creamy, which is amazing! It feels slightly heavier and waxier compared to C01, but it is still every bit as luxurious. And excellent for winter, as well! It should be able to help keep lips from becoming too dried out from the cold, at least, that’s what it feels like!

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C02

The texture is fairly shiny, but I don’t know that I’d call it ‘full shine’ exactly. However, it looks so juicy and plump, which, in turn, makes the lips look plumper! It visually softens the fine lines of the lips, which further adds to this juicy kind of finish. I’d say that this texture is quite close to a demi-matte one, but it is a bit more glossy. It just looks so deep and luscious! After a while, it loses a good amount of that shine, and becomes much more demi-matte, I think I might even prefer that to the initial texture. But either way, a super kissable texture, isn’t it?

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C02

I think that this lipstick is pretty comfortable to wear for the first few hours, but it already feels quite waxy and thick formula the start, so it’s not the most lightweight and ‘easy to forget it’s there’ kind of lipstick. It feels more like a nourishing lip mask than a lipstick; I don’t mind this a lot, but I would prefer a lighter formula. C02 feels like it is suffocating my lips a bit more than C01 did. After a few hours, it changes into a much more waxy formula, which isn’t the worst to wear, but I’ve has more comfortable lipsticks. However, this is a common occurrence with these shiny lipsticks; they often have very thick formulas. It also becomes drier with time, but that comes with the added benefit of it feeling much lighter as well. But, by far the worst thing is that damn dry crust it creates on my lower lip. Oh no... so it isn’t as emollient as I thought it was from how thick and creamy it is. I was hoping it wouldn’t do that, I am tired of lipsticks causing that. It’s very uncomfortable and, of course, means that the lipstick does, in fact, dry out my lips. My lips feel noticeably more dried out after a whole day of wearing this lipstick... this is such a shame, it seemed so good before this. But since it literally doesn’t have anything to hydrate the lips, I should have known that this would happen...

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C02

Longevity is okay, but it’s really not good in any sense of the word. Shiny lipsticks tend to be like this, though, especially Catrice’s shiny lipsticks. It doesn’t fade throughout the day on its own, but the edges struggle to stay in good condition. See, it starts to feather and smudge on the edges and especially on the cupid's bow after some time. And remember, this is a very intense colour, so the damage is very visible! The damage is minimised by wearing the matching lip liner; in fact, it survived a whole day and a shower mostly intact when I applied it on top of the matching lip liner! But worn on its own, you’ll have to reapply it multiple times a day – especially if you eat or drink anything! This lipstick is not at all transfer-proof so a good amount of it will smudge onto whatever you are eating. And it doesn’t even have to be greasy food! It was in very bad condition after a meal, half faded from the centre and overall much more smudgy. Obviously, this requires touch-ups as you really cannot keep it this way. It just looks too messy. While this is bad, I am used to satin/high shine lipsticks being exactly like this, so it isn’t a surprise. Well, at least it’s easy to apply, so it doesn’t take a long time to fix the damage. My advice is to never wear it without a lip liner underneath – you’ll save yourself so much hassle this way!

I had no issues removing this lipstick. Micellar water removed it easily, and there were no stains. I expected it to be this easy to remove, since C01 was just as easy to remove.

All in all, I think I like this lipstick a tad more than C01! It’s the colour – my god, it’s such a seductive, sensual colour! I am a sucker for these dark raspberry kind of colours, especially in wintertime. They hit the spot when it is cold outside and there is snow... it’s a real mood! This is a much darker and more dramatic lipstick compared to C01, so you could see this as the evening option to C01’s day option. But it works during the day as well, especially with a good smokey eye! The lipstick is creamy but also pretty waxy and a bit heavy, though it applies easily. Even if your lips aren’t in good shape, they will look soft and luscious with this lipstick on! Although it is a dark colour, it doesn’t emphasise the fine lines of the lips – it actually soften them visually! This only adds to the seductive nature of this lipstick. However, it is sadly not the most comfortable lipstick to wear. It’s just too waxy and it is drying, as well. My lower lip is proof, after a few hours I develop this annoying dry crust on it that becomes quite bothersome and uncomfortable. After I removed the lipstick (which was super easy btw), I noticed how dried out my lower lip was. It wasn’t horrendous or anything, but I still needed a lip mask to help it recover. Lip mask, hmm? Anyways, I knew what to expect after already testing out C01, so I am not terribly disappointed. But it did have so much potential, which it squandered. And that’s something an intricately designed bullet or beautiful colour cannot fix. Still, a decent lipstick, and it’s going to be good for winter – it’s certainly going to be better than matte lipsticks, as its thickness helps it be at least a bit more occlusive, which is good when it’s very cold outside. So I will continue to wear it, I really love this colour!

Rating: 6/10

[PREVIOUS ITEM] [ADVENT CALENDAR MAIN PAGE] [NEXT ITEM]

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Brown

Catrice The Great Christmas Advent Calendar Full Shine Lipstick [C01] Review

December 03, 2024

Now, let’s begin! Catrice decided to add a good variety of lip products to this Advent calendar, including not one, but two Full Shine Lipsticks (and a liquid one as well)! I love me a good satin lipstick, especially in a more brown kind of colour, like this one seems to be. And Catrice is known for their (usually) good lipsticks, so I am really looking forward to this! Yay, I am so glad I already got it! Now, let’s see how good it is!

Packaging: oh my! This is truly decadent! Solid gold case, literally! Well, not real gold ofc, but that doesn’t take away from its beauty! This reminds me of Revolution Pro’s lipsticks, which cone in a very similar packaging, though that one has less gold. The entire case, from top to bottom, from all sides, is completely metallic gold; it’s also very reflective, so it can be used as a sort of mirror in times of desperation, when you cannot find a pocket mirror. However, guess at what cost this highly reflective finish comes? Yup, it’s a fingerprint magnet! Literally one touch and it’s already stained and smudged, so you’ll have to keep cleaning it with a cloth if you want it to stay this shiny and reflective. The only detail is the Catrice logo, which comes in a slightly darker gold colour.

Oh, and there’s also a sticker on the bottom that shows the colour, but it’s much darker than the lipstick itself, so it cannot be used to gauge exactly how this is going to look like on you. The cap closes sufficiently tightly, though it does feel a bit wobbly when closed. The retracting mechanism inside is smooth and lightweight, so the bullet slides in and out easily. That feels noticeably more high quality than the cap. Also, the entire case is suspiciously lightweight. It literally feels almost weightless. While this makes it easier to hold and use, it does feel a bit cheap, no matter what the solid gold exterior might look like. I am not disappointed with the level of quality, but it could be better for sure.

I must dedicate a separate paragraph just for the bullet design, alone. Look at it! It is breathtakingly gorgeous! Laser engraved art deco style details on one side, and an engraved Catrice logo on the other. The art deco side is incredible! Catrice is no stranger to engraving intricate designs onto their lipstick bullets, but this one is even more stunning than what they usually do! This is literally a work of art! I feel bad that I am eventually going to destroy it as I am using up the lipstick :( . But at the same time, I want to use this lipstick... well, I’ll always have the photos to remember it!

Ingredients: vitamin E for nourishment. No parabens. Really?? I was absolutely sure this had at least shea in it because it feels so soft and smooth... guess they just managed to perfect the formula without adding extra waxes and oils, eh? The scent is amazing! It’s very chocolatey, which warms my chocoholic heart! It’s so richly chocolatey but it also has a hint of vanilla, so it ends up smelling like chocolate cookies! Omg, literally perfectly scent! Ahh! The expiration date is 18 months after opening.

As usual, before giving you a full breakdown (that will come very, very soon), I will give you a nice swatch so that you can still see how this looks on pale skin. I must say that I was expecting more pigmentation... this is a bit pale – and uneven.

Wearing just this lipstick

Colour: the colour depicted in the back of the calendar isn’t a good representation of what this colour really looks like. And for once, it is actually a good thing, as I was not very fond of that rusty red colour, so I am very glad that it’s actually a more of a rosewood brownish. It’s a muted colour, and, with the lacking pigmentation, it looks super natural. It’s a fantastic colour for everyday looks! And it’s going to be good to balance out the more vibrant tones of the eye pencils and the eyeshadow palette in this calendar.

Wearing just this lipstick

Now, this isn’t pure brown or pure rose, it’s like a good mix of both, with a definite warm tone to it. Very 90’s kind of colour, but I love it! It’s so subtle and gorgeous on lips! Oh, it also looks a bit like terracotta, doesn't it?

Wearing just this lipstick

Pigmentation is not too great, sadly. I need 4-5 layers until it is pigmented enough. But this isn’t the first Catrice lipstick that has poor pigmentation; indeed, their retired ‘Power Plumping’ lipstick range had the same issue and those were super shiny as well. Even the newer Shine Bomb range (like this lipstick) lacks pigmentation, so this is obviously an issue with most shiny Catrice lipsticks. With 4-5 layers, it becomes quite nicely pigmented and the colour really starts to pop!

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C01

This lipstick is super easy to apply! Thanks to the extra creamy and soft formula, it just glides across lips, never tugging or pulling at them. It doesn’t even matter if your lips are a bit cracked, it still applies evenly. However, edges and the cupid’s bow are a bit tougher to do cleanly. They usually turn out smudgy, unless you are really being careful. This is not unusual for creamy lipsticks, but it does make using a lip liner underneath a necessity. How wondrous, then, that there is a matching lip liner in the Advent calendar... or you could just use a lipstick brush, of course.

Wearing just this lipstick

Oooh, this is such a creamy formula! It feels like a luxurious lip balm, like it’s actually nourishing lips! But it doesn’t feel too greasy or heavy. It literally feels like a cream, and since it is fairly occlusive, it should be good for the cold winter months. It does feel a bit thick but that’s the price you pay for something this creamy.

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C01

The texture is definitely “full shine”! It looks juicy and creamy, with just enough shine so that it doesn’t look like a full-on lip gloss. This finish doesn’t emphasise the fine lines of the lips; in fact, it makes them look softer and more luscious! Again, not the first Catrice lipstick to look this way; it looks strikingly similar to the old Demi Matt Lipstick, but a bit more shiny. That is one of my favourite lipsticks ever, so no wonder I like this one, too! After some time, it becomes way more demi-matte, which looks even better. So, not only does it feel soft, it looks soft as well, amazing!

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C01

For the first 1-2 hours, this lipstick is incredibly comfortable! It feels like it’s hydrating the lips and keeping them from drying out, and it isn’t too heavy. But that changes after a few hours, and this lipstick becomes more waxy than creamy like it used to be. It also becomes noticeably drier but also more lightweight. The worst thing, though, is that it creates a very dry crust on my lower lip. I am used to lipsticks doing that, but it never feels good. It’s very uncomfortable actually. And, as you might have surmised, yes, this lipstick does dry out my lips to a degree. Especially the lower lip. My lips feel like they are a good deal drier and in worse condition than before, and this makes me sad because it was so good up until this :( . I guess I should have known that it would be drying when it literally has almost nothing to actually hydrate the lips... bummer.

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C01

The, frankly, poor longevity is something that all Catrice shiny lipsticks suffer from. It was like that with the Shine Bomb range and the Power Plumping one, so it’s like that with this lipstick as well. While it doesn’t seem to fade a lot during the day, the edges become super smudgy and feathery – especially on the cupid’s bow, which becomes shapeless very quickly. This is more proof that this lipstick needs a lip liner underneath, to help it maintain its shape. So if you are wearing it by itself, you will need to reapply it often, which is annoying. Needless to say, it is also not at all food or water-resistant. It disappeared completely after drinking or eating any kind of food, it doesn’t even have to be greasy. Thankfully, the colour is quite neutral, so the damage isn’t as visible, but it still requires touch-ups after meals. It’s easy to apply, but it is still not good that it is this easy to wipe off. Ah man... why???

Worn with the matching Lip Liner/C01

Like most such shiny lipsticks, this one, too, is incredibly easy to remove. It only requires a single swipe with micellar water to be fully removed, and it doesn’t leave any stains or a waxy residue.

All in all, sadly, this lipstick isn’t the best. There’s a number of issues at play here, but let’s first focus on the positive, shall we? Like, for example, the colour! This is a beautiful rosewood kind of colour (or rosey brown, anyways) that is perfect for winter! And a fantastic neutral colour that truly goes with most looks! I was worried that it would be too orange and red, but it’s actually quite a muted colour, which I really like! It also kind of reminds of milk chocolate for some reason – the scent being that of literal dark chocolate creme does not help, haha! It’s also super creamy and feels very comfortable to wear... at least for some time. And because the formula is so smooth, it is exceptionally easy to apply, as it just glides over lips, even if they aren’t perfectly smooth! So that’s the good. Now it’s time for the bad. I’ll start with how the formula changes over time, becoming much drier (albeit more lightweight as well), and more waxy. This becomes quite uncomfortable after a few hours, after it forms a crust on the lower lip. This is clear indication that this lipstick is, sadly, drying. My lips always feel dried out and damaged after a whole day of wearing this lipstick, and that’s a massive disappointment because it felt so luxuriously creamy at first. Sad. Very sad. Another bad thing is that the pigmentation just isn’t that good. While it may look intense on photos, I needed to apply more than 4 layers to get it to look that way! Though, I am used to creamy Catrice lipsticks being this way, so it lessened the amount of annoyance I had with that. But it’s still not good. Oh, and the longevity isn’t very good either. While it does seem to survive in great condition, without any fading, it does feather and smudge a lot on the edges. This is because it’s just too creamy to be able to line the lips sharply. And it hates food, so prepare to reapply it after eating any kind of meal. I feel sad, this lipstick had so much potential – I thought it would be great, like so many other Catrice lipsticks, but it’s, unfortunately, just mediocre. Damn, not off to a good start, am I?

Rating: 5.5/10

[PREVIOUS ITEM] [ADVENT CALENDAR MAIN PAGE] [NEXT ITEM]

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NYX Love Lust Disco Suède Matte Lip Kit [LLDSDKIT06 - Alien] Review

Catrice The Great Christmas Advent Calendar Full Shine Lipstick [C02] Review

Catrice The Great Christmas Advent Calendar Full Shine Lipstick [C01] Review

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