Catrice HD Liquid Coverage Foundation

It is hard to miss the buzz around Catrice HD Liquid Coverage, as since its release there have been raves upon raves about this foundation. Naturally I couldn't resist trying it out myself, especially since I liked L'Oreal eau de Teint which comes in all the wrong shades for me. Catrice's shade range is very small, yet again excluding both very pale and darker skin tones, but 01 isn't that terribly wrong for me at the moment, so I grabbed a bottle for myself. Despite the rave reviews I read, I'm not rushing to put this in my favourites, but it didn't disappoint me either.

Texture: The whole concept of this foundation is than it somewhat dupes foundations like Giorgio Armani Maestro or L'Oreal Eau de Teint, so it's a foundation that is very liquid and thin. Despite being very light, it's actually very pigmented. It's a foundation that dries fast, so you need to apply it in sections and work quickly if you use fingers, while with a fluffy, buffing brush you get a lot more time. It blends nicely into the skin and so far I hadn't noticed it emphasising any dry patches.

All the pictures are uploaded large, click on them if you want to see how it looks up close. My skin was oily-combination when I took these pictures, currently it's more normal and this foundation looks the same.

Coverage and finish: It covers very impressively for such a thin formula, I'd say it's about medium to full coverage and it can easily be layered for more, I do an extra layer instead of concealer where needed. When I first tried it on my hand, it dried within minutes to a powdery matte finish and the same thing happens when I apply it with fingers, while at application with a brush it looks invisible skin-like for the first few minutes, but then sets to a matte, powdery finish. However, despite having that powdery finish, it doesn't stay matte, instead it quite quickly gets more shiny, which from the start looks luminous, but with time almost a bit oily. Personally I'd prefer if it had a finish like L'Oreal's Infallible Matte as that one hides pores, but still looks naturally matte, while this one can start looking odd around the pores and it emphasizes lines, making it a more obvious foundation and that powdery finish isn't doing my skin any favours.

TheBalm Meet Matte Hughes in Committed on the lips.

Colour: I got the lightest shade out of the four and it's a bit too dark for me, but it has a neutral undertone, which I really appreciate as I can pull it off (though it might look a bit off by the neck). I don't have Nude Illusion anymore, but I think it's maybe a bit lighter than its shade 010. Mixed with a bit of Maybelline's Fit Me 110, it's a perfect shade for me at the moment. I heard from some reviewers that it oxidises to a darker shade, but I hadn't noticed that. The shade range includes only four shades and the second two differ very little, mostly in the undertone, so I think if you're not NC/W20 to maybe NC30-35 you won't find a match.

Staying power: I heard this lasts long on the skin, but I don't notice anything exceptional. It fades so nicely, I can't tell if it's gone or not. I don't powder this foundation, so it lasts less on me than it could.

Scent: It has a creamy-baby powder scent that's quite obviously when your applying it, but it dissipates quickly. 

Packaging: The packaging is completely high-end looking. It's a matte glass bottle, so quite heavy and comes with a pipette, which is a lot more practical than L'Oreal's which only has an opening. I have a feeling that those who are more used to classic foundation bottles, might find this more challenging to use as well as slower.

Price and availability: I got mine in Müller for 7.29 €.

So far I'm not in love with it, but I can't deny it's very good and I can see why so many people adore this foundation. Light texture combined with high coverage is bound to a winner for a lot of people, not to mention the affordable price, however, the thing is that we have good days and days when I'm not that happy with it. It can look nice on the skin, but it can also emphasize pores and lines, despite not being a heavy matte foundation. It's just that powdery finish that makes it look unnatural to me and I'm currently at a stage where I really only love Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum on my skin. I think this is a nice foundation for those with unclear skin, as it provides a lot of coverage with a thin layer of product.

Have you tried it yet? Have a great day!

Posted in: Skincare