Swatches, review & nail art Catrice limited edition Check & Tweed

Today I bring you Catrice limited edition Check & Tweed.

From left to right:

- C01 London Calling

- C02 England's Rose

- C03 Mind The Red!

- C04 Brit Chick

- C05 Hyde In The Park

Catrice: "Style Check. These colours with ultimate coverage are the ideal companions in the autumn season and an absolute must for stylish nails. Modern hunting green and grey-blue meet upon classic rusty red, camel and soft rosé - all with a pearly finish. The extra-broad reservoir brush captures just the right amount of polish needed for one nail and offers perfect results without streaks."

Swatches

Pictures are all taken outside without flash.

It showed the colors most truly but there are some irritating reflections/shadows in the pictures...try to not see them please  ;-P

C01 London Calling

London Calling is a grey-blue that could work great for jeans mani's.

C02 England's Rose

England's Rose would be the soft rosé color. For me it's a soft salmon color or a pinkish nude.

C03 Mind The Red!

Mind The Red! is a brown/red. I'm not sure if Catrice is describing this polish as being the rusty red or the camel color,

For me this color looks like the color of red brick.

C04 Brit Chick

Brit Chick is a dark brown with red and a bit of purple undertones. 

It reminds me of grapes.

C05 Hyde In The Park

Hyde In The Park is a forest dark green.

Review

Application:

Let's start with the worst and most frustrating part of this collection: the brush.

It's indeed extra-broad but the shape of the brush doesn't make apllication easy. 

This is not new for Catrice. The brushes have been like this for a while now but I still can't get used to it.

Coverage:

Let's say that the coverage totally makes up for the poor brush.

These were all one coaters! 

Or two thin coats as you please.

Colors:

Nothing really special.

The colors are prefect for fall!

My personal favorites are C01 London Calling and C05 Hyde In The Park.

Finish/effect:

Catrice is talking about a pearly finish. 

For me it's more a silver/metal shimmer.

Pearly is sweet. Metal is more rough and this is more rough IMAO.

The shimmer however is very subtle and with some lacquers more noticeable than with others.

Finish is not textured but not 100% smooth and glossy either.

All swatches are without topcoat but I do recommend the use of it as it makes the colors more vivid and shows the shimmer better.

Verdict:

Beautiful fall colors but for me it doesn't have the "WOW-factor".

Nail art

I had a beautiful tweed pattern in mind fo my nail art.

But after several attempts, I was done with it.

I ended up with something simular but not totally as I had imagined.

It's all free hand and with the use of the lacquers from this collection.

Swatches, review and nail art Catrice Limited Edition Metallure

Today I bring you the latest limited edition by Catrice, called Metallure.

Catrice: "Precious metals are conquering the late summer months and are being combined with the trend revival of the marble look. Fashion and accessories appear to be covered in a high shine and are being established as glamorous must-haves with a fashionable liquid look. Not futuristic, but fresh, natural and flowing. The limited edition Metallure is offering the matching beauty products to go with the metallic trend in August and September 2014. In addition to the classic colours of precious metals like gold, silver and copper, this collection also includes fresh pink, classical red and soft white."

This limited edition features 5 nail lacquers:

- C01 Alluring Red

- C02 Alluring Pink

- C03 Metalight

- C04 Metallicious

- C05 Metalfusion

Swatches

C01 Alluring Red

This is 2 coats of Alluring Red.

Alluring Red is a very pretty metallic red with a subtle shimmer.

Perfect for the Fall and Winter season.

It's pretty opaque and you could get away with just 1 coat.

C02 Alluring Pink

When I first saw this color I was wondering why this was included in this edition.

It looks more like a creme than a metallic lacquer.

Once it was on you can notice the same kind of shimmer from Alluring Red, subtle but it's there.

Alluring Pink is a quite sheer polish and with the 2 coats in the picture above you still have some tip see through. It doesn't bother me that much.

C03 Metalight

Metalight is a metallic warm rosé gold.

Very streaky which can be expected with metallic lacquers.

This is 2 coats but you could get away with 1 coat.

C04 Metallicious

Metallicious is a metallic gold with some green undertones as I can see it.

Again streaky and pretty much a 1 coater.

I used 2 coats for the swatch above.

C05 Metalfusion

Metalfusion is a metallic dark silver/dark grey.

Streaky and you could get away with 1 coat.

Swatch is 2 coats of Metalfusion.

Review

I love metallic lacquers but weird enough I feel myself reaching more to the first 2 lacquers (red and pink) which are more subtle shimmer polishes than metallic.

For me the colors aren't very unique but this time a year (end of Summer) it is refreshing to have some color change towards the Fall season.

The opaqueness of these lacquers is really great. You could mostly get away with just 1 coat.

Drying time however took some longer than I expected, especially when you rather quickly apply a second coat.

The brushes weren't the worst but I still think they could improve it.

I quote Catrice: "The extra-broad reservoir brush captures just the right amount of polish required for each nail and delivers streak-free results like a pro."

Now, I don't want to call myself a pro, but I've applied lacquers enough to state that this is not streak-free!

Again, somthing I don't expect with metallic lacquers, but also something you shouldn't promise if you can't live up to it.

Verdict: Not a bad collection considering I want to keep 3 out of 5.

Nail art

I wanted to keep it close to the metal look.

Featured nail art by Catrice is a water marble but you all know how I really hate love water marbling.

I went for the dry brush technique instead.

You can find a great tutorial here by Lucy's stash

I used diagonal brush strokes creating multiplication signs.

Swatches and review Catrice Limited Edition Haute Future

Catrice recently came out with a new limited edition called "Haute Future".

 

Catrice: "Future of Fashion. The latest designs are futuristic, edgy and straight. Reflecting surfaces, holographic materials and metallic elements bring the future into the present. A powerful digital look fulfils the highest couture demands and is eccentric as well as energising. The new limited edition Haute Future by Catrice offers the matching beauty products for this visionary look."

 

This limited edition presents 5 new nail lacquers and a special topcoat:

 

 

Swatches

C01 Eletrix Blue

 

 

Picture taken with natural light.

Two coats.

Eletrix Blue is a greyish blue holographic polish.

When applying it looks like a shattered holo but after two coats and placed in the right light you will see a subtle linear holo.

For a low budget brand not that bad for a holo. But I think they can do better ;-D

Big plus is that it applies moch more easy than stronger holo's; drying fast, two coats and the second coat won't take any of the first coat with it...like some other holo's can do.

 

C02 Never Green Before

 

 

Natural light.

Two coats.

Never green before exists (after taking a very very close look) out of a blue polish filled with plum micro micro glitter and light green micro glitter. Very high pigmented.

The finishing look shows only blue and green, making it more of a teal color.

I would describe this polish as a shimmery/glittery duochrome.

 

C03 iROSEdescent

 

 

Natural light.

Two coats.

I had some trouble to get this polish decent on picture.

iROSEdescent is very simular to Eletrix Blue.

Everything I mentioned for Eletrix Blue goes for this polish as well.

iROSEdescent is a greyish pink better to describe as dusky/old/antique pink.

 

C04 GaLILACxy

 

 

Natural light.

Two coats.

I find it very hard to describe this polish.

In the bottle it looks like an iridescent polish but on the nails it looks more like a pearly lavender.

Shifting a bit from lilac/lavender to light pink, in certain light even to a bit of bronze/gold.

After two coats there is still some tip see through but I'm not sure if more coats will take this away.

It's meant to be light and feminine.

 

C05 Gem Into The Future

 

 

Natural light.

Two coats.

Gem Into The Future is a silver holographic polish filled with small iridescent/holographic flakes (the gems).

For the holographic part I would point back to the previous holo's from this edition.

The gems (flakes) look so great in the bottle; unique and beautiful combo.

However only when you take a very close look at your nails you're will be able to see them.

In direct light the holo part will take over the gem part.

In the shade the flakes or better seen because there's no holo. But I still think the flakes look best with some light as well.

 

C01 Holo Is The New Yolo (Holographic Flakes Topcoat)

 

 

Base colors from left to right:

- China Glaze 1088 Splish Splash

- Kiko 311

- China Glaze 544 Liquid Leather

- Only You White French

Picture taken in artificial light.

One coat of Holo Is The New Yolo.

Holo Is The New Yolo is a clear base filled with different sizes of holographic flakes.

As I remember this is at least the third simular topcoat that Catrice brings with the flakes.

I experienced that the base color needs to be completely dry otherwise this topcoat will take some of it with it.

The surface is not smooth and will need a topcoat to flatten.

More coats means more flakes and I did find that it sometimes needed some placement of the flakes. Especially when the brush releases some more flakes at the same time: they tend to stick together.

Review/verdict

Application is easy and smooth except from the Holographic Flakes Topcoat.

Two coats are enough for being opaque which is good.

The holo's aren't that in your face but they're there.

In my opinion this limited edition isn't that special.

Catrice already made some simular holo's with their Luxury Lacquers and I'm pretty sure I've seen some simulars too of the GaLILACxy and flakes topper.

My personal winners are:

- C02 Never Green Before

- C05 Gem Into The Future

Reasons: They are the most unique and are gorgeous in both light and shade.

Gem Into The Future could have easily been the best if the gems had shown more on the nails.

Verdict: This limited Edition is okay but besides C02 Never Green Before, nothing I would run for.

Of course it all depends on personal taste and stash.

I still think Catrice offers a very nice range of products for a very nice price and tries to be up to date as well as bringing enthusiasm to those who aren't in the beauty/nail scene like most of us bloggers.

Thumbs up for Catrice!

 

Swatches Catrice Limited Edition Crème Fresh

Yesterday's post already showed what I think of this limited edition:

"The colors are perfect for Spring/Easter. Lovely pastels and a bright pink.

All the lacquers have a pearly shimmer which makes them even more sweet.

Colorwise this is a very beautiful limited edition.

 

However I didn't like the consistency of these polishes.

They are creamy (as you would expect from the name "Crème Fresh") but they are so thick that I had trouble to apply an even coat.

Although the polishes got gluey/sticky very fast, drying time was quite long.

Most of the polishes required two thin coats to be opaque and I find it very annoying to not being able to apply the next coat because the previous isn't dry yet."

 

Hereby the swatches of this limited edition:

 

C01 The Peach Boys

 

 

C02 Make Fast At Tiffany's

 

 

C03 Evergreen 60s

 

 

C04 Another Pink Panther

 

 

C05 Light Your Fire

 

 

Catrice Limited Edition Celtica

It hasn't even been Winter here but we are already longing for Spring.
At least, I am, and especially colorwise.
I'm loving the soft pastels and brighter colors.

Catrice's new limited edition "Celtica" is a nice transition towards these Spring colors.

It comes with 4 limited lacquers and pink/magenta nail flakes (crushed shell).
I only bought the lacquers.

From left to right:

- C01 Paralilac

- C02 Pinkadoxa

- C03 Love, Peach & Harmony

- C04 LOVEnder

 

I haven't got swatches for you but if you want me to swatch one or more...please let me know!

 

I did make a nail art with it.

 

As base I used C04 LOVEnder. Two coats was enough for good coverage.

Then I used C02 Pinkadoxa and C03 Love, Peach & Harmony to watermarble.

The polishes are quite thick (which should be as they are supposed to give a kind of gel look) and therefore hard to use for watermarbling.

Maybe a little thinner can do the trick...

 

However...this didn't completely turn out the way I wanted so I did some touching up with the same two polishes and a nail art brush.

The complete base color (C04) was covered and when I'm showing a limited edition I think you must at least see all the colors.

Therefore on each nail (except the accent) I placed two stripes with C04 LOVEnder.

On the accent I used C01 Paralilac to paint the heart accent as it's almost Valentine :D

 

 

 

P.S. I would really like to share your Facebook link (if you have it) for #sharethelove

Just leave your link in the comments and I will get to it!

 

 

Day 148) Summer nails (watercolor technique)

Yes, we finally had two days of summer weather and now we're back at rain again.
But for today it felt like summer.
So, here is an idea for summer nails.

Step-by-step:

Step 1:
After the basecoat apply a light colour. I used a light yellow one because of its coverage (only 1 coat!)

Catrice Soft Nail Lacquer Limited Edition Candy Shock - C04 Vanilla Love

For the next steps...first a pic of the material used:

• Tape
• Konad stamping promotion kit
• Grip seal bag/ zipper bag
• Scissors
• Catrice Ultimate Nail Lacquer - 02 Pimp My Shrimp
• Catrice Ultimate Nail Lacquer - 27 The Pinky And The Brain

Step 2:

While your base colour is drying, use the tape for covering cuticles and fingers.

Step 3:

Take the scissors and cut the grip seal bag into pieces (bigger than nailsize)

Step 4:

Apply some drops of nail polish (mentioned at material) on to the nail

Step 5:

Take a piece of plastic (from your grip seal bag) and gently place it on your nail. Give it a little push without moving it around. Then remove it again by carefully lifting it up from the nail.

 Step 6:
Remove the tape from your fingers and clean up any mess.

Step 7:
To add some extra 'summer' detail I used the Konad stamping kit for stamping the two butterflies on to the nails.

Bright and lovely, what do you think?

Day 94) LE Candy Shock Catrice