Product Review: Catrice Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner Primer

Hey Ladies,

Have a review on a product I purchased in mid-January. I purchased the Prime and Fine primer after my Rimmel primer ran out. I was quiet uncertain about it because of the colour, the size of the pot and the price. But I wanted to get the primer to see if it could prove me wrong and it DID!!

This primer is an oil-free. silicone based, with a pink hue that turns transparent once worked into the skin. It claims to reduce pores and fill in any fine lines and wrinkles. The texture is smooth and creamy, so a little goes a long way. 

When applied to the skin the pink hue seems to add a lovely glow to the skin and continue once foundation is applied.
I tested the primer on a long day and a night out and was so suprised to see how well my makeup lasted. It allows the foundation to glide on top lovely and creates a flawless look. 

Although it did not give me a mattifying look it did seem more of a satin finish, which I liked. It helped control my oil and shine on a night out and barely had to powder at all. 
The packaging is small and compact, but a little goes a long way.

I would give Catrice Prime and Fine Smoothing Refiner Primer 4.5 out of 10. Because I expected it to give a matte look I gave under a half a mark. 

I would not recommend this if you think or are allergic to silicone products. 

I would recommend this primer if you have Dry/Normal/Combination skin and are on a budget. It falls at €4.49 and is a real bargain and a good one.

Any questions contact me:
Email: nataliekeanemua@gmail.com
Facebook: Natalie Keane MUA

Disclaimer: I bought this product with my own money and it is my own views and thoughts,

Any other requests contact me....

Till next time....

Love 

Natalie 

xx

What are CC Creams?

Hey Ladies...

As BB Creams go, CC Creams are a new beauty creation from last year. CC Creams stand for Colour Corrector and Colour Control.  

Similar to BB Creams (see last post) CC Creams offer coverage, skin protection and skincare benefits. 

Its is like a sheer foundation with a colour corrector built in ( Colour Correcors and concealers)

Some well known examples are the Loreal Nude Magique CC Cream which come in Anti-Redness, Anti- Fatigue and Anti-Dullness. ( Again see my post on colour correctors)
These work with your natural tone, neutralise appearance  and which ever colour you choose tackles either redness, dullness or tired skin. 





Still confused on CC Creams or any other requests, questions or help email me : nataliekeanemua@gmail.com or facebook: Natalie Keane MUA

Love

Natalie 

xx

What are BB Creams??

Hello there...:)

So BB Creams have been circulating the last few years. People may think they are a tinted moisturisers but they really arnt. A BB Cream is Blemish Balm or Blemish Base or Beauty Balm, depending where you ask. First became popular in asia, and apparently they make the best version of this product, I cant be true to that as never tried one from asia. BB creams are not a spot cream either, they are a cream with multi functional uses, such as, coverage and skincare benefits.

Most companies will tell you they act as a primer, moisturiser, foundation and concealer all in one. To be honest after using a few BB Creams they dont do all that. You have to shop about for the best formula. As some can be drying. I feel the BB Cream is a lighter solution of a foundation. I would recommend a primer underneath the BB Cream especially if during the summer, on holidays or at work as it does tend to slide and wear off easily. They do have a lovely healthy dewy glow. During the summer 2013, when we had the warm weather, BB Creams and concealer with a primer was my best friend. I still wanted an even complexion with out the heaviness of a foundation but still have a lovely glow instead of using powder every minute. You will need to use a concealer for break outs, but BB Creams are still a nice option if you rather not wear too much makeup or for the holidays. 

Examples of BB Creams:

                                                  

Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfection                 Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream 
                                                                                           (I used this one all summer, loved it)


  

                I hope this helped you and what BB Creams are...

Any questions or help needed email me: natalikeanemua:gmail.com or facebook me: Natalie Keane MUA

Love

Natalie 

xx

Guide to: Concealers & Colour Correctors

Hey Ladies...

Another confusing discussion in makeup is Concealers and Colour Correctors and how to use them. People find them puzzeling and scary especially the colour correctors. 
So I`m just going to run down some helpful tips and a short explaination on how to use these cosmetics. 

So you have an angry Spot/Blemish and you foundation will not cover it. Well spots are usually red toned, and in colour theory we look on the colour wheel. So Green is opposite the colour wheel  and will cancel the red out, but applying green unless necessary (will explain further down) can look grey, so we go to the next best thing Yellow. Yellow is easily blended into the skin and does a great job in canceling out that angry spot/blemish.


Examples of Yellow toned concealers for them spots/blemishes:

                                        

Catrice Camouflage Cream                                      Collection Lasting Perfection (Fair)


If like me sleep can be irregular, have late nights, stress or just suffer with under eye circles naturally then you will want a concealer for this. Unfortunately we cannot use our yellow based ones, as it does not fall that way on the colour wheel . So if you have Blue/Violet under eye circles then you will want  the opposite colour on the wheel which is Pink/Peach/Salmon/Red concealers. These will cancel the Blue/Violet out. 

Example of concealers for Under Eye Circles:


                               

Maybelline FIT Me concealer                            Benefit Boi-ing concealer


So now those scary colour correctors.......
Which are for what, and where do they go???

Starting with the Green colour corrector, Green is to cancel out any redness. So if you have a high colouring, flush easily or have red acne then using a green corrector over your primer and under your foundation will help cancel the redness out and allow a more neutral and true colour to appear. 

Examples of Green Correctors:

                                 


Catrice Prime and Fine                             No7 Colour Calming Primer
Anti-Redness Base


So Pink/Peach/Salmon corrector where can i use these? Again like the red/pink based concealers these can be used under the eyes. If you have very pigmented under eye circles then using a straight corrector will help cancel them out. Unsure which shade to go for well, if you are fair skinned then use a salmon tonned corrector, if you are medium skinned then use a peachy tone (this applies to tanned ladies too), and if you are dark skinned then an orange/pink tone is for you. 

Example of Pink/Peach/Salmon correctors are:




Smashbox Colour Corrector Primer

Finally the strange Purple/Lavender corrector. Where do you use this?? Well purple or lavender correctors  are for ladies that are sallow or yellow skinned, that may look a little dull. Lavender is for brightening the skin. Great from oriental ladies. Its also good for canceling out olive toned bruises. 

Examples of Purple/Lavender correctors:


Smashbox Colour Corrector Primer


A great product to have in your makeup bag or as a makeup artist is the Catrice All Round Concealer Palette. I really love this and really handy to have. You get a Light-Medium -Dark concealer and a green and pink colour corrector. Really all the colours a girl needs, unless you require the purple. Saves alot of money aswell. 





Hope that this posts helps on the basics of concealers. 

Any questions or help needed email me: nataliekeanemua@gmail.com or facebook: Natalie Keane MUA

                               
                                                                          Love
                                                                   Natalie xx

You & Your Foundation

Hey Girls...

For years it took me to find my foundation type, never tested it, just picked it up and lashed it on my face. More than likely looking TANGOED! Not a good look. (cringe)
As I got older and did my research in foundation I learned there where a few factors to take into choosing the right foundation. Now bear in mind, not every foundation will match you identically, you will either have to mix two or if like me you are pale, you will have to go with the closest one to your colour. 

So what are the Factors you have to look at while choosing your foundation...well......

1. Whats your Undertone??

Your undertone is not your skin tone like most people presume, your undertone lies underneath your skin and never changes unlike your skin tone which can. There are 3 types of undertones, WARM ( yellow/golden), COOL ( pink, red or bluish) and NEUTRAL (mix of warm and cool). 
Now your thinking, how the hell do I know which undertone I am?? Well heres some ways to check: 

- Do you tan easily and dont burn? Well your natural pigment, melanin level is higher, so generally you will have a yellow/olive tone, so you will have a Warm Undertone.

- Do you burn, and barely tan at all, if at all? Well you have less melanin in your skin. You may flush easily (p.s some neutral undertones may flush easy too).Have a pinkish, reddish look to the skin. Well then you will be Cool Undertoned.  

Olive Skin? Your skin may look a little ashen or gray, have a yellow complexion with a suttle green hue, which is unique to olive skin. You will be a Neutral Undertone.

Quickie Check: Look at you veins in your wrists. If they are Blue/Purple then you care Cool Tones (blue end of spectrum), Green veins - Warm Tones (yellow spectrum) and if you cant make out which colour it is green or blue then you have a Neutral Tone. 

Top is Warm toned

Bottom is Cool toned

2. What is your shade?

Are you Light, Medium or Dark? Well the best way to check this is on your Jawline or your neck. The one that blends completely or close to your skin is your shade. Bear in mind most companies have a limited selection of shades. Testing on your wrist or hand will not give you a true reading of shade on your hand, as they are totally different. 

                                                                

                                         Which one is the right shade in this picture 1, 2, 3, or 4?

3. What Formula will suit my skin type?

Like my skin care guides, I shared what products where beneficial for your skins, well it falls the same in foundation. There are so many formulas out there, gel, cream, all in one, liquid,mousse, tinted..the list can go on and on. So its important to match your skin type with a foundation that will work with your skin.

Once you know your undertone you can choose your formula.

So for a lady that has oily skin (see Skin Guide to Oily Skin) you want something that is oil-free and is mattifying. 

Top two foundations:

                                    

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Finish                           Revlon ColourStay Oil/Combination Skin

(Note* most bobbi brown foundations are

cool tones-yellow based)

If you have Dry skin,(see Skin Guide to Dry Skin) you want something hydrating and moisturising. Stay away from alcohol and anything mattifying you want to add oil to your skin as that is what is lacking. 

Top 2 Dry skin foundations:

                                        

Revlon Colour Stay Normal/Dry Skin                     Bourjois 10hr Sleep Effect

So if like me you have a normal skin (Skin Guide to Normal Skin), you kinda have the pick of the bunch. Depending on choice you can have a sheer look with a BB cream or Tinted moisturiser, a dewy finish or matte finish, really is up to you. I like a glow with a bb cream in the day, a dewy finish for evening and a matte finish for nights out. Really is totally up to you. 

My Top 2 Normal Skin Foundations:

                        

MAC Face & Body                                         Bourjois Healthy Mix (not the serum)

*Secret: I personally love the Bourjois healthy mix and is my go to!*

4. What Coverage do you want?

Depending what you want to hide or cover, coverage is another factor. If you have a clear complexion and just want something to even out you skin then a sheer to light coverage is what you need. If you have some breakouts, nothing major that concealer cant fix but want a little more coverage than a medium coverage is ideal. And if you suffer from acne or more of a heavy breakout or pigmentation then a heavy coverage is ideal.

5. SPF or No SPF?

What is SPF, well not going into too much detail yet (i will do a post on it soon). It stands for Sun Protection Factor. This will help protect you from the suns harmful rays. And yes, even if it is cloudy and IRELAND, its still an important daily factor. You can only wear one layer of SPF, so decide weather its your moisturiser, your primer or your foundation you want to wear it, as laying SPFs will cancel them out. Example A primer with a SPF of 15 and a Foundation with an SPF of 20 doesnt add to 35 and more coverage it goes to -5, giving you no coverage. So only wear one layer. You dont have to wear SPF at night as there is no Sun and can Flash back in photos giving you have "Moon Face" or "Casper Face" 

SPF is important but its how and wear you wear it. 

(NOTE: SPF will be stated on the front of the product, if it doesnt it has none)

I hope this will give you some help on how to get the right foundation for you.

If you have sensitive, combination or mature skin and are unsure of foundations and maybe skincare, then message me and i will get a post up for you. 

Any questions or help email me: nataliekeanemua@gmail.com or facebook Natalie Keane MUA

Love 

Natalie 

xxx

What is a Primer?

Hey Lady...

There are so many products out there nowadays and all claim to do this and that. We now add so many layers to your skin to get that flawless look. One very important step or layer that I really think has great benefits is a PRIMER!

Some makeup artists have there own discussion about primers, some use them and some don`t, but I DO!
Primers arn`t just a pointless layer to add before your foundation. Primers are really important for your skin and to create an extra barrier for your skin. They allow a product to last longer and improve coverage.

There are so many types of primers, face, eyes, lips and mascara primers. 
But I`m just going to, go through two primers, face and eye primers, which are the most common.

As a face primer, you want something that is moisturising, absorb oil (which has salicylic acid), give a matte apperance, helps your foundation to applied easily ,smoothly and last longer. You can get two types of primers , water based and silicon based (*let me know if you would like me to discuss more on these two*). Also it is common for your primer to have an SPF and minerals like Mica and Silica (*again message me for details on these*

Top 3 Face Primers, tried and tested:

          

1. MAC Prep & Prime           2. Catrice Prime & Fine                  3. Rimmel Fix & Perfect


Like a face primer, I feel a eye primer is important to help prolong your eye makeup. When I am looking for good eye primer I want something that will help even the colour on the lid, reduce oiliness, stop creasing, help longevity and  intensify colour. You can get so many types that have a shimmer, peralised, matte and neutral effects. Cream shadows can also be used as a base. 

Top 3 Eye Primers:

     

1. Urban Decay Primer Potion,  2. Catrice Primer and Fine       3. W7 Eye Primer
                                                               Eyeshadow base

All these primers will really help your foundation stay longer, intensify and help your shadow stay longer. A great investment for your makeup bag.

Any questions for your skin type and primers, message me .
Email: nataliekeanemua@gmai.com
Facebook: Natalie Keane MUA

LOVE

Natalie

xx

Skin Type Guide: Dry Skin

Hello Lady,

Another skin type guide for you. If you are reading this and are wondering "Have I dry skin?". Well read on....
So when you look in the mirror, in a dry skin you would see tight pores, flakiness, patchiness, broken capillaries, have a fair complexion and maybe freckles. When feeling your skin (using back on index finger) it would feel ruff to touch. 
Dry skin is from the lack of oil balance in the skin, so it is important to renew this.

So to help you ladies with drier skins. Again like any skin type it is so important to Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise. 

With homecare, a cleanser that is oil based is advised. 
Example: Olay Gentle Cleanser Conditioning Milk for Normal/Dry/Combination



As a toner something that is Alcohol free is important. As alcohol will dry out your skin more. An ingredient that I good for dry skin is Rose water, can be got in a chemist/pharmacy or health food shop on its own or an added ingredient in a toner.
Example: Biotherm Biosource Toner for Dry skin.


For a moisturiser, I recommend one that is oil riched and has glycerin and that contains an SPF. 
Example: Garnier Moisture Match Start Afresh


All of these elements and ingredients will help your dry skin and control it. Any questions or help get in contact with me, Email: nataliekeanemua@gmail.com or Facebook: Natalie Keane MUA

Love

Natalie 

xx