Review: Catrice Primers

I am always on the lookout for a new primer, and I love browsing the Catrice counter at Dischem. I was delighted to see two new products on the shelves, namely the Prime and Fine Anti-Red Base and the Prime and Fine Pore Refining Anti-Shine Base.

I started with the green bottle, the Prime and Fine Anti-Red Base. The packaging reminds me of the Smashbox primers. The texture is a gel cream and it applies easily, but not with as much slip as the Smashbox or Stila primers. I had high hopes for this primer, as I need something to cover the redness on my cheeks. I was unfortunately quite disappointed to discover the amount of glitter in it. Yes ladies, I said "glitter". It's not a radiant shimmer or a glow, it's glitter. In the name of research I applied it all over my face, just as I would with any other primer. For the rest of the day I looked like a character from Twilight filmed in the sun. Ok so it's not quite that bad, but you get the idea. Below are two photos of the anti-red base. The first shows the colour and the texture of the primer, the second shows the glittery blended result.

After the mishap with the anti-red base primer, I tried the Pore Refining Anti-Shine Base. The texture is also a gel cream and it is white. This reminds me of the Smashbox primer that I have (the one in the old boxy packaging). This also doesn't apply quite as easily as the Smashbox and Stila primers. I wore it under foundation and under CC cream on separate occasions, and I can say it did a fairly good job of mattifying my skin. Usually I am an oil slick by 11:00, but with this and some setting powder after foundation/CC cream, I found it to last until about 14:00 or 15:00.

I think these primers (maybe even the glitter ball one) would work beautifully when paired with the rest of the Catrice Prime and Fine range. It is also a lot cheaper than any of the other primers I have come across. The Pore Refining Anti-Shine Base gets a thumbs up from me.

These primers are available for R77.95 each at Dischem.

Have you used any of these primers? Let me know in the comments section!

Until next time!

Hildegarde

xoxo