I bought the Essence advent calendar several years in a row, but skipped it last year, because I always ended up not really using the products in the calendars. I think it’s the first year Catrice has done an advent calendar with new limited products, and I thought the theme of the calendar looked really fun and pretty, so I decided to buy the Catrice The Great Christmas advent calendar this year, and I’m going to show you what was inside the calendar. I haven’t tried all of the products yet, but I’ll let you know, how I feel about the ones I have tried.
I’m going to talk about six products at a time, so let’s begin with the product that was behind the first six doors. They were a highlighter (gold), an under eye brightener, a Full Shine lipstick in C01, a lip liner in C01, hydrogel eye patches, and a Cream-To-Powder blush.
The only product I’ve worn of these first six is the highlighter. It was quite pretty, and a shade of gold that actually works on fair skin. I like the inclusion of an under eye brightener, but I don’t think it works on every skin tone; because it’s quite light. I’m sure it’ll work on me though. There’s another lipstick and lip liner coming up, which I have worn, and I liked both, so I’m sure I’ll like the formula of these ones as well. And I have a couple of blushes in the same packaging (and probably the same formula) as this one, but this shade look identical to one of the shades I have, which is a bit disappointing. I actually really like the cream-to-powder formula, so I would have loved to see another shade in the calendar.
The next six products were an eyeshadow shader brush, a matte liquid lipstick, a nail lacquer in C01, a lip liner in C02, a Full Shine lipstick in C02, and a 2in1 nail file.
The matte liquid lipstick is a deep red shade, and I’m actually planning on wearing it today. I really like Catrice brushes and nail polishes, so I’m excited to use those. And this is the lip liner and lipstick that I’ve worn, and they were very nice.
The second to last set of six products were face jewels, an eyeshadow blender brush, a hydrating lip mask, a multi-chrome eye pencil in C01, a nail lacquer in C02, and a hydrogel plumping lip patch.
I’ve never worn any of the face jewels I’ve gotten from Essence calendars, but I’m considering maybe using some for my New Year’s Eve make-up look. I think the lip mask is a fun addition, but my favourite product from the calendar that I’ve tried so far is the multi-chrome eye pencil in C01; it has a very nice warm orangy red/brown/green shift, and I’ve used it quite a few times already.
The last six products were glitter nail foils, a multi-chrome eye pencil in C02, an eyebrow brush, a hair clip, a nail lacquer in C03, and an eyeshadow palette.
I love that they included another shade of the multi-chrome eye pencils. I haven’t used this one yet, but it seems to be a pretty blue/pink shade. The third nail lacquer is probably my favourite by just looking at it (I haven’t worn any of the shades yet), and I think it’s very nice to see an eyeshadow palette in an advent calendar. I’m excited to see if the quality is any good.
Overall, I really like this advent calendar, and I think it’s better than any of the Essence advent calendars I’ve bought in the past.
Here’s the make-up I wore with this outfit. And Merry Christmas! We celebrate Christmas in the evening of the 24th of December in Denmark, and do all sorts of Christmassy things throughout the day as well.
(Base: primers – Huda Beauty Glowish Blur Jam silicone-free smoothing primer + Dior Forever Star Glow Filter (shade: 0N), foundation – Rare Beauty Positive Light tinted moisturizer (shade: 14W), concealers – Rare Beauty Positive Light under eye brightener (shade: Light) + Huda Beauty #FAUXFILTER Luminous Matte liquid concealer (shade: 1.3G Marshmellow), powders – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Brightening Flawless Finish powder (shade: Fair/Medium) + Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish pressed powder in Soft Porcelain. Face make-up: bronzer – Haus Labs Power Sculpt velvet bronzer in Soleil Sand, blusher – Singe Beauty Evocative Silk Blush in Riveting Rhubarb, highligher – Catrice The Great Christmas highlighter (from advent calendar 2024). Eye make-up: base – MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly, eyeshadows – Oden’s Eye Snow Dream palette (shades: Goodwill + Snowflake + Ornament + Sweater + Hugs) + MAC Nylon eyeshadow, mascaras – MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash mascara + Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star mascara, eyeliner – MAC Powerpoint eye pencil in Mistletoe Mint. Eyebrows: MAC Shape + Shade brow tint in Taupe + Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze. Lips: MAC Centre of Attention lip pencil + Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Metallics lipstick in 003 Fiery Red)
I have a Sephora haul to share with you today. This haul includes some items that I’d been really excited to try and also some back-ups.
I featured both the Kayali Eden Sparkling Lychee I 39 Eau De Parfum and the Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt serum bronzer in Fair in my August favourites post, and I still love both of these products.
I also picked up the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Stix in 04 Is It Fu$$y. I actually haven’t worn this yet.
Rare Beauty was on sale, which happens very rarely, so I picked up three back-ups; the Perfect Strokes universal volumizing mascara, the Positive Light under eye brightener in Light, and the Positive Light tinted moisturizer in 14W. I really love all three of these products. I also bought another shade of the Soft Pinch luminous powder blushes. I chose the shade Happy, which is a beautiful pink.
Lastly, I purchased the Pat McGrath Labs Mthrshp Bijoux Brilliance blush and eye shadow palette in Jeweled Temptation on sale. It’s from last year’s holiday release from Pat McGrath Labs, and it’s quite pretty.
Here’s what I wore Sunday December 15. My boyfriend and I went to the cinema together for the first time in over two years, I think. We watched Wicked and it was great.
(Sweater vest – Asos Design, dress – Monki, bag – NA-KD, tights – Sneaky Fox, boots – Topshop)
Here’s what I wore Tuesday December 10. At first sight this might not appear to be a super Christmassy outfit, but the Christmas elements are definitely there, and I also just think that it’s a fun look.
(Blazer + skirt/trousers – second hand, shirt – Monki, sweater vest – VRS, tie – My Accessories, tights – Calzedonia, boots – Asos Design)
Mucha-Lucha's 