Lately I've been really into Asia makeup, and I stumbled upon this Chinese Cosmetic Brand called Catkin. So CATKIN was founded in 2007, focusing on making high quality cosmetics products, adding Chinese elements on the outer package, the package is beautiful crafted and unique, both cosmetics and a work of art.
Concept & Packaging :
Most well known for their collaboration with Summer Palace, the design of the packaging was inspired by an embroidery screen in the residence of Empress Dowager Cixi at the Summer Palace. The screen, named "A Hundred Birds Paying Respect to the Phoenix", represents a time of national peace. The use of 3D printing technology gives the metal packaging the texture of the original embroidery. Both pleasing for the eyes and to the touch!
I've always loved makeup for mainly their packaging, and the second I saw the packaging for I knew i had to have it! If you've been reading my last few blog post, I love the fushion of Traditional with the modern and CATKIN really to me embodies this. Using traditional screen art syle, every single product from them is absolutely stunning even the uni-carton/box, really makes one want to buy every single item from them. The only downside is that the plastic is kinda cheap, making the weight of the product feel not that expensive. Buuuuut! The price is affordable that I really can't complain!
The images in this post are some of the products I purchased from the Collection.
Products :
12-color eyeshadow palette is a x12 pan CATKIN eyeshadow palette. Shades in this palette range from mattes, shimmer and also glitter in texture. CATKIN as of to day released three(3) x12 pan eyeshadow Palette, I purchased C01 & C02. The first palette (C01) has shades that ranges from a warm orange brown to gold bronze shades, while the second palette (C02) has shades that range to a cool tone mauve to champagne shimmers. Overall the palettes colour story is very versatile to me, the palette and the colour story allows you to go from day to night look as well. The formula feels like good quality to me, the mattes are silky, buttery and blends well. The only problem I had was that some of the mattes faded/deoxidize on my skin tone, and when they blend together, the matte shadows don't hold their individual colour as well, they tend to blend/mush into each other. Not nessesary a bad thing, for asian makeup, this is the desired outcome or look. Another thing i did notice is that their is minimum or no kickoff. As for colour payoff, I wouldn't say it's extremely pigmented, but their is decent amount of colour and the formula is buildable and still blendable. The shimmers in the palette on the other hand give off a beautiful amount of shine, applied well with both finger and brush! The shimmer formulation is creamy and not flaky at at all, which surprised me so much! But do take notice, some of the shimmers have mirco glitters while others are just shimmer pigment. As for the single glitter eyeshadow in the palette at fist look is really chuncky, it contains very big glitter particles. But the formulation is not bad, it contains a sticky base that glides on the skin. Skin to Finger transfer is good as well, majority of the glitter did transfer on the skin leaving minimum pigment on the finger. Overall love the CATKIN eyeshadow formulation, packaging and price! Absolutely worth the money! (RM108)
Seasonal 9-color eyeshadow palette C07 (Avocado) is a x9 pan CATKIN Seasonal eyeshadow palette. CATKIN often releases seasonal (limited) cosmetic so once it's gone you can no longer buy it on their website, all together they have released total of Eleven(11) x9 eyeshadow pans with stunning packaging all special to each pan and their colour story! Loooove this concept so much, but makes the buyer want to buy and collect all their palettes.
Out of the range, I purchased the Avocado (C07) palette. Out of the x9 pan range, I felt like this palette was so unique in colour story. It's really a palette i have yet to see from any brand. The formulation is not at all similar to the x12 pan palette, and only ranges from mattes and shimmer only. The formula for the mattes are abit stiff for this palette, and didn't blend as good. Not sure if it's just this colour palette, but the majority of mattes were patchy. For the shimmer shades, the formulation is again very stiff and not as pigmented. Majority of the shimmers in this palette is sheer in shade but contains micro glitter. Again not nessesary a bad thing, some asian shimmer formulation are this way to give a wash of glitter over the eyes without covering the colour underneath. Overall, i'm abit dissapointed after trying the x12 pan eyeshadow formula but I also feel, I can't judge the x9 pan as accurately without trying others. It could be just this C07 Avocado palette that didn't perfrom as good. Overall, the price is not bad for the amount of shadows and for the packaging. Definitely will try out a few more x9 eyeshadow palettes to see if there is a better conclusion! (RM88)
Rosy Crane Blush (C03 & C05) is CATKIN's "blush" compact, in total catkin has released x5 gorgeous blush compacts ranging from x1 mattes (C03) and x4 shimmer finishes. C03 shade can be decribed as peachy pink with a cool undertone. The formula is smooth and soft, not chalky at all and pigmentation is great! Blends very well creating a very soft flushed look, layers well with other products and colour is builable. Only downside is that there's not much lasting powder, had to reapply after 3hours or so. As for C05 (and i suspect the rest of the other shades) has more of a highlight/cheek topper formula to them. For C05, the shade is a mable mixture of peach, pink and silver pigment. When swirled together it creates a stunning rose gold shade I would use as a highlight. The formulation is abit stiff in the pan, but blend beautifully on the skin! WIll definitely be using these alot more from now on! (RM78)
Moonlight Contour Palette (C01 & C03) is CATKIN's "contour" compact, in total cankin released x3 highlight/contour conpacts ranging from x1 matte contour shade and x2 highlight shades. C03 is a very neutral matte brown shade, In the pan it is very very stiff, no kickback which i find can be problem for the brush to pick up product. I noticed i had to keep going back to the pan in order to top up the coverage, but once i reach my desired coverage overall i loved how it looked on my skin. Blended easily with no patchy-ness, buildable without looking muddy. As for the highlight shade C01, the formulation is very similar to C03 in the sense that it's very stiff in the pan with no kickback or fall out. But i find that this shade is kinda sheer in colour/shimmer payoff and needs to be layered. Other than that, i find the shade to be a stunning silver/blue/purple-ish shade with gives off an almost erethral moonlight glow! So so so so STUNN-Ning! So happy with these purchases so far! (RM79)
Moonlight BB Cushion Foundation (C01 - Natural) is one of CATKIN's cushion foundation that was released along side their collaboration with Summer Palace. I must say first of all, the packaging is absolutely gorgeous! One of the best looking cushions I have ever laid my eyes upon! It feels weighted as well. Now for the formula, it's abit sheer when it come to coverage but majority of all BB cushions/creme/foundations are all sheer. To me, i feel i can build the coverage up to an almost medium coverage where i still have spot visible underneath. This cushion foundation to me has a semi-matte finish, where it does dry down abit but still has some tackiness to it without alot of shine. The only complain i have is that the shades don't match me at all, so have to finesse the outcome with alot of bronzer! Overall, I don't think it's a bad BB cushion, lasted more than 5hours without any touch-ups, also saw some "dewy-ness" after some time but that goes with all BB cushion foundations. (RM108)
Perfect Liquid Concealer (C03) is CATKIN's liquid concealer for face, eyes and lips. It comes in a tube container along with doe-foot apllicator attached to the lid like most liquid concealers. The liquid concealer comes in 3 shades (C01, C02 & C03), I purchased the deepest shade available in the range. The formulation is abit on the thick side but still able to blend out nicely. I think to some the concealer has decent in coverage but to me it wasn't enough to cover my dark undereye area. Another downside i found is that this concealer does crease after when setting/baking. Overall, it's an okay concealer for me. It probably would work great for someone who has great skin with little imperfections, but I don't think I'll be reaching to this concealer. (RM60)
Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick (C05). This liquid lip product by CATKIN was released with a total of x6 Shades. I purchased C05 which can be described as a red with nude orange undertone, the only neutral tone out of the range. The formula has a somewhat whipped consistancy giving it a soft and smooth touch, very similar to the 3CE Velvet lip tint. Colour payoff is gorgeous, builds/layers beautifully and spreads out evenly filling in cracks in the lips. Love this kind of formulation, one of my top products from CATKIN so far! (RM58)
Peatherlike Liquid Lipsticks (C03 & C04). CATKIN released x6 shades from their Peatherlike lip product range, which is a lightweight liquid lipstick. The formula is very similar to the velvet matte formula just that it has a slight sheen to it if applied with a generous amount. The formula feels whipped and pigmentation is decent. Definitely not a matte finish, but a more creme like with a slight sheen. Very very comfortable on the lips and not sticky like gloss. C03 shade is a muted brick red while C04 is a muted Pink Red, both are beautiful shades. Very surprised by the the lip products i purchased from CATKIN!
Tinted Lip Balm (C01). is one of CATKIN's tinted lip balm, it comes in x3 shades (clear, yellow & pink). It is a colour changing (flush pink) lip balm based on your body temperature. The balm has a menthol fragrance, but once on the lips you can't smell it. At first look the bullet of the lip balm looks very stiff and plasticky, but after applying it was creamy and soft on the lips. The formula to me seems abit firm, it does't tug on my lips but it only applies a thin layer of product. I have to keep applying/swiping in order to get to my desired moisture/comfort level for this balm, good thing is it doesn't feel heavy but i do feel it that it's there. Overall, i think it's an okay lip balm for the price, it does leave my lips feeling more moisturised but it also leaves a nice pink tint to the lips after using. Good for those who want a natural flush lips without the hastle of reapplying lipstick and all that transfers expecially during these times when mask are mandatory. Will consider this for days when i want to go abit more natural! (RM68)
Rouge Matte Lipstick (C0137). is one of CATKIN's bullet lipstick with a matte finish, they currently have x12 shades listed on their website. I purchased C0137 which can be described as a cool nude terracotta shade, it is so beautiful! (My kind of shade) But the finish is not matte at all, it still has some shine. The formula is nice, creamy and lightweight but also pigmented. Layers well and evenly without looking patchy. A little dissapointed about the finish not being matte, but it's a great formula for a creme lipstick. Certainly will be using this shade on occasion but I don't think I'll be purchasing any other shade for the "Matte" lipstick range. (RM71)
Rouge Lipstick (C0145). is one of CATKIN's bullet lipstick that come in this gorgeous crimson red shade. I'm not normally a red lips girl, but I must say this shade is really reminiscent of the traditional chinese seal/stamp paste. Similar to the lip balm the rouge lipstick formula also feels very stiff, creamy to the lips where it's not hard to apply just that it only coats the lips with thin layers. As for pigmentation, it is without a doubt very sheer in colour where eventhough I've applied alot of layers my lip spots are still visible and I don't think no matter how much i try won't be able to get this lipstick to full opacity. The finish is a creme shine, and the feeling is not too heavy on lips. Overall, I don't think I'll be reaching for this lipstick. Red is just not colour and the formula is not for me. (RM75)
Overall really enjoyed majority of the products I purchased from CATKIN, there were some misses that just weren't for me but I was pleasantly surprised by all the products that did work! Out of all the items I purchased, I would definitely recommend the 12pan Eyeshadow Palette and Lip products from CATKIN! No doubt the every single packaging is stunning, but I don't think you need to get everything. CATKIN is definitely a brand i will keep an eye out for! Really looking forward to seeing for from them!
If you guys are interested in CATKIN, you can check them and any of their products on their website! If you are from the beautiful country of Malaysia you can check them out at their Shoppe Official Store. Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it continue reading other post, or come back for more there are weekly updates and blog posts!