Capsule Reviews: Celeteque's latest makeup - yes, makeup! - releases
Celeteque has been a household name for skincare for over a decade now, so we initially found it curious that it's earnestly coming out with cosmetics. We are happy to report though that the brand has managed the crossover to makeup in a way that stays true to what it started with: affordable, high-performance pieces that help give the look of a good skin day.
We did a feature last year on the cosmetics launch. This time we tested a few of Celeteque's latest products, so let’s get cracking!
Celeteque 24-Hour Photoready Matte Primer (P825)
The Photoready primer acts as a mattifier and blur cream in a single tube. It instantly takes shine off and reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines, especially on the nose area. Compared to the more expensive Benefit The Porefessional Pro Balm, I find that Celeteque has a drier, more powdery texture that initially balls up as you smooth it over the skin. Surprisingly, the pilling disappears as you continue to apply and there is no significant difference in the way the skin looks afterwards. Celeteque could, in my opinion, pass as a dupe for the Porefessional.
Top: Benefit The Porefessional Pro Balm, Bottom: Celeteque Photoready Matte Primer
Under makeup, the primer gives me about four hours of matte wear before the T-zone of my combination skin starts to get shiny again. I like its skin-smoothing finish which helps improve the appearance of my base!
Celeteque 2-in-1 Eye Bag Miracle Kit in Natural (P745)
Cleverly incorporating a skincare step with makeup, this unique duo includes an eye balm and an eye concealer. Since they were created together, the two formulas are designed to be compatible when layered over each other. It’s nice that this takes some of the guesswork out of the equation.
The under eye balm stays solid at room temperature and, though it may look waxy because it stays that way in the pot, it melts upon contact with the fingers. When applied to the skin, it has a mild cooling effect that lasts a couple of minutes, which I find pleasantly soothing. My eye concern has always been dark circles and not puffiness, so I can’t really tell you if it works in that department. It feels refreshing and moisturizing at the very least, and allows the eye foundation to apply smoothly on top. Once fully absorbed, you can proceed to apply the eye foundation.
On your left: Wearing a sheer layer of the 2-in-1 Eye Bag Miracle Kit; on your right: bare skin
The fliptop lid reveals a tiny mirror, which is a useful addition that allows for applying this duo on the go. As with the eye balm, the eye foundation is on the dry, solid side instead of a creamy formula, so it is not prone to caking.
The shade Natural seamlessly blends with my NC20 skin. At best it is a little brightening, at worst it does not quite show up. If you have severe dark circles, you will still need a concealer with way better coverage.
Celeteque CC Micro-Hydrating Powder in Classic Natural (P930)
Love the light, natural look of loose powder but hate lugging the potential mess around? The CC Micro-Hydrating Powder is the answer! From the outside, the thick, plastic compact looks like it could be a cushion compact but it’s actually a pressed powder topped with a special dispenser that scrapes a little bit of powder whenever you turn the knob. If you’ve seen the Elizabeth Arden Mineral Powder Foundation compact, the mechanism is similar. The thick puff that comes with the powder helps prevent loose bits from spilling out and making a mess of your purse, but there is a bit of wiggle room for some bits of loose powder to dusty up the mirror and the sides of the compact..
At first glance, I thought the shade Classic Natural would be too dark on me but it’s more of a sheer translucent powder that applies smoothly and quickly disappears on the skin. To an extent, it also refines smaller pores though the Photoready Primer already tackles the bigger ones. Used together, my skin looks even smoother, even on the sides of the nose. Longevity on my T-zone is around two hours before it starts to get shiny. I don't mind so much though, as I can retouch with this easily!
Celeteque Eyebrow Defining Kit in Medium Brown (P600)
Offering both coloring and grooming features, the mirrored compact of the Eyebrow Defining Kit consists of a brow powder, a brow wax, and a dual-ended brush applicator (one side is angled and the other is slightly domed). The bristles on the applicator are made of synthetic hairs that are quite soft. Though they apply comfortably without snagging at my brow hairs, I wish the angled brush side could have been made of stiffer material so that mapping the edges of the brows would be easier and less jagged-looking.
The brow powder, although buildable, is not heavily pigmented. It takes quite some time to get the color to stand out against naturally black brow hairs; I counted 4 passes before it looked like I had brow products on. Similarly, the brow wax is more like a light balm that may keep brow hairs in place, but it hardly contributes to the coloring. You would have to use quite a lot, and the included applicator doesn’t offer much help in building up pigmentation.
Medium Brown is on the reddish side, making it suitable for those with chestnut or chocolate brown hair. As with most brow products I use, I did not require any touch-ups when I wore this for an entire day.
Celeteque Moisturizing Lip and Cheek Duo (P665)
Lip and cheek products come in many forms. Some brands do tints, while others do creams. In this case, Celeteque has created a cross between a mousse and a cream that offers comfortable wear on both the lips and the cheeks. Lightweight and velvety, the whipped consistency that borders almost feels powdery, and it is neither tacky nor dry. That same texture and consistency lets it patiently sit on top of the skin as you blend it on the cheeks, allowing for it to diffuse evenly without the risk of patchy application.
On the lips, it initially applies sheer like a tint but layering twice will give it a creamy lipstick look. That being said, the buildable pigmentation is at sheer to medium. Moisture-wise, I recommend applying lip balm first as I didn’t find this to be moisturizing enough.
Wearing Photoready Matte Primer, CC Micro-Hydrating Powder, Eyebrow Defining Kit, Moisturizing Lip and Cheek Duo in Rosy Blush on cheeks and lips (left), and Soft Berry on cheeks and lips (right)
Soft Berry is a warm-toned medium fuchsia that pops beautifully against fair skin. Rose Blush, on the other hand, may look like a nude peachy brown from the tube but it’s actually more of a coral-tinged pink that’s flattering on fair and morena skin alike. With no eating or drinking, the color stays vibrant for about three hours' I noticed that fading starts at the 5-hour mark. There is also a strong cherry candy scent to this, so check first if you're ok with the fragrance.
Wearing Natural Nude (left) and Soft Pink (right)
Celeteque Ultra-Nourishing Lip Lacquer (P645)
To top off the Celeteque collection with something shiny and new, there’s the moist Ultra-Nourishing Lip Lacquer. It’s basically a lip gloss but it’s only slightly tacky, and the shine it delivers is good for two hours before it starts to look more like lip balm. Pigmentation is on the sheer side and there is a pineapple candy scent that isn’t as strong as the Lip and Cheek duo’s cherry scent.
From left: Soft Berry, Rosy Blush, Soft Pink, and Natural Nude
Natural Nude is a versatile nude pink that I think will be flattering on most skin tones. Soft Pink is a sheer hot pink that swatches vibrantly on the back of the hand but it looks toned down once on the lips. This shade might be more flattering to fairer skin tones.
After experiencing all these new offerings from Celeteque, I find that I want to keep a lot of them as staples in my makeup bag. I particularly loved the CC Micro-Hydrating Powder, the Lip and Cheek Duo, and the Ultra-Nourishing Lip Lacquer. The skin-flattering shades are great for light, everyday makeup that looks effortless but pretty!
Have you tried any of Celeteque’s makeup offerings? What are your faves?
