Is it skincare or is it a makeup product? That is the question with some primers. Where primers traditionally would be merely a makeup product, more and more primers promise to do something more than just perform as a base layer for your foundation. A good primer can therefore really bridge the gap between your skincare routine and your makeup. The Catrice Clean ID Anti-Redness Serum primer was one that I wasn’t sure how to categorize at first. But now that I have tried it for a month straight I can say: this is a great, affordable primer that really gets the job done.
Review: Catrice Clean ID Anti-Redness Serum Primer
Since this is another Catrice product (they simply did some great makeup bits this new Fall/ Winter season) we all know it is going to be affordable. At €5.99 this isn’t the most affordable primer Catrice has ever done, it isn’t the most expensive one out there either. And I have had lots of success trying Catrice primers. They made my all time favorite primer (the Fresh it Up which was sadly discontinued) and have come out with several primers over time that I ended up loving. The only downside to Catrice? You just never know how long they will keep a product around for and especially their primers seem to be something they change up on a regular basis.
What does this primer have to offer?
The Catrice Anti-Redness Serum primer was one I didn’t go in with too many expectations. It comes in a dropper style bottle, is fully vegan and it promises to reduce redness after 14 days. Claims on the bottle aside, what I wanted this product to do is to work well enough under makeup. I prefer my primers to be hydrating and really add a good base layer for my makeup to sit on. I don’t expect it to make my makeup last much longer throughout the day or combat any oiliness as I have dry skin. So for me, my primer should just be a good, hydrating layer that makes my makeup look better. I am not too fussy when it comes to primer.
How does this primer perform?
I was really surprised by how well this ended up working for me and it proves to me that a good primer really doesn’t have to cost much at all. I just wish Catrice would be more consistent about their line and not discontinue products left and right all the time so that if you find something you like, you can keep repurchasing it. In my experience, these dropper style primers from Catrice don’t last that long (around 6 – 8 weeks depending on the formula) so they could increase their turnover if they keep products in their line that are this good as many people would love it.
How does this product swatch?
This primer stands out because of its formula. It is a thicker formula that feels very hydrating on the skin. It does dry down a little bit and feels a bit tacky ones it settles down. This made me realize that this product is indeed more of a makeup product rather than a skincare product. It is not hydrating enough to replace a moisturizer for instance. What may be good to know is that this formula is quite thick and it takes some practice to use the dropper to dispense the correct amount of product. It will take a few goes to get it to work and I tried pouring it out but that resulted in far too much. So this formula feels great, but it probably would have worked better if this came in a tube rather than a glass bottle with a dropper.
How does this primer apply to the skin?
While this product feels great on the skin, it doesn’t really do much apart from prime I feel. Here you can see a before and after and as you can see there really isn’t too much of a difference. My skin looks perhaps a little less red in the picture on the red but even after trying it for a month straight I don’t feel this does anything to tone down my redness. This also isn’t overly glowy or mattifying either. What I feel this does mostly is prime and make sure your foundation doesn’t just slide off your face withing the first two hours of wear and that’s really all I need this product to do. Bonus points for it not being overly scented either.
My final thoughts
The Catrice Clean ID Anti-Redness Serum Primer is a good primer that gets the job done and that’s really all I need a primer to do. I don’t feel this lives up to its claims of reducing redness withing 14 days. What this is is a nice primer, that feels nice on the skin, works well on my dry skin to add a layer so my makeup looks better and lasts longer. And that’s really all I need.
Would I recommend the Catrice Clean ID Anti-Redness primer?
I think many people might like this primer as long as you don’t come to this with too many expectations. It is basic, it gets the job done, it’s affordable and I think that if I compare its performance to its price point that this primer is excellently priced. It works well on my sensitive skin as it doesn’t seem to be scented and its vegan so I think this is a product that will be great for many people for as long as it’s available.