Ciate London Review: Is This Insta-Famous Makeup Brand Worth the Hype?

Hey beauty babes! If you‘re plugged into the makeup world on social media, you‘ve probably seen the super cute packaging and sparkly lipsticks from Ciate London all over your feeds. This British brand has seriously blown up over the past few years – we‘re talking over 1 million Instagram followers, collabs with everyone from Miss Piggy to Olivia Palermo, and multiple beauty awards. Not bad for a company that started with a focus on nail polish!

The question is – sure, Ciate is popular, but is it actually good? I‘ve been curious about the brand for a while, so I finally decided to put their raved-about nail polishes and makeup to the test. I tried everything from their glitter lipsticks to shimmery eyeshadows to gel-effect nail colors. I‘m also sharing feedback from other beauty lovers so you can get the full picture.

So before you hit "add to cart" on that Ciate palette or lipstick, read on for my SUPER detailed, brutally honest thoughts. Because girl, nobody‘s got time for overhyped products that don‘t perform! Let‘s dive into this ultimate Ciate London review.

The Backstory on Ciate London

Ciate was founded back in 2009 by celebrity manicurist Charlotte Knight. She‘s painted the nails of Kate Moss, Adele, and Victoria Beckham (jealous much?). After years of working fashion week and photoshoots, Charlotte realized there was a lack of high-quality, professional nail products available to consumers. And so Ciate, which stands for "Color, Innovation, Aspiration, Trend, Extraordinary," was born!

The brand started with a focus on luxury nail polishes but quickly expanded into makeup, with eyeshadow palettes, highlighters, lipsticks, and more. Everything is cruelty-free, and most products are vegan too.

I personally love Ciate‘s whole philosophy and mission. They‘re all about encouraging creativity and self-expression through makeup and nails. In Charlotte‘s words: "Beauty shouldn‘t be taken too seriously. We create products to have fun with and make you feel extraordinary."

How Popular Is Ciate, Really?

You might be thinking, okay, the founder has an impressive background, but is Ciate really THAT popular and successful? The numbers speak for themselves:

• Ciate has over 1 million followers on Instagram and 230,000 on Facebook
• The brand is sold in over 40 countries and 1000+ stores including Sephora, Bloomingdale‘s, and Selfridges
• Ciate nail polishes have won awards from Allure, Cosmopolitan, and Teen Vogue
• The brand has seen double-digit year-on-year sales growth since launch

Ciate is clearly killing it, especially with millennial makeup lovers. The brand just seems to GET us and what we want – fun, Instagram-worthy products, bold colors, and the freedom to play and experiment.

Ciate London Nail Polish Review

Obviously, I had to try Ciate‘s OG product – their nail polishes. Ciate literally has every color and finish you could ever want, from classic reds to holographic glitters. The polishes come in adorable bow-topped bottles that look so cute on your vanity.

I picked up 6 shades to test:

• Iced Frappe: A creamy pastel blue
• Dangerous Affair: A deep, vampy merlot
• Cosmic Love: A moody navy blue with silver micro-shimmers
• Supernova: An explosion of multi-colored star glitters
• Bubblegum Bellini: A bright, Barbie pink creme
• Cookies and Cream: Black and white glitter

Let me just say, the brush and formula on these is SO GOOD. The brush is flat and wide, so you can cover your whole nail in just a couple strokes. The formula is super smooth and pigmented – even tricky glitter shades like Supernova went on evenly without getting goopy or patchy.

I‘m genuinely impressed with the staying power too. Bubblegum Bellini and Iced Frappe lasted a full 7 days on me before chipping, WITH a top coat. The glitter shades started wearing away on the tips after 4-5 days, but that‘s expected.

But how do these compare to other nail polish brands? In my experience, Ciate is right up there with pro-level brands like OPI and Essie in terms of quality, brush, and lasting power. The color selection is hard to beat too – you can find so many unique shades.

The only thing is the price. At $18 each, Ciate polishes are definitely more expensive than the $8-$10 you‘ll pay for a drugstore polish. But for the quality and color payoff, I do think they‘re worth it as a treat yo‘ self purchase. Start with a couple core shades and then add in some fun glitters or metallics!

Ciate London Makeup Review

Moving on to Ciate‘s makeup! Over the years, the brand has released products for practically every part of your face, from primer to mascara to setting spray. Some of the standout products:

• Dewy Stix Luminous Highlighting Balm: A creamy, glow-boosting stick available in 5 glossy shades. This is perfect for a natural, dewy look.

• Glitter Storm Lipstick: Quite possibly the most extra lipstick ever. These go on matte and then transform into a glitter-packed finish.

• The Pretty, Fun, & Fearless Eyeshadow Palette: Nine super silky shadows in matte and shimmer finishes, with fun shade names inspired by powerful women.

• Extraordinary Foundation: A demi-matte, full coverage foundation in 18 shades. It‘s infused with hyaluronic acid and claims to be humidity-proof.

I‘ve personally tried the Dewy Stix in Gleaming, the Glitter Storm lipstick in Cosmic, and the Fun eyeshadow palette. And let me tell you, these did NOT disappoint!

The Dewy Stix gave my skin the most gorgeous, lit-from-within glow. It melted into my skin and felt weightless – perfect for no-makeup makeup days. I tapped it onto my cheekbones, down my nose, and on the inner corners of my eyes for that extra pop.

Now, the Glitter Storm lipsticks are WILD but so fun for a night out. Cosmic is a deep plum that transforms into an explosion of blue and purple sparkle. The glitter is so fine that it doesn‘t feel gritty at all. And surprisingly, it wasn‘t drying and stayed put through dinner and drinks.

As for the Fun palette, the shade range is stunning. You get a good mix of matte transition shades and some super shimmery pops. The metallics, like the rose gold shade Shine Bright, are especially buttery and pigmented. I did a pink and gold halo eye that turned out AMAZING.

The only product I wasn‘t head over heels for was the foundation. It definitely delivered on full coverage, but felt a bit heavy and appeared cakey by the end of the day. But to be fair, I typically prefer a lighter, dewier foundation anyway. It would probably work well for oily skin.

What Are Other People Saying About Ciate London?

You don‘t have to just take my word for it, though. I scoured the Internet for feedback from other beauty addicts. The verdict? Most people are just as impressed with Ciate as I am!

On Influenster, Ciate‘s products have an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The Dewy Stix and Glitter Flips have the highest ratings, with people raving about the glow payoff and comfortable formulas.

A few highlights:

"I have almost every single shade of the Glitter Flips and I am OBSESSED. I‘ve never seen another lipstick like it. It‘s sparkly without being gritty, and it lasts so long." – Melissa J.

"The Dewy Stix is my new holy grail. It instantly wakes up your complexion and brings so much luminosity to your skin. Plus it‘s not sticky at all. I need it in every shade!" – Sarah P.

"I‘m a nail polish junkie and Ciate is one of my all-time favorite brands. The color selection is amazing and the formula lasts longer than most of my other polishes." – Brianna W.

Ciate‘s makeup has also been featured and praised by major publications like Allure, Byrdie, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour. It won Best Lipstick in Cosmopolitan UK‘s 2020 Beauty Awards!

Of course, no product is going to work perfectly for everyone. Some people with very oily skin found that the Dewy Stix was TOO glowy and slippery. And a few reviews mentioned that the eyeshadows had some fallout.

Is Ciate London Worth The Money?

By now, you‘re probably ready to throw your wallet at the screen and snap up everything Ciate has ever made. But let‘s talk about the price point. Ciate is by no means the most expensive brand out there – their nail polishes are $18 and most makeup products are in the $20-$40 range. That‘s pretty standard for a mid-tier, Sephora-type brand.

HOWEVER. It is pricier than the Essences and NYX‘s of the world. And if you want to try a bunch of products, it can definitely add up! So, is Ciate actually worth spending your hard-earned cash on?

Ultimately, I personally think YES – Ciate is worth the splurge. No, you may not be able to buy every single product. But in my experience, the quality of the brand is consistent and impressive across the board. You‘re paying for high-performance, innovative formulas and truly unique color selections. This isn‘t your run-of-the-mill makeup.

Something else to consider – Ciate is an independent, female-owned brand. You‘re supporting a smaller company and a real person‘s dream, rather than a giant faceless corporation. Ciate has always stuck to its ethos of encouraging creativity and self-love through makeup. That‘s something I‘m happy to get behind!

Conclusion: Should You Try Ciate London?

Whew, that was a LOT of info. If you‘re still reading this behemoth of a review, I applaud you. Let‘s wrap things up with my final thoughts on Ciate London.

After extensively testing Ciate‘s nail polishes and makeup, I can confidently say YES, this brand is 100% worth the hype. Ciate is all about quality, creativity, and having FUN with your beauty routine. Whether you‘re looking for a moody nail moment, a statement glitter lip, or an ethereal glow, Ciate‘s got you covered.

If you‘re new to the brand, I recommend starting with a couple of nail polishes and the Dewy Stix. The polishes will last you forever and the highlighting balm is foolproof. Then you can branch out to some of the bolder products, like the Glitter Storm lipsticks!

As with all beauty products, what works for me may not be your holy grail. Ciate is pricier than the drugstore, so do your research and read reviews before taking the plunge. When in doubt – ask for a sample at Sephora or Ulta!

I hope this super in-depth review helped you decide if Ciate is right for you. Let me know in the comments if you‘ve tried anything from the brand and what you thought.

Now if you‘ll excuse me, I need to go place a Ciate order!