Catrice Care in Colours 040 Hot Take Lip Balm

Packaging and what the product is

The photo on catrice.eu shows a twist-up stick with a transparent body and cap, so the tinted bullet is visible through the plastic; “Care in Colours lip balm” is printed vertically on the side. It holds 3 g. Shade 040 Hot Take is one of several tints in the range; the product sits between a balm and a sheer lipstick.

Ingredient analysis

The formula is anhydrous and short. Hydrogenated vegetable oil heads the list, followed by castor seed oil (which gives slip and shine), sunflower seed wax for structure, then shea butter and cocoa butter. Tocopherol (vitamin E) protects the oils from oxidation, and sunflower seed oil adds softness.

Ethyl vanillin provides a vanilla-like flavour. The colour comes from CI 15850 (a red pigment), CI 42090 (a blue dye), CI 77492 (yellow iron oxide) and CI 77891 (titanium dioxide); dicalcium phosphate is a filler. Because there is no water, no preservatives are needed.

What to watch out for

There is no parfum and no labelled fragrance allergens; ethyl vanillin is a flavouring rather than a declared allergen. The colourants are permitted for lip products in the EU. People who react to castor oil or to cocoa butter should check the list; otherwise the formula is fairly unremarkable from a sensitivity point of view.

What users say

Few opinions are available. On Boozyshop shade 040 has 4.7/5 from 7 reviews (checked 31 Oct 2026). Buyers describe it as creamy and nourishing like a balm but with the colour of a lipstick, not drying, and with a sheer tint that is neither too bright nor too transparent – one simply wrote “So creamy!”. Colour descriptions vary from person to person (one reviewer saw it as a pretty brown), so swatches are worth checking. No negative points were mentioned in the visible reviews.

Who it may suit

People who want an easy, low-maintenance tint with balm-like comfort and a simple ingredient list. Those looking for long wear or full opacity will probably find it too sheer.