Out of all the free codes for stuff at Sephora, the one that appealed to me the most was a free mini Urban Decay lipgloss, even though it's a sparkly nude (not my normal choice). But order it I did, and can now share my thoughts with you. Oh joy!
In the tube, it's a champagne-nude with sparkle; on my lips, it's basically a sparkly clear.
It has peppermint oil in it, which gives a nice refreshing tingle and smells and tastes great, and I suspect it's because of that that they claim Lip Junkies are plumping. I don't personally notice any significant plumping when wearing it, but YMMV. It's pretty thick and a little tacky, but I actually like it in this case, because it means it lasts longer and doesn't move all over the place, and it's not so sticky that I feel like my lips don't want to part from each other. I can get a good hour from it before needing to reapply, but I can really only wear it when I'm inside or my hair's pulled back, because otherwise my hair sticks to it like crazy. It's actually very pretty on, and I for one am glad it sheers out to transparency, because nude lips are incredibly unflattering on me. It adds shine and dimension, and can be worn on bare lips or over another lip product.
The tube is teensy weensy, but it holds 0.12 oz, which is the standard size for some brands (Laura Mercier, for example; Stila's lip glazes are 0.08 oz, and Make Up For Ever's glosses are 0.09 oz––so tiny!), and is only 0.01 oz less than the Essence Stay With Me glosses. Here's a picture comparing the size and packaging of Midnight Cowboy and Berry Me:
Overview: Full Size
$19 for 0.34 oz, available from Sephora, Urban Decay, Ulta, and Amazon
Quality: 8.75
Effectiveness: 3.5 (supposed to be plumping, but I don't see it)
Ease of Use: 5
Senses: 5 (minty tingle!)
Pigmentation: 4
Duration: 4.5
Consistency: 4.5
Price: 2.25 (full price is expensive!! Free sample is the way to go, for sure)
Value: 4 (0.34 is on the large end of glosses)
Grade: B
It's a bit to expensive for what it is, a very nice, tingly, sparkly, sheer gloss. I'm glad to have it in my collection, just because it feels good on and I don't have anything else like it, but if you have a more extensive gloss collection than me, it's probably a skip. If you're placing a Sephora order, though, and none of the other special codes appeal, this is a good choice!
What do you think of Midnight Cowboy? Do you like sheer, sparkly glosses?
Midnight Cowboy swatched on arm in sunlight, unblended
In the tube, it's a champagne-nude with sparkle; on my lips, it's basically a sparkly clear.
Midnight Cowboy in sunlight (enlarge to show sparklies)
Midnight Cowboy in sunlight, out of focus to show shimmers (enlarge for better view)
Midnight Cowboy in shade
It has peppermint oil in it, which gives a nice refreshing tingle and smells and tastes great, and I suspect it's because of that that they claim Lip Junkies are plumping. I don't personally notice any significant plumping when wearing it, but YMMV. It's pretty thick and a little tacky, but I actually like it in this case, because it means it lasts longer and doesn't move all over the place, and it's not so sticky that I feel like my lips don't want to part from each other. I can get a good hour from it before needing to reapply, but I can really only wear it when I'm inside or my hair's pulled back, because otherwise my hair sticks to it like crazy. It's actually very pretty on, and I for one am glad it sheers out to transparency, because nude lips are incredibly unflattering on me. It adds shine and dimension, and can be worn on bare lips or over another lip product.
The tube is teensy weensy, but it holds 0.12 oz, which is the standard size for some brands (Laura Mercier, for example; Stila's lip glazes are 0.08 oz, and Make Up For Ever's glosses are 0.09 oz––so tiny!), and is only 0.01 oz less than the Essence Stay With Me glosses. Here's a picture comparing the size and packaging of Midnight Cowboy and Berry Me:
Berry Me on the left, Midnight Cowboy on the right
The plastic tube packaging means the UD looks much smaller than the glass/heavy plastic-encased Essence, but they contain about the same amount of product. Amazing what packaging can do!Overview: Full Size
$19 for 0.34 oz, available from Sephora, Urban Decay, Ulta, and Amazon
Quality: 8.75
Effectiveness: 3.5 (supposed to be plumping, but I don't see it)
Ease of Use: 5
Senses: 5 (minty tingle!)
Pigmentation: 4
Duration: 4.5
Consistency: 4.5
Price: 2.25 (full price is expensive!! Free sample is the way to go, for sure)
Value: 4 (0.34 is on the large end of glosses)
Grade: B
It's a bit to expensive for what it is, a very nice, tingly, sparkly, sheer gloss. I'm glad to have it in my collection, just because it feels good on and I don't have anything else like it, but if you have a more extensive gloss collection than me, it's probably a skip. If you're placing a Sephora order, though, and none of the other special codes appeal, this is a good choice!
What do you think of Midnight Cowboy? Do you like sheer, sparkly glosses?
