CoverGirl: NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Muscat

Hello Everybody!

I'm breaking from my sheer berry posts to bring you something different. Yes, it's another lip product, but this one is different. CoverGirl has their new NatureLuxe line that Taylor Swift has been touting as the latest and greatest thing. I'm not sure what makes it "natural" yet. Possibly nothing, except that it seems to have the same standard-issue, requisite two or three natural ingredients to make it sound wholesome. This isn't claiming to be organic or vegan or of mostly natural origin, though, at least not from what I can see on the CoverGirl website. So, until further notice, I'm considering this a marketing gimmick. However, this doesn't mean that this can't still be a good product, and it does contain mango and shea butter, which sound nicer than mineral oil and lanolin and other standard issue ingredients. They retail for $6.49 on the Target website (I bought mine for about that in a Target store), and they are available at most drugstores.

The product itself is described as a Gloss Balm, which I think is about accurate. It's basically a tinted lip balm with a hint of shimmer and a glossy finish. It's not as much of a "lacquered" look as lip gloss gives you, but it's shinier than most balms. Both the scent and the flavor are light and not distracting, just very generic. It feels about as moisturizing on the lip as something like Chapstick. It has SPF 15, which is a nice bonus; I firmly believe in protecting one's skin from sun exposure! It has a lightweight plastic package that is longer and thinner than a traditional lipstick; the packaging is clear and green, and you can see the shade through the package. I bought this in Muscat, which is a coral-orange shade, despite the website's insistence that it's more of a mauve. I don't know, you'll see the pictures, you can let me know what you think, but this definitely looks like a part of the coral family to me. Another plus is that my cats thought the cap was super-fun to play with, and now I can't find it. I mean, I guess that's a plus for them... I don't know what I'll do :( Foil? Does anybody have any suggestions?

Lucky for you, I snapped pictures before my cats absconded with the cap.

Shade 240, Muscat

 Here I am holding the product in my hand:

NatureLuxe Gloss Balm by CoverGirl 

And here it is with the cap off; you can see all of the stick of product through the clear plastic, which is fresh looking and adds a nice pop of color. I rather like the packaging, even if it doesn't look "luxe". Doesn't this look coral to you? I know I'm not crazy. If I'd ordered this based on the swatch on the CoverGirl website, I'd be upset.

Muscat in the tube

 And here it is swatched on the back of my hand; it's the shade on the right. Ignore the frosted brown for now- you'll be seeing that again in a later post!

Muscat on the right

Once again, with the flash; you can get a feel for the glossiness and the sheerness in this shot.

Swatch on the right of Muscat

And here's a shot of Muscat on my lips with no flash:

Muscat, no flash

This photograph uses flash

Muscat on my lips with the flash

This next shot is a full-face picture with Muscat on my lips, no flash. You can see what a sweet color it is here.

Muscat on my lips. No flash. 

 And here's a face-shot with Muscat on my lips using the flash. I think you can see what a pretty, natural lip color this in this shot, as well as what a pretty finish this product has; it's the right amount of gloss and shimmer to look feminine and pretty without coming across as flashy and gaudy.

NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Muscat on my lips, with the flash 

Rating: 7 out of 10

Overall, I'm really happy with this product! I'd definitely try other shades from this product line. It feels nice on, wears a little less than a lipstick, but is comparable to the wear-time of a balm, and is a pretty finish. The price is certainly reasonable, and there's enough pigment that the colors that look bright in the tube give a pretty color on the lips.  However, there's nothing extraordinarily standout about the product, which is what keeps it from getting a higher rating.

Now if only my cats would give the cap back so I could carry this around in my purse...