Review: Cover Girl Shineblast Lipgloss in Radiate

I've been wanting to try these Cover Girl Shineblast lipglosses for a while now so I was very excited when I was sent the following gloss for review recently:

Cover Girl Shineblast Lipgloss in Radiate (retail: around $8)

In doing research on this line of glosses, I came across reviews by people who thought they didn't really deliver on color or shine. I have to agree that, in regard to this particular shade, Radiate, it's a bit lacking in pigmentation. It's a very sheer pink which, as you can see below, doesn't provide substantial color to my lips:

This is definitely a "your lips but better" type of shade that is quite pretty for what it is. Now, regarding the lack of shine, I can see how people may feel that it doesn't really give the "Shineblast" element that you might think a product of this name would deliver. I don't find this gloss particularly shiny or sparkly (although I think the very subtle, almost iridescent sparkle is super pretty).

So you may be asking yourself if you need this gloss at all. Well, I'm here to tell you that there is a specific and incredibly helpful reason to own this gloss that you might want to consider: it's ideal to layer over lipstains! In fact, that's exactly what Cover Girl suggests you do (check it out here).

In my opinion, this is a fantastic gloss to layer over lipstains (Cover Girl lipstains or otherwise) and here's why: it's not super thick, goopy or syrupy, which is exactly what you want for a gloss you're going to be putting on top of a lipstain. If I use a gloss that's too thick, it will completely negate the longwear properties of the lipstain. In other words, a heavy gloss will make the lipstain slide right off my lips. Also, when I'm wearing a lipstain, I'm not going for a super shiny lip look. So the fact that this gloss isn't super shiny or sparkly for me is PERFECT for the soft, stained look I want on my lips when I'm wearing a lipstain. For me, wearing Shineblast over my lipstains gives my lips a bit more moisture yet it doesn't cancel out the longwear abilities of the stain itself. I think it's a winning combo and I'm so glad I gave this gloss a try over my lipstains.

Oh, before I forget: another awesome reason to try this lipgloss? The doe-foot applicator! Oh my goodness. I'm absolutely obsessed with this applicator because it's just unlike any other doe-foot applicator I've ever used. As you can see in the close-up pic above, this applicator has grooves in it, which help to pick up more gloss for an easier application (don't you hate it when doe-foot applicators don't pick up any gloss at all and you have to keep repeatedly dipping them back into the tube to get enough gloss on your lips?). Also, the flatness of the applicator makes for an incredibly smooth and precise application. I've used many a horrible doe-foot applicator in my time, and all I can say is that this is the Cadillac of doe-foot applicators. Try it once and you'll totally understand what I'm saying.

And by the way, this gloss smells and tastes sort of like a combination of berry and watermelon. But neither the flavor nor fragrance are overpowering and they both fade pretty quickly.

So, do you own any Shineblast Lipglosses? How do you like them? Have you tried them layered over your favorite lipstains? I'd love to hear from you!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews.