For those of you who know me, you know that I have been on a lipgloss bonanza for the past week. In this spree, I decided to buy Neutrogena Moisture Shine Gloss. I'm not a fan of the Neutrogena Skin Care System, but I do use Neutrogena blush. And I am addicted to gloss...so trying, not a problem. At all.

I actually own three tubes. I purchased one for $5.29 at my local Target. And then the next day, I went to Walgreens and they were on sale 2/$5.99. Could I resist? I think not.

First of all, I have to examine if this gloss does what the product's name claims.

Does it moisturize?: Indeed it does. This is one of very few lip glosses that I have found that actually managed to be a gloss and actually moisturize. Normally I use some Blistex or Burt's Bees before I put gloss on, but when this gloss, it’s not necessary. Granted, I won't say that this gloss will provide you the same amount of moisture as a slather of chapstick. But it does do a lot more than many glosses. In fact, I can't think of one gloss that moisturize more>

Does it shine?: If it didn't shine, it wouldn't be a gloss. So to say it shines, and to say it’s a gloss may be a little redundant, but that's ok. The shine factor on this gloss...excellent. It might not be a gold medal winner, but it can at least come in for the bronze. It shines just enough, but not too much.

This gloss isn't the flashiest, but Neutrogena products aren't flashy in general. They just work.

The shades offered by Neutrogena are: Sweet Nothing, Glimmer, Whisper, Tickled, Groove, First Blush, Glam, Flirt, Dreamy, Coy and Chic. Swatches are available at www.Neutrogena.com, but don't look at them. They look nothing like the real colors. In fact, if I had seen those swatches before I bought this gloss, I would never have bought them.

Reading what the Neutrogena site promises makes me wonder. "Long lasting, non-greasy, non-sticky." I will admit that this gloss is not greasy, nor is it sticky. But it is not particularly long lasting at all. It lasts for 1-2 hours (depending on eating/drinking factors), which is about average for a gloss. Neutrogena makes this out to be heaven in a tube, which is great for marketing strategy. That isn't true, but it is good stuff.

Now onto the three colors I own.

Whisper: This was the reason that I wanted to buy the gloss to begin with. Mandy Moore wore it on the January 04 cover of Cosmo. And it looked gorgeous. Needless to say, I'm not Mandy Moore. This is my least favorite of the bunch. It’s a flesh colored gloss, with little to no shimmer. And with my fair skin, it just makes my lips blend into my face. I may attempt spray tanning at some point and see how I look after that, but right now, this won't be worn.

Tickled: This is a frosty light purple color with silver shimmer running through it. And it is really gorgeous. I am scared of purple, but this is really sheer and absolutely gorgeous. It’s truly versatile, which is surprising for a purple gloss. I am truly glad I took a chance with this one.

Glimmer: This is my favorite of the three. It is a peach with gold shimmer running through it. Like Tickled, it is very sheer. And this is one where my friends have noticed. "Your lips look pretty." (I know that's an odd compliment, but people know me and lip gloss). This is a shade which will look good on anyone...so buy it.

Sheer is good, because this gloss can be layered easily to make a more dramatic color. Yet at the same time, it is not dramatic, and for some that is vital.

The applicator is a tube wand with a sponge on the end. Nothing spectacular about this, but nothing bad at the same time.

Neutrogena promises that this gloss will be flavorful...its not. And it doesn't even smell all that good. It’s not bad, on lipgloss standards. Yet at the same time, it doesn't provide a sweet scent that many glosses do.

Yes, I like this gloss. I like this gloss a lot. Maybe it isn't heaven in a tube. Maybe it isn't everything Neutrogena makes it out to be, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't make my lips look pretty.

Recommended: Yes