Josie Maran Natural Volume Lip Gloss (Precious)

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $20

THE SKINNY: I'll admit it. I judge beauty products by their packaging.

As soon as I saw package on this gloss – plain white lettering with a gold (gold!) wand, I was convinced I would not like it. This did not look like a $20 gloss.

I was so wrong.

Josie Maran Natural Volume Lip Gloss went on smooth and without a lot of stickiness. The color (I tried “Precious” a nice pink shade that blended well with my fair skin tone) was light and just shiny enough.

The color looked really pink, almost too pink, in the tube but applied beautifully. Proved wrong again!

It is also a product I can feel good about, sporting Sephora's natural seal for products that use more natural ingredients and fewer synthetic items.

The best part if this gloss is the effect hours after using it. Long after I could not longer see the extra-plumpage of my lips (yes, this product does claim to boost collagen and seems to work) or shine from the gloss, they were still super-soft. And it has been really tough to find a product that can live up to that standard with the chill of winter in full effect.

I just wish the company would make the packaging a little prettier and ditch that gold wand.

KEEP OR TOSS: This is going in my bag today. I can't wait to try some of the other shades (such as “Daring” which has a little more sparkle).

CHECK IT OUT: Check out all the shades in this line, find out about the natural ingredients and even buy some direct from Josie Maran or at Sephora.

– Tested by Carrie