Model Co Ultra Shine lip glosses in Strip Tease and Sugar Plum

I was really lucky to win a giveaway from Amy over at Bottled Beauty back in January and these Model Co lipglosses were part of the prize. I'm really not a lipgloss person so it came as a real surprise when I found that I actually quite liked them!

Model Co is not a brand I've had much luck with in the past, but I'm really impressed with these glosses. At first glance they're nothing too special - packaged in a simple clear tube with a black lid and small mirror on the side. They're certainly not unappealing but they're not exactly the epitome of class either.

I love that they come with a doe foot applicator - I've completely give up on slanted tube or brushes as they just do not work for me. The applicator wand makes it really simple and easy to apply the gloss.

I do find the formula to be a little sticky. When you first pull the applicator out of the tube there is a string of gloss that extends between them, a pretty clear sign that it's a sticky gloss! Nevertheless, surprisingly it is quite lovely to wear and never sticks my lips together the way some glosses seem to do.

They both have quite a strong fake lolly kind of smell which doesn't bother me too much because I like my products to have a scent, but if you are sensitive to chemical smelling flavours then you won't like it at all. Though they appear to be significantly different shades in the tubes, they are actually not terribly pigmented and look only slightly different to one another when worn. Both glosses contain slight shimmer that I don't feel shows up on the lips, especially if the gloss is worn over a lipstick.

These, as is to be expected, really do leave a strong glossy finish that catches the light and makes your lips appear fuller and more plump. As is the case with every gloss, there is no point trying to eat or drink with these on because it wears off and makes a mess. When you're not eating or drinking, it lasts about an hour before you feel the need to reapply, although isn't nearly as intense as when first applied.

For someone who really doesn't get along with glosses in general, I found these to be tolerable which actually translates into quite high praise! I've been wearing Sugar Plum (the darker shade) over MAC's Creme Cup to warm it up a little and I think they are a lovely match.

They do retail for $18 which I'm not sure I would pay for personally because I feel that there are many cheaper options that are just as good.

I give these 7 out of 10.