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Essence Yee Haw! Plumping Lip Oil [01 - Boots On, Carry On!] Review

By Maychiri's Thoughts - August 03, 2025

Aaaah! My favourite item in this LE!!! Finally, let’s check out the Essence Yee Haw! Plumping Lip Oil, shade 01/Boots On, Carry On! (the only shade)! 
 
One word. One little tiny word: BOOTS! Eee, little bootsies! Like, when I saw the product photo for this, my heart legit skipped a beat – STOP! It has little 3D cowboy boots inside the cap??? New level of adorable unlocked! These boots are made for walking – if you have LEGO man sized feet! One of these days, these boots will walk all over you – you, being an ant; though, let me be real, I have seen ants bigger than the length of these bootsies. I literally went ‘squee’ when I saw this and my jaw was agape; no way that they’d do something this insanely detailed and awesome! Essence, keep being you! This was so insanely awesome to me that I made it my life’s mission to get this lip oil; like, if there was just one item I’d get from this LE, it would have to be this lip oil. It has to be! And it will be... and it is, now. Wooo! Oh, wait, this is a plumping lip oil? Huh. Oh well, maybe it won’t sting too much. Now, let’s finally see what this is like! 

 

 

 

 

 

Reminder that you can see a video of the swatch on my Instagram Reel here! 

 

 

  

 

 

Packaging: hold on for a moment, I need a minute or two just to compose myself because... Ahhh! This is the most brilliant theming ever!! The tube itself is just a clear plastic tube that is quite lightweight. I really like the gold details, they go perfectly with the soft pink colour of the lip oil, and this specific shade of faded gold is such a good one. I also love the little cowboy boots under the Yee Haw! logo. Most information is in the back, in the same golden colour. The prints are not too durable; I have had this lip oil for less than a month and it’s already starting to rub off :( . So much for those boots in the front... luckily, there is a spare pair! But oh, I will come to that in a moment, believe me! The cap closes extremely tightly, so much that it can be hard to open again. 
 
 
And now... I heard you liked cowboy boots? Well, I sure hope you do because that’s what you’ll get! No, no, no, not a paper cut-out of the boots, no! Essence really gave their whole cowboy-ussy into this design, clearly! Because this is exceptionally clever design! I mean, how many other brands put entire 3D modelled bootsies inside the cap??? And they don’t seem to be superglued... which means there is a possibility that I may be able to get them out of their enclosure, free them from this shackled existence. I feel a particular need to do this, once I am done with the lip oil. But just look at them! They have a tiny little Essence logo on them, awww! And the little pink stars??? Awwww! I honestly wish I had these exact boots IRL, in my shoe size ngl. 
 
 
 
Wouldn’t that be slay?! So yeah, these boots are my new obsession, okay? They are EVERYTHING to me!! They are really what makes this design, everything else is nice and all but come on... this is on a whole new level! I cannot express how much I love this little detail! 
 
 
 
 
 
Source: www.essence.eu
Ingredients: argan (Argania spinosa) kernel oil, vitamin E for nourishment. No parabens. Huh, not a whole lot to nourish the lips, but it’s got argan oil and a whole bunch of occlusives, so it should help at least a little bit. Also, I don’t really see anything that would cause plumping? I think I am missing something... anyways, the scent is positively incredible! It is so delicious! And relatively intense, which is good when it smells this yummy! It smells like vanilla cookies, I think. I can definitely smell the vanilla, that’s for sure! It’s also got an aromatic note that is bewitching me... so sweet and so gourmand and just so perfect. Is the aromatic note strawberry? It kinda smells like strawberry yogurt... hmm. Well, whatever it is, I can’t get enough of it! It’s kinda making me hungry, haha! The expiration date is 12 months after opening. 
 
 

Applicator: flat applicator, relatively small size. It picks up a really small amount of lip oil, so I have to go back 4-5 times before I have enough oil on my lips. A bit tiresome, but it’s alright. The applicator itself is quite firm and pretty hard, but it feels gentle on the lips thanks to the soft plush material. Since it is so small, it has no problems reaching even the most problematic areas of the lips and applying lip oil on them properly. It’s so precise! Even lining and filling in the cupid’s bow wasn’t a problem! And since it is so plush, it just glides across lips with no tugging or pulling. What little oil it applies, it applies it perfectly evenly and richly, so you don’t need to spend a long time trying to perfect it. 
 
 
 
Just need to go back to the tube a few times because there’s so little oil on the applicator. This is really the only negative with this applicator. Aside from that, it is great! I would prefer a doe foot, but this one is more than precise enough! However, if you have larger lips, its small size might present a problem! 
 

 
Colour: while it is a soft rose colour when swatched, it becomes fairly colourless on lips. This isn’t a bad thing – it allows the lip oil to be layered over any other lip product without affecting its colour. It just makes the lips a smidge more pinkish. I really like this, it looks so natural and lived-in. And it doesn’t make my lips look anemic! Very pretty subtle colour! There is also magenta pink shimmer that is visible on the swatch and in the tube, but I cannot see this on my lips at all. That’s okay, I feel like this glossy texture looks better than a shimmery one – at least for this lip oil! 
 
 
Oh wow! This is one really thick formula! Honestly, it reminds me of old school lip glosses; nowadays, I prefer lighter formulas. This feels very, very occlusive but I do guess that’s the point, so that lips don’t dry out. However, it is much too heavy for me personally. Though I am sure it will be awesome for winter! It also feels dry greasy, not very oily. Which is kinda weird for a lip oil. Ngl, I vastly prefer the formula of the Shiny Lipgloss from the Yee Haw! LE. This is just too goopy and thick and heavy. 
 
 
Well, it is a lip oil, so the texture is very glossy. Not as much as the Yee Haw! Shiny Lipgloss, but it is still quite glossy in its own right. However, it looks like thick gloss, like there’s dimension to it. Makes sense, since it is so thick and heavy and occlusive. It gives the lips a very pretty, healthy glow, like they are properly hydrated and juicy! The shimmer isn’t visible at all, despite being quite visible in the tube. 
 
 
 
I’m happy that this is the case! I feel like all that magenta shimmer would just cheapen the overall texture, which would be a shame, because this is a really nice texture. So glossy and fab! And kind ‘meaty’ as well! So I don’t mind that it’s not the glossiest lip gloss around – that’s what the Shiny Lipgloss is for! 
 
 
 
Such a heavy formula can only feel one way on the lips: heavy and somewhat uncomfortable. It really does feel like I have a thick layer of grease on my lips that is weighing them down. It’s also quite tacky, which only makes it more uncomfortable. Aw man. It also bunches up on my lower lip, where it comes into contact with the upper lip; I hate it when that happens. Again, very old-school. It becomes more dry creamy with time, while still retaining that tackiness. Not ideal at all. 
 
 
And that little crust on the lower lip only becomes worse with time. But there is one positive to being so thick and heavy: it keeps the lips from drying out. Indeed, my lips stay in good shape for longer when I have this lip oil on, despite the tingly effect which usually damages my lips. And the lip oil itself doesn’t dry out my lips one bit so it seems like it is doing a good job of being a nourishing lip oil! See, not all is bad! 
 
 
 
Wait a second... oh. Oh! Oh? So this does actually feel tingly? Wait, but why? It doesn’t have chili extract or cayenne pepper or even menthol... gonna have to do some digging with the ingredients. It’s not argan oil, it’s not vitamin E, it’s definitely not mica. Oooohhh... it’s vanillyl butyl ether! I 100% did not realise that is one of the more common plumping ingredients ngl. I am used to seeing chili/menthol/cayenne pepper etc. Now this makes sense.  
 
 
 
But, even though they say that this gives a more controlled, more subtle tingling feeling I would beg to disagree! It still feels pretty tingly! Although, it doesn’t feel like it is burning my lips. There is a slight warmness to them, though. Kinda weird, but I can tolerate it, which is more than I can say for other plumping ingredients. This tingling actually lasts quite a decent amount of time; 15 minutes later, and I can still feel it, so it seems like it lasts longer than the usual plumping ingredients. Perhaps that will mirror how long it keeps my lips plumper? 
 
 
The plumping effect is slight, but it is there! I can see (much more, feel) how a bit more juicy and plump my lips are! Nice! It’s not as plumpy as with the other ingredients, as vanillyl butyl ether seems to be a milder form of plumping. It plumps by improving blood circulation to the lips, bringing more fresh blood there rapidly and, therefore, inducing this tingly feeling that leads to some plumping. It’s a very natural effect!  
 
 
And since the colour is so subtle, you can easily layer this onto other lip products if you wish to have some extra juiciness in your lips. However, the effect doesn’t last very long, which was expected. No plumping lip product can give you a seriously long-lasting plumping effect – sorry, but the only way to get that would be to get injectables (hyaluronic acid or fillers) into your lips at the dermatologist’s/aesthetician’s office. But for what it is, this effect is pretty good and long-lasting enough! Enough for me, that’s for sure! 
 
 
One more good thing is that this lip oil is very easy to apply. Not that I was expecting it to tug at the lips, but I was still surprised by how smoothly it glides across lips – particularly, given that mega thick formula! Such a heavy formula could have easily started tugging at the lips because it is too thick and goppy, but it actually just slides across lips like butter. And since it is colourless, you don’t have to be particularly careful around the edges – not like it will show it if you are slightly off anyways.  
 
 
The applicator does much of the work here, but the formula is also partially responsible for this kind of easy application. Just don’t let the formula dry down and everything will be smooth sailing! And since the formula isn’t one bit runny, it is extremely easy to line the cupid’s bow properly. I found that I needed to apply multiple layers until I was satisfied with the result, but since it is so easy to apply, this wasn’t a chore. 
 
 
 
Owing to its supremely heavy and thick formula, this lip oil is pretty much waterproof. Well, maybe not a 100% waterproof, but it survived multiple drinks without changing or fading at all. It still feels heavy and thick on my lips, even 6 hours later; this is normal for this type of formula. More watery formulas tend to fade much sooner. Another reason why this would be great for winter! It is also fairly food-resistant, though some of it does get smudged off if you eat greasier food.  
 
 
 
But mostly, it has actually pretty amazing longevity! Especially for a lip oil! Well, of course it does, it is more of a thick lip gloss than a lip oil, but still! Now, does it fade or feather on the edges? Extremely hard to say... remember, it is colourless on the lips. But the edges of my lips are still glossy so I guess it doesn’t? In any case, it lasts much, much longer than I ever expected it to! It does feel thicker now, and like the edges of my lips are not quite as thick, so some of it may have faded but again, it is almost impossible to tell. This is very impressive! 
 
 
 
 
 
I highly recommend not trying to remove this lip oil with just a damp cotton pad! Why? Because this lip oil is so greasy that it leaves a tacky, very waxy residue if it is not removed properly. Instead, use a bi-phase micellar water or a specialised remover, which remove the lip oil in an instant and don’t cause the waxy residue to stay to bother you. Because it is really bothersome! But with micellar water, it is one swipe and presto! 
 
 
 
 
Overall, I like this lip oil. Is it the best lip oil around? Nah, I’ve used much better lip oils before; the problem is with the formula. It’s just way too thick and heavy and occlusive for my liking. I am used to lip oils feeling much lighter on lips, not like they are suffocating my poor lips. In many ways, this kind of formula reminds me of old-school lip glosses. It’s that goopy, extremely thick kind of formula that feels tacky when you close your lips. Ehhh... not really ideal. At least, not in terms of comfort. But, in terms of actually keeping the lips from drying out, this is excellent. Since it is so heavy and occlusive that there’s no way your lips are going to dry out. This was released in the summer, but I feel like it would be awesome for winter, to protect the lips from the dry, cold winter air. It doesn’t seem to repair or nourish lips on its own too much, but just it keeping the moisture locked in helps dramatically with ensuring that the lips stay soft. There isn’t much colour to this lip oil; despite seeming like it would be a lovely rosy pink, it is actually pretty colourless on the lips. And the magenta shimmer really isn’t visible on the lips, just in the bottle. I actually prefer it this way, as it allows the lip oil to be layered over any other lip product without changing its colour too much. It’s also pretty long-lasting, able to survive meals and water, as long as the meals aren’t too greasy. But even if it wasn’t, it is easy enough to apply, as it simply glides across lips. The applicator is small but very capable! I love how it’s able to reach even the tightest places and apply the lip oil thickly and evenly. However, it could do with picking up more oil. So, really, the only thing that truly bothers me is the formula, and yes, that is an important part. Perhaps one of the most important parts, even. That’s why it is getting a lower score. Because it’s just uncomfortable to wear, but otherwise, it is so good! Oh, and it does truly tingle! It has a subtle plumping effect thanks to vanillyl butyl ether, which plumps up lips without causing irritation or damage (unlike chili extract and menthol). Let me be real, I did not think it would actually tingle or do any sort of real plumping, so when I felt this prickly feeling on my lips, I was so surprised! But it’s not that typical uncomfortable tingling – if I say that it’s relatively comfortable, then you know it really is! But of course, I must, simply must, give alllll the praise in the world for this immensely creative design! Like, putting little bootsies in the case of the cap???? How creative! And it’s not just a cut-out, it’s real 3D rubber boots! You know damn well I will be getting those out of the case, haha! I am speechless with that single little detail. The lip oil itself is good, but this detail is on another level! However, I sadly don’t think I will be recommending this lip oil because it is just too thick and goopy and old-school. But I wouldn’t say no to buying this solely for the boots... just saying! Off to a decent start, eh? 
 
  
Rating: 6/10
   
Would buy again? YES (even though it does really tingle!) 


 

[Listening suggestion 🎶: Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ ]
 

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