My Favorite Eyeshadow from 2008 Is Back

You know those ever-popular lists of “The 100 Most Iconic Beauty Products of All Time” that circulate around every few years? There are a few products that almost always pop up on said lists—think MAC Ruby Woo lipstick, Thierry Mugler Angel perfume, Essie’s Ballet Slippers nail polish—because they truly are icons, beloved by millions. Even if they’re discontinued or currently out of vogue, we still recognize their role in the beauty landscape and how they shaped the industry and our day-to-day looks.

There’s a reason you often see Urban Decay’s Midnight Cowboy eyeshadow on those lists. The 2000s icon was a versatile shimmery champagne beige that you could apply in a million different ways, though I typically wore it slathered all over my eyelids, as we often did back in the day before YouTube cut crease tutorials taught us how to get creative with contouring. Midnight Cowboy was one of those great everyday shadows, where you could dip a finger in the little circular shadow dish, pop it on your eyes, and go about your day feeling like you did something. It was pretty but subtle, with a fine microglitter that sparkled but wasn’t full-on glitter, and could easily be layered with other shadows. In short, it was one of those makeup products it seemed like everybody had in their makeup bag simply because it did its job and did it well. Sometimes the simplest products are the most revolutionary! 

Midnight Cowboy became a bestselling sensation, but nothing gold can stay; it was eventually discontinued. (New in box shadows are now going for nearly $100 on eBay.) However, Urban Decay didn’t totally leave us Midnight Cowboy fans hanging as they updated their eyeshadow range. Instead, they introduced the Moondust 24/7 Glitter Eyeshadow in the shade Space Cowboy—and to say it went viral is the definition of an understatement. You’ve probably encountered it on TikTok and stopped your scroll to admire it in all its glimmering, golden glory.

While it’s not the exact same—more on that in a second—Space Cowboy is filling the early aughts hole in my heart once again. Ahead, all the details, and my honest review.

The Shadow

So what’s the difference between the OG Midnight Cowboy and today’s Space Cowboy? It’s important to note that the two colors are not the same—and they don’t pretend to be. Space Cowboy isn’t intended to be an exact dupe of Midnight Cowboy, but rather an updated homage to a true legend. As makeup artist Erin Parsons so beautifully detailed on TikTok, Space Cowboy is quite a bit warmer than its elder sister shadow; it leans more gold than beige-champagne. The shimmer factor, too, is different; the Moondust formulas give off a wet-look, pixie-dust sparkle versus the more powdery finish of Midnight Cowboy.

The Review

Shimmery gold and champagne eyeshadows are my sweet spot. I’ve basically been wearing them since I started wearing eyeshadow. (Ask me about this one perfect Mary-Kate & Ashley Walmart shimmer shadow I used in junior high. RIP, angel.) Just like many of my fellow millennials, I was a big fan of the original Midnight Cowboy, but I gotta say I’m an even bigger fan of Space Cowboy! As in, I’m such a fan that I have three of them in my makeup drawer, plus a few of the Space Cowboy-inspired palettes and the matching eyeliner. 

Because I work from home and have a four-year-old child, I don’t spend a ton of time on my eye makeup anymore. I like something I can quickly pop on with a little mascara, and Space Cowboy is perfect for that. Despite the intense sparkle, the shadow itself feels like butter, not grainy or chalky, and can easily be applied with a fingertip. The glitter stays in place and doesn’t fall all over your cheekbones and it lasts for hours. It’s a perfect product as far as I’m concerned—and a definite contender for the next generation of all those Top 100 lists.