Urban Decay

The Secret to Tinker Bell’s Shimmer, Exposed! She Uses Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Shimmering Powder for Face and Body in Aura

September 17th, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

When I finally figure out how to open the portal to the Magical Land of The Drag Queen Roller Disco, I would really like to have Urban Decay’s Naked Illuminated Shimmering Powder for Face and Body in Aura ($29) with me in my purse, because it would be a shame to enter a realm where the moon looks like a giant disco ball and the sky rains glitter without at least a little highlighter on my face.

That’s all I’m saying.

Once through the portal, I’m pretty sure this baked golden peachy pink powder would also give me good street cred within the inner circle. They’d be like, “Honey, did you see that chick with the big Lorde hair wearing Urban Decay’s new highlighter? Girlfriend had glitter on her face FOR DAYS. But in a good way.”

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Glide Through Your Days and Nights With Nine New Colors and Plenty of Perversion in the Urban Decay Ten 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set

September 15th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

I’m a big fan of Perversion.

I like to get it on…my water and/or lash lines. I’m always down for that action. Oh, yeah…

I appreciate that Urban Decay included a full-size Perversion Glide-On Eye Pencil in their new $52 Ten 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set ’cause really — a girl can never have too many jet-black pencil liners. Still, I think it might’ve been cooler if they’d swapped it out for a new color.

Nine of the 10 long-lasting, smooth pencils in the limited edition kit are minis in new shades, while Perversion, the solitary full-size pencil in the set, has been around the block a few times, if you know what I’m sayin’. 😉

With the minis being new shades, I wonder why UD didn’t go all out with new shades for the entire set, but I digress…

Taupe plays a major role here, so if you like earth tones and grayish browns in matte or shimmery finishes, whee! — you’ll have a great time. I know I did with Smokeout, the satiny blackish taupe, which I’m wearing below.

I’m hoping, and crossing my fingers, toes and eyes, that UD releases a full-size version of Smokeout soon. I see some serious Unsung Hero potential there.

Color junkies, don’t despair about the taupe. The set also includes a nice mix of blues and purple, and even a shot of gold, giving those who aren’t totally Team Taupe room to play.

Urban Decay Ten Swatches from the left: Perversion, Glitter Rock, Moonspoon, Vacancy and Faint — Swatches from the left: Perversion, Glitter Rock, Moonspoon, Vacancy and Faint

Urban Decay Ten Swatches from the left: Gonzo, Smokeout, Mugshot, Stargazer and Voodoo — Gonzo, Smokeout, Mugshot, Stargazer and Voodoo

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In Vice3, Urban Decay Clutches to Its Vices With 20 New Eyeshadows

September 12th, 2014 by Karen 26 Comments

Vice, thrice. Nice!

I enjoy humming the Miami Vice theme song to myself when I use the new Urban Decay Vice3 Palette ($60).

Duun-dah-dun, dah-dahdun dah-dah-dahda-dun.

Dahdun-dahdun-dun-dun-dun, dahda-dun-dahdun-dahdun-dun-dun-dun…

Why?

Because I can. 🙂

But that’s just one of many reasons to break into song while using this palette, with another being the included cute matchy-matchy clutch.

(In some circles, I go by the nickname “Clutch Collector,” or “Hoarder of Bags,” or “Lover of Anything She Can Stuff Gel Pens and Cat Treats Into…That Still Zips Up.”)

Urban Decay Vice3 packaging — The latest in Vice from Urban Decay…

The new case is one of several tweaks Urban Decay made to Vice3, the new followup to their popular Vice and Vice2 palettes. The brand also trimmed it down, making it slimmer and easier to travel with (this Vice is goin’ places!); raised the price by a taco (that’s $1 in layman’s terms); changed the layout; and included 20 new eyeshadow shades.

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It’s Taupe Time With the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette

August 12th, 2014 by Karen 24 Comments

Rap battle in 3-2-1…

If you can’t cope when shadow palettes lack taupe,
Or you start to mope when you lose your favorite matte taupe,
Or you think “Dope!” when you see a palette with six taupes,
Then jump over that moat! And climb that slope! ‘Cuz…

OK…I can’t think of anything else that rhymes with taupe. 🙂

The $29 Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette

Yeah, man, Naked2 Basics ($29), Urban Decay’s latest vestiphobic eyeshadow palette, is a cool-toned taupe explosion. It comes with five matte shadows and one satin, with all of them being a different incarnation of taupe.

Five of the shadows are new (nude-pink Stark, warm gray Frisk, reddish brown Cover, muted brown Primal and smoky brown Undone), while the remaining one’s a re-promote (pale nude Skimp).

Essentially, the palette is a cool-toned taupe cousin of the original Naked Basics palette.

Compared to the shadows in its predecessor, the original Naked Basics Palette, these shadows seem much easier to blend. I haven’t had any problems mixing or mooshing any of the colors together and haven’t had any trouble with uneven application.

I have seen some fallout, though, but that’s pretty typical of Urban Decay.

According to UD, the palette works well for all skin tones, from like to dark and cool to warm, but I have to politely disagree with that… I’m an olive-toned gal with a darker skin tone, and I feel that without the help of some additional products, like a black shadow or eyeliner, or a warm beige or orangey brown, all six Naked2 Basics shadows tend to blend together into a nondescript haze on my skin.

It’s like when the newspaper gets left out in the rain, and then you open it and everything’s a muddled mix of depressing grays… Sad panda. 🙁

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette with a MAC Lipstick for scale — With a MAC Lipstick for scale

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Urban Decay’s Perversion False Lashes in Trap Might Lure You Into Thinking That You Could Wear Them To Buy Cat Food

July 29th, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Urban Decay Perversion False Lashes in Trap

If you think you’re going to wear Urban Decay’s new Perversion Lashes in Trap ($15) to Target to buy cat food without having people really, really stare at you, you are mistaken. Because these lashes look completely cra-zay-zy in real life.

I mean, they look great in pics! They’re definitely dramatic…which makes sense; that is what the new Perversion Lash line is all about.

If you’re going out clubbing or have a big night on the town or if you just landed that job as a full-time dominatrix (*cracks whip), then yeah. Awesome lashes.

But for, like, real life kind of stuff, nuh-uh. I look downright insane with these on, like I should be hanging out with Britney when she shaved her head, and attacking cars with an umbrella.

Trap is one of three new $15 Perversion Lash styles, all permanent members of the UD line.

It’s weird… Whenever I wear Trap and post pics, I usually get some nice comments, and I think it’s because of the length of the lashes, especially the bundles around the center.

I think they make my eyes look wider, like that doe-eyed thing to the Nth degree, which I like. Too bad they’re about as comfortable as a pair of six-inch pointy high heels a half size too small.

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Urban Decay’s Fast Easy Sexy Partial False Lashes Are Exactly What Their Name Implies

July 25th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

Urban Decay Instaflare — Wearing Urban Decay’s new Fast Easy Sexy Partial False Lashes in Instalure ($15) on the outer corners of my upper lash line

I’m keeping Urban Decay’s new Fast Easy Sexy Partial False Lashes ($15) on metaphorical makeup speed dial for the next Monday morning when I’m feeling blah and need an easy pick-me-up. These will definitely hit the spot, since they’re so quick to use and easy to apply.

When you and/or your lashes need a lift, and you either don’t have, or don’t want to spend, the time dealing with the drama that often accompanies false lashes, partials like Fast Easy Sexy are great.

I’m a big fan. 🙂

I call them starter falsies, since the shorter band makes them much easier to manipulate and control.

Perfect for fledgling false lash aficionados, or anyone who wants an easier fancy fringe.

These three new styles from Urban Decay are like lightning in a bottle. I can apply any one of them in less than a minute.

Because they’re not as wide as full-size false lashes, I don’t have to trim them at all to fit, and ’cause they already have a blackened band, I can also skip the extra step of having to darken the band with liner.

Urban Decay Instalure Falsies — Instalure

And I think they just dramatic enough to get the job done.

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Shedding Some Light on the New Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencils in Cult, Lure, Lush, Minx and Plushie

July 24th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

Your kitty nephew is shedding like crazy!

This happens every summer. The hair — it’s everywhere! I can’t escape it. It’s on my clothes, on my face, in my nostrils, on my lips, and it may or may not be in my belly button.

Speaking of shedding…these new $20 Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencils shed a lot, too.

Urban Decay 24/7 Velvet Glide-On Eye Pencils from the left: Cult, Lure, Lush, Minx and Plushie — From the left: Cult, Lure, Lush, Minx and Plushie

Within minutes of applying any of these five (there’s also a black shade, Black Velvet, previously released and not shown here) intensely pigmented liners on my lash and/or water lines, once they’ve dried down, little flecks and specks appear under my eyes, on my nose, on my cheeks, chin and upper lip.

That ish is all up in my grill!

New additions to UD’s famous 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil family, these Velvet cousins, which are waterproof and paraben-free, have a soft, powdery texture and a matte finish designed to create smokey, smudged out, super blended eye looks sans drama. #smokeyeyetillidie

You might recall the original smokey 24/7 Velvet shade, Black Velvet, which came out a while back. The five new shades here — Cult (a forest green), Lure (a gunmetal gray), Lush (a coffee brown), Minx (a sapphire blue) and Plushie (a deep eggplant) — are like her sassy sisters. They’re $20 each and new members of the permanent line.

Urban Decay 247 Velvet Glide On Eye Pencil Swatches clockwise from the purple shade in the lower left: Plushie, Cult, Lure, Lush and Minx — Swatches clockwise from the purple shade in the lower left: Plushie, Cult, Lure, Lush and Minx

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Calling Mrs. Mia Wallace! The Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette Marries Dark Themes With Dark Neutral Eyeshadows

July 17th, 2014 by Karen 17 Comments

If…

You like carrying on entire conversations with friends and family via Pulp Fiction movie quotes (“Bring out the gimp!” “I love you, Honey Bunny.” “All right, everybody be cool. This is a robbery!”).
Your Urban Decay cup runneth over, and yet despite owning all three Naked palettes, you still want more, more, MORE!
You dream of wearing brown, black and/or beige eyeshadow while doing the twist with John Travolta at a 1950s diner.
You don’t mind a little fallout.

Then you might want to say “What happened to my Honda?”

Wait — that’s from the movie. 🙂

Let’s try that again…

You might want to say “I do” to the new $34 Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette.

Inspired by Mrs. Mia Wallace herself, Uma Thurman’s character from the movie, this five-piece (three new shadows and two re-promotes) limited edition palette, which is part of UD’s fall collection, is all about the Mrs. and recreating her look.

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Collection Palette — Inside the palette…

I’ve found that when I wear the shadows in this palette — Righteous (a matte light cream), Tyranny (a matte warm brown), Vengeance (a deep, satiny matte taupe-brown), Furious (a satiny white) and Anger (a satiny black with a slight sparkle) — things get very dark, very quickly, just like they do in the movie.

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette Swatches — Swatches…

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