I could go on and on about my super fangirl crush on Gwen Stefani, but I think you and I have already done that dance before, haven’t we?
Yes, I love her — love her look, love her music, love her makeup, LOVE HER. (Note to self: consider dressing up Baby Girl as Gwen Stefani next Halloween, and try to find some red plaid baby pants, ASAP.)
Part two of the Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani collection drops online tomorrow, and very soon at stores and counters, so grab your L.A.M.B. stilettos (the ones you can barely walk in but love anyways), and let’s do this. 
🙂
Like she did with the eyeshadow palette from part one of the release, Gwen put together a selection of shades that she said she’d want to have with her in her makeup bag. I’ve been wearing the lipsticks and blush palette for the past few days, including that two-day birthing class I think I mentioned, and I think the stunt baby was impressed…
Er, well…maybe not.
So which of these are worth your time?
UD Gwen Stefani Collection Blush Palette ($45)
How cool is that packaging for the Blush Palette? I definitely think this one is worth considering, but ideally for lighter lords and ladies.
In the palette you get two powder blushes (a shimmery cool pink and a shimmery golden plum), three powder highlighters (a shimmery golden beige, shimmery peachy beige and an opalescent peachy pink) and a warm matte orangey brown powder bronzer, and while I like how soft the powders feel and how they last all day long, a couple of the colors look — how should I say this? — a tad wonky.
I really can’t see the bronzer (it’s almost my exact skin tone), and the cool pink blush looks a little off… I think it might be too cool for my warm skin tone.
Also, I don’t know about the peachy pink opalescent highlighter. I think it makes me look a little too much like an extra from Flashdance, which could be a good thing, I guess, if you’re rocking leg warmers and an ’80s vibe…
For even more product shots and arm swatches of everything UD Gwen Stefani, also check out this post here: Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Collection First Look and Swatches.
As for the other colors, those I feel I can wear, like the plum blush and the highlighters, I think they’re quite flattering. The colors and textures are all lovely, but overall with this palette, it’s a skin tone thang for me. You’ll get more out of these six shades if you’re a lighter lovely.
UD Gwen Stefani Lipsticks ($18 each) and 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils ($20 each)
As far as I’m aware, all of the Lipstick and Lip Pencil shades in the release are new, and if you fall in love with one of the eight Lipsticks, you may also want to save room for one of the six creamy Lip Pencils (they’re silky smooth and long-wearing).
In signature UD form, the Lipsticks are all gloriously soft and creamy, which is one of the things I love most about the brand. This, however, means that they need a little help. Their uncanny creaminess means that free-handing and applying them directly from the tube is difficult, so save yourself the trouble, and invest in a matching Lip Pencil where one is available.
I think of the Lipsticks as belonging to two groups — the sheers and the opaques — and of the sheers (nude rosy pink Ex-Girlfriend, bright pink Phone Call and deep berry Plaid), I think the best one is Ex-Girlfriend, hands down. I’m gonna wear mine down to the nub even though the bullet is broken (no, seriously, they’re that creamy, so be careful), because it’s one of those really accessible mid-toned nudes that everyone can wear.
The only thing is…be careful if you currently have a flaky lip situation, because the creamy formula catches every flake when my lips are super dry.
For closeup lip swatches of the lipsticks, have a look at this post here: The Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Lipsticks: Swatches!
As for the opaque Lipstick group…it’s kind of like a meditation on reds.
There are a lot of them in various finishes (matte, satin and cream), and there’s also a very ’80s-esque deep fuchsia called Firebird up in the mix, which may seem out of left field, since Gwen is known for rocking red lips, but I feel like it fits here because I’ve also seen her wear colors like it before.
All five of the opaque shades apply evenly, but the standouts for me are bright red matte 714 and dark pink reddish cream Wonderland. They’re the most pigmented of the group and, like Ex-Girfriend, I can see them working well for both cool and warm skin tones.
UD Gwen Stefani Collection Brow Box in Bathwater Blonde ($45)
The Brow Box, which comes with two brow powders, a wax and mini brow tools, is the only thing I didn’t wear to those birthing classes, and that’s because it’s for blondes.
Buuut, even though I’m as far as you can get from blonde, I’ve still been wearing it around the house.
For kicks. 🙂
OK, so I’ve tried UD’s Brow Box products before, and I’ve always believed that you’re supposed to do the powder first to fill your brows, followed by the wax to set them.
But I tried it the other way around (wax first, then powder second) with this kit and, um, WOW. The color was way off, for sure, but starting with the wax did something interesting. The powder stuck more closely to the hairs…or something like that. At any rate, my brows looked thicker, and I used less product.
Give it a try one of these days because I think you’ll get some extra bang for your buck.
All told, I think the Blush Palette is probably better for lighter lasses, but I’m all about Ex-Girlfriend, 714 and Wonderland. Those lippies sure have that UD special sauce.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I’m wasn’t very impressed with Gwen’s eyeshadow palette. The blush palette and the lipsticks though,WOW! I’m very pale and I do find it quite hard to find blush and highlighters. My go to blush is Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush and I just purchased a Becca highlighter recently. I just can’t wait to get my hands on the Gwen blush palette and lipsticks!
Many years ago when I went to a Benefit counter to get my brows filled in and buy a brow kit, the artist mixed the wax with the powder and then applied it, which seemed to work really well and I’ve been doing it ever since.
You look absolutely fabulous in both of those looks!
I promised myself that I would not buy any more red lip products because I have too many (it is one of my favorite lip colors) but there is a possibility that I will and get 714.
I a in need of a new eyebrow kit (mine is falling apart), but most blonde suited shades are too light for me.
This pale princess is going to make the blush palette hers. I must have the Firebird lipstick, as well. I’m stalking the UD website as we speak. 😉
I’m pretty light so I think the blushes could work on me, I really consider getting the palette! Ex-Girlfriend might actually end up in my basket too, it’s so pretty!
Good to hear you think Ex-Girlfriend deserves two thumbs up, because that’s the one I have my eye on!
I really really like this blush palette! I think it should work on my skintone.
And btw, you look absolutely beautiful in these photos!
I’m so…meh on the Gwen collection. I just don’t think it is very unique.
I have and use my UD brow box daily…I’m just about out of wax…wish i could refill it… 🙁
I do wax first then powder.
These all look “Hella Good” and “It’s My Life” so you you better believe this 80’s child super-duper Gwen fan girl is going on a major haul day one of release! That brow box looks so fun, and I don’t know if gentlemen prefer blondes or not, but, today, this lady does! The shades in the blush palette look like exactly the kinds of shades that are the most flattering on my skin tone. And I am intrigued by several of the lip shades – the more swatches I see the more of them have “add to cart” written all over them! Dying to get my hands on them! (Going to be rocking my Gwen UD eyeshadow palette and OPI Gwen collection nail polishes with them.)
The blush collection did not wow me at all. However, the collection was geared toward what kind of items/colors Gwen would like to have had. It was my sense that all these colors would be great on her and people close to her pigmentation. It seems that the lipstick line is pretty versatile and may be more flattering on a wider range of skin tones.
For me, I’m looking forward to the new Tom Ford spring collection….
I wasn’t wowed by the eye shadow palette and I’m somewhat interested in the blush palette but the bronzer looks orange and there are kind of only 2 blushes, I would have expected more blush for a blush palette. I’m on the fence still:/
http://natalyepronio.com
I’ve been feeling Firebird, it’s just too unique to pass up!
I fall into the pale category (aka cave dweller white) so I appreciate a palette that works well for someone of my coloring (or lack thereof). I find more often than not I can’t wear half of the eyeshadows in a palette because they’re just too dark and don’t translate well on me. I snapped up one of the eyeshadow palettes because I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t and I’m SO glad I did. Now that I’m seeing swatches of the blush palette I think I’ll grab one. Firebird and Plaid look really pretty.
I wish that someone would make palettes geared towards coloring. I feel like there’s a market for palettes that are meant for light, medium and darker skin tones.
Oh wowwwwwww…the 1st pic of you, (wrllboth pics), but that 1st one is perfection in every way!! You are GODGEOUS!!! Can you please do a review on your perfect teeth?! 😉
Next, my heart literally sped up as if I just saw Scott Eastwood when I saw the pic with the doll baby! I literally thought you had BG, which turned to a possible BB, you were home and on your feet, and your newborn was already able to hold his/her head up! Ughh, jetlag must cause hallucinations!
I’m sorry the blush pallette didn’t work for you, but those wonky colors will be mine as I’m so pale this winter! I will also own about 20 Ex-girlfriends! The lipstick that is!
Girl, why are you jet-lagged? Doing some fun international traveling? I HOPE SO!
Karen, hubs company gave me a free flight to my home…Chicago…for this week!! You should, and will, see some of my purchases…omg! Soo sad though because I now have the flu and only 2 days left 🙁
The blush palette is beautiful! And I think it should look great on most people. btw, speaking of shoes, I have some L.A.M.B. open-toe slides that I LOVE! But the last time I wore them, I got a horrible charlie horse in my calf! I think it’s cuz they’re SO stinking high! 🙂 🙂 🙂