Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup
A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict
Just a quick hi and some swatches of the Urban Decay summer 2012 nail kit to hopefully brighten your Tuesday.
It’s raining here today, and the forecast calls for more rain this week, so brightness is certainly something I’m hungry for.
I’m wearing two coats in each of the swatches below. Still not sure about pricing, but I’m assuming the kit will cost about as much as last year’s, probably around $28.
Woodstock
Showboat
[Continue reading…]
Paint splatters, huh?
Hmm…
The paint splatter packaging for Urban Decay’s new summer nail kit gave me an idea this afternoon. More details to follow, but here are some pics and white paper swatches for now.
An almost empty Urban Decay Build Your Own Eyeshadow Palette
One of the first gigs I got after college was working in the filing room at a law firm, where I spent hours and hours alphabetizing case files.
Two years of that left me 1) bored out of my gourd and 2) with a chronic compulsion to put things in alphabetical order.
The condition even manifested itself earlier today, as I started sifting through Urban Decay’s newly revamped $18 Eyeshadow Singles (available in a whopping 68 shades).
Naturally, it just made perfect sense to me to place them in alphabetical order — ABC Gum with Asphyxia, Baked and Bender, and so on like that. And then I thought, what if I put them in alphabetical sets using the Urban Decay Build Your Own Palette ($18; includes a six-pan palette, the exclusive shade Walk of Shame and a shadow brush)?
Wouldn’t ya know it? Organized alphabetically like this, I think some of these palettes actually turned out pretty darn cool! Another win for the alphabet. 🙂
Before we dive in, here’s some background on the shadows:
From the left, top row: Baked, Asphyxia and ABC Gum; Bottom row: Bender, Blackout and Blunt
From the left: ABC Gum, Asphyxia, Baked, Bender, Blackout and Blunt
[Continue reading…]
Contrary to the rumors circulating in the kitty modeling world, the new Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara ($20) was NOT named after Tabs. 🙂
Although I can see why some would believe that to be true…
“I’m too husky for this box.”
If the Big Fatty Mascara name rings a bell, you’ve probably seen it before. It’s been a part of the Urban Decay line for years (in the psychedelic red and yellow tube). UD just revamped it and gave it a new outfit.
BFM promises a bit of everything — volume, length, definition, curl hold and jet-black color in a lightweight formula.
Urban Decay also traded the original Big Fatty’s over-sized Diorshow-esque bristle brush for a minimalist approach. The sleek new brush head is designed to fan out lashes.
And those little nubs really get in there! When I used this today, my fringe looked s u p e r s t r e t c h e d out.
By the way, if you love the original Big Fatty, you still have time to stockpile. It’s still available on urbandecay.com.
I never gave the original Big Fatty a try, but I like what I’ve seen from this new version so far, especially the thickness I get from it at the base of my lashes.
Before (top pic) and after two coats of Big Fatty Mascara (bottom pic)
[Continue reading…]
This year at Urban Decay HQ, spring is a season of covert concealers and secret government agencies — or so it seems, based on the cool code names given to these new 24/7 Concealer Pencils ($18 each).
CIA, DEA, FBI, NSA, ATF, DOD, KGB and MI6? Those are some heavy hitting acronyms right there.
The first four — CIA, DEA, FBI and NSA — are repromotes of Urban Decay’s existing concealer pencils, with the same formula, but dressed in new packaging, while the other four — ATF, DOD, KGB AND MI6 — are new additions to the line designed for darker damsels/covert spies.
Last weekend I worked with the ATF, DOD and KGB on a very important case involving my dark under-eye circles and skin imperfections on my face. I directed ATF, a mid-toned dark golden beige, to take out my dark circles and dispatched DOD (a warm, dark tan) and KGB (a dark golden caramel) to work on my face.
Was the operation a success? Well, yes and no.
These guys are soft! — and creamy, but I mean that in a good way. 🙂 I like the way they feel and what a cinch they are to apply. The formula sinks right into my skin and doesn’t look like it’s just chilling on top.
24/7 Concealer Pencils from the left: CIA (a light creamy ivory); DEA (a light peaches and cream); FBI (a light medium beige) and NSA (a medium beige); $18 each
[Continue reading…]
Wearing UD’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Woodstock
Pink hair, pink gloss, pink eyeliner… Needless to say, I’m feeling rather pink right now. 🙂 That pink liner, by the way, is Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Woodstock, and it’s one of three new full-size Glide-On Pencils eyeliners just launched for spring 2012.
But this isn’t the first we’ve seen of Woodstock, Demolition (a matte dark brown) and Perversion (a matte black). All three were previously released with Urban Decay gift sets, but they’re back by popular demand, this time available individually.
I’m thrilled to see Demolition and Perversion giving an encore because both of them apply with dense, saturated color that does not mess around. One layer of either and I’m good all day long, both along my lash and water lines.
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A+
Woodstock, however, is a different story, and one with many layers. Like six! That’s how many layers I have to apply to get the shade to look as pigmented as I like. Don’t get me wrong — I do like the color, but it’s one of those I have to be in the mood to apply. Plus, my skin tone doesn’t always play well with pinks like this, and sometimes they can make me look like I’ve been crying. If that’s not an issue for you, and you don’t mind lots of layering, Woodstock’s an awfully pretty pink on the eyes.
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: B
24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion
24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Demolition
24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils from the left: Woodstock (a bright fuchsia pink shimmer with silver micro glitter), Perversion (a matte carbon black) and Demolition (a matte dark brown), $19 each
[Continue reading…]
Wearing Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Lovechild
I get amped every Friday afternoon because it means we made it to the weekend, and I get both of my boys all to myself for two whole days. Usually breakfast out on Saturday or Sunday morning, a movie or two (or three), maybe dinner, the mall, and of course, staying up late to watch TV.
That right there’d be plenty exciting, but then I also find out that Urban Decay just added two new shades to their fab Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color line?
Now it’s cause for celebration! 🙂
C’mon, chair dance with me! This is excellent news. Think of all the trouble we’ll get into fun we’ll have wearing these new shades.
Lovechild (a pale pink) and Apocalypse (a deep berry) are just as much fun as their older sisters. Shortly after the line of long-wearing pencils drew down on Urban Decay counters last fall, they became staples in my makeup bag. Their bright colors and glossy, moisturizing formula (unscented and unflavored) made them favorites of mine.
Pale pink Lovechild’s the mellower of the two newcomers, and at first swatch, I was afraid it might be too pale and cool-toned for me.
Thankfully, it’s not! The sweet, delicate pink should suit most skin tones, but interestingly, it does seem to fade quicker than the brighter Super-Saturated shades I’ve tried; you might have to reapply after sipping tea and/or eating crumpets.
As for drama lovers, there’s always Apocalypse. Wearing it with my new pink streaks, I feel like a rockstar! — and, oddly, have the urge to don a pair of brass knuckles and break sh*t.
Which might be too much information…
Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Lovechild on the left (a pale pink) and Apocalypse on the right (a deep berry), $19 each
Swatches of the three 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils (far left): Demolition, Perversion and Woodstock; Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color (far right): Lovechild and Apocalypse
[Continue reading…]
Write on, Urban Decay. 🙂
I love holding the pencils in your new 13-piece spring 2012 collection over a blank page in my sketchbook and pretending they’re art supplies.
Of course, I don’t actually touch the page with ’em, but I’m soooo tempted…
Coming soon to Sephora stores, Ulta, urbandecay.com and select Macy’s stores, the collection features eight 24/7 Concealer Pencils (with four new shades for darker damsels), three full-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils (sold individually) and two new Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Colors.
I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about the feel of a good pencil in my hands.
Here are swatches and pics! Reviews coming soon.
Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color in Lovechild on the left (a pale pink) and Apocalypse on the right (a deep berry), $19 each
24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils from the left: Woodstock (a bright fuchsia pink shimmer with silver micro glitter), Perversion (a matte carbon black) and Demolition (a matte dark brown), $19 each
[Continue reading…]
