Urban Decay

How I Rock Pink Eyeshadow (A Collaboration With Jen and Anna)

May 5th, 2016 by Adia Goss 26 Comments

pink eyeshadow look — Wearing the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette ($58)

I may have mentioned this once or twice before (or three times or four), but I absolutely love pink makeup. I think pink is a great way to wear subtle color, and since I’ve never met a pink eyeshadow I don’t like, I thought it would be fun to collaborate with Jen and Anna, who’ll be sharing their looks soon, and share with you one way that each of us likes to wear pink eyeshadow.

The look I’m wearing at the top is how I like to rock pink eyeshadow, and I have to thank some awesome readers for the inspiration! One reader mentioned that the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Concentrated Crayons would be great as eyeshadow bases, and another raved about the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette.

I took the comments to heart and used them both for this springy pink look. Thanks so much, ladies! I love hearing your comments, questions and tips, so keep them coming! Seriously, the comments make my day 🙂

To achieve this look, I used Maybelline Color Tattoo 25HR Concentrated Crayon in Pink Parfait as a base all over my eyelids, then applied Zone from the Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani palette in my crease using a Morphe E22 brush.

With the Zoeva Luxe Smoky Shader brush (first mentioned in this post on Zoeva), I packed Harajuku onto my lids, and Harajuku, by the way, is a pink lover’s dream! It’s hot pink and sparkly, but when used with Zone it’s not too bright.

And then on my brows I used ColourPop Cosmetics Brow Pencil in Black N’ Brown and Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara on my lashes.

pink eyeshadow — I love how this look turned out and am currently obsessed with this Anastasia Beverly Hills lipgloss!

For my base, I used Becca Aqua Luminous Foundation in Warm Honey, and this was my first time using this foundation. For the record, it’s amazing! I’ve tried other glowy foundations (I’ve reviewed Giorgio Armani Maestro Glow and L’oreal Lumi Cushion), but this is probably my favorite so far because of the buildable coverage and longevity.

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A Spring 2016 Diane Von Furstenberg-Inspired Face of the Day Feat. the Urban Decay Electric Palette

May 3rd, 2016 by Carolina Braina 24 Comments

Every day is a good day for a turquoise and green eyeshadow look! 😉

Raise your hand if you’re a proud owner of the Urban Decay Electric palette or a similar bright eyeshadow palette!

OK, now, raise your hand if you don’t use it as much as you wish you did!

HA, I see quite a lot of you have raised your hands both times, just like I have…

But frankly, the UD Electric is too beautiful a palette to just gather dust in my makeup drawer, and I’ve decided I want to change that!

So I’m thinking this is the perfect time to finally try the turquoise and green color combination I fell in love with last fall, when I saw the gorgeous look Pat McGrath had created for Diane Von Furstenberg at NYFW Spring 2016.

And if you, too, want to show your brights some much-deserved love, why don’t you get ready with me today? 😉

After applying primer all over the lids, pack a vibrant green shadow on the mobile lids with a firm brush, and blend it out just above the crease using a tiny bit of the same shadow on a fluffier brush, creating an elongated shape in the outer corners. Then prime your lower lash lines, apply the same green, and blend out the edges really well – we don’t want any harsh lines.

Now, wet a shader brush and use it to line the upper lashes with a turquoise shadow. Then blend the edge between green and turquoise so that the two colors merge together.

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Look Perfect Naked With Urban Decay Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector

April 11th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 35 Comments

Urban Decay One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfectors (SPF 20)

In the summer I’m all about light, dewy coverage.

I know, I know, I work in an office…but when I’m not stuck sitting at my desk, and I’m out somewhere actually having fun in the sun ☀ and the warm weather, it’s nice to not feel weighed down by a heavy base product, and even though I’m a fair-skinned SPF freak, it’s always a relief knowing that my foundation, BB cream or tinted moisturizer are also there to add a little extra oomph where sun protection is concerned.

Urban Decay recently released the most beach bag-friendly base product a girl could want, an oil-free formulation with SPF20 that’s meant to even out your overall complexion and blur imperfections while keeping you looking natural and fresh, and it’s called Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector (I dare you to say that one five times fast!).

Available in 6 shades for $34 each, it’s ideal for speedy makeup application or touch-ups on the go after a day at the beach or an afternoon by the pool.

UD’s official description says it all…

“We’re not exactly what you call low-maintenance when it comes to beauty (and we’re not ashamed to admit it). But we’re more than happy to take a shortcut or two — as long as it doesn’t look like we did. THIS is one of those times. Naked Skin One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector combines all the benefits of skin treatment and protection with the coverage of a sheer foundation. This multitasking cream is the best of both worlds”

Urban Decay One and Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector — Wearing Urban Decay One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector in Light

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#UDforWomen: Urban Decay Primer Potion in Enigma Is Mysteriously Good

April 8th, 2016 by Anna Oh 14 Comments

anna oh ao illustration urban decay beauty — Illustration of the Urban Decay #UDforWomen Enigma Primer by Anna Oh

Hi everyone!

Urban Decay has released a limited edition shade of their Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($20) as a part of The Ultraviolet Edge — their global initiative to empower women.

Last year, Urban Decay donated $528,000 to global organizations that made possible literacy programs, microloans, and business training for women in need, and 100% of the purchase price of the new eyeshadow primer will be donated to fund more of these awesome programs.

The new primer potion, Enigma, is a pinky beige matte that blends out like a dream. If you’re familiar with the Original and Eden primer potions, Enigma has a very similar texture; it feels slick until patted down into the skin. The pink tone helps to conceal my eyelid pigmentation, and I especially love using it as a base for my purple eyeshadows.

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The Urban Decay Summer 2016 Beached Bronzers and Highlighters Are All That and a Bag of Banana Chips

April 4th, 2016 by Jessica Revitte 19 Comments

urban-decay-summer-2016-beached-bronzer-face — Wearing Urban Decay Sun-Kissed Beached Bronzer on my face (and on my eyes in the crease), Urban Decay 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighter in Sin on my cheekbones (and in the inner corners of my eyes) and Urban Decay 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighter in Fireball as a blush

When the fab, fashionable seven-year-old in my life (who recently made an editorial appearance in this important discussion about unicorns) saw the packaging for the Urban Decay Summer 2016 Beached Bronzer and Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter, she announced, “It reminds me of the Barbie clothes!”

And you know what?

She was totally right!

Urban Decay has an awesome early ’90s 90210/Baywatch vibe going on with these that makes me think of the hours and hours I spent playing with those oh, so early ’90s Barbie clothes — the same ones that my little lady now enjoys (although she says they’re “retro,” *cringe*).

I have such happy memories of my summers from that time that I’m all about this packaging, but as exciting as it is…the powders inside these terrifically tropical compacts are all that and a bag of banana chips!

Urban Decay Beached Bronzers and Afterglow Highlighters — Urban Decay Beached Bronzers and 8-Hour Afterglow Highlighters

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Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Collection Blush Palette, Lipsticks, Lip Pencils and Brow Box: Review and Observations

January 11th, 2016 by Karen 18 Comments

Wearing the UD Gwen Stefani Wonderland Lip Pencil and Lipstick, and the Blush Palette — Wearing the UD Gwen Stefani collection Blush Palette and Wonderland Lip Pencil and Lipstick

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…

Chillin' with the scary stunt baby — Chillin’ with the scary stunt baby

Er, well…maybe not.

So which of these are worth your time?

UD Gwen Stefani Collection Blush Palette ($45)

ud gwen stefani blush palette — The UD Gwen Stefani Blush Palette

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.

ud gwen stefani blush palette packaging — Packaging for the UD Gwen Stefani Blush Palette

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The Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Lipsticks: Swatches!

January 7th, 2016 by Karen 30 Comments

ud gwen stefani lipsticks — The eight lipsticks from the new Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Collection ($18 each)

GIRL, you know I had to do it. You cannot put all of those juicy reds in front of a girl like me and NOT expect her to at least try on a couple (OK, all) of them.

Here’s the whole batch, swatches of all eight lipsticks from the new Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Collection ($18 each).

I have to say, a few of them have me seriously wowed — Firebird, 714, Rock Steady, Spider and Wonderland (basically, all of the opaque shades). They’re all gloriously intense, although, hello! — note to self: use them with their coordinating UD Gwen Stefani Lip Pencils next time, because getting those edges smooth was harder than herding cats.

The sheer shades (Ex-Girlfriend, Phone Call and Plaid) have a healthy dose of pigment (for sheers), but they end up showing off my lip flakie-flakes more than I’d like, and, yes, I’m still bummed about Ex-Girlfriend breaking in the tube. ?

ud gwen stefani spiderweb lipstick — UD Gwen Stefani Lipstick in Spiderweb

ud gwen stefani firebird lipstick — UD Gwen Stefani Lipstick in Firebird

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Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Collection First Look and Swatches

January 7th, 2016 by Karen 38 Comments

I realize that the “L.A.M.B.” in Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B. line stands for “Love, Angel, Music, Baby,” but can we please pretend for a sec that it stands for “Love, Angel, Makeup, Baby”?

Because, makeup? Pretty please? It makes sense when you consider Gwen’s new collaboration collection with Urban Decay, UD Gwen Stefani.

Think of it as a part deux extension of last year’s UD Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette. There are lipsticks galore (and, hello! — it wouldn’t be a G.Stef collab without rockin’ reds), lip pencils, a blush palette and a brow box.

Here are swatches and pics of the whole kit and caboodle, but I need a little more time with these products to canoodle (!), then I’ll holla back, girl (haha, you know I couldn’t resist), with some looks and the full scoop.

I’m lovin’ the reds, especially the matte red, 714. Very bright. And I like the packaging. That gold and black seems very Gwen.

I was a little bummed when I swatched Ex-Girlfriend, one of the Lipsticks, because it was so creamy that the lipstick bullet broke. 🙁 And I won’t be able to use the Brow Box, because it’s for blondes…so in this case, I guess blonde’s really do have more fun.

The Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Collection

(1) Blush Palette — $45

(8) Lipsticks — $18 each

(6) Lip Pencils — $20 each

(1) Brow Box — $30

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