Urban Decay

The Urban Decay Ammo Palette, Reloaded: Urban Decay Re-Releases the Ammo Palette, Cats Respond With Biscuits

January 3rd, 2013 by Karen 19 Comments

The minute I sat down with the new Urban Decay Ammo palette, Tabs jumped up on the couch, pushed Ammo aside and started making biscuits on my lap.

Perhaps this impromptu biscuit sesh happened because I reeked of tuna fish and onions (um, guess what I had for lunch!), or maybe the universe was trying to tell me something…

Maybe the universe had something to say about Urban Decay’s habit of re-launching previously released eyeshadow palettes (like the Feminine, Dangerous and Fun palettes from late last year), and how it’s a little like Tabs and kitty biscuits, in that, sure, you know the drill, you know it’s going to happen when you sit down a certain way on the couch, but you really can’t do anything to stop it, so you just sit back, relax and enjoy. 🙂

The palette thing does get a little confusing, though, especially when UD releases new palettes with old names — names they’ve used before — like with their latest re-lauch, Ammo ($34), which is based on their original Ammo palette from a few years back.

Same name, same 10 colors (UD bestsellers!), but these use Urban Decay’s newer eyeshadow formulation.

UD also revamped the packaging, swapped out the old sponge-tip applicator for a mini-eyeshadow brush, and added a sample-sized tube of their primer potion.

Basically, it’s an updated version of Ammo. Ammo 2.0, so to speak.

Like the original palette, the products in this new Ammo are divided into two rows. You can mix and match any of the shades together, or use the recommended pairs.

Each column of colors creates a recommended duo; my faves are Chopper and Sin, because I just like how neutral they are, but I also like wearing the trio of Smog, Maui Wowie and Last Call together.

urban decay ammo palette swatches — Swatches from the left: Smog, Maui Wowie, Mildew, Shattered, Oil Slick, Polyester Bride, Last Call, Grifter, Chopper and Sin

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Naked Skin Beauty Balm, Urban Decay’s New Sheer, Pore-Shrinking Potion, Feels Almost as Light as a Feather

January 3rd, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

I’m sure that part of the reason why I’m sitting here with my laptop and a bottle of the new Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm ($34 for a 1.18-ounce tube) and thinking about Hawaii right now is because of what I’m wearing.

I’m wearing a thermal, a hoodie, knee-high socks and long pants (I also have a blanket wrapped around my shoulders) because, DUDE! — IT’S REALLY COLD OUT HERE!

Okay, I know that Bay Area winters are mild compared to many other parts of the world/country, but whatevs. Temperature’s a relative thing! And I’m a weather wuss. 🙂

Um…may I have another cup of hot tea, please?

PLEASE!?

Then there’s the freaking Hills… I’m still watching the show, despite my better judgment. Right now I’m on season 5, and the cast is currently vacationing at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of Oahu, which, side tangent, is where I got married (El Hub, if by chance you’re reading this, love you extra today, babes!).

So yeah, I’m sitting here daydreaming about Hawaii and wishing I was at the beach listening to waves crashing on the shore, instead of the heater’s low drone…

Ya know, if I were one of those cast members on The Hills, and the producers flew me out to Hawaii to talk about nonsense in a hot tub and say profound things like, “I think Audrina’s gonna hook up with Brody!” I’d probably wear Naked Skin Beauty Balm…assuming, of course, that I were also 23, which was probably when my skin was in the best shape of my life, and all I ever needed/wanted was minimal coverage and a matte finish.

A new face product from Urban Decay (launced online today, and coming to counters and stores this spring), Naked Skin Beauty Balm is basically a super sheer tinted moisturizer/primer with broad-spectrum SPF 20 and added skin benefits. Beyond its cosmetic powers, it also promises to firm and lift, and diminish the appearance of fine lines, with the help of magic-sounding “optical blurring pigments.”

It comes in just a single shade — a sheer peach — which should suit most skin tones. It also has a minty scent (kinda like toothpaste) and a texture that feels like a thin lotion.

urban decay naked skin beauty blam swatch — Swatches of Naked Skin Beauty Balm unblended on the left and blended on the right

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What’s the Matte-er With Public Nudity? According to Urban Decay, Absolutely Nothing, Thanks to the Mattes in the New Naked Basics Palette

November 26th, 2012 by Karen 29 Comments

urban naked basics palette — Wearing the new $27 Urban Decay Naked Basics palette on my eyes, with Crave on my lids and lash lines, Faint in the crease and Venus along my brow bone

NOVATO (MBB) — Makeup mavens predict a dramatic rise in public nakedness over the holidays this year as legions of Urban Decay fans don the all-matte shades in the new $27 Naked Basics Palette.

Many plan to go to work naked, spend time naked in their living rooms, at clubs, and even at local eateries and shopping centers.

“Yesterday I got naked at Trader Joe’s,” said Karen, editor and co-founder of Makeup and Beauty Blog, “and with these six neutral shades, none of which are too cool nor warm, just about anyone can get naked anywhere they please.”

urban decay naked basics palette — Swatches from the left: Venus, Foxy, Walk of Shame, Naked2, Faint and Crave

Honk if you love mattes! I think it’s always a great idea to have some mattes around for adding contrast, depth and dimension to eye makeup looks, and Naked Basics comes complete with six useful shades — four beiges, one medium brown and a dark brownish black.

Urban Decay, the brand that sparked a neutral eyeshadow resurgence/revolution with their Naked and Naked2 palettes, imagined that the mattes in Naked Basics could work as companion colors to the company’s other neutral shades.

Stay tuned, because Naked Basics bares all on Sephora and Ulta counters, and in select Macy’s stores soon, and online at urbandecay.com November 29.
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Urban Decay Naked Basics Swatches and Pics

November 25th, 2012 by Karen 37 Comments

Super new from Urban Decay: the new Urban Decay Naked Basics palette ($27). It’s a matte palette with neutral shades designed to complement both the Naked and Naked2 palettes.

Naked Basics includes six full-size shadows with four new shades:

Venus: a demi- matte soft off-white
Foxy: a matte light yellowish beige
Walk of Shame: a matte light pinkish nude
Naked2: a matte rosy taupe
Faint: a matte warm brown
Crave: a matte dark brownish black

Find it soon at Sephora, Ulta and select Macy’s stores, and online November 29 on urbandecay.com.

Share a Tip Tuesdays: This Eye Makeup Tip Will Have You Busting Out Those Bright Eyeshadows More Often

November 6th, 2012 by Karen 34 Comments

Among the many eyeshadow palettes making their way into the hearts and homes of lovely ladies and makeup-lurving gents this holiday season, I’m betting there’s bound to be at least one (or two!) bright colors in the mix, and if you’re anything like me, some of those brights can be completely terrifying.

For me, it’s usually the bright pinks…

I have no qualms about wearing bright pink on my lips, but my eyes are a different story. It’s like, bright eyeshadows take a different kind of cajones, and sometimes I just don’t feel cool enough to pull them off.

But I know it’s just a state of mind, and so over the weekend, I busted out some of the bright eyeshadows I hardly ever wear and began to experiment. I was just messing around when I stumbled on something by accident…

Wow! Starting with a black base works wonders for bright eyeshadows!

And pretty much any formula should work, be it paint pot, smudgy liner or a creamy kohl. Just apply on your lids, smudge it out, and pat your bright eyeshadow directly on top. The black base sort of grounds the bright shadow, toning it down.

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A Fall Vice to Entice Those Who Long for New Hues and Love a Good Price: The Urban Decay Vice Palette

September 17th, 2012 by Karen 30 Comments

urban decay vice palette review — Wearing the Urban Decay Vice Palette eyeshadows in Nevermind, Desperation and Unhinged on my eyes

Maybe the cray amounts of overtime Tabs has had me working lately and the 20+ hours of Friday Night Lights I’ve watched since last Friday are slowly but surely frying my brain, because choosing which eyeshadow colors I want to wear when I do my makeup has been way tougher than usual.

It’s like, I see the pans sitting in front of me as one big, nebulous blob. Does this green go with that one? Should I wear bronze or brown?

Honestly, right now, I have no idea…

Coming to the rescue, ironically with 20 more shades? — the new Urban Decay Vice Palette ($59 and available now online at urbandecay.com).

I can’t remember the last time Urban Decay released a palette with so many new colors! All 20 of them have never before seen the light of day (although a few of them do resemble existing colors).

And that’s not even my favorite part.

Somehow, the shades in the Vice palette, which is packed with neutrals and sprinkled with brights, all go together. Seriously, I feel like I can pair any two of them on my lids, pop a third shade along my lower lash line and KAPOW! — instant eye game that requires very little brain power.

Not that I’m in my right mind right now…but nothing here seems out of place.

You could start with one of the lighter colors all over your lids, add one of the darker shades in the outer corners of your eyes, and define your lower lash lines by lining with one of the bright or neutral shades.

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Urban Decay Vice Palette Swatches and Product Pics

September 14th, 2012 by Karen 51 Comments

Urban Decay Vice Palette

Vices. I’ve got a few. Shoes, sweets, stockpiling limited edition Urban Decay eyeshadow palettes… 🙂

The new Urban Decay Vice Palette ($59) sashays onto beauty counters and urbandecay.com this fall. Inside you’ll find 20 brand-spankin’ new shades, which Urban Decay whipped up special for the kit.

Check out the swatches and pics below, and let me know what you think.

Urban Decay Vice Palette

Urban Decay Vice Palette 1