Urban Decay

The Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Mushroom: A Neutral Shadow With a Can-Can Kick

April 12th, 2013 by Karen 22 Comments

Urban Decay Mushroom 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Mushroom — On my lids: the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Mushroom ($20)

There’s a fungus among us, ladies and gents. With Urban Decay’s new 24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Mushroom, you’ll be able to knock out neutral looks in a flash.

And not just any old neutral looks. Neutral looks with pizzaz! — as this waterproof, long-lasting gray eye shadow also shimmers.

Right now it’s driving my Blanche Deveraux side wild, but she was mightily concerned at first…

When I showed it to her, she feigned almost passing out, raising the back of a wrist to her forehead and steadying herself against one of the posts on the veranda outside (also known as the back deck). “Oh, dear,” she declared in her thick Southern drawl, “if you’re gonna wear another boring gray shadow, I’ll just die. JUST DIE!”

See, my Blanche Deveraux side believes that neutrals should only be worn when shopping for sensible shoes, filling out Excel spreadsheets and cleaning cat barf from the carpets (seriously, Tabs, couldn’t you have aimed for the tiles?). In her mind, why bother with a boring gray when there are so many sparklier shades out there (she said, while batting her lashes at a pair of French naval officers on shore leave)?

But then she took a closer look at the tip…

And totally changed her tune. She saw an intense, warm gray with a shiny, silvery pearl finish.

When I explained how the easy-to-blend formula lasts all day long when worn with or without a primer, she snatched the pencil from my paws, and before I could protest, applied it to her lids.

Urban Decay Mushroom Noise 247 Glide On Shadow Pencil — Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Shadow Pencils in Mushroom (left) and Noise (right)

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Urban Decay Baked and Midnight Cowboy Glitter Eyeliners

March 29th, 2013 by Karen 25 Comments

Urban Decay's Baked and Urban Cowboy Glitter Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners — Glitter lover says what? That’s Urban Decay’s Baked and Urban Cowboy Glitter Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners ($18 each) along my upper and lower lash lines

Happy, HAPPY Friday, my friend.

Right before I opened my eyes this morning, when I was still lying in bed, the mental fog started to clear, and I smiled. 🙂

It’s Friday! We made it through another week.

Sorry about not being around much the past couple of days. This week kind of kicked my butt. Nothing huge, but it seemed like every day one new, unexpected thing came up to throw me off my regular routine.

I’m a creature of habit, and sometimes all it takes is one extra hour I have to spend on something I didn’t plan for, and I’m a mess after that. It’s hard to get back on track.

Oh! Remember the Bobbi Brown Master Class I mentioned a couple weeks back? It was yesterday in SF, and I went. I’m putting together a post with the tips I picked up, but it’s not quite ready yet. For now, though, here’s a sneaky peaky…

Observe my terrified expression, haha! I was asked to be the class model, and it was…an experience. Really fun, but I completely underestimated how hard it would be to NOT make any funny faces for two hours.

In other news, Urban Decay’s 24/7 Heavy Metal Glitter Liners in Baked and Urban Cowboy.

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners picture packaging — That’s Baked on the right and Urban Cowboy on the left

You might be thinking, “Um…but I thought the only people who could get away with glitter were gymnasts and figure skaters? And I’m neither.”

Wait now! Come back here. Don’t run away just yet. Contrary to popular belief, gymnasts, figure skaters and Honey Boo Boo are not the only people who can pull off glitter. We can do it, too, and with Urban Decay’s gold and bronze glitter liners, we can look sassy and age-appropriate.

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners picture closeup — Baked (left) and Urban Cowboy (right)

These long-lasting, clear liquid liners are filled with flecks of glitter so small that a Smurf could wear ’em.

What I’ll usually do with these is draw a thin line along my upper or lower lash lines with the skinny brush (although for these pics, I’ve lined both my upper and lowers for emphasis), curl my lashes, and then coat them with mascara.

When I look in the mirror, it’s hard to even discern this glitter from more than a few feet away. All I see is a pair of bright, sparkling eyes!

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners picture brush — The thin brush draws perfectly precise lines

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With 40 Shades, Urban Decay’s Recently Relaunched 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils Scribble, Sketch and Paint a Colorful Picture on Lids

March 27th, 2013 by Karen 24 Comments

Urban Decay 24 7 Glide On Eye Pencils relaunch 2013 top — Eye liner mania! I haz it!

— WARNING —

You may want to avert your eyes.

— WARNING —

Urban Decay’s recently relaunched collection of long-wearing, waterproof 24/7 Glide-On Pencils has been known to drive makeup lovers bat-sh*t crazy (in the best possible way).

The brand recently added 13 new shades and 14 previously released limited edition colors to their permanent line, bumping up the total number of available shades to 40.

40!

Heck, on most days I’m lucky if I can decide between Perversion and Bourbon. Forget being able to decide among 40 shades.

And the rainbow of colors comes in a range of finishes, too, like matte, shimmer, sparkle and satin.

Here are pics and swatches of the new and previously released shades… Let me know if any of these pencils draws you in. (Haha, draws? Get it? Okay, I’ll stop.)

Urban Decay 24 7 Glide On Eye Pencils relaunch 2013 new shades — Smoke, Roach, Desperation, Scorch, Goldmine and Loaded

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

March 25th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray — That’s my jam!

Yes, using Urban Decay’s $29 All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray involves adding another step to my makeup routine, and no, it’s probably not as essential as under-eye concealer.

Buuut, that doesn’t make me like it any less. 🙂

If I were going on a big trip (say, lattes and macarons in Paris with RyGos, seeing as he’s on hiatus from acting) and accidentally forgot it at home, would I be crushed?

No, I think not.

Probably not. Okay maybe a little…

With the weather warming up and the days getting longer, I have been whipping out this makeup-saving spray mist more and more often. A few spritzes postpone fading and keep my makeup on my mug longer.

And it’s just so refreshing! — like standing in the mist beside a tropical waterfall…except without the mosquito swarms, frizzy hair and bikini muffin top, of course.

Stuff locks my look down all day long. Like, say it was the morning of the zombie apocalypse…

I’m just staying, for instance. 🙂

If it were that day, and I remembered to spray this on first thing in the morning, I’m confident that my foundation, powder, blush, eyeshadow and bronzer would still be going strong when the biters finally took me down that night. (Side note: last night’s Walking Dead? Merle?? Daryl? We need to talk.)

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Urban Decay Followed the Yellow Brick Road All the Way to Two New Limited Edition Palettes Inspired by Disney’s Oz the Great and Powerful

January 23rd, 2013 by Karen 40 Comments

Urban Decay Oz Palette — Urban Decay’s new $49 limited edition palettes were inspired by Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful

If you’re wearing one of Urban Decay’s two new limited edition $49 palettes inspired by the upcoming Disney flick, Oz the Great and Powerful, and someone shouts, “Witch!” DO NOT bust out your Tae Bo moves.

I repeat: no Tae Bo, Jiu-jitsu or Aikido moves, and absolutely DO NOT remove your hoop earrings.

Throw no blows! — because they’re just complimenting you on your makeup. 🙂

The two colorful palettes, Glinda and Theodora, recently materialized online — POOF! — just like witchcraft, tying in with the new Oz film with makeup to recreate the looks worn by the witches played by Mila Kunis and Michelle Williams.

And this time, Urban Decay went all out!

These aren’t just some of their existing products in fancy packaging (not that I don’t like some of those palettes too). They created all-new colors here, and even included tutorials.

Nothing half-@ssed or cheesy. I feel like UD put a lot of thought into both products.

Each one comes with eight completely new eyeshadow shades…even though there are only six pans (two of the pans in each palette are duos), and the pans contain 0.05 ounces of product, making them the same size as Urban Decay’s interchangeable full-size shadow pans.

Urban Decay also included a gloss and liner with each palette, considerately completing the look.

First, Theodora — the richer, moodier magician who excels at conjuring up fab looks for brown smokey eyes.

The Theodora Palette

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Minty Fresh! Urban Decay’s New Lip Junkie Lipglosses in Obsessed, Flushed and Trashed

January 7th, 2013 by Karen 26 Comments

Urban Decay Lip Junkie Spring 2013 — Wearing the new Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Flushed ($19), one of three new shades for spring 2013

If you choose to wear one of the three new $19 Urban Decay Lip Junkie Glosses in Flushed, Obsessed or Trashed, you’ll probably still want to brush your teeth in the morning (and your tongue…to get rid of that fuzzy feeling), but if you do happen to forget, at least your breath will smell great! 🙂

Or rather, your lips will taste minty fresh, because all three of these are mint flavored and fragranced to the extreme! — and it’s a good mint, refreshingly like toothpaste.

For the record, Urban Decay thinks they taste and smell like “wedding mints,” and okay, sure, I get that (but they also remind me of my tube of Sensodyne).

New for spring, and newly added to the Lip Junkie Lipgloss line, these triplets are all cool-toned shades of pink with varying degrees of pigment from sheer to medium.

The Lip Junkies are Urban Decay’s cooling, plumping glosses that last a surprisingly long time. With them, I get anywhere from 4-5 hours, which is pretty good for a lipgloss, and yet despite lasting as they do, they don’t suck all of the moisture from my lips.

They’re billed as non-sticky, but I dunno about that. When I whip my hair back and forth (I whip my hair back and forth), stray strands do get stuck in the gloss, which is kinda thick and heavy.

It doesn’t bother me, but I guess it is something to think about. For a truly non-sticky UD gloss, though, you might want to try one of the Lip Loves instead.

urban decay lip junkie lipgloss spring 2013 — From the left: Obsessed, Flushed and Trashed

urban decay lip junkie lipgloss flushed obsessed trashed swatches — Swatches from the left: Obsessed, Flushed and Trashed

If you’re cool with the slightly thick, sticky texture, I think any of these three would go great with the rest of Urban Decay’s new spring releases, like the new Naked Basics Palette, especially if you’re going for a primarily neutral, natural look, because they’re all rather quiet pinks, not at all bright or obnoxious (not that I don’t think there’s a time and place for that).

If you’re interested in low-key, natural makeup looks, these should be great for that.

And more, like the Ammo palette. You could do a bold eye look with the brights, and then balance it out with a sheer pink on your lips.

Definitely Obsessed definitely has me obsessed. It’s my favorite of these three. It’s darker than Flushed, so I can really see it on my lips, and warmer than Trashed, so I think it suits my warmer NC42 skin tone well.

urban decay lip junkie Obsessed — Obsessed

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Is Urban Decay’s New Naked Flushed Palette Poised to Take the Throne?

January 4th, 2013 by Karen 18 Comments

Absolutely not! The new Urban Decay Naked Flushed face palette ($30) has nothing to do with the loo…or with sitting naked on the toilet and flushing, although dirtier minds than mine would probably put those things together. 🙂

Now that I think about it, in Naked Flushed, Urban Decay might have been trying to evoke that whole afterglow effect…ya know, where you’re… Nevermind.

Gees, I hope my mom isn’t reading this.

Just released, the new Naked Flushed face palette combines three products — a sheer, matte golden brown bronzer; a dark reddish pink blush with a matte finish (so super, SUPER dark that it takes some buffing to appear natural); and a shimmery, peachy beige highlighter (this one’s a tad grainy).

urban decay naked flushed swatches — Swatches from the left on my NC42 skin: bronzer, highlighter and blush

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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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