Oh, a Touch of a Feminine Edges

Urban Decay Feminine Eyeshadow Palette (2012) ($36.00 for 0.18 oz.) includes six eyeshadows: Bordello (pale mauve with gold micro-glitter), Skimp (light peachy pearl), AC/DC (smoky greyish purple), Gunmetal (dark metallic grey with silver micro-glitter). Hijack (deep metallic teal), and Lost (medium metallic brown) and one Lip Junkie in Wallflower (nude creamy pink).

Bordello is a pinky plum with a frosted finish and barely-there gold micro-glitter. This shade had good color payoff but it wasn’t great–slightly sheer in comparison to other shades in the palette. The micro-glitter wasn’t very noticeable, so there was very little fall out after it was applied. NARS Charade is darker, more matte, less plum. Guerlain Boulevard du Montparnasse is more matte and pinker. Inglot #399 is very similar, just slightly pinker. Giorgio Armani #7 is also very similar.

Skimp is a pale, light beige with subtle warm undertones and a satiny sheen. The color payoff was good, and it applied smoothly. It was a smidgen powdery. Urban Decay Sellout is more frosted. MAC Sahara Dust is quite similar. Illamasqua Slink is slightly pinker. theBalm Hiii-Yaaa! is more shimmery.

AC/DC is a medium-dark purple with a slight smokiness and noticeable red undertones. It had good color payoff and applied smoothly overall. Urban Decay Gravity is a smidgen darker. MAC Highly Charged is darker, less frosted. MAC Grand Galaxy is cooler-toned. Dior Garden Roses is very similar. Esete Lauder Cyber Lilac is a bit darker.

Gunmetal is a dark silver-shimmered charcoal gray with a frosted finish. This particular shade has been in a ton of palettes (I think it shows up in the Swatch Gallery three or four times). It’s nicely pigmented with a fairly smooth texture, though there is some micro-glitter there–a lot of disappears before it gets to the lid, though. Urban Decay Asphalt is less silvery. Tarina Tarantino Silver Shoes and Tarina Tarantino Lovely are both similar. Bobbi Brown Gunmetal is more matte and slightly blue-tinged.

Hijack is a charcoal teal with a hint of green and a very frosty finish. It has good pigmentation, and it applies smoothly for the most part. Illamasqua Android is darker and more nuanced. Bare Escentuals Vapor is similar but more metallic in finish.

Lost is a warm coppery bronze with a frosted metallic sheen. It was the smoothest, softest shade of the six, and it had excellent color payoff. MAC Havana is a bit darker, warmer. NARS Surabaya has a stronger red undertone and more of a matte finish. Benefit Dandy Brandy is lighter. MAC Roasted Chestnut is has a softer sheen. MAC Make Your Mark is similar but mostly matte. Inglot #421 is more coppery.

Wallflower is a neutral pink with milky/creamy finish. The color coverage is semi-opaque, and it does settle into lip lines a bit, though not too noticeably from a distance. MAC Deelight is a bit pinker. This shade wore for three hours when I tested it.

Last year’s Feminine Palette included Stray Dog, SWF, Midnight Cowboy, Aquarius, Darkhorse, and Ecstasy, plus it came with an eyeliner and primer potion. It had a total value of $80.83 and retailed for $34. This year’s palette six 0.03 oz. eyeshadows and a 0.11 fl. oz. Lip Junkie. The value of this year’s palette is $64.80 worth of eyeshadow and $6.15 worth of gloss, which results in a total value of $70.95. There are surface similarities (e.g. both palettes contain a teal, brown, purple, and lighter color), but the only shade that’s somewhat duped is Lost (by Stray Dog/Darkhorse).

Overall, this palette has two shades with micro-glitter, which does mean that two shades were more prone to having some fall out both during and after application.  It’s more noticeable with Bordello than Gunmetal, and there wasn’t a lot, but I did spot a few stray glitter particles.  Bordello was also the weakest in pigmentation, though still good.

P.S. — Like the giant gouge in Lost? Courtesy of my thumb slipping while trying to remove the eyeshadow portion to show the clutch, LOL!

The Glossover

	Feminine A-
	Overall, this palette has two shades with micro-glitter, which does mean that two shades were more prone to having some fall out both during and after application. It's more noticeable with Bordello than Gunmetal, and there wasn't a lot, but I did spot a few stray glitter particles. Bordello was also the weakest in pigmentation, though still good.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4.5/5
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Urban Decay Feminine Eyeshadow Palette (2012)

Urban Decay Feminine Eyeshadow Palette (2012)

Urban Decay Feminine Eyeshadow Palette (2012)

Urban Decay Feminine Eyeshadow Palette (2012)

Urban Decay Bordello Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Skimp Eyeshadow

Urban Decay AC/DC Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Gunmetal Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Hijack Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Lost Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Wallflower Lip Junkie

Urban Decay Wallflower Lip Junkie

Urban Decay Wallflower Lip Junkie

Urban Decay Wallflower Lip Junkie

Urban Decay Feminine Palette Look: Bordello (inner lid), Lost (outer lid),
AC/DC (crease), Skimp (browbone), Psychedelic Sister Eyeliner (8 Hours of Wear)

Urban Decay Feminine Palette Look: Bordello (inner lid), Lost (outer lid),
AC/DC (crease), Skimp (browbone), Psychedelic Sister Eyeliner (8 Hours of Wear)

5 Stormy Gray Eyeshadows to Tempt You

I love a good gray!  What’s really cool about gray is it can be easily tinted, so there are lots of possibilities.  I’m partial to blue-tinted grays myself

• Make Up For Ever #1 — dark smoldering gray
• Bare Escentuals Do Not Disturb — muted dark gray with a satiny sheen
• MAC Weathered — blue-tinted gray with a soft shimmer
• Inglot #387 — medium blue-tinted gray
• Urban Decay Gunmetal — charcoal gray with shimmer

What’s your favorite stormy gray eyeshadow?

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4 Review, Photos, Swatches (Part 1)

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4 ($64.00) is a limited edition makeup palette slated for a September launch. It contains 16 eyeshadows (0.03 oz. each), one Liquid Eyeliner (0.058 fl. oz.), Original Primer Potion (0.13 fl. oz.), and Supercurl Mascara (0.18 fl. oz.). The palette also contains a mini-speaker along with QR codes so that one can watch video tutorials designed for the palette. The value breakdown goes like this: $163.20 worth of eyeshadow, $18.00 worth of liquid eyeliner, $6.68 worth of Primer Potion, and $12.00 worth of mascara. Though you cannot purchase the items separately even if you wanted to, it amounts to the equivalent of $199.88.

Because of how photo-heavy this review is, and how long it is, the first eight eyeshadows are reviewed in this post, while the second set of eight will follow. The overall review for the palette along with packaging is included in this post.  Because there are differences in quality for each shade, I have listed a pigmentation and texture score for each (both scores are out of 10), which I then averaged across all sixteen shades to give the scores found in The Glossover below.

Blue Bus is a cool-toned, blue-based purple with a soft, frosted finish. This is a new and exclusive shade. The payoff is disappointing–it’s dry, stiff, and applies unevenly. It lacks the density of other Urban Decay eyeshadows along with the smoothness that comes from a softer powder product. The color is very similar to MAC Parfait Amour. Inglot #379 is similar in color but matte, so it has a darker appearance. (7/5)

Gunmetal is a darkened blue-based gray with a silver shimmer and sheen. This is a permanent shade. The color payoff is good, though it feels a touch less soft compared to the pot version of Gunmetal. Inglot #451 is similar but slightly darker–has more of a black base. (9/8.5)

Cobra is a dark, cool-toned brown with a mostly matte finish that’s layered with green-gold shimmer. This shade is a repromote from the Black Palette. It doesn’t reflect very green when I swatched it–more like a brown with gold shimmer. The color payoff is decent but it has a drier texture. If you wanted more of the color in the pan, Laura Mercier’s Pine Bronze is similar. Wet ‘n’ Wild Comfort Zone has a shade that is similar in the pan but also swatches browner–they are surprisingly similar. Milani Melange is also similar but has a blacker color base. (9/8)

Baked is a bright copper with a high frost finish. The color payoff is excellent, and it has a dense, buttery texture that applies very smoothly. This is a permanent shade. It is similar to Giorgio Armani Gold Blitz, Inglot #405, and MAC Amber Lights. (10/10)

Bender is a dark, forest green with a subtle green-gold sheen. The finish is a softened frost. This is a new and exclusive shade. It is one of the best performing shades in the palette–very buttery and smooth, while the pigmentation is tops. It is more yellow-based compared to Make Up For Ever #310. It has less green and more olive compared to Inglot #418. It is very similar to MAC Humid. (10/10)

Gravity is a plum-tinged medium purple with a frosted finish. This is a new and exclusive shade. It has decent color payoff, but it applies unevenly and splotch in places (see the bottom half of the swatch). Make Up For Ever #142 is similar in color but has a matte finish. theBalm All the Way Annie is a touch plummier. It is more pigmented than Milani Purr-fect Purple. It is not as intense as Urban Decay Psychedelic Sister, but it is darker (and plummier) than Urban Decay Ecstasy. (7.5, 7.5)

Lost is a dark bronze brown with subtle red undertones. It has a frosted finish. This is a new and exclusive shade. The color payoff is beautiful here–like Bender, it is one of the better quality shades in the palette. The texture is soft, smooth, and buttery. It is darker and browner compared to MAC Sable. It has slightly cooler tones compared to Inglot #422. There is a darker quality and a more reflective finish compared to Milani Rich Java. (10/10)

Hijack is a bluish-teal with a silvered sheen–a part frost, part metallic finish. This is a new and exclusive shade. The pigmentation in this shade was good, and it applies smoothly overall. The color is very similar to Bare Escentuals Vapor. It is darker and less teal compared to Urban Decay Aquarius. (9/9)

I’m usually really impressed by Urban Decay’s palettes, because the majority of the eyeshadows are high-quality with excellent color payoff, even if a few textures may be more prone to fall out because of the inclusion of glittery shades. I found Blue Bus, Crystal, and Skimp to be difficult to use, while Cobra and Gravity have a few concerns The standout shades were Baked, Bender, Lost, and Zephyr in terms of pigmentation and texture.    If one wants a neutral palette, Urban Decay’s Naked palette does it better.  If one wants pops of color, the 15th Anniversary Palette does it better.  Last year’s Book of Shadows Vol. 3 was much better (and still available at urbandecay.com).

The packaging is extremely bulky–it’s large and heavy. If you thought prior Book of Shadows editions were bulky, then you will loathe the size of this one, as it is 1 3/4″ wider (only marginally taller). I had issues sliding the drawer out, because the mini-speaker tends to get caught against the top. The drawer was not glued in, though, so it did pull out all the way for removal. The top flap opens up with pop-up butterflies, small-sized mirror, and a pocket for your phone along with instructions for using the QR codes. The upside of bulky cardboard packaging is that it will absorb impact better than a hard plastic case would if you were to drop it. I dropped mine a few times on the bathroom tile to no ill effects.

I didn’t play around with the technology too much myself, as I relegated that duty to our resident tech guy (I was busy cropping photographs). I did watch some and saw how it all came together. I think it’s an interesting concept, but in reality, it ends up more gimmicky than useful. The drawer is so large to accomodate a mini-speaker, which does enhance the sound of the videos, but your phone would likely do an adequate job with its own speakers. The QR codes are a bit close together, but it is a minor concern. We have iPhones here, so that is what we tested it out with, and if you have a case around yours, you’ll need to remove it or else the plug will not connect properly.

The Glossover

	Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4 Review, Photos, Swatches (Part 1) B
	This palette lacks the quality level of previous Book of Shadows--it's not the colors but the color payoffs and textures that make this palette less than stellar.
	Product 8/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
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Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4

Urban Decay Blue Bus Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Blue Bus Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Gunmetal Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Gunmetal Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Cobra Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Cobra Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Baked Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Baked Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Bender Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Bender Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Gravity Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Gravity Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Lost Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Lost Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Hijack Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Hijack Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatches (Part 3)

Eleven more Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatches!   I’m hoping to swatch through some of the palettes I have soon and get those swatches up as well.  I also recently received a few more permanent shades to share with you!

• Graffiti is a bright, grassy green with subtle cool undertones and a frosted, metallic sheen. This shade has such lovely color payoff. This is a deluxe eyeshadow.
• Gunmetal is a darkened blue-based gray with a silver shimmer and sheen. Inglot #451 is similar but slightly darker–has more of a black base.
• Hot Pants is a cotton candy pink with a white, metallic sheen. MAC Swish is a bit darker but similar, while Make Up For Ever #303 is lighter.
• Maui Wowie is an antique gold with a metallic finish and splattered with chunky bits of antique gold glitter. The glitter kills this shade–I LOVE the color of Maui Wowie, but it suffers from awful fall out of the chunky glitter. Bare Escentuals Gold Medal comes rather close, though it seems a little cooler toned.
• Minx is a green-based teal with chunky teal glitter (like Maui Wowie). It’s actually a bit sheer, which is a surprise for a UD shadow. Make Up For Ever #168 is more pigmented and perhaps a little greener, but it seems similar.
• Purple Haze is a brightened, medium-dark red-based purple with a matte finish. Inglot’s #334 is the most similar from what I can tell (and I suspect MAC’s Vibrant Grape is similar, too, but it’s not up in the gallery yet!), but it is clearly less red-based.
• Revolver is a soft gray with a matte finish. It’s a really easy-to-wear gray because of how light it is, so it’s not dominating at all.
• Ruthless is a champagne beige with a hint of gold shimmer. This is a deluxe eyeshadow. MAC Retrospeck is a little darker and more golden toned. theBalm Devilish Danielle seems brighter but very similar. Becca Quartz is a touch darker but also similar.
• Scratch is a soft, peach-orange with a golden sheen. This is a deluxe eyeshadow.
• Zero is a medium-dark black with multi-colored shimmer. I actually found Zero to be a little rough in texture–not nearly as smooth as other deluxe eyeshadows. It is similar to theBalm Guilty Gwen, which has a better texture.

Urban Decay has three types of eyeshadows–their regular eyeshadows (0.05 oz.), deluxe eyeshadows (0.09 oz.), and matte eyeshadows (0.05 oz.). Both the regular and matte eyeshadows are $17 a pop, while deluxe eyeshadows are $18, but they also contain nearly twice as much product. I would say the major difference between deluxe and regular eyeshadows is that these tend to be a little softer, less bound together, and perhaps a little more pigmented. Urban Decay says these have more intensity than the regular eyeshadows, but I haven’t had too many issues with pigmentation in their regular line.

Urban Decay Eyeshadows are typically very pigmented, smooth, and blendable.  The only shades to watch for are any that have the word “glitter” or “sparkle” in the description, because they tend to have a micro-glitter that just doesn’t bind with the color base, which means it either disappears between brush and lid (best case scenario) or you end up with a sparkly under eye (worst case scenario). Their matte finishes are soft and finely milled, but a note on application, these are so blendable that it’s easy to overdo it.

If you’re looking for more Urban Decay swatches, you can check out our full Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatch Gallery!

The Glossover

	Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatches (Part 3) A-
	In this set, Minx is the worst, given that it has sparkly fall out in addition to being on the sheerer side, while Maui Wowie is pigmented, it, too, has issues with glitter fall out. Zero had decent pigmentation but was not nearly as smooth as expected, and the offense is even worse given that it is a deluxe eyeshadow.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 8.5/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4/5
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Urban Decay Graffiti Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Gunmetal Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Hot Pants Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Maui Wowie Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Minx Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Purple Haze Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Revolver Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Ruthless Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Scratch Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Zero Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Spring 2011: Dangerous Palette

Urban Decay Dangerous Eyeshadow Palette ($34.00 for 0.34 oz.) includes six eyeshadows: Haight (dark teal with shimmer), Mildew (deep green), Virgin (satin chamois), Oil Slick (black with silver glitter), Rockstar (deep red-purple with metallic base), and Gunmetal (gunmetal gray with silver glitter). Also included is Rockstar 24/7 Liner (eggplant) and Greed primer potion (gold).

Edited @ 7:10AM:  Images are fixed.

• Haight is a brightened medium blue with a frost finish that pulls just an itsy bit teal. This shade is part of the permanent range and available individually, and it also appeared in the Book of Shadows, Vol. 3.
• Mildew is a rich olive green with dirty bronze-brown lying underneath the richer green sheen. This shade is part of the permanent range and available individually and has appeared in the Show Pony, Preen, and Ammo palettes.
• Virgin is a pale beige with a satin-shimmer finish. It’s very, very light, but it’s such a beautiful neutral. It’s a little frosty for a highlighter, particularly on darker skin tones, but it would make for a great all-over wash or pop of light on the inner tear duct. This shade was in the Naked palette and not available individually.
• Oil Slick is a rich, deep black with silver glitter. The glitter is more of an overlay, so there will be fall out. It’s not as bad as ultra glittery shades like Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, but the fall out does occur. This shade is part of the permanent range and available individually and has appeared in the Alice in Wonderland, Ammo, and Sustainable palettes.
• Rockstar is a deep shade of eggplant purple with burgundy-red undertones and a shimmer-sheen finish. This shade was in the Book of Shadows, Vol. 3 and not available individually.
• Gunmetal is a dark gray with a deep silver sheen. Despite the glittre in the pan, it seems to disappear before you even apply it. I’ve had this shade for awhile, and I don’t find fall out to be an issue. This shade is part of the permanent range and available individually, and it has been in the Book of Shadows, Vol.2, Naked, and Vegan palettes.

my thoughts on the formula: Urban Decay’s eyeshadows are rich in pigment, apply evenly, and feel like butter. Generally speaking, their formula is excellent. I will warn and caution you against their shades with “glitter” or “sparkle” in the finish–some of these can be prone to fall out (for example, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again).

In terms of value, the palette includes 0.18 oz. of eyeshadow ($61.20 value), 0.03 oz. of eyeliner ($12.75 value), and 0.13 fl. oz. of primer potion ($6.88 value). The total value of the palette is $80.83, while the retail price is $34.

I think sometimes we lose sight of what the beauty industry and market are like as a whole — not every person purchases every palette or even much at all.  Not everyone enters at the same time, so even though you may find yourself owning many of the shades, it doesn’t make it a terrible product – Urban Decay does some really excellent shades that you can get year round, but these sure make those shades more accessible and affordable to people who don’t have a lot of Urban Decay or have always wanted to try it.  It would be great to see new shades, of course, but I recognize what value they may hold to others.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 27/30
• Value: 10/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

final thoughts: Dangerous has shades we have all seen before, but ultimately, whether it’s a good value/purchase depends on just how many Urban Decay products you have in your arsenal. The palette itself is an excellent value, and if you like more than two shadows, it works out to be the same if you had bought then individually ($17 each). Oil Slick has a slightly fussy finish/texture, but the other five eyeshadows are really nice, especially Haight and Rockstar.

where to buy: Urban Decay

See more photos & swatches!

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Dangerous Palette: Haight, Mildew, Virgin, Oil Slick, Rockstar, Gunmetal

Dangerous Palette: Haight, Mildew, Virgin, Oil Slick, Rockstar, Gunmetal

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Urban Decay Dangerous Palette

Dangerous Palette: Haight, Mildew, Virgin, Oil Slick, Rockstar, Gunmetal

Dangerous Palette: Haight, Mildew, Virgin

Dangerous Palette: Oil Slick, Rockstar, Gunmetal

Urban Decay Greed Primer Potion

Rockstar, 1999, Ransom, Lust (just Rockstar is included)

Urban Decay Dangerous, Feminine, & Fun Palettes: Sneak Peek

Just launched, Urban Decay has three new palettes for spring.  Each features six shades of eyeshadow and a medium-sized 24/7 Liner, plus a miniature-sized primer potion.  I’ll have full reviews up tomorrow, but I wanted to at least get a quick palette photo and swatches.  Each palette retails for $34.

See swatches & the other two palettes!

Dangerous Palette: Haight, Mildew, Virgin, Oil Slick, Rockstar, Gunmetal

Feminine Palette: Stray Dog, SWF, Midnight Cowboy, Aquarius, Darkhorse, Ecstasy

Feminine Palette: Stray Dog, SWF, Midnight Cowboy, Aquarius, Darkhorse, Ecstasy

Fun Palette: Woodstock, Baked, Uzi, Sin, Flipside, Psychedelic Sister

Fun Palette: Woodstock, Baked, Uzi, Sin, Flipside, Psychedelic Sister