urban decay maui wowie eyeshadow

Urban Decay Graffiti 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!

Where to Buy: Sephora, $17 and $18

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Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 3 Look:  Gold, Plum, Green

I told you I’d have a look for you soon!   I did film a tutorial for this look, and I’m hoping to have that up on Friday-ish.   Hope everyone’s having a fantastic Thursday!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion (eyeshadow base), Urban Decay Maui Wowie Eyeshadow (antique gold), Urban Decay Rockstar Eyeshadow (deep eggplant), Urban Decay Loaded Eyeshadow (deep forest green), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow (neutral highlighter), Urban Decay Rockstar 24/7 Liner (deep eggplant), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Korres #15 Natural Blush (pinked brown), Guerlain Beige Lumineux Meteorites Powder (highlighter)
• Lips: Urban Decay Naked Lipstick (soft pink), Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Lip Junkie (champagne)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes:  Rockstar = Rockstar pigment; Loaded = MAC Deep Blue Green Pigment
  

For eyes, start by applying Primer Potion as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Maui Wowie eyeshadow on the inner half of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease. Lightly blend Rockstar eyeshadow on the outer half of the lid with the 239. Next, apply Loaded eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending onto the outer lid.  Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Rockstar eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply #15 blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116, then lightly pat Beige Lumineux meteorites on the cheekbones, forehead, bridge of nose, and chin.

For lips, apply Naked lipstick first, and then layer Midnight Cowboy lip junkie for a complementing lip.

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Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. III

Exclusive: First Look @ Urban Decay’s Book of Shadows Vol. III

For the holidays, Urban Decay will be launching the third installation in their Book of Shadows palette series. The palette will retail for $54, and while I don’t have an exact date yet, based on past releases, mid to late September is a good bet. If you’re in the NYC area on August 28th, you can snag one of 1,000 pieces available for sale at the Times Square Sephora (details here).  It’s expected to launch online at urbandecay.com after Labor Day and at other retailers on October 1st.

The palette includes 16 eyeshadows (0.03 oz. each, total of 0.48 oz.), 2 miniature-sized eyeliners (0.03 oz. each, total of 0.06 oz.), and 1 minature-sized Primer Potion (0.13 fl. oz.). To break down the value for you, this represents $163.20 worth of eyeshadow ($340/oz.), $25.50 worth of eyeliner ($425/oz.), $6.88 of Primer Potion ($52.94/fl. oz.). In sum, it’s the equivalent of $195.58 worth of Urban Decay products. You will, of course, have to spend much more as individual products are all slightly bigger (e.g. each full-size eyeshadow retails for $17).

Anyway, the point is that no matter how you slice it, Urban Decay’s Book of Shadows palettes have a lot of value. The quality of the shadows is exactly what their full-size and permanent shades represent; there is no skimping here.

Eyeshadows

• Perversion is a matte charcoal black. It’ll darken anything you want to, and it’s a good black, but it’s not an ultra deep black. Not at all chalky! This is a permanent shade, and it has been featured in BoS I and II.
• Uzi is a whitish-silver with flecks of silver glitter. I’ve found this shade has some fall out, but it’s not too bad. This is a permanent shade, and it has been featured in the Sustainable palette.
• Loaded is a deep forest green with a metallic shimmer sheen. It is hands down my favorite shade in the palette — it’s like a greener version of NARS’ Rajasthan! This is new and exclusive to this palette.
• Kush is a medium grassy green with a subtle cool undertone. This is a nice shade with excellent color payoff, and it is new and exclusive to this palette–but it does have some cousins. It’s a darker version of Graffiti (permanent) and Absinthe (BoS I), and it’s a greener, darker version of Homegrown (BoS II).
• Midnight Cowboy Rides Again is a pink-tinged champagne with champagne flecks of glitter. It may be one of my least favorite eyeshadows of all time, because it has so much fall out, even though it feels very smooth. I recommend using it with a stickier base and make sure you have Q-tips and makeup remover to control the fall out. This shade is permanent, and it has been in BoS II and BoS Alice in Wonderland, as well as the Sustainable palette.
• Last Call is a medium plum with strong red undertones and shimmer finish. This is a permanent shade that’s also a popular palette shade–it’s been featured in BoS I, BoS AiW, and Ammo.
• Rockstar is a deep shade of eggplant purple with burgundy-red undertones and a shimmer-sheen. This is a new and exclusive shade to the palette–but the color is like Rockstar 24/7 Eye Pencil (duh!).
• Money is a silvered blue with a metallic blue-green sheen. Very pretty and will be a great shade to layer over colored bases to bring out different undertones. This shade is new and exclusive to the palette.
• Haight is a brightened medium blue with a frost finish that pulls just an itsy bit teal. This is shade is permanent, but it’s a Sephora exclusive. It hasn’t been in any other palettes.
• Maui Wowie is an antique gold with a nearly metallic gold sheen. It also has flecks of dark gold glitter, so it can have some fall out issues. This is a permanent shade, and it’s also been in BoS AiW and Ammo.
• Smog is a medium-dark bronze with a shimmer-frost finish. This is a shade that’s been in a ton of palettes! It’s permanent, but it has also been released in BoS I, Ammo, Naked, and Vegan.
• Bordello is a mauve-tinged pink with soft flecks of dark pink shimmer-glitter. It’s smooth, pigmented, and has an almost metallic sheen. The glitter is similar to Uzi’s, but it feels a little finer. This is a new and exclusive shade.
• Radium is a true medium blue with a cooler undertone and a softer frost finish. Great pigmentation! It is new and exclusive to this palette, and I imagine its color gets inspiration from Radium Cream Eyeshadow.
• Snatch is a peachy-pink with a frosty finish. It’s very smooth and has nice pigmentation. This was originally in the Show Pony palette.
• Suspect is a medium bronze that pulls a smidgen taupe and has a rather cooler undertone. I thought it was similar to some of the browns in previous BoS palettes (like Sidecar, Nylon, Gridlock, etc.), but those all have obvious red undertones in comparison. This is a new and exclusive shade.
• Psychedelic Sister is a brightened medium purple with red undertones. It’s a nice shade of purple that’s pigmented and has a soft frost sheen. It’s a permanent, but it is a Sephora exclusive. This is the first time it’s been in a palette.

Eyeliners

• Zero is a deep black. Very pigmented, definitely a handy shade to have. Even if I do have five of them at this point. But really, black eyeliner in a palette makes sense.
• Ransom is an iridescent violet purple with more of a violet flash/sheen and some red undertones. This is available in full-size, but it’s one of my favorite liners. (Try patting Fishnet over it for some real va-voom!)

New vs. Old vs. Repromoted

There are seven new and exclusive shades to the palette (Bordello, Kush, Loaded, Money, Radium, Rockstar, and Suspect). There are two Sephora exclusive shades (Haight and Psychedelic Sister) that were released a few months ago but have never been sold in any of the previous palettes. There are seven permanent shades (Snatch, Last Call, Maui Wowie, Midnight Cowboy Rides Again, Smog, Perversion, and Uzi), with Perversion, Snatch, and Uzi being in just one or two previous palettes and the others being in three or more. The worst case scenario? You’ll get seven brand new eyeshadows.

Overall, it’s another solid eyeshadow palette. I didn’t have any pigmentation issues with these eyeshadows, and I like the addition of seven new and two of the Sephora exclusives (which I really liked, but know some readers were hesitant to pay $17 a pop). There are two shades that do run on the glittery side (Midnight Cowboy Rides Again and Maui Wowi) and two on the slightly glittery side (Uzi and Snatch).

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

• Product: 28/30
• Value: 10/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: If you like Urban Decay eyeshadows, the Book of Shadows is always a good buy. If you’re not into shimmery/frosty shades and prefer more matte or satin finishes, then this might not be your thing.

AVAILABILITY: Holiday 2010

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Softly Smoky: Drama, but Not Too Much

Quickie look I did before I took my midterm to test out the wear of some new products I’m trying out! I will say I refuse to use Urban Decay’s Maui Wowie eyeshadow again. I’m through with it! It is fallout city, and even when I use it with a sticky base, it refuses to cooperate. Such a pretty shade, so it’s a shame, but no thank you!

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Shiseido H12 Lemon Sugar Hydro-Powder Eyeshadow (pale yellow gold), Urban Decay Maui Wowie Eyeshadow (antique gold), MAC Concrete Eyeshadow (cool, dark brown), MAC Ricepaper Eyeshadow (highlighter), MAC NC15/NW20 Chromagraphic Pencil (nude), YSL Black Velvet Dessin du Regard Eyeliner (black), MAC Opulash Mascara (black)
• Face: Lancome Aqua Fusion Tinted Moisturizer (1), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder
• Cheeks: MAC Springsheen Blush (peachy-pink)
• Lips: Cle de Peau T3 Extra Rich Lipstick (pinky nude), Make Up For Ever #10 Fascinating Lip Gloss (sheer champagne gold)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: N/A

For eyes, start by applying Lemon Sugar eyeshadow as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Maui Wowie eyeshadow all over the lid. Next, apply Concrete eyeshadow into the outer crease and lid with th 226. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Ricepaper eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Velvet Black eyeliner on the lower lash line and NC15/NW20 pencil lightly patted below the lower lash line and smudged with the 219 brush. Finish by sweeping lashes with Opulash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Springsheen blush to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply T3 lipstick first, and then layer #10 lipgloss for a complementing lip.

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Travel with Urban Decay This Summer

Urban Decay Summer of Love Shadow Palette ($29.00) is a new-for-summer eyeshadow palette that features four eyeshadows (0.04 oz. each), a miniature Sin Primer Potion (0.09 fl. oz.), and miniature Bourbon 24/7 Eye Pencil (0.03 oz.). The eyeshadows included in the palette are Flash (bright iridescent purple), Maui Wowie (medium gold with silver glitter), Chopper (coppery fawn with silver microglitter), and Smog (deep coppery bronze).

Everything in the palette is available individually, should you only fall in love with one of the shades! As such, everything included is also permanent. However, for those who do not already have the majority of these eyeshadows either individually or in various past-released palettes, you get a good amount of product in the palette itself.

Normal eyeshadows are 0.05 oz. (and retail for $17) while the palette versions are 0.03 oz. — still plenty to use. The eyeliner is typically 0.04 oz. (and retails for $17) but 0.03 oz. in the palette. Plus, you do get the mini-sized Sin Primer Potion (my least favorite of the primers, though–so metallic!). All in all, the palette is a good deal with lots of value–if you don’t already own the shades in it.

• Flash is a cool-toned violet purple with a slight iridescence. It’s very smooth, pigmented, and vibrant.
• Maui Wowie is an antique gold with silver glitter. It has great color pay off, and I swear this version felt so much smoother than the one included in the Alice in Wonderland palette, which felt much grittier. You may encounter some fall out with this shade from the glitter.
• Chopper is a muted copper with a gilded-bronze sheen/shimmer. It has nice pigmentation and applies smoothly.
• Smog is a deepened chocolate brown with a warm bronze sheen. It, too, is a vibrant shade that has rich pigmentation.

Urban Decay seems to really love releasing summer palettes with a series of browns and then a pop of color. (Remember Get Baked from last year?) I do like this color variation a lot better than last year’s, because I feel like there is a good amount of differentiation between each shade.

The packaging fits with their theme–definitely groovy and all that–but I’m not digging the vintage photographs on the back. I would have personally loved to have seen the floral pattern continue around the mirror, like it did in Get Baked. It’s cool that the graphic designer’s parents are now immortalized in a makeup palette, but for me, it’s just, “Who are these random people?” Like the majority of Urban Decay products, it is made out of sturdy cardboard. I like these flip-open palettes, because they’re slim, streamlined, and easy to travel with and store.

It’s a nice option for a summer palette, but as always, I wish Urban Decay would release new shades of eyeshadows rather than using their permanent shadows. It makes it hard to purchase as a fan, just because you probably own all of them with the palettes you already have! Maybe Urban Decay should make palette forms available of all their eyehadows so we can just mix and match throughout the year!

P.S. – I think I have enough mini-sized Bourbon liners to get me through year 3000.

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

Recommendation: If you don’t own a lot of Urban Decay eyeshadows, this palette makes a fun option for some summery shades. It’s a great value if you don’t have any of the shades, and the quality of the products within the palette are tops.  It’s easily skipped if you own half or more of the shades/products in it.

Availability: Urban Decay

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Smoky Eyes: Tarnished Gold

A tarnished gold, smoky eye… for school? Sure, why not! Let’s go with that. Wanted to post this before I ran off to class in a few…  that is, if I don’t fall asleep before it’s time to go!  Must. Press. On!

By the way, anyone else going to the Spring Colour Forecast unveiling party at MAC @ Valley Fair (in California) on February 2nd?  I’ll be there at 7pm, so if you see me, say hi

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion (eyeshadow base), Urban Decay Wonderland (Maui Wowie) Eyeshadow (tarnished gold), Urban Decay Mushroom Eyeshadow (brown-gray), Urban Decay Mad Hatter (Twice Baked) Eyeshadow (dark brown), Urban Decay Jabberwocky (Oil Slick) Eyeshadow (sparkly black), MAC Femme-fi Eyeshadow (neutral highlighter), Urban Decay Stash 24/7 Liner (antique gold), Urban Decay Honey 24/7 Liner (gold), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Kiehl’s Tinted Moisturizer (Medium)
• Cheeks: Chanel In Love Blush (soft warm pink), Guerlain Beige Lumineux Meteorite Powder (fleshy beige highlighter)
• Lips: Guerlain Beige Mousseline (#340) KissKiss Strass Lipstick (sparkling beige), Guerlain Champagne Pearl (#847) KissKiss Gloss (sheer beige)
• Brushes: 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: N/A

For eyes, start by applying Primer Potion as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Wonderland eyeshadow on the inner half of the eyelid. Next, apply Mushroom eyeshadow on the middle third of the eyelid and lightly blend with the inner corner. Darken the outer third of the lid with Mushroom eyeshadow with the 239, gently brushing it into the lower crease. Lightly blend Mad Hatter eyeshadow, with the 239, on the outer corner and lid. To deepen the crease, apply Jabberwocky eyeshadow with the 226 into the crease. To finish the eyeshadow look, sweep Femme-fi eyeshadow as a highlighter on the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Stash eyeliner on the lower lash line and Honey liner on the lower water line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply In Love blush to the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116. Highlight cheeks with a light dusting of Beige Lumineux Meteorite Powder with the 165.

For lips, apply Beige Mousseline lipstick first, and then layer Champagne Pearl lipgloss for a complementing lip.

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