Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit

Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit ($39.00) is a limited edition set that features four eyeshadows, one lipgloss, and one travel-sized brush. It will be available at ULTA and select Macy’s in-store and online at ulta.com and urbandecay.com. The four eyeshadows included are: Midnight Cowboy (champagne with silver glitter), Midnight Rodeo (brown pearl with silver glitter), Midnight 15 (pearly oyster with silver glitter), and AC/DC (smoky grey/purple with shimmer).

It is all housed in a champagne-colored pleather case with a zipper enclosure wrapped around it. It’s fairly heavy (feels heavier than it looks) and definitely sturdy–it’s not easily crushed by any means–but the heft of it is not something I’d want to stash in my bag.  The overall size is nice, and I’m sure some will have no problem stashing it in their bag.

• Midnight Cowboy is a pale champagne pink with a frosted finish and chunky silver sparkle. The underlying base color has good color payoff, but the sparkles cause major fall out. I wish I knew of a dupe for the color, but the only thing I could think of was Safe Bet Annette which is still a bit pinker.
• Midnight Rodeo is a sparkly taupe brown. It does have glitter, but it’s subtle and doesn’t seem as large as Urban Decay’s other glitter-finished eyeshadows but may still have some fall out. The color payoff is good, and the texture is fairly smooth. I thought Urban Decay Toasted might be similar, but it’s not–much browner, less of a taupe. theBalm Insane Jane is grayer (more cool-toned), while Inglot #402 is nearly indistinguishable from Midnight Rodeo. This shade is a repromote from the 15th Anniversary Palette and BoS 4.
• Midnight 15 is a soft champagne with a hint of gray and frosted finish. There is a subtle amount of glitter which has a touch of fall out. Initially, I thought it might be similar to Urban Decay Virgin, but it’s grayer–looks taupe in comparison. It’s a little darker compared to the beige in Chanel Prelude and less yellow compared to Urban Decay Ruthless (this is the closest).
• AC/DC is a smoky purple with a very subtle red undertone; it’s more of a neutral purple. It was in the BoS 2. Am I the only one who expected to see another Midnight-themed shadow here? Don’t get me wrong–I’m so glad at least one shade isn’t fall out city. Urban Decay Gravity is a little purpler but similar. theBalm Kissy, Kissy is a touch darker. Bare Escentuals Encore has a stronger red undertone.
• Midnight Cowboy Lip Junkie is a sheer champagne-tinted gloss with lots of champagne shimmer. It’s mint-scented and virtually colorless on the lips but imparts shine and shimmer. You can check out my full review of the formula in my original review.

Each eyeshadow is 0.04 oz., which is just shy of full-size (0.05 oz.), while the gloss is full-sized (0.34 fl. oz.)–plus the travel-sized Shadow brush ($26 for the full-sized version).  The value is at least $73.40 (the value of the eyeshadows and gloss) but likely closer to $85 or so because of the brush.

Urban Decay’s eyeshadows with “sparkle” are problem children.  Sometimes they’re sweet and you can get them behave, but most often, they’re unruly, frustrating, and wreak havoc upon your eye/face because of the glittery fall out.  Of the three sparkly shades here, Midnight Cowboy is the worst offender.  The other two are lesser offenders but still have some issues with fall out.

My advice for working with eyeshadows prone to fall out is to use a stiffer brush and pat on, rather than sweep.  You might also want to lightly tap the brush against your forearm after you’ve picked up the eyeshadow to loosen any excess product (and glitter).  It’s best to apply eye makeup first in this instance, so you can easily remove any residual fall out without removing foundation and the like.  A stickier base (mixing mediums, sealers, etc.) can also help the glitter to adhere rather than to fall away or generally disappear.  I just don’t think you should have to work that hard.  I’m also surprised that–given how much Urban Decay enjoys themselves glitter eyeshadow–they haven’t come out with their own adhesive base/sealer.

The Glossover

	Midnight Emergency Kit C+
	There is a lot of fall out, and three of the five color products in this kit require some trial and error to find a method that works. Unless you're using an adhesive base, there is glitter fall out both during application as well as throughout the day. The packaging seems heavy for how little is inside it, so it's not as purse-friendly as it seems.
	Product 8/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 8/10 Longevity 7.5/10 Application 3/5
	Where to Buy
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Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit

Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit

Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit

Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit

Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit

Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight Rodeo Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight 15 Eyeshadow

Urban Decay AC/DC Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Lip Junkie

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4 Review, Photos, Swatches (Part 2)

Here is the review for the second half of the Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. 4 ($64.00) limited edition makeup palette. For an overall review of the product, along with packaging, please see part one. 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.

Midnight Cowgirl is a warm, pale, peach-gold with a frosted finish. The color payoff is really lovely, as it is rich and buttery, though it does have flecks of gold micro-glitter. This shade is part of the permanent range. I find the majority disappears before you even apply it, but you may find that some fall out underneath the eye. It is a bit lighter than Bobbi Brown Desert Sand. It’s similar in color but lighter compared to Urban Decay Blunt. It’s also a lighter, less brown version of MAC Retrospeck. (9, 8.5)

Sin is a pink-tinged champagne with a frosted finish and rather metallic sheen. This shade is part of the permanent range. Urban Decay Scratch is much pinker. Giorgio Armani #8 is similar but more metallic in finish. Inglot #397 is similar in color, less pink-tinged. (9.5, 9)

Midnight Rodeo is a sparkly taupe brown. It does have glitter, but it’s subtle and doesn’t seem as large as Urban Decay’s other glitter-finished eyeshadows but may still have some fall out. The color payoff is good, and the texture is fairly smooth. I thought Urban Decay Toasted might be similar, but it’s not–much browner, less of a taupe. theBalm Insane Jane is grayer (more cool-toned), while Inglot #402 is nearly indistinguishable from Midnight Rodeo. This shade is a repromote from the 15th Anniversary Palette. (9, 8.5)

Crystal is a bluish-purple gray with a silvered sheen. It lacks pigmentation, and the texture is dry and stiff to work with–you’ll have to pack it on to achieve the color you see in the pan. This shade is new and exclusive to this palette. Inglot #420 is similar but darker and lacks the bluish tones. Urban Decay Stripped has less purple and is much, much darker. (5, 7)

Bust is a softened, gray-tinged taupe brown with a soft, frosted finish. This shade is new and exclusive to this palette. It has a really smooth application with a buttery texture, while the shade itself has excellent color payoff. NARS Grand Palais is slightly browner, MAC Street Cool is darker and browner, MAC Satin Taupe is much, much darker, and Inglot #402 is warmer and less gray. It’s like a frosted version of Urban Decay Shakedown. (9.5, 9)

Missionary is a soft, beige-taupe with a frosted finish. It’s like a lighter version of Sin. It has good color payoff, but it’s not fully opaque. This shade is new and exclusive to this palette. It is pinker than MAC Butternutty. It’s a little lighter and has more of a sheen compared to Urban Decay Virgin. (9, 9)

Skimp is a beige-peach with a pearled sheen. The color payoff here was a bit sheer, and the texture surprisingly dry. This shade is a repromote. It is similar to Bare Escentuals Serendipitous. It is a little lighter than MAC Brule. (8, 8.5)

Zephyr is a warm white with a golden sheen. It has good color payoff, but it is a bit powdery. This shade is new and exclusive to this palette. It less yellow compared to Urban Decay Vanilla and MAC Nylon, but it is comparable to Bare Escentuals Breathtaking. (9, 8.5)

The Glossover

	Book of Shadows Vol. 4 B
	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. 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
	Where to Buy
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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 Midnight Cowgirl Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight Cowgirl Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight Rodeo Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight Rodeo Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Crystal Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Crystal Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Bust Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Bust Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Missionary Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Missionary Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Skimp Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Skimp Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Zephyr Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Zephyr Eyeshadow

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette Review, Photos, Swatches (Part 1)

This post is going to look at six of the fifteen eyeshadows (and the second post will look at the other nine). With the server issues we have had today, it’s even more essential than normal that I split the photos (50!) over two posts to make things more manageable. The review (and rating), however, encompasses the entire palette.

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette ($55.00 for 15 x 0.05 oz.) includes fifteen brand new, never-before-seen shades in a limited edition palette. These shades are: Midnight Rodeo (brown pearl with silver), Tainted (pale matte purple with golden shimmer), Deeper (deep shimmery golden brown), Midnight 15 (oyster pearl with silver glitter), Junkshow (metallic bright pink with slight blue shift), MIA (dark velvet brown), Vanilla (creamy white gold), Omen (metallic bright purple with blue shift), Ace (dark gunmetal), Flow (soft peach shimmer), Evidence (deep metallic blue), Blackout (darkest, must saturated black), Chase (bright bronze), Deep End (bright teal), and Half Truth (deep greyish purple). It will be available on urbandecay.com beginning July 12th, and it will make its way to other retailers like beauty.com, Macy’s, Sephora, and Ulta in July/August. I do not have any specific dates for other retailers at this time.

• Midnight Rodeo is a sparkly taupe brown. It does have glitter, but it’s subtle and doesn’t seem as large as Urban Decay’s other glitter-finished eyeshadows. I thought Toasted might be similar, but it’s not–much browner, less of a taupe. theBalm Insane Jane is grayer (more cool-toned), while Inglot #402 is nearly indistinguishable from Midnight Rodeo.
• Tainted is a pinked lavender with a subtle golden sheen. I found this one a little powdery–almost too blendable (where it sheers out when you make any move to blend it)–and the sheen and lavender color don’t bind together entirely. It’s ridiculously more pigmented and leans more on the purple side compared to MAC Boy Crazy. Lancome Amethyst Glam palette has a shade that’s similar but purpler. MAC Lotusland is similar but seems a bit lighter.
• Deeper is a chocolate bronze with a subtle golden sheen. It is a warmer, lighter version of Urban Decay Darkhorse, darker and less warm Urban Decay Smog–almost like the two had a baby.
• Midnight 15 is a soft champagne with a hint of gray and frosted finish. There is a subtle amount of glitter which has a touch of fall out. Initially, I thought it might be similar to Urban Decay Virgin, but it’s grayer–looks taupe in comparison. It’s a little darker compared to the beige in Chanel Prelude and less yellow compared to Urban Decay Ruthless (this is the closest).
• Junkshow is a brightened fuchsia-purple with a fuchsia sheen. It’s similar (but brighter) than MAC Double Feature 7, while Urban Decay Woodstock is pinker, less blue-based, and has no purple. It has a more vibrant and obvious pink base compared to Urban Decay Fishnet, however the iridescent sheen is less apparent in Junkshow.
• MIA is a dark brown with a soft copper base and light sheen. It is lighter and doesn’t have the gold shimmer of Urban Decay Darkhorse.

Of the fifteen shades in the palette, Tainted and Midnight Rodeo were the ones I wasn’t sold on. Midnight Rodeo has subtle glitter, so there was just the tiniest amount of fall out (I tested all shades I thought might be problematic as soon as I finished swatching the palette!)–like two or three specks of sparkle, so nothing like the fall out from other glitter eyeshadows from Urban Decay. Tainted is easily sheered out; the matte lavender base doesn’t seem to bind with the golden sheen, and the result is that neither comes together to stand out. It is a shade that works better packed on and lightly blended around the edges. We are not talking about a terrible eyeshadow in either instance–those are just the two that I was like, “Hm, there’s room for improvement.”

The color payoff for nearly all of the shades was nice. Tainted sheers out easily but applies well initially, and Evidence (surprisingly!) felt a little stiff–it didn’t have the same buttery, dense texture that most Urban Decay eyeshadows have. Evidence works much better applied, and it still has decent color payoff when swatched, but the stiffer texture stood out immediately to me. The other thirteen shades were nicely pigmented and applied smoothly.

It’s possible to have too many similar shades to make the palette worth picking up, but overall, I think it’s an excellent palette that offers so much value. There are fifteen full-sized eyeshadows here, and Urban Decay’s full-sized eyeshadows retail for $17 each–that’s $255 worth of eyeshadow for $55. This is what I want to see when a brand puts out a value palette, set, kit, or what-have-you. It doesn’t feel like Urban Decay skimped on the quality, either, as some brands do when they put together a value palette. These eyeshadows feel just like singles and past palettes Urban Decay has put out.

The packaging is true-to-form for Urban Decay with the filigree edging and metallic finishes. Inside the cover of the palette is a full-sized mirror (spans the entire area of the lid), and the portion that holds the eyeshadows actually pops out to reveal a compartment below. You won’t be able to put much (maybe a few photos or something!) underneath, because it’s a rather narrow space with the insert on top. Urban Decay described it more as a way to make the entire box useful after you have used up all your eyeshadows, and once you recycle the eyeshadow insert portion, you’ll definitely have more room. It does hold fingerprints like crime scene, though!

Remember, you can compare all of these eyeshadows side-by-side in the Swatch Gallery!

The Glossover

	Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette Swatches, Photos, Review (Part 1) A
	There is a good variety of colors in this palette, though it does have a surprising amount of neutrals, with good color payoff and soft and smooth textures. You might find you have too many similar shades already, but for those who don't, it's a great way to snag high-end eyeshadows without breaking the bank.
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Midnight Rodeo, Tianted, Deeper

Midnight 15, Junkshow, MIA

Urban Decay Midnight Rodeo Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight Rodeo Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Tainted Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Tainted Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Deeper Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Deeper Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight 15 Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Midnight 15 Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Junkshow Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Junkshow Eyeshadow

Urban Decay MIA Eyeshadow

Urban Decay MIA Eyeshadow

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Eyeshadow Palette