Everything Old is New Again

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition) ($34.00 for 10 x 0.03 oz.) includes ten of Urban Decay’s bestselling eyeshadows, which are: Smog (deep coppery bronze shimmer), Mildew (mossy green shimmer with gold shift), Oil Slick (black matte with silver micro-glitter), Last Call (metallic plum shimmer), Chopper (copper shimmer with silver micro-glitter), Maui Wowie (metallic golden beige shimmer with silver glitter), Shattered (turquoise shimmer with a gold shift), Polyester Bride (white snow shimmer with silver micro-glitter), Grifter (sheer lavender shimmer with silver micro-glitter), and Sin (champagne shimmer).

Smog is a warm, medium-dark bronze with orange undertones and a frosted finish. It had excellent color payoff and a soft, smooth texture. bareMinerals Ritzy is slightly darker. MAC Mulch is redder. MAC Bronze is more metallic.

Mildew is a mossy green with an olive undertone and subtle forest green shimmer over a frost finish. It seemed a little less pigmented here than I remember the full-size pot, but when I applied it to the lid, I didn’t notice any pigmentation level differences. L’Oreal Golden Emerald is darker, greener, less yellow-toned. Tarina Tarantino Dandy Lion is yellower. theBalm Makeout Mary is very similar. shu uemura Smoky Velvet #2 is a cream version but similar in color.

Oil Slick is a dark black with a teal micro-shimmer–it looks mostly gray-black on the lid and blended out; the shimmer so fine and sparse that it isn’t visible. The color payoff was good, though, and the texture was soft though a little drier than the other shades. bareMinerals Penthouse is a touch darker and more matte. Buxom Black Lab is similar in color but a cream product. MAC Cinderfella has more shimmer. Bobbi Brown Lava is more matte and has larger sparkle.

Last Call is a pinky-plum with red undertones and a frosted, metallic finish. It had great pigmentation and applied smoothly. Chanel Harmonie du Soir #3 is more muted, less pink. L’Oreal Glistening Garnet is lighter, redder, less plum. MAC Stylishly Merry is much pinker.

Chopper is an orange-copper with a frosted, metallic finish. It is supposed to have micro-glitter, which is visible in the pan, but when I swatched it, all of the glitter was swept away. The color payoff of the underlying shade was full and opaque, and it had a smooth texture. bareMinerals Louder is a touch browner. Wet ‘n’ Wild Sparkle ‘Til Morning #6 is a bit more orange, less metallic. Urban Decay Penny Lane is a touch more orange.

Maui Wowie is a pale, not-quite-dirty gold with dark gold micro-glitter and a frosted finish. It had excellent pigmentation, and it was soft and smooth to the touch, but like Chopper, the majority of the micro-glitter disappears. bareMinerals First Class is darker, browner. Chanel Apparence is a cream product, and it is darker. bareMinerals Chart Topper is more muted.

Shattered is a bluish-teal with a green-teal sheen. It has a frosted, somewhat metallic finish. The payoff felt a little weaker here than I remember it being in the past. L’Oreal Endless Sea is similar. Guerlain Les Aquas #2 is lighter.

Polyester Bride is a brightened, creamy white with a frosted, metallic finish and silver micro-glitter. Again, the micro-glitter disappears as you smooth out the color. This shade was less pigmented than the others. bareMinerals Silhouette is very similar, slightly less metallic. Cinderella Midnight Hour is very close in color. Cinderella Ball Gown is also similar.

Grifter is a pink lavender with a frosted, metallic finish and silver micro-glitter. The micro-glitter tends to move around and disappear as you blend out the color. The pigmentation was decent, though Urban Decay did describe it as “sheer,” so it was as expected. Guerlain Attrape-Coeur #4 is less metallic. NARS Marie-Galante #1 is more iridescent.

Sin is a warmed-up champagne beige with a high-shine, metallic finish. It had great pigmentation, and it applied very smoothly and evenly. This color is the closest to a highlight shade in the palette, but it is very, very metallic/frosted on the brow bone. bareMinerals Libation is warmer. Giorgio Armani #8 is pinker. Inglot #397 is comparable.

If you have the original Ammo palette, you’ll have the exact same shades; this palette has a new design and includes all of the same shades but in Urban Decay’s revamped eyeshadow formula. Also, all ten shades are part of the permanent range, so they can be purchased individually if desired. You are almost never better off purchasing singles, because the palette is less than the cost of two individual shades. Chances are low that you’ll actually finish an entire pot of eyeshadow, though the individual eyeshadows are 0.05 oz. and each shade within the palette is 0.03 oz.

If you don’t want to deal with glitter and its fall out, you may want to skip this palette, as five of the ten shades have Urban Decay’s signature micro-glitter. What I will say in regards to the fall out is that 90% of it occurs while you apply it, so after you’ve finished the look, you can remove it and while you will see some stray glitter particles throughout the day (I found some on my nose, below it, and elsewhere on my under eye/upper cheek area), it’s not much.

Now, the reason there actually isn’t much fall out during wear is simple: hardly any gets transferred to the lid! Ahh, the secret! The reality is that if you like the idea of glittery bits on the lid, you’re just not going to get the effect–they end up looking like the base color sans the glitter applied. The sparkle just doesn’t bind with the eyeshadow, so it sits on top and easily gets brushed elsewhere.  If you want the glitter, your best bet is to use a firm, flat brush and pat it over a sticky base.

Overall, the pigmentation of the shades was good to great, with only Polyester Bride coming in a bit short (Grifter isn’t opaque, but it is supposed to be sheer).  The textures are soft, buttery, and dense, with Oil Slick being a bit drier but seemingly softer/denser than previous iterations of it.  When I wore these shades for eight hours, I had a few sparkles of fall out, but I didn’t have any problems with fading or creasing.

The Glossover

	Ammo B+
	Overall, the pigmentation of the shades was good to great, with only Polyester Bride coming in a bit short (Grifter isn't opaque, but it is supposed to be sheer).  The textures are soft, buttery, and dense, with Oil Slick being a bit drier but seemingly softer/denser than previous iterations of it.  When I wore these shades for eight hours, I had a few sparkles of fall out, but I didn't have any problems with fading or creasing.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 8/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Ammo Eyeshadow Palette (2013 Edition)

Urban Decay Smog Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Mildew Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Oil Slick Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Last Call Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Chopper Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Maui Wowie Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Shattered Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Polyester Bride Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Grifter Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadows in Polyester Bride, Chopper, Last Call, Smog, Sin

Urban Decay Eyeshadows in Maui Wowie, Mildew, Shattered, Oil Slick, Sin

Urban Decay Naked 1 vs. Naked 2 Palette Dupes & Comparison Swatches

• Foxy doesn’t have any comparable shades in Naked 1.
• Half Baked is a repeat from Naked 1, so yes, there is a dupe–in fact, it’s 100% the same!
• Booty Call is a peachier version of Virgin (Naked 1), but they’re really, really close. It’s just slightly warmer.
• Chopper is more orange than Sidecar (Naked 1); I wouldn’t say they’re dupes, but they’re not totally different.
• Tease doesn’t have any dupes, because it’s matte, so it doesn’t really appear the same as contenders like Sin and Toasted (both from Naked 1).
• Snakebite is not as golden as Smog (Naked 1), but it’s nowhere near as dark as Darkhorse (Naked 1); however, if you mix both Smog and Darkhorse together, you get something rather similar.
• Suspect is just a little more beige compared to Sidecar (Naked 1).
• Pistol doesn’t have any comparable shades in Naked 1.
• Verve doesn’t have any comparable shades in Naked 1.
• YDK looks pretty similar to both Sidecar and Toasted (both from Naked 1), and Sidecar is closer.
• Busted is very, very similar to Hustle (Naked 1); at best, it might be a little less red-toned. It’s not like Darkhorse (Naked 1), though.
• Blackout doesn’t have any comparable shades in Naked 1.

See comparison swatches!

Half Baked (Naked 2) vs. Half Baked (Naked 1)

Booty Call (Naked 2) vs. Virgin (Naked 1)

Chopper (Naked 2) vs. Sidecar (Naked 1)

Sin (Naked 1) vs. Tease (Naked 2) vs. Toasted (Naked 1)

Smog (Naked 1) vs. Snakebite (Naked 2) vs. Darkhorse (Naked 1) vs. Smog + Darkhorse (Naked 1)

Suspect (Naked 2) vs. Sidecar (Naked 1)

Gunmetal (Naked 1) vs. Pistol (Naked 2) vs. Creep (Naked 1)

Verve (Naked 2) vs. Sidecar (Naked 1)

Sidecar (Naked 1) vs. YDK (Naked 2) vs. Toasted (Naked 1)

Darkhorse (Naked 1) vs. Busted (Naked 2) vs. Hustle (Naked 1)

Blackout (Naked 2) vs. Creep (Naked 1)

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 Spring 2011: Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Eyeshadow Palette ($34.00 for 0.34 oz.) includes six eyeshadows: Woodstock (bright pink with slight shimmer), Baked (rich bronze), Uzi (metallic silver with big iridescent sparkles), Sin (champagne), Flipside (electric teal with blue sheen), and Psychedelic Sister (bright purple). Also included is Oil Slick 24/7 Liner (black with silver sparkle) and the original primer potion (nude).

• Woodstock is a medium-dark fuchsia pink with a soft shimmer finish. This shade is available individually as part of the permanent range.
• Baked is a rich copper with a metallic-frost finish. This shade is available individually as part of the permanent range, and it has been in the Baked, Book of Shadows, Vol. 1, and Alice in Wonderland palettes.
• Uzi is a bright silvered white with silver glitter. Yes, there is fall out. This shade is available individually as part of the permanent range, and it has been in the Book of Shadows, Vol.3 and Sustainable palettes.
• Sin is a pinky champagne with a frost finish. This shade is available individually as part of the permanent range, and it has been in the Alice in Wonderland and Naked palettes.
• Flipside is a teal-tinged green with a metallic-frost finish. This shade is available individually as part of the permanent range, and it has been in Baked, Book of Shadows, Vol. 2, and Sustainable palettes.
• Psychedelic Sister is a red-toned medium-dark purple with a shimmer finish. This shade is available individually as part of the permanent range, and it was in the Book of Shadows, Vol. III palette.

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

final thoughts: Fun has the most shades that are permanent/available individually, as they are all available whenever your heart desires. 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). Uzi has a slightly fussy finish/texture, but the other five eyeshadows are really nice, especially Woodstock and Baked.

where to buy: Urban Decay

See more photos & swatches!

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

Urban Decay Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Palette

Urban Decay Fun Palette

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

Fun Palette: Woodstock, Baked, Uzi

Fun Palette: Sin, Flipside, Psychedelic Sister

Urban Decay Primer Potion (right)

Yeyo, Zero, Oil Slick, Gunmetal, Dime (only Oil Slick is included in the palette)

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

Quick Neutrals with Urban Decay’s Naked Palette

This is a really quick and dirty look I did a couple of weeks ago before an early 8 am class.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), Urban Decay Sin Eyeshadow (pink champagne), Urban Decay Darkhorse Eyeshadow (gold-tinged brown), Urban Decay Virgin Eyeshadow (highlighter), Urban Decay Whiskey 24/7 Liner (red-toned brown), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Benefit Sugarbomb Blush (pinky peach)
• Lips: MAC Violetta Lipstick (fuchsia purple), MAC Revenge is Sweet Lipglass (sheer jelly pink)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: Revenge is Sweet = Full For You

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply Sin eyeshadow on the lid. Next, apply Darkhorse eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending onto the outer lid.  Blend Virgin eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Whiskey liner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

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

For lips, apply Violetta lipstick first, and then layer Revenge is Sweet lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!