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Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatches (Part 3)

Urban Decay 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! 🙂

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatches (Part 3)

A-
9
Product
8.5
Pigmentation
9
Texture
10
Longevity
4
Application
90%
Total

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Graffiti Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Gunmetal Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Hot Pants Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Maui Wowie Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Minx Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Purple Haze Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Revolver Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Ruthless Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Scratch Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Zero Eyeshadow

16 Comments

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Comments on this post are closed.
Fey Avatar

I was at an Ulta recently, getting a makeover from a Urban Decay representative. She told me that UD is reformulating all their eye shadows and lipsticks, but did not say when the new formula will be released. She also said that Woodstock (the hot pink included in the Roller Girl palette or available as a Sephora exclusive) has the new formulation. Better pigment and less fallout. However, as I did not directly contact the company, I am not 100% sure this is all true.

Christine Avatar

Woodstock is great, but generally speaking, UD’s eyeshadows are pretty good overall. There are a couple of duds, and anything with glitter has fall out, but otherwise pigmentation and fall out are issues. Weird!

IMO, UD should tread carefully just because they have a TON of fans for their eyeshadows, so they better test the heck out of that new formula!

jen Avatar

I find that Maui Wowie has a way more green undertone than gold. That almost looks more like Half Baked than Maui Wowie for me (sans so much glitter though). One of my fav UD shades of all time.

Chris25 Avatar

I own most of these. This constitutes a serious makeup addiction, or it could just mean that I give the economy a good boost when needed. LOL.
I know what you mean about Maui Wowie. When I use it I have to keep a fan brush nearby to sweep away the fallout. I have not even tried Minx yet. It’s in my pro kit, but there’s a blond model I’ll be working with soon, and I want to try it out on her.

Gabriella Avatar

Hey Christene,
I know how Urban Decay shadows suffer from fallout and all, since I own quite a few of them (one being the wonderful Maui Wowie), and I actually figured out a way to prevent fallout (at least marginally). Too Faced sells an eyeshadow primer called “Glitter Glue Glitter Bonding Eye Shadow Primer”. You should try it- it works really well! (Although I’m sure you’ve used other products, like MAC mixing medium).

The swatches look amazing, as always!

Mariella Avatar

Like you, I love everything about Maui Wowie EXCEPT the fallout! I’m ready to try Sephora’s glitter eye shadow “brush” the next time I’m there out of desperation because I like this colour SO much and I’m thinking of getting Too Faced’s glitter glue (or something like that) as well, to see if it will keep the glitter where it belongs. Not many shadows I’d go to this trouble for but this one (and Sidecar, which sheds glitter like mad on my) is worth it if it will help.

Jill Avatar

I also love the color of Maui Wowie, but definitely won’t buy it because of the glitter. I had a terrible experience with one of the Midnight Cowboy eyeshadows and its glitter–I rarely have to just get rid of a product, and I hated to do it, but I had to throw it away. I’ll never buy any Urban Decay with glitter in it again! 🙁

Marina Avatar

Pixie Epoxy really helps with fallout. I adore my UD shades, especially the glitter ones (Maui Wowie, MCRA, Grifter…) so I wanted a way to wear them without as much fuss. It worked! love UD 🙂

stacey Avatar

throw red arrows at me if you want…but I honestly buy UD shadows purely for the glitter within the gorgeous colors….somehow I dont get too much fallout. it’s my way of looking young and wearing scrubs everyday.

Victoria Avatar

Lucky you! Before I discovered LA Splash Eyeshadow Base all of my UD shadows were uh, giving me a ‘nice’ highlight under my eyes.

Stephanie Avatar

Id kind of like to have some glitter… i have the deluxe shadow box and none of the colors look glittery on me and there is no fall out… WHERE IS MY GLITTER???

alisha in wi Avatar

I am now on the hunt for a Maui Wowie dupe w/o glitter. I don’t think I would like to trade the glitter issues for packaging issues on the BE. Hmmm….

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