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Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette for November 2015

UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette
UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette

We have a thing for strong, independent women. And if they dig makeup, even better. So it should come as no surprise that: A) we’re big fans of Gwen Stefani and B) we’ve been dying to collaborate with her for years.

Urban Decay introduces the limited-edition UD | Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette—a true creative partnership and design collaboration. We spent countless hours at Gwen’s house, talking makeup and working with her on EVERY detail of this palette—from the case to the amazing shades. We carefully crafted the shadows with Gwen, filling a void by creating the exact shades she always wished she had in her collection. The makeup fanatic in Gwen had a hard time narrowing down her favorites. In the end, we loaded this palette with her 15 must-have shades of Eyeshadow (12 are NEW, and three are from the UD shadow collection). With an insane range of neutrals and a few jewel tones to mix things up, this is Gwen’s go-to kit to achieve her most iconic looks. And with these shades in your arsenal, you’ll have everything you need to recreate those signature looks for yourself.

We’ve been into Gwen’s music ever since she first hit the airwaves—which, coincidentally, was right around the same time that Wende cofounded Urban Decay. (Fun fact: Gwen and Wende actually met back in the early days of No Doubt and UD.) Like us, Gwen has a history of breaking down barriers and hails from Orange County, California. Wende says, “Gwen inspired me so much when I was first beginning Urban Decay. There I was in my little Laguna Beach cottage in Orange County, and here’s this amazing Orange County girl that’s busting out with this ‘I’m Just a Girl’ song and really making me feel like, gosh, I could do this.” Gwen says, “When Urban Decay came to me to collaborate, I immediately thought it was a perfect match. The way they’ve built their company is very similar to my aesthetic and approach. It’s about self-expression, being passionate and being clear about your vision and who you are. I love that they celebrate strong women and creatively go outside of the box.”

When we say Gwen collaborated with us on every detail of this palette, we mean it—right down to the case, which was inspired by her love of black-and-white graphic prints and antique gold accents. Even the pop of hot pink we used (inside the box and the case) was Gwen’s idea. She also handpicked most of the shade names, which
were inspired by her songs. There’s also a nod to the No Doubt song “Magic’s in the Makeup” on the palette’s huge mirror.

November 22nd

The Details

UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette, $58.00 (Limited Edition)

  • Blonde (Because Gwen is) Pale beige with pink iridescent shift
  • Bathwater (A No Doubt song) Pale beige with gold pearl
  • Skimp (A favorite of Gwen’s from the UD line) Pale nude satin
  • Steady (After the No Doubt album “Rock Steady”) Medium rose with metallic gold shift
  • Punk (Music genre Gwen got started in) Reddish brown matte
  • Baby (An homage to her fashion line L.A.M.B.) Cool metallic rose
  • Ananheim (Where Gwen grew up) Light taupe-brown matte
  • Stark (Another of Gwen’s favorite shades) Nude-pink matte
  • Zone (After the song “Danger Zone”) Medium brown matte
  • Serious (Another of Gwen’s songs) Smoky gray with iridescent floating pearl
  • Pop (Like her current music) Pale coral with iridescent sparkle
  • Harajuku (One of her style influences) Metallic blue-pink with iridescent micro-shimmer
  • Danger (Because we like a little danger) Deep metallic royal blue with blue micro-sparkle
  • 1987 (The year No Doubt formed) Bright metallic yellow-gold
  • Blackout (Gwen’s favorite black shade) Blackest black matte

84 Comments

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Rachael Avatar

I wonder if this was the kind of thing where they were trying to get her for ages, they finally got her, and they were internally disappointed with her color picks and had to push her to throw in a few pops of color. Would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall of those meetings.

Marissa Avatar

i was reeeeeally excited for this one, but it looks quite boring to me bc it’s too neutral, considering it’s queen gwen you know? it kinda bugs me that the circles of the packaging don’t match the eyeshadow pans… why. why. why.

i hope it reviews well though!

Katherine T. Avatar

IDK, I was expecting something a lot more colorful and unique from Gwen and UD, but this looks like they spent many hours trying to figure out which of one of 50,000 neutral shadows to put in here. Then they threw in a couple of blues and pinks. I’ll reserve final judgment until I see the swatches, but so far, this looks kind of disappointing. UD Spectrum looks 10x more exciting and unique

Nancy T Avatar

I am still pretty sore over that entire Spectrum debacle myself! But I feel somewhat appeased by getting the MUFE 15 Artist Shadows Palette, the ABH Self-Made Palette and the MAC Ascent Of Glamour and Tonight’s The Night singles. But the expense of getting those shades this way was crazy! Only consolation being that I also got quite a few other awesome shades thrown in, so I’m good.

Katherine T. Avatar

So sorry you missed out on UD Spectrum, but you picked some really great alternate shadows to buy. I was sorely tempted by the ABH Self Made and MAC Magic of the Night shadows, but couldn’t justify it after getting Spectrum. But I think by buying MUFE, ABH, and MAC, you are sending a “message” to UD that if they don’t properly stock up on their palettes, your money will go to their competitors, and that’s exactly what happened. Good for you !

Rachel R. Avatar

I know a lot of people are disappointed in this. Truthfully, I would have been thrilled with a colorful palette. I wasn’t expecting one, though.

I do really like it because: 1) These are very fair skin friendly shades. I get that’s why a lot of people don’t feel they’d use them, but for women like me, it’s just the kind of thing we’re looking for. Something like the Naked palettes can look too dark and go muddy on us. 2) Gwen picked her three favorite existing shades, and the others are they types of shades she would wear. She didn’t just let the company put together a crazy palette and stick her name on it. 3) I think it’s a cohesive palette and the shades will all work together nicely. 4) The packaging is beautiful. 5) The beautiful rust shade.

Nancy T Avatar

As I read your comments, I realized that you made some excellent points in favor of this palette! Which has me re-thinking my own. It is a GOOD thing that a fair-skin friendly neutral/naked type palette got released, as most of these type of e/s palettes fit the lt.-medium to dark skintone base, and usually leave out either the fair or deep skintoned people’s needs.
Oh, and YES, that rust is a stunner!

Helen Avatar

Rachel, I agree on all counts. I LOVE color myself, but much prefer a harmonious, neutral palette that can produce a polished look with a good amount of depth and be able to supplement with my own color choices. I also really appreciate all of the light shades. Sometimes the lightest shades in neutral palettes are still too dark to use on areas I want a highlight. I am hopeful that Zone, Anaheim, and Punk will make this usable for people with medium to dark skin tones, but I do think pale folks will embrace it more (an addition of a good matte peachy shade would make this an ideal palette for pale girls IMO). It makes sense since these are Gwen’s choices and she is so fair, but it might make this palette a bit unappealing to folks with deeper skin tones. I suppose that has yet to be seen.

Kelsey | The Balmaholic Avatar

All of your reasons are exactly why I have been super pumped for this, especially the pale skin friendly point. I’m not even a huge Gwen fan personally, but I am STOKED for this palette because as a pale princess, a lot of those other Naked palettes don’t work very well on me on a day to day basis. This palette is honestly perfect, in my opinion.

Carrie Avatar

Is it fair skin friendly? Yeah.

Is it fair -cool- skin friendly? No. It’s ultimately still yet another WARM neutral palette. If it was pale and cool, I’d be cheering right along beside you. As it is, ONE day I’ll get that fair and cool palette…

KJH Avatar

This is in line with my new direction: subdued. For a while, I have been doing neutrals with a hit of color. Before, I hit up Vice 1-3 far more often than Nakeds. But I got the S pkg today & selected 3 solos in the new Hingham store, so I’ve got 18 new MUFEs for fun. I need Gwen like I need herpes, but it would get some attention. Subdued is going well, but so will Deborah & Leslie. Before going subdued, I never would have considered Lolita, but they look pretty good. And 2-3 of my subdued picks are in the 15. Just love unboxing!

xamyx Avatar

I can only recall her wearing basically the same makeup she wears now, and this was even before the “breakthrough”… She did did wear bright hair colors, though!

Kelly Avatar

I know many are disappointed but I like this palette – I am a neutral with a pop of color kind of girl. 🙂

I actually saw this on Beauty.com this morning & was able to order it.

Alexa Avatar

I love the packaging and I don’t have any Naked or neutral palettes, so this is a must have for me! UD also hasn’t released a lot of reds so I’m very interested in the “Punk” color. Also I heard rumors Gwen will be coming out with a lip palette with UD in the Spring…

Jen Avatar

I was super excited when I first heard about this, but once I saw it I was very disappointed. It seems to close to all the Naked palettes and super plain. It will be a pass for me.

Staci Avatar

I’m waiting for your review on this! Hurry up UD and send this to Temptalia already! I haven’t been so excited for a colab in a long time. Just need to see that the pallet performs decent.

Leah Avatar

I’m joining in with being part of the ‘meh’ crowd. I didn’t expect it to be her make up style, I was hoping it’d be based around her image, her influences etc. If this is it- fine, but I think that the colours are incredibly same-ey. The top and second row (first 4 shades in on each) could easily be two shades. Though not urban decay, I can achieve these colours with Kat Von D Shade and light (though naked basics palettes could utilise similar colours too without breaking the bank).

I found when recently collecting digital swatches of all Urban Decay’s palettes of the last few years that there are quite a few colours they neglect to provide a great shade range for. I’d love to see more variations on purples. Perhaps utilise some of the duo chrome shades etc. A miniature palette of some of the permenants would be amazing for those looking to get into Urban Decay too.

Last point- blackout- in a palette AGAIN?! not good for the UD collectors out there.

Nicole Avatar

I am so excited for this! I really hope UD makes lots and lots of these. I have a feeling these are going to sell like hot cakes! Gwen has a huge positive influence on all ages. I’m 39 and she is an Icon to me. I see the younger gals stating the same. I remember when I was in my 20’s wearing my base makeup lighter trying to look like Gwen an it looked absurd,lol. She’s the bomb. I’m buying, no doubt. haha!

Veronica Avatar

It looks great, and she is more my fashion idol than ever now that she’s dumped the loser who was cramping her style for the past decade plus. Definitely on the wish list.

Moja31 Avatar

No way half those shades work for anyone whose complexion is deeper than a mild tan, even with an amazing primer. Unfortunately the beauty industry continues to largely ignore customers with deeper skintones.

Hex Avatar

this palette looks boring af. Don’t they realize how many makeup collectors were looking forward to this? So many neutrals. We already have neutrals! My collection isn’t even that big but even I have dupes of most of these. There are only 3-4 interesting colours here. What a disappointment.

xamyx Avatar

Why can’t someone emulate/appreciate another’s culture without it being called “appropriation”, especially in the US? How many people “celebrate” St. Patrick’s day, or Halloween, and aren’t even Irish…? The phrase “cultural appropriation” never seems to be mentioned. And yes, the Irish were heavily discriminated against & oppressed at one point.

Rachel R. Avatar

I don’t understand that, either. I find that what a lot of people are calling “appropriation,” I would call “inspiration” or “appreciation.” Or just the natural way cultures have always have borrowed from one another.

I’m a middle aged white lady born and raised in the US. I will admit I’m pretty clueless about this term. I truly would like to try to understand what is considered appropriation and what is not.

Selenite Avatar

There’s actually a Daily Dot article that nicely sums up why what’s she’s been doing for decades is a problem.

http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/gwen-stefani-cultural-appropriation-harajuku-girls/

Just google “racism Gwen Stefani”. That’s how I found out she actually dressed up as a “sexy” Native woman in a now pulled No doubt video. Here’s a couple of good hints on how to tell emulation/appreciation from appropriation: how people from the culture react and how you react. Example: Wearing a chicken feather war bonnet made in China for a music festival when the right to wear a war bonnet is something hard earned in Plains Tribes. Basically taking an item out of context and stripping it of original meanings without input from that culture. It’s basically a way to exotify the “other”. When Stefani was criticized for her contractually obliged silent Asian back up dancers by Margaret Cho, she dismissed it, claiming that Cho had not done her research. In fact the cute and silent Asian woman is a stereotype Cho would be pretty intimate with. If Stefani had collaborated more with the people who created that Japanese street fashion and done so publicly people probably wouldn’t have had a problem. Back to the palette, it’s still boring and there are plenty of decent holiday palettes out this year.

Kelsey | The Balmaholic Avatar

Something that everybody needs to keep in mind is that Gwen Stefani chose colors that she herself would use. She doesn’t typically wear bright eye looks. She’s a neutral kind of lady. So, to me, I think this is the perfect palette for her to design. Not to mention I’m personally excited as (BLEEP) for this, because it seems like a really good one for us pale gals (unlike a lot of the other “naked” palettes out there).

Maisha // That IT Girl Avatar

I may have to actually get this. I love Gwen Stefani and these colors look promising for deeper skin tones. I can’t wait to see swatches! xoxo, Maisha

Sadra Avatar

I can’t help but feel that they first decided how much they could get for a Gwen Stefani palette and then figured that they would need x number of shadows to sell it at that price. So they picked the 8 or so colors that this is really all about and then added another 16 shades of beige, made the package (with all of the circles lining up) and then decided that they could still sell it for the same price with only 7 shades of beige.

Charlene Avatar

Oh my lord, I just watched Tati doing a hot or not about this I can’t wait to get my claws on this! I get there’s not a lot of bright colors but this is just right up my alley with neutral shades. Plus, it is kind of a collector’s palette, if I’m going to invest in make up may as well be worthwhile!

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