Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush in Paranoid, Score, Video, and Rapture

Last year, Urban Decay launched a blush formula called Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush. It is described as "a blendable finely-milled powder blush that sweeps on beautifully and delivers eight hours of streak-free colour." The Afterglow formula is "infused with light-diffusing pigments to enhance and perfect the skin" and "leaves a sexy, lit-from within glow." Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blush currently comes in 14 permanent shades, of which four are exclusive to Urban Decay's website. They are housed in gunmetal square magnetic compacts, each featuring a clear Urban Decay logo on the lid. Each highlighter contains 6.8 grams of product, and retails for $32. They are available both in-store and online at Sephora and online at Urban Decay.
Clockwise from left: Paranoid, Score, Video, and Rapture
Paranoid, Score, Video, and Rapture

Paranoid is a medium-dark warm tan brown with gold shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade, and is exclusive to Urban Decay's website. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more brown than Urban Decay Video, lighter than MAC Sweet as Cocoa, more brown than MAC Sunbasque, more brown than Becca x Jaclyn Hill Amaretto, and darker and more brown than Becca Wild Honey.

Score is a medium warm pink-peach with gold micro-glitter in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly peachier than MAC Dainty, lighter and more pink than MAC New Romance, more pink and less sparkly than NARS Super Orgasm, more pink than Becca Flowerchild, and more pink and more shimmery than Too Faced Love Hangover.

Video is a medium warm pinked brown in a satin-matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more pink than Urban Decay Paranoid, warmer and more brown than Urban Decay Fetish, more brown and more matte than MAC Warm Soul, warmer than MAC Prism, and similar to Too Faced Baby Love.

Rapture is a medium-dark cool plummy mauve with gold shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more purple than MAC Plum Foolery, cooler and more muted than MAC Breath of Plum, cooler and more muted than TheBalm Cabana Boy, cooler and more muted than Tarte Blushing Bride, and lighter and more muted than NARS Sin.

The Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Blushes are beautiful in execution — they have a silky, finely-milled texture that goes on smoothly and evenly, and they're very nicely pigmented so that they give off semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off that is easy to control and blend out. They have a beautiful luminosity to them once they're on the skin, and the more you buff them, the more glowy they look, but never in a way that is outright shiny or sparkly so they won't emphasize skin texture. They wear well on the skin, even for oily skin types, and the eight-hour claim is true. However, I do think they could benefit from adding more neutral shades with various finishes to the range that may be more wearable or universally flattering on all skintones. As it is, the formula is wonderful, but brands like MAC, NARS, Tarte, and even Clinique have far more comprehensive colour ranges that make it hard for Urban Decay to compete with in this category.

Urban Decay Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter in Aura, Sin, and Fireball

Earlier this year, Urban Decay launched a new highlighting powder called Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter. It is described as "a super-soft, long-wearing, blendable powder highlighter for strobing." It is "finely-milled to perfection for a lightweight (yet luxurious) result with an ultrasoft, creamy texture. It goes on sheer and blends in easily so that you can apply just a little or a lot. The wearable formula applies seamlessly, no matter how much you build it, and it has shades that are suitable for any skintone. It creates a radiant, strobed effect that lasts all day and never leaves just a powdery dusting of shimmer. Infused with light-diffusing pigments, it enhances and perfects the skin." Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighter currently comes in three shades, all of which are permanent. They are housed in silver square magnetic compacts, each featuring a clear Urban Decay logo on the lid. Each highlighter contains 6.8 grams of product, and retails for $32. They are available both in-store and online at Sephora and online at Urban Decay.
Aura, Sin, and Fireball
Aura, Sin, and Fireball

Aura is a light cool icy pink with an iridescent shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque to opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and more iridescent than MAC Lightscapade, cooler than Anastasia Beverly Hills Crushed Pearl, lighter and cooler than TheBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer, lighter and cooler than Makeup Geek Starlight, and warmer and less shimmery than Laura Mercier Devotion.

Sin is a light warm golden beige with an iridescent shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more golden than MAC Soft and Gentle, lighter than Anastasia Beverly Hills Bubbly, more shimmery than Becca Moonstone, lighter than TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer, darker and more golden than Anastasia Beverly Hills Starlight, brighter and more metallic than Hourglass Brilliant.

Fireball is a medium warm peachy-orange with an iridescent pink-to-copper shift in a frosted finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It has more pink shift than Anastasia Beverly Hills Peach Nectar, darker than Anastasia Beverly Hills Hard Candy, darker and more pink than Anastasia Beverly Hills Mimosa, more muted and more shimmery than MAC Show Gold, more pink than Makeup Geek I'm Peachless Duochrome Eyeshadow, and lighter and more muted than Makeup Geek Mai Tai Duochrome Eyeshadow.

Again, I realize this post is really overdue because I bought these in March when they initially launched; I don't really have any good reason, but I think I bought so many highlighters that I didn't really get around to using these ones and then they just lay by the wayside while I tested the dozens of other ones I got. For whatever reason, these Urban Decay highlighters don't get as much fanfare as many other highlighters out there. Aside from when they launched, not a lot of people have talked about these. I was trying to figure out why, because these go on really beautifully — they're smooth and silky and finely-milled with nice colour pay-off and blendabililty — and what I think it comes down to is just the colour range. Aura is lovely for our fair skin friends, and there's actually not a lot of true icy pink highlighters out there, making this one more unique than most. But I think because it's so light and so pink, a lot of people with darker or warmer complexions will avoid this type of colour for fear of it looking too light or ashy. Sin is the most universal colour of the three and also happens to be the most pigmented, but because so many companies have this kind of champagne-beige colour in their ranges, it is the most dupeable. Finally, we have Fireball, which looks stunning with its duochrome finish, but because of the depth of colour, it's going to end up being a blush topper or sheer blush colour on the majority of skintones. It's a pretty unique shade, but it's not universally flattering as a highlighter. That having been said, I really appreciate that UD came out with highlighter shades that are different from other brands while still keeping the integrity of their quality. They sit beautifully on the skin and, as claimed, wear well for at least eight hours before starting to fade. The shades aren't going to be for everybody, but they're well worth checking out.

Urban Decay Beached Bronzer in Sun-Kissed and Bronzed

Earlier this year, Urban Decay launched a new bronzing powder called Beached Bronzer. It is described as a "finely-milled, super-soft formula [that] applies smoothly, doesn't streak, and creates a radiant glow that locks into place. These universally flatting matte shades provide sheer, natural-looking coverage every time. Its HPP (Highlighter Performing Pigments) Technology is long-lasting and provides rich colour with the perfect level of coverage." Beached Bronzer currently comes in two shades, both of which are permanent. They are housed in round mirrored compacts, each featuring an image of palm trees on the lid along with Urban Decay's logo. Each bronzer contains 9 grams of product, and retails for $35. They are available online at Sephora and Urban Decay.
Sun-Kissed and Bronzed
Sun-Kissed and Bronzed

Sun-Kissed is a medium warm peachy-brown in a soft matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more peach than Urban Decay Bronzed, lighter and warmer than MAC Matte Bronze, lighter and more brown than MAC Give Me Sun!, warmer and more matte than Hourglass Surreal Bronze Light, and darker and warmer than Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil.

Bronzed is a medium-dark warm golden brown in a soft matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft, silky, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more golden than Urban Decay Sun-Kissed, darker and warmer than MAC Matte Bronze, cooler and more brown than MAC Give Me Sun!, warmer than Benefit Hoola, and warmer than Too Faced Chocolate Soleil.

Okay, so I realize this post is really overdue because I bought these in March when they initially launched, but I hadn't really used these until last month, which is kind of what prompted me to review these now. Plus, I find myself using bronzer more in the fall and winter to add warm and dimension to the skin than I do in the summer, when my skin already looks warm and healthy. The first thing I noticed about the Beached Bronzer formula (aside from the cute tropical packaging) is that it has one of the softest, most finely-milled textures I have ever come across in a bronzing powder, especially one that has a matte finish. It goes on incredibly smooth and evenly, even on skin that isn't powdered, which is quite a feat, since a lot of matte bronzers can apply patchy (especially on bare skin). They have semi-sheer buildable colour pay-off and amazing blendability, so they never looks heavy, cakey, powdery, or chalky.

The lighter shade, Sun-Kissed, veers more on the peachy side, but it never looks orange on the skin, so there's no fear of looking like an Oompa Loompa. I've been loving this one on the cheeks and more in the centre of the face to add a lovely, natural warmth, but in general, it's ideal for light to medium skintones looking to add more colour to their face. The darker shade, Bronzed, veers more into the cooler, more golden side, so it can be used for contouring for light to medium-dark skintones, as well as adding a natural warmth to medium to dark skintones. This formula never looks or feels dry on the skin, and I actually find that it makes the skin look smoother (there's no claim behind this, just an observation). I've never gotten so many compliments on how healthy my skin looked than when I wear these bronzers. My only qualm about the Beached Bronzers is that there aren't enough shades. I mean, both shades are flattering on a multitude of skintones, but I wouldn't say they're necessarily universal. I just hope that UD comes out with more shades for next summer because this formula is honestly one of the best matte bronzer formulas I've come across. And, hey, the price is right, too.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Backtalk, Violate, Oblivion, and Safe Word

Last month, Urban Decay launched a new range of lipsticks called Vice. The Vice Lipsticks have replaced the old Revolution Lipsticks, and Urban Decay has launched a total of 120 shades for this range in six different finishes including "bold brights. Dark, sexy shades. Super-versatile neutrals. With so much variety it'll make your head spin, there's something for everyone — from new shades to cult favourites you thought you'd never see again." 20 shades are exclusive to Sephora (both in store and online), and 20 shades are exclusive to Urban Decay's website. The Vice Lipsticks are meant to be incredibly pigmented, with "just one swipe [providing] an unbelievable laydown of color. And every shade applies smoothly (without dragging or skipping), hugs lips, and feels amazing!" Urban Decay's Pigment Infusion System™ gives the formula "its super-creamy texture, rich payout and superior colour dispersion." 

The formula itself is "loaded with nourishing ingredients. A yummy butter blend comforts, hydrates and enhances, leaving lips soft and conditioned, never dry. Aloe vera, jojoba, avocado and babassu oils nourish and soften lips. Illipe butter (derived from Malaysian illipe trees) provides long-lasting moisture. And Vitamin C and vitamin E provide a hit of antioxidants." They are housed "in a modernized, luxed-up version of [Urban Decay's] original lipstick case that looked like a shotgun shell... The faceted gunmetal case has a gold base and debossed lettering, and... features an embossed 'UD.'" Each lipstick comes with a shade-matched label that includes the shade name and finish that "makes it easy to find the right colour within the depths of your bag." They are scent-free with no discernible flavour. Each Vice Lipstick comes with a total of 3.4 grams of product, and retails for $21. It is available in stores and online at Sephora, as well as Urban Decay's website.

Backtalk, Violate, Oblivion, and Safe Word

Backtalk, Violate, Oblivion, and Safe Word

Backtalk is a medium cool muted mauve-pink in a Comfort Matte finish. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is cooler and more mauve than Urban Decay Rush, warmer and more brown than Urban Decay Violate, cooler than MAC Mehr, similar to Kat Von D Lovecraft, and lighter than NARS Anna.

Violate is a medium cool muted mauve-lilac with a soft sheen in a Cream finish. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more purple than Urban Decay Backtalk, lighter and more muted than Urban Decay ZZ, more purple and shinier than Urban Decay Oblivion, darker and more purple than MAC Faux, and lighter and warmer than NARS Dominique.

Oblivion is a medium cool muted rosy taupe in a Mega Matte finish. This is a new and permanent shade, and is exclusive to Sephora. It has a slightly drier, firmer texture, but goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is more grey than Urban Decay Backtalk, lighter and more grey than MAC Whirl, lighter and more pink than MAC Stone, more grey than Kat Von D Lovecraft, and lighter and more brown than Bite Beauty Thistle.

Safe Word is a medium neutral mauve brown in a Comfort Matte finish. This is a new and permanent shade, and is exclusive to Sephora. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is warmer and more brown than Urban Decay Oblivion, cooler and more pink than Urban Decay Insanity, slightly warmer than MAC Viva Glam II, lighter than MAC Velvet Teddy, and cooler than NARS Barbara.

It's really ambitious for a single brand to launch over 100 lipsticks in one shot, but Urban Decay has done it and executed them incredibly well, too. UD's original Revolution Lipstick was one of my favourite formulas of all time, and the Vice formula has easily replaced it. Each shade here glides on ultra-smoothly with full colour pay-off, feels creamy and emollient without being too soft or slippery, and wears down evenly without the dreaded white ring around the inner lip. They are comfortable to wear, even the mattes, and have a great wear-time as well, with the creamier finishes wearing about three to five hours and the more matte finishes wearing about six to eight. The packaging definitely looks more luxe and more mature with the gold and gunmetal colour scheme rather than the old purple packaging of the Revolutions, but it feels lighter and flimsier and thus cheaper as a result. That having been said, the Vice Lipsticks retail for $21, which is $5 less than the Revolutions were, and come with more product, too (3.4 g vs. 2.8 g), so you are getting way more bang for your buck. In terms of shade range, variety of finishes, and price point, there was no brand that could previously compete with MAC, but the launch of the Vice Lipsticks has given them some stiff competition.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Uptight, Insanity, Weirdo, and Criminal

Last month, Urban Decay launched a new range of lipsticks called Vice. The Vice Lipsticks have replaced the old Revolution Lipsticks, and Urban Decay has launched a total of 120 shades for this range in six different finishes including "bold brights. Dark, sexy shades. Super-versatile neutrals. With so much variety it'll make your head spin, there's something for everyone — from new shades to cult favourites you thought you'd never see again." 20 shades are exclusive to Sephora (both in store and online), and 20 shades are exclusive to Urban Decay's website. The Vice Lipsticks are meant to be incredibly pigmented, with "just one swipe [providing] an unbelievable laydown of color. And every shade applies smoothly (without dragging or skipping), hugs lips, and feels amazing!" Urban Decay's Pigment Infusion System™ gives the formula "its super-creamy texture, rich payout and superior colour dispersion." 

The formula itself is "loaded with nourishing ingredients. A yummy butter blend comforts, hydrates and enhances, leaving lips soft and conditioned, never dry. Aloe vera, jojoba, avocado and babassu oils nourish and soften lips. Illipe butter (derived from Malaysian illipe trees) provides long-lasting moisture. And Vitamin C and vitamin E provide a hit of antioxidants." They are housed "in a modernized, luxed-up version of [Urban Decay's] original lipstick case that looked like a shotgun shell... The faceted gunmetal case has a gold base and debossed lettering, and... features an embossed 'UD.'" Each lipstick comes with a shade-matched label that includes the shade name and finish that "makes it easy to find the right colour within the depths of your bag." They are scent-free with no discernible flavour. Each Vice Lipstick comes with a total of 3.4 grams of product, and retails for $21. It is available in stores and online at Sephora, as well as Urban Decay's website.

Uptight, Insanity, Weirdo, and Criminal

Uptight, Insanity, Weirdo, and Criminal

Uptight is a medium warm peachy brown in a Comfort Matte finish. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and more muted than Urban Decay Carnal, lighter and more peach than Urban Decay 1993, more peach than MAC Velvet Teddy, lighter than MAC Taupe, and more peach than NARS Barbara.

Insanity is a light-medium warm muted peach with a soft sheen in a Cream finish. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than Urban Decay Stark Naked, more muted than Urban Decay Interrogate, more peach than MAC Cherish, more muted than MAC Kinda Sexy, and more peach than NARS Raquel. 

Weirdo is a light-medium warm baby pink in a Cream finish. This is a new and permanent shade. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It lighter and more muted than Urban Decay Naked, lighter and shinier than Urban Decay Criminal, darker than MAC Creme Cup and MAC Angel, and darker and warmer than Bite Beauty Sugarcane.

Criminal is a medium warm muted pink in a Comfort Matte finish. This is a new and permanent shade, and is exclusive to Urban Decay's website. It has a soft, creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It darker and warmer than Urban Decay Heartless, more matte than Urban Decay Native, cooler than MAC Please Me, warmer than MAC Pink Plaid, and slightly lighter and cooler than NARS Brigitte.

It's really ambitious for a single brand to launch over 100 lipsticks in one shot, but Urban Decay has done it and executed them incredibly well, too. UD's original Revolution Lipstick was one of my favourite formulas of all time, and the Vice formula has easily replaced it. Each shade here glides on ultra-smoothly with full colour pay-off, feels creamy and emollient without being too soft or slippery, and wears down evenly without the dreaded white ring around the inner lip. They are comfortable to wear, even the mattes, and have a great wear-time as well, with the creamier finishes wearing about three to five hours and the more matte finishes wearing about six to eight. The packaging definitely looks more luxe and more mature with the gold and gunmetal colour scheme rather than the old purple packaging of the Revolutions, but it feels lighter and flimsier and thus cheaper as a result. That having been said, the Vice Lipsticks retail for $21, which is $5 less than the Revolutions were, and come with more product, too (3.4 g vs. 2.8 g), so you are getting way more bang for your buck. In terms of shade range, variety of finishes, and price point, there was no brand that could previously compete with MAC, but the launch of the Vice Lipsticks has given them some stiff competition.

Urban Decay Alice Through the Looking Glass Eyeshadow Palette

Last month, Urban Decay launched their collaboration collection with Disney's Alice Through the Looking Glass movie, which includes an eyeshadow palette and five lipsticks, all of which are new and limited edition. This is Urban Decay's second collaboration with the Alice in Wonderland franchise, the first being the Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows in 2010. The new eyeshadow palette for Alice Through the Looking Glass is "loaded with 20 all-new shades... a trippy tribute to our favourite characters from the film: Alice, Mad Hatter, Mirana, Iracebeth, and Time." 

The palette is housed in a special edition two-tier box featuring multi-coloured "kaleidoscopic artwork woven out of flowers and butterflies." When the top lid is open, there is a mirror with the words, "We're all mad here," written at the bottom on one side; on the other side, there are black doors with the words, "I'm not strange, weird, off, nor crazy, my reality is just different from yours" written in gold. When the doors are open, a three-dimensional butterfly pops up. The lower tier of the box features a drawer with the words, "I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I must have changed several times since then," written across it; pull open the drawer to "reveal the shadows, which are arranged by character in columns from left to right: Alice, Mad Hatter, Mirana (the White Queen), Iracebeth (the Red Queen) and Time (a peculiar creature who is part human, part clock)." Each palette contains a total of 26 grams of product and retails for $75. You can find it in stores at Sephora, and online at Urban Decay.
Looking Glass, Hatter, Lily, Heads Will Roll, and Time

Looking Glass is a light warm pinked beige with a soft sheen in a satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to Urban Decay Strange (Naked 3), more pink than Urban Decay Virgin (Naked), warmer and more frosted than MAC Yogurt, and slightly more pink than Makeup Geek Sorbet.

Hatter is a medium vibrant kelly green with fine shimmer in a satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more vibrant than Make Up For Ever S312 Mint Green, darker and warmer than MAC Kelly, and warmer than Makeup Geek Dragonfly.

Lily is a light warm beige with a pink shift in a frosted duochrome finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer than MAC Ready to Party, warmer than Makeup Geek Phantom, and darker and more duochrome than Makeup Geek Whimsical.

Heads Will Roll is a medium-dark brightened cool turquoise with champagne micro-sparkle in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more green-toned than Urban Decay Gonzo, slightly darker than Make Up For Ever S234 Azure Blue, and more muted and more green-toned than Makeup Geek Poolside.

Time is a blackened navy with gunmetal micro-shimmer in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler and more blue-toned than Urban Decay Oil Slick, more metallic than MAC Contrast, and darker than Make Up For Ever I220 Sapphire.

Reflection, Gone Mad, Duchess, Bandersnatch, and Dream On

Reflection is a light-medium warm peach in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and more orange than Bamboo, similar to Make Up For Ever M534 Oat, and darker and brighter than Anastasia Beverly Hills Fresh Peach.

Gone Mad is a dark warm plum with purple and peach micro-glitter in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC Indian Ink, more purple than MAC Shadowy Lady, and darker than Makeup Geek Curfew.

Duchess is a light-medium warm peach with a pink shift in a frosted duochrome finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach than MAC Motif, more pink than Makeup Geek I'm Peachless, and lighter than Makeup Geek Mai Tai.

Bandersnatch is a medium-deep cool navy blue in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more matte than Urban Decay Evidence, more matte than Make Up For Ever S228 Petrol Blue, brighter than Makeup Geek Boo Berry.

Dream On is a medium muted cool mauve purple with silver glitter in a sparkle finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and semi-sheer colour pay-off. Due to the sparkle content, it can be more difficult to blend out, but it is easy to layer. It is slightly less pink than Urban Decay Intergalactic, lighter and more glittery than Ardency Inn Disco, and more muted and more silvered than MAC Grand Galaxy.

Dormouse, Paradox, Kingdom, Salazen Grum, and Chronosphere

Dormouse is a medium-dark warm orange-toned brown with gold flecks in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Texture, more orange than MAC Saddle, and lighter than Anastasia Beverly Hills Burnt Orange.

Paradox is a medium brightened warm orange with a golden sheen in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than Make Up For Ever I722 Mandarin, darker and brighter than Viseart Orange Topaz, and more frosted and more golden than Makeup Geek Chickadee.

Kingdom is a medium warm rosy brown in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC All That Glitters, lighter than MAC Sable, and darker and more brown than Makeup Geek Cinderella.

Salazen Grum is a medium-dark warm brightened copper red in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more red than MAC Coppering, more orange than MAC Cranberry, and more metallic than Makeup Geek Anarchy.

Chronosphere is a medium-deep slightly warm bronze in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer than Urban Decay Snakebite, darker than MAC Havana, and more golden than Too Faced Dark Truffle.

Metamorphosis, Cake, Chessboard, Royal Flush, and Mirror

Metaphorhosis is a medium brightened cool periwinkle blue with blue micro-shimmer in a satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more matte than MAC Moon's Reflection, lighter and more muted than MAC Cobalt, and more matte than NARS Rated R #2.

Cake is a medium-dark brightened cool fuchsia pink with a soft sheen in a satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and cooler than Urban Decay Woodstock, cooler than Too Faced Totally Fetch, and warmer than Make Up For Ever ME912 Orchid.

Chessboard is a medium-dark warm camel brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more golden than MAC Saddle, darker than MAC Soba, and darker than Makeup Geek Desert Sands.

Royal Flush is a light bright warm ivory in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter than Urban Decay Polyester Bride, more white than MAC Nylon, and brighter than Make Up For Ever I526 Pearl Beige.

Mirror is a medium-deep cool charcoal taupe in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft, finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more matte than Urban Decay Desperation, warmer than MAC Print, and warmer and more taupe than Makeup Geek Stealth.

The Alice Through the Looking Glass palette is like a piece of art: frivolous and whimsical, bulky and not particularly practical, but made with great care and attention to detail, and can be interpreted as beautiful or garish. The shadows themselves are fantastic, of course, as you would expect from Urban Decay: smooth, silky, and pigmented, with equal parts neutrals and brights, frosts and mattes, that reflect the fanciful world of Alice in Wonderland to a tee. At first glance, the shades in the palette don't seem all that coordinated (especially if you take into account that each column is supposed to represent a single character from the film), but you can create a multitude of cohesive looks with the 20 shades included, from soft and neutral to cool and smoky to bright and wild. The only shade that gave me a bit of trouble to work with was Dream On, which reminds me a bit of Urban Decay's Moondust Eyeshadows; it has a softer, almost more cushiony texture so the base colour is more translucent and it gives off a high amount of sparkle, so I've found that fingertips work the best to apply it. Aside from that, all the eyeshadows applied beautifully and blended out easily; I didn't find these to be chalky or powdery or create a significant amount of fall-out, but I do use an eyeshadow primer regularly (and I recommend the use of a primer or base when using any type of eyeshadow, in any case). This is not a palette to get if you want portable or basic or neutral or sensible — it's the one to get if you want something fun, playful, and unique. After all, it's an homage to Alice in Wonderland, and it's okay to get a little crazy with your makeup sometimes.

Urban Decay UD | Gwen Stefani Lipsticks in Ex-Girlfriend, Phone Call, Wonderland, Spiderweb, Plaid, and Rock Steady

Last week, Urban Decay released the second part of their collaboration with singer-songwriter and fashion designer, Gwen Stefani. Her collection with Urban Decay is the first ever make-up collaboration she's ever done, which is both surprising and exciting because Stefani has been a beauty and fashion icon for well over two decades. Urban Decay partnered with Gwen to make eight shades of lipstick: "Gwen knows how to rock a bold lip. Luckily, she was game... to mix her perfect shades and ideal textures. She's worn every lip color in the book, and these are her must-haves."

Gwen even directed the packaging design, "which was inspired by her love of black-and-white graphic prints and antique gold accents. [They] created everything with Gwen, filling a void by developing all of the perfect shades she always wished she had in her collection. And with these products in your arsenal, you’ll have all the essentials to recreate her signature looks for yourself." Each UD | Gwen Stefani lipstick is packaged in a black tube featuring a gold graphic design and the  "UD | Gwen Stefani" logo on the side, with complementary secondary box packaging featuring the same graphic design in white and gold. They are currently only available on Urban Decay's and Sephora's websites, but will be rolling out at Sephora locations in the next week. Each lipstick contains a total of 3.4 grams of product, and retails for $22 CAD.
Ex-Girlfriend, Phone Call, and Wonderland
Ex-Girlfriend, Phone Call, and Wonderland

Ex-Girlfriend is a light-medium warm rosy beige with subtle pink and gold shimmer in a luminous finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has low-medium pigmentation and sheer to semi-sheer buildable colour pay-off. It is more brown than Urban Decay Sheer Liar, sheerer than Urban Decay Liar, less shimmery than MAC Viva Glam V, and slightly warmer than MAC Midimauve.
Phone Call is a medium cool brightened watermelon pink in a luminous finish. This is a new and limited edition shade, and is exclusive to Urban Decay's website. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It is darker and less blue-toned than Urban Decay Sheer Anarchy, brighter and sheerer than Urban Decay Turn On, sheerer and less pearlized than MAC Fusion Pink, and cooler than MAC Speak Louder.
Wonderland is a medium-dark cool vibrant reddened fuchsia pink in a cream finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and warmer than Urban Decay Catfight, darker and more red than MAC Girl About Town, darker and cooler than MAC Impassioned, and brighter and more red than NARS Vera.

Spiderweb, Plaid, and Rock Steady
Spiderweb, Plaid, and Rock Steady

Spiderweb is a medium-dark neutral red in a cream finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is cooler than Urban Decay F-Bomb, lighter than MAC Russian Red, shinier and more muted than MAC Feels So Grand, and cooler than NARS Rita.
Plaid is a medium-dark cool brightened berry red in a luminous finish. This is a new and limited edition shade, and is exclusive to Urban Decay's website. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium-high pigmentation and semi-opaque colour pay-off. It is darker than MAC Red Necessity, lighter and brighter than MAC All Out Gorgeous, more red than Too Faced Loganberry, and darker and redder than NARS Vera.
Rock Steady is a dark cool oxblood burgundy in a cream finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and creamy texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and cooler than Urban Decay Shame, lighter and more red than MAC Dark Side, darker and more red than MAC Lush Life, darker and cooler than NARS Charlotte.

Gwen Stefani's red lips are iconic, so it came as no surprise when Urban Decay announced that there would be lipsticks included in their collaboration with her. There is a total of eight shades that Gwen curated, of which I bought six (I didn't buy Firebird because I do not like a metallic sheen in my lipsticks, and I also left out 714 because I banned myself from getting another matte red lipstick). Honestly, I thought these were going to be a total pass because it seemed like the majority of these shades were going to be too similar to each other, but there is a distinct difference in colour and finish between these (even more so on the lips than in arm swatches), while all still reflecting Gwen's style. All six of these shades apply really smoothly and evenly (even Rock Steady, which was surprising because I find that dark glossy shades usually go on patchy), feel creamy and emollient, wear really well (about three hours for the sheerer shades and about six for the more opaque shades), are both hydrating and extremely comfortable to wear, and somehow make lips look fuller and more luminous. And then it was confirmed that these are indeed the same as my favourite Revolution formulas, and I was like, "Well, that makes sense, these are freakin' awesome." The packaging on these feels a little cheaper than the Revolutions, like the plastic is a bit flimsier, but you also get more product for less (3.4 grams at $22 vs. 2.8 grams at $26). If you are a fan of a bright lip and have wanted to try Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick formula, these are amazing options to look into.

Urban Decay UD | Gwen Stefani Blush Palette

Last week, Urban Decay released the second part of their collaboration with singer-songwriter and fashion designer, Gwen Stefani. Her collection with Urban Decay is the first ever make-up collaboration she's ever done, which is both surprising and exciting because Stefani has been a beauty and fashion icon for well over two decades. Urban Decay partnered with Gwen to make a palette that creates "glowing, contoured skin with six shades of blush, bronzer and highlighter that are versatile enough for any skin tone. [Their] extremely blendable, finely milled Afterglow formula goes on sheer and provides eight long hours of wearable, streak-free color. Luxurious and lightweight, it has a soft, creamy texture that always applies beautifully and feels amazing."

Gwen even directed the packaging design, "which was inspired by her love of black-and-white graphic prints and antique gold accents. [They] created everything with Gwen, filling a void by developing all of the perfect shades she always wished she had in her collection. And with these products in your arsenal, you’ll have all the essentials to recreate her signature looks for yourself." Each UD | Gwen Stefani blush palette is packaged in a white mirrored rectangular case featuring a white and gold graphic design and a "UD | Gwen Stefani" brushed metal tag on the lid. It is currently only available on Urban Decay's and Sephora's websites, but will be rolling out at Sephora locations in the next week. Each palette contains a total of 16.8 grams of product, and retails for $60 CAD.
Cherry, Easy, and Angel

Cherry is a light-medium cool-toned baby pink with a soft pearlized sheen in a satin finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and more shimmery than Urban Decay Obsessed, lighter than MAC Dame, slightly cooler than MAC Well Dressed, and lighter than Too Faced Justify My Love.
Easy is a medium-dark muted cool plummy rose with gold shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more plum and more muted than Urban Decay Crush, cooler than MAC Dollymix, more muted and more shimmery than Too Faced Your Love is King, and darker and more plum than Clinique Heather Pop.
Angel is a light warm golden champagne beige with a soft shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is less sparkly and more golden than Urban Decay Luminous, lighter than MAC Global Glow, lighter and more golden than MAC Soft and Gentle, and less metallic than Becca Champagne Pop.

Lo-Fi, Hush, and OC

Lo-Fi is a medium muted warm peachy tan in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more peach than Urban Decay Video, lighter and more peach than Sincere, lighter than MAC Eternal Sun, and slightly darker and more brown than Clinique Nude Pop.
Hush is a light-medium warm shell pink with soft gold shimmer-sheen in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than Kevyn Aucoin Starlight, lighter and more pink than Clinique Nude Pop, warmer and less metallic than Anastasia Beverly Hills Riviera, and lighter and less metallic than Becca Rose Gold.
OC is a light-medium warm golden peach with pink duochrome in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has medium pigmentation and semi-sheer to semi-opaque buildable colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more peach than Urban Decay Blunt Eyeshadow, more muted than Makeup Geek Mai Tai Eyeshadow, more muted and more peach than MAC Motif Eyeshadow, and less shimmery than ColourPop Highly Waisted.

Like the eyeshadow palette, the UD | Gwen Stefani blush palette is definitely geared more towards fair to medium skintones — the majority of these shades would show up either ashy or simply as highlighters on dark skintones — but it is very reflective of Gwen's style. Keep in mind that this palette was curated by Gwen to "recreate her signature looks," so it's not going to be for everybody, and it wasn't designed to be. If you look at Gwen Stefani's makeup looks over the years, she focuses more on contouring and keeps her cheek colours muted — usually bronzy with a hint of peach and soft, glowy highlighting— and this palette reflects that really well, with a darker rosy shade for a brighter pop of colour (though the gold shimmer in it keeps it looking soft on the skin). I would say this is more of a blush and highlighting palette than a straight-up blush palette, which may be a pro or a con depending on what your personal preferences are in cheek shades. What I love about this palette is that each shade has a soft, finely-milled texture that blends out seamlessly, and the shades are neutral enough that they'll go with a multitude of looks. Plus, you can play around with the shades to create different looks (recently, I have been loving Easy with Hush buffed on top, and then using Angel as my highlight), making this an ideal palette to travel with. Overall, I think it's a beautifully curated and rather unique blush palette for lighter skintones — both the quality and value are there, and the shades are incredibly easy to wear and to incorporate with existing collections of colour.

Urban Decay UD | Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette

In late November, Urban Decay released an eyeshadow palette that was created in collaboration with singer-songwriter and fashion designer, Gwen Stefani. This is the first make-up collaboration that Gwen Stefani has done, which is both surprising and exciting because Stefani has been a beauty and fashion icon for well over two decades. Urban Decay partnered with Gwen "to create her ultimate eyeshadow collection. From her 15 can't-live-without shades to the super-luxe case, Gwen designed and developed her perfect palette. [They] spent hours at Gwen's house, talking make-up and working closely with her on every detail. [They] crafted the shadows with Gwen filling a void by creating the exact shades she always wished she had in her 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." 

Gwen collaborated with Urban Decay "on every detail of this palette... right down to the case, which was inspired by her love of black-and-white graphic prints and antique gold accents. She also handpicked most of the shade names, which are based on her songs. There's even a nod to the No Doubt song "Magic's in the Makeup" on the palette's huge mirror." As with all of Urban Decay's eyeshadows, each shade in this palette features their "Pigment Infusion System, the proprietary blend of ingredients that gives every shade its velvety texture, rich colour, serious staying power, and blendability." Of the 15 shades included in this palette, 12 shades are new and three are from Urban Decay's existing shadow collection. Each UD | Gwen Stefani eyeshadow palette is packaged in an antique gold mirrored rectangular case featuring a black-and-white graphic design and a "UD | Gwen Stefani" brushed metal tag on the lid. It is available at all Sephora locations, as well as on both Sephora and Urban Decay websites. Each palette contains a total of 21 grams of product, and retails for $70 CAD.
Blonde, Bathwater, Skimp, Steady, and Punk

Blonde is a pale warm beige with pink iridescence in a frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is brighter and warmer than Urban Decay Virgin, lighter and more pinked than MAC Shroom, darker and less frosted than MAC Dazzlelight, lighter than Make Up For Ever I514 Pink Ivory, and more shimmery than NARS Andromeda.
Bathwater is a light warm champagne gold with gold shimmer-sheen in a frost finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more gold than Urban Decay Vanilla, lighter than MAC Ricepaper, darker and more muted than MAC Nylon, lighter than Make Up For Ever ME512 Golden Beige, and slightly more shimmery than Anastasia Beverly Hills Legend.
Skimp is a light warm peachy beige with a soft shimmer-sheen in a satin finish. This is a permanent shade in the Naked2 Basics palette. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and less shimmery than Urban Decay Virgin, more peach than Urban Decay Foxy, more peach than MAC Brule, more shimmery than MAC Orb, and more peach and more shimmery than Makeup Geek Vanilla Bean.
Steady is a medium muted warm rosy copper in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer and more copper than Urban Decay Scratch, more pink than MAC All That Glitters, much lighter and more muted than MAC Mythology, and lighter and more pink than Makeup Geek Cosmopolitan. 

Punk is a dark reddened brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is similar to MAC Embark, darker than MAC Handwritten, darker than Anastasia Beverly Hills Deep Plum, darker and more reddened than Makeup Geek Vintage, and less reddened than Makeup Geek Cherry Cola.

Baby, Anaheim, Stark, Zone, and Serious

Baby is a light-medium cool rosy beige in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is warmer and pinker than Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy, darker and more pink than Urban Decay Sin, darker and more pink than MAC Naked Lunch, darker and cooler than Makeup Geek Starry Eyed, and cooler and less brown than Anastasia Beverly Hills Pink Champagne.
Anaheim is a medium muted cool taupe-brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more brown than Urban Decay Tease, darker and cooler than MAC Kid, darker and warmer than MAC Omega, darker than Makeup Geek Barcelona Beach, cooler than Makeup Geek Hipster, and darker and warmer than Make Up For Ever M540 Gray Beige.
Stark is a light-medium warm peachy beige in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade in the Naked2 Basics palette. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker and more matte than Urban Decay Virgin, darker and more peach than Urban Decay Foxy, darker than MAC Orb, more peach than MAC Kid, and more brown than Makeup Geek Beaches & Cream.
Zone is a medium-dark warm yellow-toned brown in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more yellow-toned than Urban Decay Secret Service, darker than Urban Decay Primal, similar to MAC Espresso, less orange than MAC Saddle, and more yellow-toned than Makeup Geek Latte.

Serious is a dark warm charcoal grey-taupe in a matte finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is slightly warmer than Urban Decay Undone, warmer than MAC Print, darker and warmer than Makeup Geek Concrete Jungle, warmer than Make Up For Ever M106 Slate, and more grey than Make Up For Ever M620 Gray Brown.

Pop, Harajuku, Danger, 1987, and Blackout

Pop is a light warm peachy beige with sparkle in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is more sparkly than MAC Jest, brighter and more sparkly than MAC Naked Lunch, slightly less pink than Makeup Geek In the Spotlight, more peach than Ardency Inn Sunday, and lighter and more metallic than Make Up For Ever I524 Pinky Beige.
Harajuku is a medium cool cotton candy pink with sparkle in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is cooler than MAC Swish, brighter and cooler than MAC Da Bling, brighter than MAC Pinkluxe #1, slightly more muted and more sparkly than Make Up For Ever I864 Baby Pink, and slightly cooler than Make Up For Ever ME866 Frosted Pink.
Danger is a medium-dark royal blue in a frosted finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC Freshwater, brighter than MAC Deep Truth, more metallic than Makeup Geek Boo Berry, less purple-toned than Anastasia Beverly Hills Star Cobalt, and lighter and brighter than Make Up For Ever I220 Sapphire.
1987 is a light-medium warm yellow gold in a metallic finish. This is a new and limited edition shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is lighter and cooler than MAC Goldmine, similar to MAC Gorgeous Gold, much more metallic than Makeup Geek Yellow Brick Road, lighter and cooler than Makeup Geek Gold Digger, and darker than NARS Goldfinger.

Blackout is a deep dark carbon black in a matte finish. This is a permanent shade. It has a soft and finely-milled texture, and goes on smoothly and evenly. It has high pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It can be layered and blended out easily. It is darker than MAC Carbon, more matte than Make Up For Ever S102 Onyx, slightly cooler than Anastasia Beverly Hills Noir, slightly cooler than Sugarpill Bulletproof, and more matte than Makeup Geek Corrupt.

The UD | Gwen Stefani palette is definitely geared more towards fair to medium-dark skintones — it'll be harder to tell the nuances between some of the shades on darker complexions — but it is very reflective of Gwen's style. Keep in mind that this palette was curated by Gwen to "create her ultimate eyeshadow collection" and to "achieve her most iconic looks," so it's not going to be for everybody, and it wasn't designed to be. If you look at Gwen Stefani's makeup looks over the years, she definitely favours a neutral eye with a bright red lip, so I think the jewel tones are meant to be more reflective of the various hairstyles she's had during her career (she rocks platinum blonde hair for the most part, but she had pink hair during No Doubt's Return of Saturn era and blue hair at the end of the Tragic Kingdom era, both of which became iconic). The brighter tones might look out of place here, but they're fun and easy to incorporate into the neutral shades, and give the palette a little more interest overall. That having been said, these are shades we've seen many times before — especially from Urban Decay, who popularized the neutral palettes — and I think if you have the majority of UD's Naked or Naked Basics palettes, you don't really need this one. But if you like the shades and are looking for a great neutral palette (or you just love Gwen Stefani!), this is definitely one to look at — the quality is there, and the value is fantastic.