Review; Urban Decay NYC Book of Shadows vol.III Radium

Urban Decay Radium ((Limited Edition NYC BoS shade!)



This is a dark blue shade, very pretty in the pan, however needs a few applications for it to reach the colour in the pan on your lids. For this I'd advise a base such as a MAC paintpot or something that the colour can grip onto and have a neutral base for the colour to pop. It isn't an incredibly unique shade, and I did experience a lot of fall out because the eyeshadow is so soft, however once you get it to it's full pigmentation it is a lovely blue eyeshadow. It looks more like MAC Freshwater in the pan however goes on more like a shade between Freshwater and MAC Deep Truth, it's too dark for Freshwater but too light to be Deep Truth.

Review; Urban Decay NYC Book of Shadows vol.III Snatch

Urban Decay Snatch (limited edition shade, also available in Show Pony Palette).



I wanted to love this colour, and I thought I would. On my skin tone this peachy colour (in natural light) is virtually nude on my skin tone, it took a few of applications of the shadow to get it to show up. The fall out was insane, I ended up with chunky gold glitter all over my face, which wasn't a look I was going for! In the pan it is very very crumbly which may explain the mass of fall out, it just breaks up and goes everywhere. I have provided a picture of what happens when you wipe your brush across it to apply the shadow down below. Even though there are massive chunks of glitter that end up all over your face, it doesn't really show up on your eyelids to add to it in anyway. I doubt I'd use this colour again.

The name to me is also another problem, maybe it's just me, but in my area of the UK a "snatch" is a rude word for a vagina, and I just can't get past that! If you have ever seen The Inbetweeners that term will have been thrown around by the horny teenage boy Jay. Not the most pleasant name for an eyeshadow! And for those who think "Get out of town, that isn't true!" unfortunately it is.

This was after I had swiped the eyeshadow with my brush, the powder went everywhere!

Review; Urban Decay Naked Palette

Urban Decay Naked palette



I don't normally wear neutrals, but since work has a "minimal or subtle" make-up rule now I have started to dabble, as normally I like brighter colours. This palette I absolutely fanatastic, I don't even know where to start. I suppose the bottom line is that it has made the Too Faced Natural eye kit & Too Faced Smoky eye kit obsolete. This one palette can do both neutral and smoky so it is less bulk to carry, and I find that the quality of these shadows are a little better quality. I also like how there are a mix of neutral colours, some more pink, gold, bronze or just pure brown-y colours, so you can do many different neutral looks. There are also the black and silver for smoky eyes.

I had a few complaints with the NYC BoS III (although in general I liked it) due to lack of textures, the bulky box and the OTT packaging (though I do love the artistry of the pop up, just not the LEDs bulking it out.) This naked palette eradicates all of these complaints. It has a mix of textures, matte, some with minimal shimmer, ones that are a bit more shimmery, no matter what texture you prefer there will be something there for you. It is a much more sleek box, yet it only has 4 fewer colours, although in saying that the 12 colours it has are bigger in quantity. It still has the mirror, and the two 24/7 eyeliners still, so it hasn't really compromised on the content to get slimmed down! It is a very simple but well packaged palette, which is a lot more suitable for travel then the BoS' that they produce. The drawback of this palette, which is both a pro & a con is the velvety feel of the box. Yes it is lovely and soft, and when it is in the purple velvety mould it just oozes luxury (especially with the gold lettering). However at the same time it is just asking to get dirty with foundation and eyeshadow, and it would be hella difficult to get it out! Also at the end of the day all these palettes are cardboard and paper, so they will be bound to get a little dog-eared.

This also has the same benefit as the BoS III as it also has exclusive limited edition colours in the palette, which in this case are Virgin, Buck, Darkhorse and two others which I forgot, so I apologise!

If you are more interested in shaking up a smoky eye then keeping it neutral, you may be glad to see the new palette they are bringing out, it's called the black palette, take a look!

I know I will be getting my mitts on it when it arrives in the UK!

Review; Urban Decay NYC Book of Shadows vol.III Loaded

Loaded (Limited Edition NYC BoS shade!)


This, in the pan, looks like a deep dark green/teal, like a shimmery MAC Plumage, however on the lid it appears more light black/grey, shot through with a bit of green shimmer. I still love the colour and it will make a smokey eye a little more unique and colourful but I would be lying if I didn't say I wasn't disappointed! It also needed a few applications of colour to get it to show up properly. This just wasn't what I expected. On the upside there was little fallout and no glitter fallout! So if you were expecting a dark green/teal colour, then think again this is predominantly black/grey looking in real life. It is still a nice and unusual colour, but it is a little deceptive looking in the pan.

Lower lashline is one light application of the same eyeshadow.

Review; Urban Decay NYC Book of Shadows vol.III Bordello

Bordello (Limited Edition NYC BoS shade!)



This shade is a purple more on the pink side in the pan, it appears to be more of a shimmer, however when applied it goes on an almost nude light purple, it isn't a strong colour on the lid. It also has quite a bit of glitter as I experienced some fall out which I find standard for glitter Urban Decay shadows, and this to me is a negative, noone likes glitter that isn't supposed to be there all over their face. The colour is unusual and very nice, if it wasn't for the glitter I'd say it would be very work safe as it doesn't stand out a whole lot, but it adds a bit of colour.


I used the purple 24/7 liner "Ransom" that came with the palette for the waterline and lower lashline.

Urban Decay NYC Book of Shadows Vol.III

OK, so I bought the UD NYC BoS Vol.III. I will get my palette around Friday and so will do a more in depth review of it then, I will also do a video, however the video may not be up that day since I have work as well :[ So for a more specific review of NYC BoS vol.III (sans the UD palette rant) stay tuned!

I have a love hate relationship with UD palettes and so before I receive and review this palette I need to get a few things off my chest;

LOVE

It works out a lot cheaper to buy the palettes then to buy all the shades. Granted I shall give it that, I would have a lot less Urban Decay shades had it not been for the palettes.

You do get some limited edition colours specific to the palette or to a previous collection. In this one Haight & Psychedelic Sister which were only available in Sephora and not the UK, so had they not been in this palette I would not have been able to own them. Though this may not be a benefit to people who live in the USA and can already get/have those shades. There are also 7 limited edition shades, which is better then the 0 limited edition shades in the AiW palette.

The designs are a little cute & the pop up bit makes it more fun but its good you don’t have to open that part up to get to the shadows or it could get damaged. It’s a fun palette.

I love all things NYC, I love TV based there; Sex & the City, Will & Grace, Friends, even dare I say it CSI haha.... all in all just the general retail culture and big city lifestyle! Being in the UK it is somewhere I have always aspired to go, especially for Christmas that would be magical! So you put out a make-up palette based on loving New York and hells yeah I'm going to buy it.

The colours are varied and really pigmented!

The 2 eyeliners are a bonus, especially since the second liner (Ransom) is a different colour to the Alice in Wonderland palette (Flipside).

HATE

This is £2 dearer then the Alice in Wonderland BoS which came out less then 6 months ago, that rate of inflation is ridiculous. And why? Because it has unneeded LED lights that will no doubt break soon after you buy it anyway? I would rather they cut down on the packaging and design and made it cheaper!

Even though this has travel eyeliners, a travel primer potion and a range of colours (shimmer & glitter) this is very bulky and therefore it isn’t good for travel, although obviously that’s what it was possibly designed for considering the contents. The pop up bit adds a bit too much bulk to it. You’d be best with a slimmer palette.

You always get the same old colours, won't Midnight Cowboy Rides Again just get lost and die already? I only have 2 palettes and yet I have 3 shadows duplicated! That is a ridiculous number. If you are going to make a limited edition palette like Alice in Wonderland use limited edition shades, not permenant shades which are no doubt in every other palette anyway. This palette is no different, it has a fair few limited edition colours which is an improvement, but some of the oldies that are in every other palette are still making an appearance.

The finishes are glitter and shimmer… only one matte to be seen (perversion). I have already made you aware that I hate mattes, but a lot of people like them and there seem to be no palettes with mattes. So if they added a few mattes then it is less likely people will end up with millions of duplicates from palette to palette (added variety is your friend!) and everyone is kept happy. Please, finally take note of this UD!!

The glitter shades are glitter bombs, I can’t touch them. If you don’t like your face looking like a disco ball then steer clear of the midnight cowboy! I find the shimmers so much better, but there are far too many shades in these palettes that are glitters and so will stay unused by me.

These palettes always seem to be limited. The Alice in Wonderland only had 2000 in the UK. And apparently this one is limited edition too, however I don't think to the same extent. Surely everyone should get a chance to buy one? I think this may be limited more in terms of time frame it is available (like BoS I & II) rather then a limited number of units (Alice in Wonderland stylee!)

So rant over. Hopefully people can relate to this, maybe learn a little more about the UD palettes from this blurb. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and this is mine, if anyone disagrees then thats fine. If UD has beef with it then maybe take what I say on board and CHANGE it! Your fans will thank you big style :]

Watch this space to see the review of the palette!

Video Review; Urban Decay Alice In Wonderland BoS