Makeup Wars: My Favorite Urban Decay Products

This week, the Makeup Wars gang are battling out over our favorite Mid-High End Makeup brands. We’re standing our ground for the brand of choice, to prove why it’s worthy of our love. One of the first non-drugstore brands I discovered was Urban Decay. I received a shadow in a Makeup Alley swap and it was game on. The edgy color palette and iconic packaging drew me in, but when they introduced the first Naked palette, my neutral-loving self was smitten for life.

Urban Decay Naked

More often than not, when I’m doing my makeup I reach for an Urban Decay Naked palette. The taupe-hued Naked2 is my go-to with the rose gold-colored Naked3 close behind. I used the original Naked palette a lot when I first got it, but its overall warm tone makes it more suited to my summer faux-glow.

I use YDK from Naked2 when I’m in a hurry and want a shimmery wash of color on my lids. Tease when I’m looking for a buttery soft matte. And Liar layered over Nooner from the Naked3 palette is the perfect pink chocolate.

A matte complement to the original Naked palettes, Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked Basics2 are the eye shadow equivalent of a work-friendly nude nail. They contain everyday neutral shades in a soft, blendable matte formula. Cover, Frisk, and Primal from Basics2 are more my style, so I gravitate more towards that palette.

Finding the right bronzer/highlighter/blush combo can be a challenge. Urban Decay takes the guesswork out of it with the Naked Flushed palettes. Four color options (I’m missing Naked) means the combos cover a range of skin tones. I use the blush from Strip because it is similar to my fave DC’d MAC shade.

What really impressed me with these palettes is how pigmented they are. I use a whisper soft brush stroke and still need to tap off excess because all three components deliver a lot of color.

For years, I’ve been mixing my own liquid shimmer into body lotion to give my skin a glow. All the body products I previously tried were more glittery than shimmery.  Now, all I use is Urban Decay Naked Skin Body Beauty Balm. The skin-firming BB creme for your bod adds a subtle sheen while improving your skin’s condition, with a creamy mint scent.

Best of Urban Decay

It’s no secret that I love a palette, and because I’m drawn to bright colors, but don’t use them as often as neutrals, I love Urban Decay palettes. It’s a way for me to get my bright shadow fix without investing in a ton of individual shadows.

My first was the Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow Box and it’s still one of my faves because it is so pigmented. The palette was LE but Fishnet, Peace and Scratch are available individually.

I passed on Vice 3 because I have Vice 2, but my FOMO has me regretting it. However, if you love in-your-face bright shadows, you need Urban Decay Electric in your life, stat!

Before I relied heavily on palettes, I started my UD addiction with individual shadows. While the majority of mine are in the old subway token packaging, these four are still available (I have more that aren’t). The peachy-gold, X, screams summer, Blunt is a fab base color and Mildew feeds my green-loving monster. I showed you Fishnet when we talked about last year’s Pantone Color of the Year, and since taking the plunge with it I’ve been using it more.

I have a few of the old-school UD lipsticks but have yet to get involved with the new Revolution lipsticks. Every time I test them at Sephora, they look more matte and pigmented than the lippies I reach for on the daily.

Thankfully there is a new version, Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick. I recently picked up Ladyflower and I’m over the moon. The creamy formula packs more pigment than a traditional tinted balm or lip crayon, yet it has a balm-like feel. The best part, the lasting power. It wears like a stain. I had it on during a greasy dinner and had plenty of color left over. Bonus, the unique packaging makes it easy to find when I’m digging through my bag.

Prior to Sheer Revolution, I was crushing on the Urban Decay Super-Saturated pencils. I love a lip crayon and Naked gives my lips a clean, moist daytime look with a creamy, full-coverage formula that isn’t sticky.

I tend to wear gel eye liners more than pencils, but I don’t always feel like taking the time, especially if my brush is dirty and I’m in a rush. At those moments, I turn to pencils and Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils are among my faves. They flow easily on the lash line with a buttery feel that doesn’t grab at the skin. I particularly love the Naked pencils since they match my most-used palettes. And the original Eyeshadow Primer Potion is legendary.

So, I’m kind of a klutz with full strip lashes. I can get them to look okay, but they’re never perfectly flat. So, when I had a special event to attend last winter, I pulled out the Urban Decay Fast Easy Sexy InstaLush partial lashes to add volume to my lackluster lashes. The tiny strips are perfect for my eyes as they blend in seamlessly and are easier to place.

You’ve seen me rave about the new Urban Decay Nail Polishes before. From the silky, pigmented formula to the sleek packaging with skull embossing, they’re a total win. I was so happy when they brought the polish back as I’ve been a fan since the days of Cult (pictured below).

See my swatches of the colors featured here by clicking on their names: Top - Bang, Addiction, Middle - Chaos, Cult, Mrs Mia Wallace, Bottom - Blackheart, Vice, Zodiac.

Urban Decay Naked 2 FOTD

I showed you a look using Naked3 when it first came out, but since Naked2 is my usual, I’m sharing my favorite EOTD with you today. Even though I’ve used all the Naked2 shades at some point, this is what I wear when I don’t have time to experiment. Also, I’ve been testing the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation and wanted to share that with you as well.

Get The Look

Eyes – Urban Decay Primer Potion, Urban Decay Naked2, Urban Decay Naked Basics 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, Urban Decay Naked3 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, Urban Decay Subversion Lash Primer, Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

Face – Urban Decay Naked Skin Illuminating Beauty Balm, Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in 1.0 (not pictured), Urban Decay Naked Flushed in Strip, Urban Decay Naked Flushed Double-Ended Brush

Lips – Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Ladyflower

For the eyes, start with Primer Potion all over the lid to the brow bone. Next, apply Tease to the lid and into the crease. Pat Verve into the inner corner. Swipe YDK over the rest of the lid. Blend Pistol in to the crease and top with Snakebite, for warmth. Tap Busted in to the outer corner. Line inner corner with Venus from the Naked Basics pencil. Line the rest of the eye with Darkside from Naked3 pencil. Curl lashes and apply Subversion then Perversion Mascara.

So, let’s talk about the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation. In general, I hate foundation. I feel like I can see it sitting on my skin, but Naked Skin BECOMES my skin. I took this shot with my hair pulled back so you can see how perfectly it blends and blurs my skin.

I have a lot of freckles, sun spots and general redness but this evens out my imperfections without looking/feeling heavy or cakey. And with the Illuminating Beauty Balm underneath, glowy perfection! p.s., the BB is too sparkly on its own, so I need the foundation over it.

Makeup Wars

Urban Decay makeup and nail products are available at Sephora and ULTA stores nationwide and online at UrbanDecay.com, Beauty.com, Macys.com, Sephora.com, ULTA.com.

What are your favorite Urban Decay products? Have you tried the nail polish? Did you see that Gash is back in lips and nails? I still have it in lipgloss form, so I need that asap!

Disclosure: Some product samples were provided by reps for Urban Decay. I purchased the rest. Affiliate links appear in this post. When you purchase through an affiliate link, you help support this site. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.