I’m staring out a window right now, a.k.a. writing, and it’s really dark outside! It’s the late afternoon, it’s cloudy, and it looks like it’s gonna rain. I don’t see any rainbows…yet.
I’m thinking that when I go out to go run some errands, I should probably wear layers, because when you live in California, that’s what you do. You wear layers. You kind of expect it. But with some things, like Urban Decay eyeshadows, I don’t expect to have to wear layers. Their shadows are usually super pigmented. Yeah, there’s a lot of fallout, too, and I expect that. But I also expect potent pigments and a formula that’s easy to blend.
That’s why I like them, and that’s also why I didn’t expect to have to do a lot of layering with the new $55 Urban Decay Full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette.
Alas, that was not the case.
I ended up doing lots of layers with this color blocked rainbow eye look — many more than I expected to. Sometimes it took me four or five layers to get really punchy color. With the bright orange spotlight on that one lid, I even ended up having to wet my brush to intensify it.
I got the idea for this look from the bejeweled, sparkly UD logo on the front of the palette, with the colors moving into each other like a gradient. I thought, “Oh, that’s some neat color blocking. Why don’t I try that on my eyes?”
Plus, it’s a rainbow eyeshadow palette. I mean, come on. My first inclination was to use a shimmery olive and put some browns in the crease, but that would have been a missed opportunity, right? I had to taste the rainbow.
Urban Decay Full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette
$55, limited edition and available now
21 shades (18 new shades, three exclusives from past palettes)
Includes a dual-ended eyeshadow brush
It’s a followup to 2015’s Urban Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette.“We organized the shadows by color family, creating a rainbow of ombré trios: pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, and even a wildcard row that goes from white to black. The end result? A palette that not only looks stunning, but also delivers tons of options. Create dimensional ombré looks by working within the color-coordinated trios or experiment with multiple shade groups at once. With 18 NEW shades, three exclusives from past palettes, and a wide range of finishes, you’ll never run out of options.”
Shades:
Alchemy (deep fuchsia satin)
Gossip (bright metallic pink w/subtle floating pearl)
Paranoia (soft metallic blue-pink)
Warning (deep metallic copper)
Seize (bright metallic coral w/subtle floating pearl)
Jones (metallic orange w/subtle floating pearl)
Midnight Blaze (black matte w/yellow-gold pearl)
Calavera (bright yellow matte w/subtle floating pearl)
Goldmine (metallic yellow-gold)
Hundred (deep metallic forest green)
Hatter (vibrant green w/tonal micro-sparkle)
Mean (bright metallic lime green)
Minx (deep navy matte w/floating tonal pearl)
Blindsided (bright teal blue matte w/floating pearl)
Metamorphosis (vibrant periwinkle blue w/micro-sparkle)
Delirious (deep plum matte w/subtle floating pearl)
Sketch (metallic medium purple)
Faded (lavender w/gold shimmer)
Platonic (black matte w/iridescent glitter)
Iced (oyster silver w/shimmer)
Bump (white matte)Fill Weight: 21 x 1.2 g POIDS NET/NET WT. 21 x 0.04 oz
You may notice that the purple family is severely underrepresented in this look. I wanted to there to be more purple with the blue eyeshadows, but I had a hard time with the purples in this palette.
Urban Decay is known for their purples, but I feel like these are skippier and patchier than usual. I ended up having to remove my makeup and restart that blue eye a couple of times. Ultimately, I ended up just sticking purple in the outer corner.
One of the colors I do like in this palette is the bright orange color called Seize.
No, not Lil’ Cease from Junior M.A.F.I.A.. 🙂 But Seize. It’s a bright orange with some shimmer in it. I thought, “Hey, this’ll be fun as a spotlight.”
I was going to only use it as a spotlight shade in the center of the lid, but then I also put it into my crease. I think it’s a really lovely transition shade. Next time I feel colorful, I’m going to use it instead of my usual browns.
Rainbows
Where are they? Here in Novato, which is about 30 miles north of San Francisco, there are usually lots of rainbows. I’ve lived in different parts of the Bay Area but never somewhere with quite as many rainbows. I can usually look off my deck on a rainy day and catch a rainbow. Sometimes even a double rainbow.
Not lately, though… It’s weird.
Are there rainbows where you live? I hope there are because rainbows are awesome.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Rachel says
Love you’re eyeshadow look and that necklace! I sort of wish I could trade my UD Electric palette for this one because there’s more colors, or maybe I just need both?! There are rainbows here sometimes in the spring/summer when we have thunderstorms.
Amy says
Looove that you went for it Karen!!! Amazing look!!
Rachel R. says
I like your rainbow look!
I love the Electric Palette and Urban Spectrum, so I was hoping this one would be a marriage of the two. I’m so underwhelmed by most of the shades. The pigmentation is not on par with Urban Spectrum. I’m might get this if it goes on sale, but I’m not dying to get it after seeing swatches and reviews.
Becky says
Oh dear, I’ve heard this is quite underwhelming overall on a few blogs! It’s a real shame though-look at all those amazing colours!
Kiss & Make-up says
It’s crazy! The good kind of crazy! 😀
Kim says
I love it!! Such a cool idea and a fabulous result! 🙂 Of course, the palette is also beautiful to look at. How can someone not be happy, looking at all those colors? It’s been rainy and cold here all week with, sadly, no rainbows. We do get them, though. Just not this week because there’s barely been any sun.
Happy Friday!
Chris25 says
I think I’ll skip this. I like purple and I’m not a huge fan of LE products anyway.
Ashleigh says
Love seeing you rock a colorful look Karen! <3 You are always so creative!
Tatiana says
I bought the Spectrum palette last year and haven’t used it once. Sigh. I also gave one to Dear Daughter and she uses hers plenty. So I decided to pass on this one. Love the bright, colorful look you’ve created.
It didn’t really start raining down here on the peninsula until closer to 8PM. So no rainbows yesterday. It’s just a gray blanket in the sky today. Not complaining though. I’m glad we are getting rain. Our volunteer CA poppies are starting to sprout up every where. I hope it’s snowing in the Sierras.
Erin says
I really wasn’t impressed either 🙁
Fran says
I love the look you’ve done here, Karen! It’s totally fun 🙂
But: I feel so disappointed about this palette, as you’re not the only blogger who has mentioned problems with lack of pigmentation and blendability. I’m all about bright, shimmery shadows and would have loved to have added this to my arsenal… last year’s Urban Spectrum palette is so good, I wonder what happened?
Bonnie says
Ooooh love your imagination – yes it looks crazy but a good crazy ya know?! I’ve had this palette for about 3 weeks now & haven’t used it once – I hate to be disappointed and by all the reviews saying prepare to be let down, I’ve decided just to open the box of colors once in a while and admire it, like being a kid and looking at a new box of 164 Crayola crayons (time stamp me here). Yes we have rainbows quite often here in ATL when it rains, which was about 9 years ago it seems.