My first look at the Urban Decay Basquiat Collection
May 31, 2017Being a makeup fan and Street Art admirer I am so excited about the collaboration between Urban Decay and Jean-Michel Basquiat that recently launched. I first caught wind of the collection through social media a bit ago; the UD socials were showing a launch party and all the products looked amazing! Bright and bold shades with creative packaging and we all know that Urban know how to do packaging!
Liv from my local Urban Decay counter in Debenhams invited me down to see the collection and give me a creative eye look using the new products. Arriving at the counter I could see the special stand filled with the Basquiat products. My first thoughts was how fantastic the packaging looked in person, then I picked a palette up and was even more amazed; the palettes and lipsticks packaging have a canvas-like feel to them. This really shows the artists work in a new creative way for a makeup palette.
The full collection is made up of 2 eyeshadow palettes, a blush palette, 3 lipstick shades and 3 liners, these are all available on the Wigan Urban Decay counter. You can also get a vault filled with the whole collection and and 3 makeup bags from the UD website; all of which have Basquiat designs on them.
Eyeshadow Palatte's Tenant and Gold Griot
Tenant is my favourite of the two palettes because of the bright and bold shades included; I've always been more of a fan of colourful eyeshadows than nudes/browns. This palette opens landscape and has the Basquiat's art work all the way around. Each of the 8 shades included is based on the colours used in the artist's work from 1960 (bright pink) to Exu (bright green). There are 4 matte shades, 1 matte-satin shade, a metallic shade and 2 shimmer shades; there are so many looks to create with this palette.
Gold Griot is the neutral palette in the collection featuring nude and brown shades, to me its like the base of the art work before the colour is added. It reminds me of a wood background (which is what the Gold Griot art work was created on) and brick work. I really like that this palette opens portrait which gives it an edge since this is different to the other palette Tenant and other Urban palettes. The shades range from pale nudes like Enigma to deep navy like Pseudonym and has shimmer shades like Influence so you can still have a stand out eye look without the bold shades in the other palette. Gold Griot includes 4 matte shades, 2 shimmer, 1 matte-satin and a metallic gold.
Every shade in both the palettes have UD's pigment inclusion system included, they are all blendable with a velvet texture; I'd expect nothing less from Urban. Both palettes also come with a double ended brush to apply each shade easily and on the back of the palettes is a cutout so you can hang the palettes up on display just like the pieces of art work they are.
Gallery Blush Palette
Another art work filled palette but inside is a face palette featuring 2 blush shades, 1 bronzer and a highlighting shade. The 4 shades have UD's afterglow formula so you have 8 hour long lasting wear. Jawbone is a medium bronze shade so it can be used on any skin tone, I'm very pale and this was perfect on me but can be built up for a darker look if needed. The gold-champagne shimmer (Now's The Time) gives an amazing glow to the upper cheek bones. Having 2 blush shades in the palette also means anyone can use the palette, you have a medium pink shade X-rated and a radiant berry NOHO which can be used alone or mixed to make your desired shade. Gallery Blush is a great travelling palette with having everything you need in one place and in a lightweight palette. This palette can also be displayed just like the eyeshadow ones, just hang up using the cutout on the back of the palette.
Lipsticks in shades; Abstract (brown), Exhibition (purple) and Epigram (nude)
Each of the lipsticks have the same formula as UD's Vice lipsticks so they are highly pigmented, have a creamy texture, super long lasting and are easy to apply. The shades aren't bright and bold shades but more neutral however you have some colour with Exhibition having a purple tone to it. Abstract is the brown shade and reminds me again of brickwork and Epigram is the perfect nude. Each lipstick has canvas-like packaging with Basquait's art work all around.
24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencil in shades; Post Punk (neon green), Vivid (blue), Anatomy (Brick)
The collection is complete with 3 eye pencils in 2 bright shades and one neutral, all of which work really well with both eyeshadow palettes or on there own. All 3 of the pencils have the standard 24/7 formula being waterproof, creamy glide on and long lasting, you can blend out each shade after applying for a more intense look. UD's 24/7 liners contain moisturising ingredients with vitamin E, cottonseed oil and jojoba oil. Vivid is my favourite shade out of the 3, this bright blue shade is just like nothing I've seen before. Post Punk is a neon green shade adding a pop of colour to any look. Anatomy is a brick brown shade and the neutral shade from the range. Although the pencils themselves don't have the Basquiat art work on them, they have the collaboration text on them.
The Basquiat collaboration really is an art work collection, each time UD collaborate I am blown away with the creativity they put into the shades, packaging and products. I also think this collection is really good value for the money, the palettes aren't as expensive as I thought they would be and you always know that your getting the UD quality you'd expect.
You can pop into Debenhams stores and see the collection for yourself now!
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