So...what does this have to do with makeup? I think women tend to shop for makeup the same way.....we buy cosmetics for our "Imaginary" selves....not our real selves. Yep, I've done this too! I justify it by because I do need such a wide variety of products and I actually will use acid green eyeshadow and orange lipstick on occasion for a photo shoot or something. But on a daily basis? My makeup is pretty normal....usually neutral eyes (taupe, gray), black liner...lipstick could be anything from a soft peachy pink to my signature cherry red, but otherwise...nothing crazy happening....and not too many reasons to break out wild colors and glitter. But....that doesn't stop me from wanting to buy things like this:
Behold...Urban Decay's newest palette....ELECTRIC! What the?!?! Naked, this is NOT. Fuschia, Chartreuse, vibrant orange.....these are some of the most vivid eyeshadows I've ever seen! The beauty blogger world is abuzz with reviews and talk about this palette...I think it's a refreshing change from the ho-hum neutrals that have dominated the land of spendy palettes the past few years.
Here's the good stuff - the colors are highly pigmented, have a buttery texture and blend like a dream! The (potentially) bad stuff? A few of the colors are so vibrant that they could cause eye irritation (the package denotes this) and many women really might not have luck wearing colors this bright....particularly if they don't know how to choose colors based on their skin tone, and/or how to blend properly. This is the kind of palette that could go wrong in a hot second! In short....if you're the kind of woman who mostly does a little concealer, mascara and gloss....there's a good chance that this palette will pretty much sit there unused. Fun to play with and fun to look at, but not super useful in your daily beauty routine. For those with a bolder style and darker skin tones? There are some ways you can integrate these bold shades for added pops of color...."Fringe", the vivid blue/green below? That would be lovely used as liner with an otherwise soft neutral eye, for example....blended well, it would really make chocolate brown eyes look especially amazing!
I'll let other beauty bloggers give you the full review of the palette...there are already tons out there. Looking at this palette (which I did buy last week!), it just got me thinking about a more interesting topic... the real self/imaginary self battle we women tend to have. I think it's great to step out of your comfort zone every so often.....you might discover that turquoise liner really suits you! Makeup is there to help us polish up our natural beauty, but in this case....it's more about fantasy and imagination, and I'll never tell you that's a bad thing....even if it means having stuff in your makeup stash that doesn't really get used. If a palette like this can inspire creativity, that's awesome. I've used this palette several times already to add a little punch and vibrancy to softer looks...but I'm definitely blending these colors way down to make them wearable. Have fun trying these shades, but please don't pack on orange eyeshadow for the office! There's a time and place for makeup like this ladies...a time and place.
Have any of you already spotted this palette and considered buying it? Did you actually purchase it? I would love to hear your comments on not only this palette and how you're using it, but also makeup for our fantasy selves...and if you've found a way to integrate it with your real self. Please share!
In the meanwhile, don't be afraid to try a little chartreuse eyeshadow..... in moderation!
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