The soon-to-be-released Black Palette from US eyeshadow maestro’s Urban Decay is an altogether darker affair than the recent Naked set…
The Black Palette includes 6, 1g eyeshadows, 1 mini 24/7 eye pencil in zero and a mini eyeshadow primer potion in new ‘shade’ Eden. We haven’t seen Eden on these shores before so I was excited to be able to take a look when I received this sample last week.
The packaging is compact. There’s been complaints about how cumbersome some of Urban Decay’s palettes are and they’ve clearly listened to the fans. There are no hidden drawers or slots for your car keys. Barely an inch of wasted space… infact, the included UDPP (Urban Decay Primer Potion) sits seperately from the palette once taken out of the exterior packaging. The Urban Decay Black Palette is thoroughly portable if you need it to be.
Infused with sparkle and metallic silver embossing, the cardboard packaging is as rock-as-you-like. The magnetic closure is sturdy and as always, there’s a nice large mirror inside.
5 of the 6 shades are shimmery… and a couple of these lean towards glitter. Though we’re not talking chunky UZI/Polyester Bride/MCRA glitter. The sparkles are fine and stick well with primer underneath. I didn’t experience too many fall out issues (and this comes from a MCRA hater).
Eden, the new Urban Decay Primer Potion incarnation is a warm medium-toned shade that slightly mattifies. On my skintone, it’s clearly quite yellow and dark… I’m not sure I’m keen, but that’s a personal shade preference. I would have to be careful in application to ensure I don’t leave any visible tidemarks.
Close ups of the six shades:
[stextbox id=”custom” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa”]Black Dog – Matte Black
Barracuda – Charcoal with silver sparkle
Jet – Dark purple shimmer
Sabbath – Dark blue shimmer
Cobra – Black with gold sparkle
Libertine – Dark green shimmer[/stextbox]
Slightly on the soft side texture-wise, there’s a bit of lift and loose powder when I swipe with a brush, but nothing that gives me major cause for concern.
The flipside to a softer shadow is the deep pigmentation and smooth application that these provide.
.
I’ve swatched the shadows three times. Once over the enclosed UDPP in Eden (note the tidemarks on my pale skin), once over UDPP in Sin (I wanted to see if it upped the shimmer) and then once over Fyrinnae’s cult Pixie Epoxy primer.
Deeply pigmented, blackened shades… slightly flat and mattified by the Eden primer. These are swatched in the same order as they appear in the box.
Swatched over UDPP in Sin.
To my eye, slightly sheerer… slightly flatter… slightly more blah. Not what I was expecting really.
Something’s missing. On paper, these look like great shadows…. shimmery, pigmented… blackened. They should be HAWT, but I’m not ‘getting’ hawt.
I’m just getting a bunch of dark eyeshadows.
Now THAT’S what I’m talking about! Shimmering blackened shades that bring out the hidden oomph!
Not really sure about needing a separate primer to achieve this though…
Maybe I’m just a shimmer junkie and thoroughly missing the point of The Black Palette?
Maybe I’ve gone against the original vision in the creation of uber dark flat shades and essentially achieved the cosmetic equivalent of using Brasso on an antique lamp, thus devaluing it in the eyes of the experts.
But, it’s prettier my way right?
Final Verdict – The Black Palette will retail in the UK at £23. Having just purchased The Book of Shadows III, I can’t help but compare value.
Black Palette – 6g of eyeshadow, 1 mini liner and 1 mini primer for £23
BOS III – 12.8g of eyeshadow, 2 mini liners and 1 mini primer for £30
The Book of Shadows III is gonna win this comparison hands down.
If you’re new to Urban Decay and want to get a general feel for their shadows or expand your collection…. go for the BOS III.
If you’re a sucker for this kind of dark, smoky, night-time palette – these comparisons aren’t going to matter so much. Not only that, but the shades positively sing when applied over the right kinda base.
Urban Decay’s Black Palette (£23 or €33) will be available next month instore at selected Boots, Debenhams & House of Fraser Stores and online at the usual Urban Decay stockists. U.S. readers – I’ll try and find out your local release dates and availability and update ASAP.
Oh, and go buy Fyrinnae’s Pixie Epoxy. Those guys deserve a knighthood for services to eyeshadow.
Weird that they are LESS sparkly over SIN – not what I was expecting at all!
I loove Fyrinnae’s Pixie Epoxy – totally redeemed my Style Black eyeshadow purchases haha.
I’m still waffling over BOS3 but I think I can pass this by… what I want is a Gold-themed palette like NAKED, haha.
I know! I swatched them over Sin with the specific intention of making them more sparkly.
I’ve finally gotten the hang of just how small an amount of PE I need to use… since then, it’s been a full-on love affair!
Wow, what a great review of Pixie Epoxy!
Yowza- score another point for Pixie Epoxy! And, yes, they’re much prettier your way. Now…do I need BOS III?
… probably 😀
Im slowly becoming convinced that Urban Decay are planning on utterly destroying my bank balance – the combo of this BOS III and the Naked plette is too much!
I know! Naked, BOS III and now this!
Eeevil I reckon 😉
First, I love how your nails match the whole overall palette 😀 Second, is there a swatch without using a base? I will be looking out for this one too. This and Naked. Argh! And I’m not even a UD fan at the best of times -_-
I know! I can assure you, the nail thing was pure accident. I’m sad. I’m not THAT sad 😉
I’ve just uploaded a FOTD which shows applied without a base. To be honest, it’s pretty simillar to the Sin swatches. Because the shades are so dark, they’re pretty pigmented. No worries about sheer colours here x
I think i’m sold 😛
I had no idea Pixie Epoxy is THAT good! Wow! Impressed!
And I want this palette too. Sigh. 😀
It really is. The key is to use a teeny tiny amount…. really miniscule.
Shall I sigh with you? I’m waiting for my bank balance to slowly accumulate again before I can splash out on the Naked palette. I went for the Limited Edition one first!
Finally an UD palette that I DON’T want! (I actually, I haven’t made up my mind about the Naked palette either, I need to see it in person first.) Between the mineralize eyeshadows from Style Black and the upcoming Venomous Villains ones, I’m okay for blackened shades. I don’t even wear them much! 🙂
*fist pump*
I don’t have a HoF nearby, I want to see *just* how shimmery the Naked shades are…. if they’re frosty… I don’t want.
I was on the fence about the Naked palette until I saw it in person. I’ve never been big on neutrals in the first place, but Naked is gorgeous.
Wow, that’s amazing. I wonder how they swatch with no primer at all? More like they look in the palette, I’d hope.
Otherwise I guess I need some Pixie Epoxy!
Without primer, they’re pretty much simillar to the Sin swatches xx
You most defnitely need some PE anyway. It’s mega cheap – but their website is frustratingly down now. *sigh*
I really like cobra… but I LOVE your nails! xx
Thanks Sylvie! It’s China Glaze – Bogie, with Bourjois 1 Seconde in #18 Pailletes Disco layered on top xx
This is much more up my street than the naked palette, but your way is sooo much better and i’m not sure about committing to a seperate primer solely for these shadows :/
I know what you’re saying… I kinda feel that we shouldn’t have to. I’m not sure what the MAC Style Blacks were like, but some previous comments seem to suggest that they’re simillar to these in terms of faults.
On the plus side… I’m telling ya, you TOTES need Pixie Epoxy in your life anyway!
It’s something like £5 for a tube that will last you easily a year. xx
I thought I will get this when I 1st saw the photo of this. But now, I don’t think I will get this as seems it is so small, £23 for 6g products, slightly on the expensive end.=.=
K
You’re right…
It’s not even in the same “good value” league as their Book of Shadows Palettes.
Playing Devil’s Advocate though… 6g of MAC shadows (in pro pan form) would cost you £36 xx
Applying over Fyrinnae’s pixie epoxy almost sold me on this palette…except that my days of wearing dark smokey eyes are long gone, but I would totally recommend that people buy this after reading your review…but only if they buy Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy as well!
I was feeling really flat about this palette until I combined it with PE.
You’re right, hand on heart… I wouldn’t bother getting this palette unless I was gonna combine it with Fyrinnae’s little marvel in a tube.
x
I’m not sure about this. Unless you are a total rock chick I wouldn’t wear any of these on their own as they are just too dark but I suppose thats the whole idea!
I love wearing dark colours like this. I go two ways. Taupe or Smoky. I struggle with colour (love playing with brights… just not really wearing them out)
Today I put a thin line of Pixie Epoxy along my top lashline and wore the purple as a heavy liner. Then smudged the crap out of it so it blended upwards, smoky without being heavy!
Wooo!! Now I feel silly because I had never heard about the Fyrinnae’s Pixie Epoxy primer!! Thanks for showing us the result with this primer, the change is amazing!!
Always love your pictures 🙂
xxx
I’m so glad you’ve discovered Fyrinnae’s primer now – it’s a great thing to have in your collection (and really cheap!)
Thanks Marla! xx
I want it all. *sigh*
I want it all too *chin on hand*
Are you going for the Naked one? Have you got it?
I definitely want this one. I skipped the Style Black collection, and have been regretting it. And now Pixie Epoxy is on my wish list too. Maybe I’ll win the lottery or something to afford all of it!
Oooh this sounds like it’s right up your street then!
PE is *really* affordable. Their site is down at the minute though 🙁
lol ill wait till Sleek do their version of this…as long as they avoid any matts, except black.
Ooh I wonder if they will?
They do shimmery pigmented shades SO well x
I didn’t like the shades swatched over the UD primers that much but wow they look absolutely gorgeous over the Pixie Epoxy! I already have the primer so now I have to get my hands on this palette too. Thanks for the swatches.
I know!
The PE is a ‘saver’ for them for sure.
You’re really welcome lovely xx
There are no hidden drawers or slots for your car keys = hhahahahahaah
😀
it’s definitely prettier your way =)
Good, I’m glad… I had a crisis of confidence halfway through writing the post! x
While this palette is tempting, BOS III is definitely a better deal. But I have BOS II and I don’t feel the pressing need to have both. But the Naked palette is still tempting me…
Me too… wanna see it instore first though x
Ooh, that’s sexy over Pixie Epoxy. I expect I’ll be buying this!
You should just sign your bank account over to UD this year and be done with it x
OMG. I had no idea that different primers would have such DIFFERENT affects. I mean, I thought the differences would be very small but oh, no, these are HAWT under the PIxie Epoxy primer. So thanks for the awesome review 😀 I have learned a new thing today 😀
Bernice, primers were probably one of the biggest things that fueled my interest in makeup. When I realised that eyeshadow could last for longer than 3 hours… it MADE me want to experiment.
I will always love UD for that.
But I’m loving Fyrinnae more today – bwuahahaha!
OMG, I so want this! It’s also a perfect excuse to finally order from Fyrinnae (although their site seems to be down).
I can’t believe their site is down. Talk about bad timing 🙁
Wow, what a great review of Pixie Epoxy!
… O.o
Also, not half bad of the palette too (^.~)
With the Fyrinnae primer these look really nice, but with the UDPP’s they do exactly what I feared they would. They just look black. I prefer a bit more color in my shadows.
heheehe!
I know what you mean, I kept angling my hand under the light, trying to find the colour… make it shimmer, sparkle and just come alive.
It didn’t until I combined it with PE.
Ohhhh so beautiful over Pixie Epoxy… But the swatches over just a primer are having me questioning how worth it this palette is… Mind you, I always use Pixie Epoxy with the Alice BOS so not really any different (it makes MCRA actually useable, holy cow)
The packaging is gorgeous. Love how you matched your nail polish lol 🙂
None of my eyeshadows are worth shit nowadays unless I combine with a primer as far as I’m concerned.
I’m totally gonna try PE with MCRA/UZI/Polyester Bride et al now. I’ve never thought to use it before… I guess I assumed it would be TOO shimmery, worth a try though?
I DIDN’T MATCH THE POLISH – OMG STOP SPREADING RUMOURS THAT I HAVE NO LIFE! 😉
Argh, these are pretty much like every shadow I’ve tried that has a black base shot through with different coloured shimmer 🙁 I was hoping these would be different and the shimmer would be awesome and bright.
As awesome as Pixie Epoxy is, it sucks having to use a specific base just to get the shadows to work D:
Though I can imagine the Pixiwoo girls would do some great looks with this palette
Oooh yes, I’d love to see what Sam and Nic would come up with.
It’s kinda reassuring (as a reviewer) to know that this is a common issue with these blackened shades. I really wasn’t expecting for it to disappoint me yano? I wasn’t 100% sure that I was right in feeling disappointed…
I feel vindicated!
Very pleased that we can combine it with something inexpensive to make it sing though xx
Ooh, I want…!!!! This is like a total Taylor Momsen eyeshadow festival, LOL!
Btw, they look even hotter with Pixie Epoxy! 😉
*Sigh*, added to my UD wishlist (after BoS III that is)!
xx
Fantastic palatte AGAIN!! The colors are soo rich…I wud end up using this just as a liner…..
[…] Decay announce The Black Palette and Lipglossiping has the photos! This one’s for the rock chick inside each of […]
[…] Decay announce The Black Palette and Lipglossiping has the photos! This one’s for the rock chick inside each of […]
[…] Decay announce The Black Palette and Lipglossiping has the photos! This one’s for the rock chick inside each of […]
[…] Decay announce The Black Palette and Lipglossiping has the photos! This one’s for the rock chick inside each of […]
Pixie Epoxy SERIOUSLY changed how eye shadow looks for me. I loooove it!
I love seeing your swatches of the black palette. I think I’m still gonna nab BoS3.
I. WANT. THIS. NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can someone PLEASE tell me how much the cost is in U.S. dollars?? THANKS A BUNCH!
Woa, swatched is like a whole different ballgame. cobra especially looks completely different than expected in the pan. these tend just too black, the varieties in shade don’t even come across and especially wouldn’t on your eye. very disappointing…
[…] Decay announce The Black Palette and Lipglossiping has the photos! This one’s for the rock chick inside each of […]
After seeing this post I finally broke down and bought the pixie epoxy. I’m really excited to try this stuff :)!
This palette came out in Debenhams today along with the new Vegan palette, the Naked palette and the BOS 3! 🙂
[…] Urban Decay Black Palette for Fall 2010 Source and more photos. I […]
OMG. This palette is gorgeous!!
grrrr there’s nothing about this in the U.S. or Canada at all! Anxious, because I want this way one more than the Naked palette!
I would love to be able to give you US Release info… but I can’t get a response from the UD peeps stateside 🙁
Thanks for the swatches, yo! I have never tried PE before. Do you think I could yield the same results with UD’s original primer?
Hi Lana,
Nope, it doesn’t capture the colour in the same way as PE does, sorry x
Not sure if I’m ready for dark colors like this, but I’m definitely going to get the Epoxy. WOW!!!
[…] I don’t have the palette yet, and I feel I need to give you SOMETHING, here’s a blog that has swatches of the palette, and the writer basically says I’m a big dumdum for buying the Black Palette […]
Hi, my sister bought this palette and she is really disappointed with the colors. I juste saw your article and i think the Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy seems great to enhance the colors… But i found the site is closed, do you know an other equivalent primer that we could use ?
Hi Fanny,
If you can be patient for a couple of weeks, the Fyrinnae site WILL reopen. They close it periodically so as not to be overwhelmed with orders. There really isn’t anything else that I could recommend for the same effect x
Thank you so much for your response, I did not know the site was only closed periodically. Can’t wait that it opens again !
I bought the Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy based on this review alone! Still haven’t pulled the trigger on the Black Palette though. HOW do you use PE? Do you brush it on or just dab and blend it out with your fingers? Do you apply the shadow over it while it is still wet or do you let it dry?
Thanx!
Hi, I dab it on from the wand. About 3 pats across the entire lid… then smooth with my index finger and leave for it to dry before applying my eyeshadow. The trick is not to apply too much, you don’t want it to actually feel properly tacky. If it does, you might have too much on x
[…] donc je testerai par moi-même pour voir le rendu « en vrai », mais je t’invite à voir les tests de Charlotte, du blog Lipglossing, qui sont vraiment parlants (en […]