URBAN DECAY PULP FICTION COLLECTION
We all know by now that I have a thing for makeup, but what you might not know so much about is my love of film. I studied media at A-Level and then carried on the dissecting of cinema as part of my uni course – I’ve always loved the way you can get lost in a good film and then spend hours watching again to catch the references, hidden clues and the meaning behind the movie. The king of references is of course Tarantino and Pulp Fiction is a classic as well as one of my favourite films. Believe it or not it’s actually 20 years old this year (I know, I know, this is where you potentially pause to pour yourself a gin and tonic) and to celebrate Urban Decay have released a limited edition collection. This news excited me greatly – I have made no secret of my love for the brand and I’ve spoken a lot about how nostalgic it is for me, being one of the first brands I hunted high and low for and saved my weekend-job earnings to splurge on. Add to that more nostalgia from a film I first watched as a sixth former and the excitement of makeup in general and you’re on to a winner. My greatest fear was that it would be underwhelming, but rest assured, it’s gooooood. Let’s check it out!
First up we have the centrepiece, the eyeshadow palette – £17.50. I do love a good palette and this is no exception. This is a dreamy collection of matte shades (with the exception of the highlight) and I really love the way the two shadows likely to get used most sparingly only take up half a pan each leaving you with a rather attractive look and also a palette where you’re likely to finish each shadow equally. Nice one. The packaging is glossy, lacquered card with a magnetic closure but feels sturdy enough and comes with a double ended brush that is, like all Urban Decay brushes, great quality. No sponge applicators in sight. Fans of the film will immediately recognise the infamous Ezekiel passage printed on the front (and censored for innocent eyes!) and the distinctive typeface and style of the film, down to the splattered black and white pattern inside the palette. A lot of thought has gone into this and it’s much appreciated. The shades are a neutral lovers dream, which is a refreshing change for a limited edition collection. Urban Decay will always have it’s collectors who excitedly snap up every release, however wearable, and whilst it’s a brand that specialises in quality colour, this is something that you’ll buy to collect but use every day.
Righteous is a light cream matte, Tyranny a warm brown matte, Vengeance a deeper taupe matte brown and Furious a white satin. Anger finishes the palette off, a black satin (which I mistakenly called matte in the video – oops!) which is dark and pigmented. Despite being a satin this translates as a matte to me. All of the shadows have the buttery, blendable texture we have come to expect from Urban Decay and the shades are great. Tyranny is a warmer brown than I would normally wear but it works well with the other shades and you’ve got everything you need for a soft neutral smoky eye. Alongside the palette you get a step by step instructional card to teach you how to get the Mia Wallace look.
Next up is the Revolution lipstick – £15 and matching lip liner in Mrs Mia Wallace – £13. If you’ve read this post you’ll know that I’m a fan of this formula, which is long lasting yet creamy and non-drying. The 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils are similarly impressive and really do not budge, in fact you could easily wear them all over the lips for an intense matte colour. Used as a base these will stick around all day, and they don’t bleed or feather on me. The beautiful, deep, blood red colour is very flattering and since this is limited edition the lipstick outer packaging is black as opposed to the regular gunmetal shade.
Also included in the collection is a Nail Colour – £10, again aptly named as Mrs Mia Wallace. This is a deep red, and whilst in the bottle shows up as having a slight shimmer, is quite creamy on the nails – something I actually prefer in a polish. If you’re a fan of the shimmer you might be slightly disappointed by the way it translates differently on your nails, but I am personally glad. It shows up more as a shine or extra dimension to the nail as opposed to shimmer.
The last product is a new shade of Heavy Metal Glitter Liner – £14, in Gunmetal. It’s a striking black with black and silver sparkle and has a monochrome, salt and pepper thing going on. I think this is grown up glitter, if there is such a thing, and the black, white and silver theme make it quite wearable. This is probably the most nostalgic product for me because I remember saving up to buy my first one (Spandex!) and I love the fact that there’s no fallout or smudging. There are more pigmented glitter liners on the market but these are very reliable for me so I don’t mind layering them on to create the effect I want and I like the control the formula gives me if I only want a hint of glitter.
You can see these items in my video below, complete with a step by step tutorial of how I got my Mia Wallace inspired look.
Overall I’m very impressed with the collection. It’s clear that it’s been thought through from the colours to the packaging, even down to the cardboard boxes the products come in which have quotes printed inside and familiar gunshot/blood splatter effect art prints. The quality is great, the shades are classic and it’s a collector’s dream. It will be available on September 1st in the UK and stocked at Debenhams, House of Fraser and Selfridges Birmingham.
Are you a fan of Pulp Fiction? Do you plan on picking any of this collection up?
Stay cool, Honey Bunny….
