Selena Gomez is maintaining her status as a style star who really knows how to mix pieces that are high and low. Whether she’s wearing a $15 T-shirt from Target or $30 Adidas slides, she’s consistently shown us that being fashionable doesn’t have to be pricey. Case in point: the leopard-print turtleneck she wore on a recent night out with friends, which appears to be from Urban Outfitters.
Gomez bold top has been identified as Out From Under’s Gracen Turtleneck, which retails for a cool $24. She paired it with relaxed denim cut-offs, and finished off the look with some more high-fashion pieces: silver stiletto sandals by Jimmy Choo and a bright turquoise handbag from Louis Vuitton.
Check out her full outfit, as seen in an Instagram posted by her assistant, Theresa Marie Mingus.
Altogether, the ensemble is reminiscent of some of her past high-low looks, perfectly mixing items that are inexpensive with luxury.
Summer gives us a lot to look forward to, like summer Fridays, road trips, and a good excuse to drink one more glass of rosé. But Urban Decay is here to one-up all of them—because the cooler-than-thou makeup brand is fulfilling our wildest dreams and releasing a new eyeshadow palette. If you’re a longtime fan of the Naked palette (or Naked2, or Naked3, or Naked Heat), we’re sorry to report that this isn’t another iteration of the bestseller. But don’t be too disappointed—because while the Naked series is great for versatile, universally-flattering colors, the Born to Run Palette just takes that to the next level.
Yes, among its 21 rich, super-pigmented shadow colors are a respectable number of soft, daytime-ready neutrals—you know, what made the Naked palette so good. But the palette also offers up bold, eye-popping shades, such as Hell Ride (a shimmery fuchsia), Wanderlust (a dark, gold-flecked green), and Accelerate (a metallic copper-red). We got an exclusive first look before it launches on June 12, and let’s just say the reviews our testers gave it were as glowing as the sheen the shimmer shades cast. “I’m most into the golden tinge on Wanderlust’s pine-green shade, Big Sky’s aqua, and Drift’s purple-gray,” says Rachel Nussbaum, Glamour beauty writer. “They’re sexy, vampy shades that only look better with a little sweaty smudging.”
The shadow colors are also soft but saturated, a.k.a. flattering for all skin tones. Plus, there are a variety of finishes, from satin to shimmer to metallic and beyond, to give you yet another chance for experimentation. “I really liked Ignite—a creamy, copper shade with orange flecks—for my base, and Accelerate for my crease,” says Khaliha Hawkins, Glamour‘s digital administrative assistant. “They really make my medium-to-dark skin tone glow. I would totally buy this.”
PHOTO: Michelle Sulcov
The magic of this palette is that it not only offers something for everyone, but also includes such a wide range of shades that you’re well-equipped to create a major makeup look whenever. For instance, Jet (a shimmering black with a purple sheen) is ideal for a night out, while Stranded (rose gold) can hold its own in a staff meeting. “Riff is the perfect, darker nude for everyday wear,” says Azadeh Valanejad, Glamour‘s video producer, who has a medium skin tone. “And I love Ignite. It’s the perfect burnt coral that just screams ‘Summer!’ when you’re all tan and want some statement sparkle in your makeup.”
Its versatility makes sense, seeing as the Born to Run Palette was designed to be the only thing you need to pack for a trip, big event, or staycation—although eye makeup remover would probably be a good idea, too. The hard, durable cover can stand up to tough packing, even if you’re the type to sit on your suitcase to zip it, and the giant mirror makes for easy touch-ups or en-route application. The magnetized case and wanderlust-y packaging also got praises around the Glamour office.
Urban Decay might have set the bar high with their iconic eyeshadow palettes, but the Born to Run Palette rises to the occasion—literally, because it works for wherever you need it. So when the Born to Run 2 palette comes around, don’t say we didn’t tell you.
Urban Decay Born to Run Palette, $49, sephora.com, available starting June 12
<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b7dbd21c41651e32d3/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Little%20Liquid%20Vices%20Open.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Liquid Little Vices, $28″/>
Coming in at half the size of Urban Decay’s typical liquid lipsticks, these minis are ideal if you’ve never in your life finished a full-sized tube of the stuff. The lineup features Amulet, Backtalk, Crimson, and Purgatory (the your-lips-but-better Backtalk is going to be especially great for family dinners).
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b77f7b2b4f4cae456d/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Heavy%20Metals%20Metallic%20Eyeshadow%20Palette%20-%20Open.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metals Metallic Eyeshadow Palette, $55″/>
One of the best things about Urban Decay palettes is the mix between the reliable, matte shades that you’ll wear day in and day out, and the metallic colors sprinkled through that liven up the whole bunch. If your eye always goes to those (or, let’s be real, you already own all the matte browns you could ever need), the new Heavy Metals palette is your answer. And with 20 all-new, all-metallic shades, it was made for holiday festivities.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e79b339787b8448418a37d/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Nagel%20Lip%20Palettes%20Group%20Shot.jpg” alt=”Nagel Vice Lipstick Palettes, $28 each, available October 19″/>
Nagel Vice Lipstick Palettes, $28 each, available October 19
The brand usually goes straight to the ’90s with their references, given it was when Urban Decay got its start, but they’re throwing it back to the ’80s with these limited edition lipstick palettes. Each one is covered by a different illustration from Patrick Nagel, an American artist who, per the brand, “captured the essence of the ’80s in a minimalistic style.”
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b9dbd21c41651e32d5/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Nagel%20Lip%20Palette%20Sunglasses%20Open.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Nagel Vice Lipstick Palette in Sunglasses”/>
Urban Decay Nagel Vice Lipstick Palette in Sunglasses
The Sunglasses palette leans into the classic lipstick shades with bright red Psycho, brown-pink Backtalk (middle) and grey-nude Oblivion (second from left). Two exclusive shades, plum Troublemaker and copper Roach, balance out the traditional choices.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b8a9993f07551d6fe5/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Nagel%20Lip%20Palette%20Rio%20Open.jpg” alt=”Nagel Vice Lipstick Palette in Rio”/>
Nagel Vice Lipstick Palette in Rio
Pink is the name of the game in Rio, which pairs Backtalk with sparkly pink Big Bang, dark pink Rapture, and bronze Conspiracy. It also brings an all-new red to UD’s numbers, the dark scarlet Rock On.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783bc53fea83fa7e02116/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Nagel%20Lip%20Palette%20Untitled%20Open.jpg” alt=”Nagel Vice Lipstick Palette in Untitled”/>
Nagel Vice Lipstick Palette in Untitled
If you’re always reaching for a dramatic lipstick, Untitled is your best bet. Backtalk remains the can’t-mess-up constant, joined by fire-engine red Doubt, blood red Gash, and gold-laced pink Naked. Also back for another round: lavender Exhibition, a limited edition shade from the Jean-Michel Basquiat collection.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e7844353deb33d150cac37/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Vice%20Metal%20Matte%20Lipstick%20Palette%20Open%20(2).jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metal Meets Matte Lipstick Palette, $35″/>
Every romcom worth its TBS rerun has a makeover montage scene, and this palette is basically those incredible few minutes in makeup form. A bottom row of pretty, rich matte colors, paired with a top row of metallic, glimmering spins on the shades? Here for it.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b90c2bf352f4e138bd/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20NAKED%204some%20Vault%20Group%20Shot.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Naked 4Some, $185, available October 25″/>
Urban Decay Naked 4Some, $185, available October 25
What we have here is a cube of Naked. The brand calls it a 4Some (would you expect anything less?), but trust that its innuendo is riding on a legitimately incredible set. Bronzey-brown toned Naked, meets cool neutral Naked 2, meets warm and rosy Naked 3, meets red and tawny Naked Heat. Imagine unwrapping it on a holiday morning. Imagine that joy.
Admittedly, it’s tough to follow a cube of best-selling palettes. But if anything’s up for it, it’s UD’s traditional holiday Vault. The set is back for more, this time with nine shades of Vice Lipstick and three corresponding colors of 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b5017a263f7ded2eec/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Heavy%20Metal%20Glitter%20Eyeliner%20-%20Cat%20Call.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Cat Call, $20″/>
Urban Decay is funny in that even as it’s owned the Naked/nude/”still brown, but different” shadow space, its flair for just plain fun makeup hasn’t wavered. And that’s a promise, with six new shades of its Heavy Metal eyeliner dropping for the holidays, among them pink Cat Call.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b5a9993f07551d6fdd/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Heavy%20Metal%20Glitter%20Eyeliner%20-%20Gamma%20Ray.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Gamma Ray, $20″/>
Added bonus: where glitter eyeshadow can be the worst—the WORST—and end up covering your whole face in sparkles, the liner puts glitter where you want it and keeps it there.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b6a9993f07551d6fe0/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Heavy%20Metal%20Glitter%20Eyeliner%20-%20Pyro.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Pyro, $20″/>
Pyro can read ghostly, angelic, alien, or like a cloud in a tube, but the eye-catching aspect is a constant.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b6a9993f07551d6fe1/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Heavy%20Metal%20Glitter%20Eyeliner%20-%20Punkrock.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Punkrock, $20″/>
Trust us, this one is so pretty to look at. Remember when everyone was talking about “arm parties” a few years ago, re: a curated jangles of bracelets? That’s this, for your eyes. Glitter in purple, gold, green, blue, and turquoise on a burgundy base.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b6a9993f07551d6fe3/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Heavy%20Metal%20Glitter%20Eyeliner%20-%20Grind.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Grind, $20″/>
Whereas Grind combines that name with the pretty, incandescent color of a ballet tutu. Again, UD loves an extreme.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783b70c2bf352f4e138bb/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Heavy%20Metal%20Glitter%20Eyeliner%20-%20Stix%20and%20Bones.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Stix and Bones, $20″/>
At first glance, Stix and Bones looks like a sister to Punk Rock. But out of the tube, it dials down the burgundy color with a green-gold twist that comes out looking like an oil slick, thanks to a heavy dose of silver and gold glitter.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783bb53fea83fa7e02114/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Little%20Vices%20Group%20Shot.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Little Vices, $25 “/>
Urban Decay Little Vices, $25
Brands are leaning into minis this holiday season, and you’d need an iron will to stay immune to their cute factor. Named the Little Vices set (and appropriately described as “matchbox-style”), it comes with one new shade of lipstick and two exclusive colors.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e783bb53fea83fa7e02113/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Most%20Wanted%20Brush%20Set%20Open.jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Most Wanted Eyeshadow Brush Set, $38, available November 1 “/>
Urban Decay Most Wanted Eyeshadow Brush Set, $38, available November 1
Here’s a secret: eyeshadow is only half the battle for pulling together an eye makeup look. The rest comes from the brush you use, which seriously makes all the difference. These duos are super specialized, but it pays off: a crease brush, smudger brush, tightline brush, lid brush, and two sizes of blending brush will have you taken care of.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59e790c27f7b2b4f4cae4587/master/pass/Urban%20Decay%20Vault%20Of%20Vices%20Open%20(2).jpg” alt=”Urban Decay Vault of Vice, $150″/>
Urban Decay Vault of Vice, $150
The brand didn’t call this the Pandora’s Box for unknown reasons (the lid rolls back, it’d be a good pun), but regardless, it comes with 15 of UD’s lip crowd-pleasers. Really—it pulls on their most-requested shades from the Vice Lipstick, Vice Liquid Lipstick Vice Special Effects, and 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencils lines.
“Add this to the list of mists so worth the $$$—even though this one is all of $7. It’s light, refreshing, and necessary once 3 P.M. rolls around and my face is feeling dry.” —Lindsay Schallon, senior beauty editor
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“Consider this coffee scrub unicorn beauty for people who hate unicorn beauty—and love soft, hydrated, ever-so-slightly glimmery skin.” —L.S.
“I hate white eyeliner—I’m convinced it accentuates how bloodshot my eyes always are from staring at a computer screen—but I actually adore these creamy pastel pencils. They glide on super smooth, don’t smear around, and add a pop of brightness without making me look like I belong in a Visine commercial.” —Amber Rambharose, beauty editor
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59dfc2b746d4414ffe3136a7/master/pass/UO-Sale-Herbivore%20Botanicals%20Body%20Oil.jpeg” alt=”Herbivore Botanicals Body Oil, $26 (now $20.80)“/>
“Yes, I have purchased this oil at full price before. I was lured in by its short and sweet ingredient list—meadowfoam oil just sounds like bliss—and hooked by how it leaves you smelling like a French heiress just chilling in a field of flowers right off the Riviera.” —A.R.
“Humble brag: ever since accepting chemical exfoliants as my savior, my skin has been great (a year ago, I couldn’t go two days without dealing with a new crop of whiteheads, so I’m basking in this gear shift). The one traditional acne-fighter still in my arsenal is this drying lotion. When a zit makes it through my bacteria-nuking regimen, it dries it out overnight.” —Rachel Nussbaum, beauty writer
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59dfc6f06cdd00652f36b8c6/master/pass/40774176_000_b.jpg” alt=”COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid, $22 (now $17.60)“/>
“And this is the life-changing acid I just mentioned. Coming in at 4% BHA, it’s mild enough that you don’t have to worry about sensitive skin reacting, while powerful enough to make a difference. For a quick primer on BHA—which stands for beta hydroxy acid—it gets down into your cells and exfoliates them, getting ahead of acne-causing bacteria and nixing potential pimples in the bud. Again: life-changing.” —R.N.
“Some people are blush people; I’m not one of them. My skin is so pink-toned naturally that blush has always felt a little like adding insult to injury. That said, a scribble of this stick on my cheeks every morning makes me look alive, and it takes all of two seconds.” —R.N.
“Jenna Dewan Tatum doesn’t lie; this spray is everything. It smells like a fancy salon and gives my fine, flat hair the most perfect rumpled waves that last all day.” —L.S.
“My version of being financially responsible is only buying jars of sea salt, coconut oil, and flower petals when they’re on sale. Following that logic, it’s basically criminal not to stock up on this blend that’s genuinely good for your skin. The star ingredient: calendula petals, a flower I’ve used to soothe everything from menstrual cramps to muscle aches.” —A.R.
“Here’s what I turn to the mornings after I fall asleep in my makeup (which I’ve done at least twice a week for the past three months, so often). The glycolic acid gently sloughs away dry, dull skin—but never in a way that flares up my rosacea, thanks to the aloe vera and botanical extracts.” —L.S.
“I know, I know—matte lipstick fatigue is peaking, and with every. single. brand coming out with their own take, they all blend together at some point. But through it all, Anastasia Beverly Hills’ OG version has stayed in my purse. It goes on super opaque, doesn’t budge, doesn’t destroy my lips, and the colors are gorgeous. This trio of browny-nude colors are casual, but beautiful. It’s ideal.” —R.N.
“I use manuka honey for everything: scrapes, bruises, inflamed skin and ingrown hairs. This pigment a full face multitasker and the honey makes it extra good for dry or acne-prone skin, chapped lips, itchy eyelids, you name it. It’s basically a glow-y Band-Aid for all your skin ailments.” —A.R.
“I used to roll my eyes when people said silk pillowcases changed their lives. Then I tried one. This is no B.S. beauty myth—the days I sleep on one, my hair looks ten times shinier and smoother. The only downside is the work it takes to wash them.” —L.S.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59dfc2b8989cf55b00f18454/master/pass/UOSale-Call%20Of%20The%20Vialed.jpeg” alt=”Call Of The Vialed For UO Perfume Rollerball, $20 (now $16)“/>
“When I need to feel calm, grounded, bust down writer’s block, or chill out, I roll on a Vialed scent and enter a bubble of how that feeling smells. It’s wonky to describe, but feels straight up transcendent. The scents themselves are right up there with that you’d drop $200 in a toxic cloud filled department store: ouds, neroli, myrrh, amazing.” —A.R.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59dfc29146d4414ffe3136a3/master/pass/UOSale-MEANT%20The%20Wonder%20Polish.jpeg” alt=”Meant The Wonder Polish, $43 (now $34.40)“/>
“This polish is no joke. It’s so good that I took kitchen scissors into the bathroom so I could slice open the packaging and save every last drop in a Ziploc bag. It’s my favorite product to shave with, since I don’t need to moisturize after using it. It makes you that soft all over.” —A.R.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59dfc29202dac71fc54c7e59/master/pass/UOSale-Touch%20In%20Sol%20No%20Poreblem.jpeg” alt=”Touch In Sol No Poreblem Primer, $18 (now $28.80) “/>
“This lightweight K-beauty favorite creates a mirror smooth (but not shiny) barrier that seals in moisturizer and keeps makeup magnetized to its dewy finish.” —A.R.
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<img src=”https://media.glamour.com/photos/59dfae8f4802dc452e2dcd02/master/pass/urban-sale-comb.jpg” alt=”UO Large Wide Tooth Comb, $12 (now $9.60)“/>
“My shower is a revolving door of products (part of the beauty writer job is trying everything, I’m lucky). But the one thing that’s stayed with me for literally six years? My cheapo, purple plastic wide-toothed comb. It’s not cute, but essential for detangling my curls in the shower. This one is a chic upgrade I wouldn’t be afraid to ‘gram.” —R.N.
“There are myriad reasons every makeup artist keeps this balm in their kit, but I’ll leave you with the only one that matters: It’s the best lip balm out there, hands down.” —L.S.
“With a metallic cream eyeshadow on one end and a sparkly dose of glitter on the other, I feel like Emily Blunt’s character in The Devil Wears Prada with this on. That’s the highest praise I can give.” —R.N.
“My love of turban towels is well-documented, and I can thank Aquis for bringing me into the fold. As someone who values her curls not turning into a cloud of frizz, microfiber fabric is the towel loophole. It takes hours off my drying time, and gets my soaking wet curls out of the way in the morning. Can’t live without it.” —R.N.
“Whenever I feel a period zit coming on, I zap it with this device—the blue LED light kills bacteria that causes acne—and follow it up with Mario Badescu’s drying lotion. It’s crazy how well the combo works.” —L.S.
“The cult of Dip Brow is far-reaching, and after a few months of seeing it mentioned in basically every makeup tutorial posted to Instagram and Reddit, I bit the bullet last year. It was a good decision. All you need is a tiny dab of the product on an angled brush to fill in both of your brows. The color lasts all day. I’m still working my way through my first pot—again, from last year. That’s unheard of.” —R.N.
“In an affectionate way, my hair is a product-eating monster. Literally, I can load on four pumps of heavy-duty hair oil, and any smoothing effect it gives is typically gone within the hour. It’s an untold mystery of this world, but Verb’s Ghost Oil puts up the best fight of any oil I’ve tried (and I’ve tried so, so many). It smoothes, adds shine, doesn’t completely kill your volume—and on me, the effect lasts about three hours. On my friends, they’re set the whole day.” —R.N.
For someone who loves makeup, I personally suck at using it. I buy, try three shades of, then store hordes of makeup palettes in the top drawer of my dresser; all to be looked at and rarely swept across my face again. There’s one exception to that pile of eyeshadow sets, bronzing trios, and color corrector cases gathering dust, though, and that’s my Urban Decay Naked Smoky palette. Put it in my hand and suddenly I go from passive collector to full-on beauty vlogger.
The point is, I’m obsessed with this palette. Sure, I’m obsessed with all of Urban Decay’s Naked palettes. I know I don’t have to explain why to you because if you clicked this, you love Urban Decay’s Naked palettes. The shades are pigmented; they’re easy to blend; the brush that comes with isn’t a flimsy throwaway and it actually gives good results; there’s rarely a shade in the bunch that goes unwanted, the list honestly goes on. But my affection for Naked Smoky is deeper than the rest. I actually use this palette. All the g-d time.
Where a lot of palettes now chase trends (looking at you Naked Heat), the Smoky’s got the perfect mix of matte and metallic silver, black, and brown, plus one beautiful shimmery plum. My go-to for nights out is as follows: Sweep “Thirteen” all over my lid to cancel out redness and follow with “Dirtysweet” on top for shimmer. “Password” goes in my crease, then a mix of “Armor” (the best gunmetal silver out there) and “Dagger” from the center out, and finally my favorite (the plum) “Smolder” just on the outside and smudged into my lower lashline. The whole thing is topped off with a heavy dose of Better Than Sex.
Naked Smoky’s swatches (from left to right): High, Dirtysweet, Radar, Armor, Slanted, Dagger, Black Market, Smolder, Password, Whiskey, Combust, Thirteen
I’ve worn this combo to all my biggest life events. Graduation night, my moving-to-NYC party, my best friend’s bachelorette. It brings out the blue in my eyes in a way that (I personally think) make them even more captivating. They create a true, dark smoky eye. So, when news broke this week that Urban Decay is discontinuing my precious, it cut deep.
To know why such misfortune would be brought upon us, I reached out to the brand for an answer. It’s not a replacement, but it does bode well that a better alternative is possibly on the horizon. Here’s the statement reps gave me:
“At Urban Decay, we are never ‘done’; this means we always look for
ways to make our products better. Every time we create a new product,
we come at it with a fresh perspective and make it technologically
innovative and relevant for now. Unfortunately, this sometimes means
discontinuing products people love, in order to launch new products we
think you’ll love even more!”
There is, however, a shade of “Armor” lining. As part of the palette’s mass liquidation, UD has slashed the price of it by 50 percent everywhere. Ulta, Sephora, urbandecay.com, at all of them, the palette is only $27—starting this week until the Naked Smoky’s gone for good. Luckily, I’ve already got two; one I keep in my drawer and the other in my travel bag. But for the rest of you who haven’t gotten in on its magic, or just want a cheap score, now’s your last chance. I highly recommend it.
When a mascara’s description tells you it’s going to be “blacker than your darkest thoughts,” any beauty junkie worth their weight in highlighter knows it’s Urban Decay, a brand that’s made cult-favorites out of names like Perversion and Naked. The next step, obviously, is to test it out. Who are you really if you can look at a tube of Urban Decay mascara and not be tempted to maniacally swish it along your lashes. Which is exactly what I did when the line’s new Troublemaker mascara crossed my desk.
To be honest, I’ve been using the product for over a month now—ever since UD’s founder Wende Zomnir gave her followers a sneak peek at the tube on Instagram—and it’s taken nearly all my strength to not shout about it from my apartment window. And now, friends, the time has come.
Troublemaker is formulated with the intent of giving your lashes both serious volume and length without flaking or going limp. And it absolutely delivers.
The oil slick-like packaging is cool enough for anyone to want to grab it and give it a go (but don’t be fooled, the formula inside is black as black can be—read: not holographic), but the brush is really where it’s at for me. Unlike it’s predecessor, the beloved Urban Decay Perversion mascara, the wand is not giant, proving size is not always an indicator of performance. If anything, it’s less daunting to maneuver and the formula itself is less thick. The volume comes from the bristles, which alternate between short, silicone nubs that help apply the mascara to build volume, and long comb-like arms that separate and fan individual hairs.
The one thing that drives me crazy about most volume-enhancing mascaras is that heavy, clumpy feeling on my lashes, but because of the combing bristles on this wand, I don’t have stickiness, my delicate hairs aren’t weighed down, and the lightweight formula allows a curl to last all day without the help of an unwieldy tool.
My application technique is as follows: wiggle the wand down to the bottom of your lashes, getting all that gorgeous thickness at the root and then gently comb as you pull the wand out to the ends, letting the formula coat every last hair. The result: full, long, and clump-free.
PHOTO: Katie Friedman
Another cool aspect of the brush: The rows of bristles get gradually longer depending on how you hold it. Some are shorter on the top and others gradually go from long to short on the bottom, so you can rotate the wand to get the smaller parts into the corners of your lashes—an area that often goes untouched or inevitably ends up smudged when you’re working with a chubby brush.
As for the formula, it’s made with light fibers, so you get some faux diameter and some length without those flaky rogue pieces than tend to wind up in your eyes, causing you to rub them and ruin all your effort.
Urban Decay promises this mascara will make your lashes “super-fat, super-long, and sex-proof.” I can proudly confirm all three claims from personal experience. It’s also not waterproof, which is worth noting in case you’re a cryer. I do, in fact, tend to tear up a lot but I usually don’t go for waterproof mascaras because they’re too hard to remove. This one is easy to take off with a cleanser and doesn’t run. It’s basically a crier’s dream.
PHOTO: Katie Friedman
Urban Decay Troublemaker Mascara, $24, starting September 5 at urbandecay.com
