Monday, March 19, 2018

Product Review -- Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette


From the moment that I first saw promo photos of the Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette, I knew I had to have it.

Peachy eye shadow tones are probably my favorite makeup item, but rose and mauve shadows are a close second -- the Backtalk Palette is full of nude mauve, berry, and rose shadows, and even includes some matching blushes and highlighters.

It's practically a dream come true.

So I ordered it pretty much the first moment it was available. I just couldn't help myself, and I have very little patience when it comes to new makeup items.

The palette comes in sturdy cardboard packaging that's pretty thick because it folds open to have the shadows and face colors on opposite sides. There's also a double-sided mirror in the center that actually isn't connected to the palette -- it's fully removable, though there's a magnet that keeps it in place.

Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette

Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette
Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette
 Right off the bat, I'll say I'm not a fan of the packaging. It seems unnecessarily bulky, and while I appreciate the fact that they separate the shadows and face products, I don't know why the mirror in the center has to be completely loose like it is. I find that it gets in the way when I'm doing my makeup.

Inside the palette, there are eight shadows: 3 Sheets, a matte pale pink; Bare, a peachy pink satin; Curve, a metallic rose with silver micro-glitter; Backtalk, a rosy mauve matte; Shade, a deep fuchsia satin; Attitude, a metallic rosy copper; WTF, a matte reddish brown; and 180, a metallic red brown.

Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette

From l. to r.: 3 Sheets, Bare, Curve, Backtalk, Shade, Attitude, WTF, 180

There are also four blushes/highlighters: Cheap Shot, a medium pink nude satin; Double Take, a rich mauve with shimmer; Low Key, a pink peach shimmer; and Party Foul, a light pink nude shimmer.

Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette

From l. to r.: Cheat Shot, Double Take, Low Key, Party Foul

While there are many pretty shades in the palette, I have to say I'm pretty underwhelmed.

I feel like there's not enough variation amount the shadows -- they're all mostly mid-tone shades with the exception of 3 Sheets, a pale highlight, and 180, which fairly deep. Bare and Curve are on the lighter side, but on my fair skin, they're a little darker than I'd like and there's not much contrast between them.

That's the issue with the whole palette, I think. The shades are too close in depth, which means they can sometimes look a little muddy when you blend them together.

I also find that the formula for a couple of the shades is a little lacking -- shades like Bare are a little sheerer than I'd like. I will say that the mattes blend beautifully, though, which is what I've come to expect from UD mattes.

Now, all that said, I will say that I've really liked all the eye looks I've come up with from the palette, so I don't think it's completely useless. Still, I had higher hopes for it than unfortunately UD didn't meet.

(It has totally made me want to put together my own pretty pink/mauve/berry palette from singles, so if anyone can recommend any shades from brands that have a pretty good shadow formula, please share them in the comments.)

The face products in the palette are pretty nice, and I like the color selection quite a bit. I don't have any UD blushes or highlighters, so I'm not sure if the products in the palette are the same quality as the individuals but the formula is pretty nice.

Cheap Shot and Party Foul are my personal favorites.

If the shades in this palette really appeal to you, I would recommend checking it out in person to see if it really meets your needs. But I don't know that this is a palette I would rush out to purchase necessarily.

The palette retails for $46, and is available on the UD website and at Sephora.

Have you tried the Urban Decay Backtalk Eye and Face Palette? Are you a fan?

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