A True Experience: Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette Review

Urban Decay launched a Gwen Stefani collection in the start of this year. I don’t remember the exact date but I believe it was February here is UK. And the eyeshadow palette was all the rage. Every YouTuber and blogger loved it and praised it. I, on the other hand was not tempted because the eyeshades in the palette were not something I would wear all the time. So for me it was a pass like most of the limited edition collections.

However, when I saw the blush palette in the Debenhams store I was drawn to it like a child into a candy shop. And the only thing running in my mind was, this should be in my collection pronto. The packaging, the colours of blushes, everything was so on point. I couldn’t take my eyes off the palette. It was so strategically placed and the whole atmosphere conspired against me. I swatched the blushes and instantly figured it out that how will I use them on day to day bases. Before that I didn’t read a single review about the palette and neither watched any YouTube video. And buying anything without a proper research was contradictory to my previous post.

Nevertheless, I convinced myself that there is nothing wrong to be a spontaneous and impulsive buyer once in a while. So I trusted my instincts and bought it.

I was very happy with my purchase. I loved the packaging. The gold and bronze detailing over a sturdy box which looks and feels very classy, a magnetic closer, big mirror, six pans of gorgeous blushes, bronzer and highlighters for only £35, it was just perfect. Nothing could go wrong with all these qualities right?

But then I decided to read some reviews online and I googled. It was like a suicide mission. But I did it anyway. The first review popped up in the search results was of course of Temptalia blog. I read it and my dreams were shattered. I quietly packed the palette and hid it at the bottom of the drawer under the pile of other products. I believe it was the end of February. If you have already read the review, then you must be aware that Christine didn’t rate the palette very high. I was very upset that it was a wrong acquisition but I didn’t want to return it either. I slept through these feelings for weeks. After all the drama which was going on inside me, I said to myself “You know what, that’s it. No more mourning. What's done is done. Move on, trust your decision and make it work for you”. So my friends I gathered all my courage to take the palette out and play with it. You know you have some serious problem when you have to gathered courage only to use a palette… weird

With very open heart I swatched the shade OC about which Christine stated, I quote “I will say that it does make me look jaundice at certain angles”. It looks very yellow in the palette and on skin it has that pinkish shift to it. But I found out that the more you buff it the more pinkish-purplish tone becomes prominent which is very interesting.  And no it didn’t make me look jaundice. I am so happy to report this. I am somewhere between NC20 and NC25. I can also get away with shades around NW15 sometimes.

I bought Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette mainly for the top row. I loved all the shades but the shade Easy and Hush are my personal favourites. The longevity of blushes is unquestionable. Other than Lo-Fi all the shades are very soft and blend like a dream without any patchiness and skipping during the application. Lo-Fi is a bit stiff because it is a matte bronzer. I don’t use hard core contour products on day to day bases, so a matte bronzer for very subtle definition is my go to product and it was checked off from the list after owning Lo-Fi. However, bare in mind that this is not a contour powder by any means. It is a hardcore, very warm bronzer. I only use it for more natural look or on no makeup-makeup days. My other bronzers are more cool tone and not as warm as this one. With my skin tone, I can get away with those bronzers for subtle and not made up definition. If I need to contour any part of my face then I go for products which are design specifically for contouring.

Lo-Fi and OC look very pretty when wear together. I use Lo-Fi just between the lines of contour and blush and slightly buff it with OC.

Cherry and Easy are the most pigmented but not mental colours. Angel is a beautiful Champaign colour blush which is perfect for highlighting cheekbones and cupid bow. I also used it as a highlighter in the inner corner of my easy and also as an accent colour on lid. It was the most amazing look. You see, you don’t have to follow the rules all the time. Hush is another colour which can be used for all that purposes and as a blush as well and is my personal favourite. The gold shimmer in Hush gives subtle healthy glow and looks very pretty on skin.

Due to the fact that all the shades are very soft, they kick some powder off when swipe a brush on product. All the shades are not very intense but you can sheer them out for subtle finish or build them for medium coverage.

The more I use it the more I love this palette. I believe it depends on personal preferences that what you expect the product to perform? I normally go very light on blush or sometimes skip it altogether. So if you are someone like me then you will adore this palette where you can get a nice wash of colour for natural finish without a made up look in no time. It is also true that this palette is not for very deep skin but it can work for medium skin perfectly. Another plus point is you can wear the shades on top of each other for custom colour.

This is the longest review I have ever scripted.  I hope you have enjoyed it and if you read it through few yawns then I am obliged for your patience J. Leave your comments and thoughts below and tell me what you think about Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette?

In the memory of my brother