From The Straits Times    |

Urban Decay Junkie Vice Lipstick Palette Singapore

Image: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick Palette in Junkie

Lip palettes remind me of my childhood, when we used to have those mega-value makeup palettes that had everything but the kitchen sink, from eyeshadow and blusher to lipstick and lip gloss.

A lot of kid-friendly makeup palettes come with lipsticks too, which was a shame as I got older and found that fewer grown-up makeup brands had lipsticks in a palette. Perhaps they were once a lot more popular, and became less so in the last 10 years, more’s the pity.

What I love about a lipstick palette is that you get to try many shades without committing to buying a full-sized tube of one single shade. With so many amazing lipsticks to choose from, it’s become increasingly rare that we make it through an entire tube, so a pan-full of lipstick in a palette sounds like a great idea. Of course, if we could only customise one with, say, eight of our favourite shades, that would solve so many problems!

Another bonus: Small lip palettes are easy to carry around in your bag, bring on holiday for variety without the bulk, and make lovely gifts to boot.

While I’ve always loved Bobbi Brown for their lip palettes, another brand that never seems to fail at pulling out all the stops for makeup has just launched a range of lipstick palettes. Yes, we’re talking Urban Decay.

Urban Decay Blackmail Vice Lipstick palette singapore

Image: Urban Decay Vice Lipstick Palette in Blackmail

Earlier this year, the brand launched 100 brand new Vice Lipsticks to celebrate their 20th anniversary. A hundred is an intense number to swatch and choose from, we know, which is why the latest Vice Lipstick Palettes are perfect for lipstick lovers who want a larger sampling of the range for less.

There are two palettes in the range, one called Junkie and the other called Blackmail. The former is a Sephora Singapore exclusive, while the latter is available at standalone Urban Decay stores. Both palettes retail for $68.

The brand was kind enough to send us the Junkie palette, and of course, we had to give it a shot. Have a look at the palette below, as well as swatches of all 12 shades.

 

 

Urban Decay Junkie Vice Lipstick swatches top row

Top row: (from left) Disturbed (comfort matte), 714 (mega matte), Carnal (comfort matte), Safe Word (comfort matte), Studded (metallized), Whip (sheer shimmer)

Urban Decay Junkie Vice Lipstick swatches bottom row

Bottom row: (from left) Wrath (metallized), Big Bang (metallized), Firebird (cream), Vanity Kills (mega matte), Speedball (cream), Junkie (metallized)

 

The more muted top row is better suited to daytime wear while the bottom row has the perfect mix of eye-popping party shades. For everyday wear, Carnal and Safe Word have become my favourites and are especially comfortable on the lips! While the shade Whip isn’t my favourite, its sheer shimmery quality make it a great lipstick topper, or an option for days you just want to add a little sparkle to your lipst.

The bottom row includes a few shades with metallic finishes, which are incredibly on-trend right now and perfect for party season! Of course, if you’ve been a fan of the brand for years, you aren’t going to shy away from the unabashedly bold metallic green shade called Junkie.

Personally, I love the mattes and creams for how pigmented they are, though most of the metallized finishes needs a few swipes in order to build up the colour payoff. 

All things considered, while lugging around a larger palette with 12 shades is less portable or convenient than carrying a single tube of lipstick around for touch-ups, it does make a great palette for travel.