I Am Bourgeois

I have Liz to thank for showing me the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Ammo she spotted on eBay. If not for her, I would have completely missed out on what I believe is one of the best makeup palettes out there! Okay, maybe it’s too soon for me to make that claim; after all, I’ve only been interested in makeup for several months and I haven’t experimented with a lot of brands. But I can totally see myself going out of my way to buy this palette again once it runs out, even if it means having it shipped all the way from the United States. I love it that much. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that anyone looking to invest in a well-rounded palette should not leave the makeup counter without equipping themselves with Eyeshadow Ammo.

The Urban Decay Eyeshadow Ammo was created to celebrate the makeup company’s tenth anniversary. Unlike the cult favorite Book of Shadows, which is a limited edition set, the Eyeshadow Ammo is part of Urban Decay’s continuing collection. This incredibly versatile compact contains 10 of their best-selling shadows in a nice little black and purple package. It has a well-sized mirror decorated with metallic purple curlicues, a magnet clasp to keep the shadows properly protected, and a double-ended sponge applicator which I eventually threw out because it has an annoying habit of rolling off onto the floor. I had no use for it anyway.

You’ll have to excuse the grimy appearance of my shadows; I use this palette all the time and didn’t think of snapping photos when it was still new and untouched. Anyway, these are the ten shadows included in the Eyeshadow Ammo, each cheekily-named and labeled in purple. Urban Decay sure didn’t go glitter-shy when they came up with this palette; all the shadows are very shimmery and pigmented, but not to the point where the neutrals are unwearable during the daytime.

Left to right: Smog, Mildew, Oil Slick, Last Call, Chopper

I use Smog and Chopper for the day; they’re such gorgeous neutrals! Smog in particular is very flattering on my skin tone, and Chopper is perfect for highlighting my brows. Oil Slick is the staple color of my evening looks; when I wear eyeshadow at night, I’m never without Oil Slick. I don’t use Mildew and Last Call as often as the other three, but they’re perfect for when I’m in the mood for a little color.

Left to right: Maui Wowie, Shattered, Polyester Bride, Grifter, Sin

The next five shadows are lighter, shimmery shades. Shattered has lovely green undertones that makes it a perfect complement to Mildew. Maui Wowie, Polyester Bride and Sin are great for highlighting the inner lid. I haven’t used Grifter yet because that shade of pink looks horrible on me.

Photo by Nikki from the Glambox event.
A daytime look using Polyester Bride, Shattered, and Oil Slick.
I was running late that day and didn’t have time to take pictures of myself!

DO LIKE:

* Intensely pigmented. You know how some eyeshadow colors look so colorful on the pan but chalky on your skin? Not with the shadows in this palette – what you see is exactly what you get!
* Easy to blend. Except for Oil Slick, Polyester Bride, and Chopper, which are on the gritty side, all the shadows have silky-smooth, creamy textures. But the grit in the three shadows I mentioned doesn’t make them any less easy to blend. You’ll have no trouble coming up with a wide range of looks using this palette alone.
* Lasts all day (or night). These shadows do not fade, even after a long night of drinking! They crease a little after several hours of wear, but what eyeshadow doesn’t?
* The packaging. I’m a sucker for well-designed compacts, especially when it contains high-quality shadows within. I also appreciate the fact that the shadows are arranged into color-coordinated duos.
* The price. I got my Eyeshadow Ammo for P1,200 on eBay, which amounts to P120 per shadow. The retail price on the Urban Decay website is $36.00; assuming the exchange rate is P45 to $1, each shadow is worth P162. That’s still a pretty good price, especially since a single Urban Decay shadow costs $16.

A daytime look using Chopper and Smog

DO NOT LIKE:

* Availability. Urban Decay pulled out of the Philippines a couple of years ago, and finding this palette locally is a matter of luck. Don’t bother trying to order it from the website; Urban Decay only accepts US-issued credit cards or Paypal accounts. I found out the hard way when I tried to purchase the limited edition Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows. :\

Smokey panda eyes using Oil Slick

CONCLUSION

If you spot the Eyeshadow Ammo on eBay or the GirlTalk Beauty Bazaar, buy it. Shut out that voice telling you that it’s too expensive because trust me, it’s worth every single peso (unless the seller is charging you P2,000 and upwards for it; then you’re just being ripped off). Every single shadow in this palette is vibrant, long-lasting, and easy to blend. There’s not a single look I’ve done where I didn’t use anything from the Eyeshadow Ammo palette. Even when I use colors from a different palette, I find that nothing brightens the inner corner of my eyes quite like Polyester Bride or emphasizes the arch of my brows like Chopper. My only regret is that I was too cheap to buy the Eyeshadow Ammo with the full-sized Primer Potion, but that’s fine – my Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows has a primer nestled in its drawer.

Yes, you heard me right – I’ve got a limited edition Alice palette! I never thought I’d be able to get my hands on one, but I’m a very resourceful person who can’t take “We only accept US-issued credit cards” for an answer. :P I’ll be picking it up in the mail on Wednesday, I’m so freaking excited! Stay tuned for my photos and swatches.