REVIEW: Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks

Here we go again: another review of an already stupidly popular product with a cult following. Why do I bother? Because I am a bonafide lipstick goddess, thankyouverymuch, so my opinion matters!

...but yeah, I totally understand that most of you probably already own some of these. It's cool.

Urban Decay's Revolution lipsticks are a revamp of their old, not-in-a-pencil lipstick formula, and a much needed one at that. While the original formulation was decent, it was incredibly slick--meaning bright colors slipped off of your mouth and feathered in less than an hour--and contained in the most horrendous, overwrought packaging I've ever seen. Urban Decay heard the endless complaints about how their packaging was beautiful, but not at all functional, and they took it to heart; their new products, including these lipsticks, are encased in sleek, easy-to-use containers that still look edgy and young.

I purchased my lipsticks for $22 each at Sephora. I decided to start with one bright, a blue-based red called F-Bomb, and one nude, a soft pink called Native. (And I've already shown them in my Dolce & Gabbana powder foundation review. SO SUE ME.)

The formula is best described as a rich cream with a "soft" finish: not matte, but not overly shiny, either. It just looks plump and slightly moist. I could sort of "feel" these on my lips, which doesn't bother me in the slightest, but those of you who prefer balm-like, completely weightless formulations may want to test the Revolution lipsticks before purchasing. They have no discernible scent.

The wear is relatively impressive: both shades stayed on my lips for about 5 hours before they needed touched up. They did not feather, slide, or get patchy. The formula does dry my lips out a little, which is a bit odd given how creamy they feel when you're wearing them, but it's nothing a little post-shower lipbalm can't fix. I do think that, given the thickness and opacity of these lipsticks, you'll want to exfoliate your lips before you apply them so you have the smoothest canvas possible, as they can emphasize flakes and cracks.

The one major issue I had with these lipsticks is the bullet shape, which made it difficult to apply the bright red F-Bomb without a lip brush. That in and of itself is not a sin, but because this is a very rich, smooth formula, I found it difficult to get the super-sharp lip line I prefer--you can see how the edges of my lips look a bit "smeary" in the F-Bomb swatch above. To be fair, I usually wear lipliners with my bright lipsticks, so I'm not opposed to getting those sharp lines with lipliners instead of a lip brush.

I liked the formula enough to try out some more shades. Unfortunately, the one I really wanted, Catfight, was sold out everywhere, so I just went with Naked. This shade is a very flattering sort of neutral pink that would work on a variety of skintones. (I didn't exfoliate my lips before applying Naked, though, so you can see how it emphasizes the minor flakes I have.)

The one odd thing about Naked is that it doesn't seem to have quite the same staying power. I wore it to my sister's graduation and had to reapply twice within a 5 hour period. Hum...maybe the pigment just isn't as intense, so there isn't a staining effect?

Of the three shades I've tried, F-Bomb is my least favorite. It's not BAD, it's just not all that unique or special. It's slightly cool/blue-based, but not as purple-y as Hourglass Icon or Shiseido Nocturne. NARS Cruella looks almost burgundy next to it. Elizabeth Arden Poppy looks warm in this batch of swatches, but that's just because they're mostly blue-based; it's probably the most neutral, balanced red lipstick I've found. Chanel Dragon is probably the closest in terms of color, but is quite different with regards to formulation.

Native is actually my favorite of the bunch: it's one of the very few "nude" shades I've found that doesn't wash me out, and it works beautifully with dark eye looks. The shade is lighter and less pink than MAC Please Me, and is also cooler than Lipstick Queen Pink Sinner. It has replaced Lancome Sweet Embrace, which is similar in color, but ever-so-slightly lighter and a bit more beige. (I have to wear a gloss on top of Sweet Embrace to make it work for me.)

Naked is, as the name suggests, more peachy-beige than the aforementioned pinks.

So I would I recommend these lipsticks? To most people, yes. I don't think I'll go out of my way to get all of the bright shades, as I tend to prefer a more matte formulation for my brights. But the nudes are incredibly beautiful and seem to work well on my skintone, something I normally don't get to say. And despite the slight drying effect, the formula is generally comfortable to wear and provides plenty of color.

RATING: 4 out of 5.

Oh, and here's some bonus kitty-in-a-window!