November 15, 2010

We're big fans of Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion.  Like other fans though, we hate wasting all of that product that the applicator wand doesn't reach.  A while back, LilSis hacked into Urban Decay's cute little purple genie bottle to show just how much waste there is.

Urban Decay's answer to the waste was to keep the cute bottle, but to redesign the wand.  The idea was that the newly-bent wand could reach into the curves of the bottle to access the previously-wasted potion.

We didn't love the new wand, but were happy tolerate it if it helped us get some of that wasted potion out of the bottle and onto our eyelids.

Did it do that though?  Like LilSis, I had to hack into the bottle myself to see.  I intentionally used this bottle as long as I possible could; trying to eek out every last little bit of primer.  When I finally whipped out my knife, I couldn't get one more dab out of this bottle.

Note: Don't try this at home.  I used a serrated knife and serrated my finger twice before I got through the hard plastic!  There was blood.  Lots of blood.

Do you see much waste?  I do!  Lots of waste!

The good news?  Urban Decay heard all the grumblings and came out with the Primer Potion in a tube!

When the tube first came out, I thought I heard that it was limited edition, but the web site doesn't say so.  The original purple genie bottles are still available too.

Whichever packaging you prefer, you're still getting our favorite eyeshadow primer and we wouldn't dream of applying shadow without it.  Not only does it hold the shadow onto your lids ALL DAY without creasing or fading, it also intensifies the color of your shadow.  Bonus!

I've been using this product for years, and I'm still amazed sometimes when I take a look into the mirror after a long day.  My eyeshadow still looks perfect and just-applied even though it may have been on for 16 hours and survived 8 hours of work and 2 workouts!  It sounds impossible, but it's true!  Go, Urban Decay!

~BigSis

September 15, 2010

A while back, LilSis showed us how much Urban Decay Primer Potion is left inside the cute little genie bottle even after you think it's empty.  I heard from an Urban Decay rep at Ulta one day that the owner of Urban Decay was committed to her purple genie bottle even though lots of us girls are grumbling about the waste it causes.  Her solution was to give us a bent wand, which may work a bit better but lots of us are still grumbling.

Guess what, we now have a breakthrough!  Urban Decay Primer Potion in a tube!

For $29, you get .85 oz of Primer Potion, compared to .34 oz in the genie bottle for $18.

I can't wait to grab a tube of this.  I apply the Primer Potion with my ring finger anyway, so the applicator isn't necessary in my world.

Lest we forget, let me take this opportunity to remind you how much I love Urban Decay Primer Potion.  I've tried several primer products, and this is my absolute favorite, hands down.  Why?  A normal day in my life is why:

• Makeup application with Urban Decay Primer Potion at 6 am

• 8 hours of stressful work

• Errands in 100 degree temperatures with 100% humidity

• 2 sweaty workouts

• Makeup removal at 10 pm: eye shadow is still perfectly intact!  No creases.  No fading.  Voila!

Bonus: this is a vegan product.  No animal testing, and no animal-derived products.

Run, don't walk, to get your tube.  Just don't get in my way!

~BigSis

July 14, 2010

After just revealing how Gaga she is over her new Urban Decay Naked Palette, BigSis also spread the news that the palette was already sold out on the Urban Decay site.

If you were as disappointed as I was after hearing that these beautiful palettes were already sold out, then you're going to love this news!

Urban Decay Naked Palette

We just received an email from Sephora announcing that the Urban Decay Naked Palette is now available online at Sephora even though the palette won't be in the stores until July 29th.

And, don't forget, the set comes with an adorable, travel size Urban Decay Primer Potion and a double ended 24/7 glide on eye pencil!

So…

If you want to get your hands on one of these gorgeous Urban Decay Naked Palette sets, you will probably want to get on the Sephora site ASAP!

~LilSis

July 13, 2010

I missed out on Urban Decay's Alice in Wonderland kit a while back, and I'm still mad at myself for dawdling on the purchase, so when I locked eyes with their new Naked Palette, I was NOT going to disappoint myself again.  The minute I got the email from Urban Decay announcing their new fall catalog, I raced to the site and saw this palette.  The rest is history!  My credit card was snatched from my wallet so fast that it's numbers were spinning, and within a minute – literally – my order was in.

The exterior of this Urban Decay Naked Palette would be even more beautiful without the cat hair embellishment! Just wait til you see the inside though...

The next morning, I saw a tweet from Urban Decay confirming my intuition…the Naked Palette sold out in a matter of hours, and as of today, it's still out of stock.  The good news?  It isn't a limited edition palette to the extent that the Alice one was, so it IS expected back in stock.  My recommendation?  Sign up for the email on UrbanDecay.com to be notified when it's back, and then make a bee-line to get yourself one!

Why am I getting all-Lady-Gaga about this palette? Just look at it:

12 gorgeous colors AND 2 eyeliners AND a primer!

Can you believe these colors?  You get a whole wardrobe of eyeshadows in one slim package: neutrals for work, shimmer for evening (maybe shimmer for work if your workday is more sparkly than mine), and some deeps for smoky eyes.  You also get a double-ended 24/7 eyeliner pencil with Zero (black) and Whiskey (a brand new beautiful brown), and a travel-size Primer Potion.

I've kept my little mitts off this palette until I got a photo of it, so I haven't tried any of the colors yet.  LilSis and I are both in love with our Summer of Love palettes though, so I know the quality of Urban Decay shadows is fabulous and I can't wait to play with these.  I think these are incredible colors for blue eyes like LilSis and I have, but I can also see them being equally gorgeous on brown eyes, green eyes, hazel eyes, and black eyes.

I'm going to show you some swatches of these colors later on – with and without our favorite Primer Potion eyeshadow primers – so you can get an idea of what they look like.  Meanwhile though, sign up for that email and if you get the chance, buy one of these palettes! I promise I paid full price for my palette (a steal of a deal at $44) and I'm not making a dime if you buy one.  I just don't want you to be disappointed when your friends get one, and you kick yourself for not listening to me!

~BigSis

May 7, 2010

I LOVE Fridays! Is there anyone out there that doesn't love Friday? For most of us, Friday marks the end of a hard work week and the beginning of a relaxing weekend! Right?

BigSis and I were talking the other day and we decided that since we both love our Fridays, we're going to try something new. We're going to take this day to share with you something that we find to be fabulous. And if it's something extraordinarily fabulous, we may have to call it Fantabulous Friday!

So, to kick it off today, here are a couple of things that I find to be quite fabulous!

Ever Hip Creme Sheen from MAC Give Me Liberty of London Collection

Not only is this limited-edition shade, Ever Hip, a perfectly fabulous color for me, but I find the glossy white case to be equally fabulous.

Fabulously decorated case!

The case is decorated with an exclusively created flower and bird pattern for the MAC Give Me Liberty of London Collection. I don't know what I'll do with the case when the lipstick is gone, but I won't be recycling this one.

Urban Decay Summer of Love Shadow Palette

This Urban Decay Summer of Love Shadow Palette is nothing less than fabulous! This gorgeous palette was a surprise Mother's Day gift from BigSis that I just received in the mail two days ago and I'm already madly in love with it!

Sexy, Shimmery, Silky-Soft Shadows!

I tried one of these shadows when we went out Wednesday night and I can tell you that this eyeshadow is going to give MAC some competition! This lovely palette came with a fabulous 24/7 Glide On Pencil and travel size Sin Eyeshadow Primer Potion. The mirror and the magnetic cover are also fabulous, so what more can I say?

FABULOUS!!

And lastly, today is an especially fabulous Friday for me because this is where I will be today. 🙂

We'll be in the desert for a Father Son Golf Tournament and I will be by the pool in the fabulous ‘almost 100 degree' weather catching up on some magazine reading while the guys are golfing. I couldn't ask for a better way to spend two days! 🙂

I hope you have a Fabulous Friday!

~LilSis

April 13, 2010

Do we have any avid Urban Decay Primer Potion fans out there? I bet we do. But if you've never tried this product and need a little help keeping your eyeshadow on all day, you'll want to try it! You will absolutely notice a difference with this potion on underneath your eyeshadow. It will last all day with no creasing! Promise.

But, I still have one little complaint about this product. The shape of this container leaves a lot of the product inaccessible and therefore it goes in the garbage with the container when you can't get any more out. Last year Urban Decay made an announcement about the new wand and how the angled shape of it would help get all the potion out of the container. I've been using the new wand for months now and not only do I not like the new wand but I don't think it helps at all. It may be time for another hack.

In case you missed it, last year I published an Urban Decay Hacker Tutorial with some step by step photos and instructions to help you hack into your bottle. These are just a few of the photos to give you an idea as to how much product is wasted.

Take a sharp knife and saw off the top.

Look at all the product hiding in there!

It's a messy job but well worth the effort!

Look at all the potion that was saved!

That's a lot of product that would have ended up in the garbage!

Maybe this is a silly question, but, why not just change the shape of the container?

~LilSis

January 13, 2010

Are you an Urban Decay fan? If you've been reading BigSisLilSis for any time at all, then you already know that we're both crazy about our Urban Decay products!

I thought that I'd take a break today from all the talking I've been doing about my 2010 goals to share with you my latest Urban Decay purchase. I've only been using the Urban Decay Ink for Eyes for a few days now, but I'm already in love with this product.

Here's how Urban Decay describes the Ink for Eyes: It’s everything you want in a cream eyeliner! More precise than a pencil, more forgiving than a liquid, this super-smooth formula offers more control, play time, and buildable coverage than your average liner.

Urban Decay Ink for Eyes

Honestly, what's not to love? First of all, I'm crazy about this case! It's long and slender and comes with a mirror and a double ended applicator that has an angled brush on one end and a smudger on the other end. Before I started using the Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencils, I always used my angled MAC brush to apply my eyeshadow as a liner, so that may have something to do with why I like this applicator so much.

The color that I bought is Demolition, which is the chocolate brown color shown in the photo. I really love this color!

Now, let's talk about what's in this pretty, shiny little case. This creamy liner just glides on with such ease that it's really quite surprising. No skips or smears! Really. Urban Decay does have a secret ingredient, though, it's Nylon 12, a high-tech polymer that decreases drag for flawless application while softening and absorbing any excess oil. Urban Decay doesn't claim this is waterproof eyeliner, but when I remove my makeup, this liner is just the same as it was when I applied it, just like the 24/7 pencils.

The liner comes in several other beautiful colors, so now that I know how much I love this product, I'll have to try some other colors.

Luckily, we don't have a Sephora nearby, but anytime I go into Ulta these days, I have to browse the Urban Decay counter. BigSis is ultimately responsible for my new-found Urban Decay addition. She is the one that originally turned me on to the Primer Potion and 24/7 pencils.

In case you missed my Urban Decay Hacker Tutorial, I mentioned that Urban Decay was changing the wand on the Primer Potion. When I finally broke down and bought my new tube, I noticed that it does have a new wand. We'll see if it cuts down on the wasted product at all.

I just bought a friend of mine the cute little case of Urban Decay nail polishes for her birthday. I've never tried any of their nail polishes but I'm hoping that she's happy with them since I've never been disappointed with any Urban Decay product. (And, no, I'm not getting paid to say that.)

Do you have any favorite Urban Decay products that you'd like to share with us?

~LilSis

November 14, 2009

The past couple of mornings when I used my Urban Decay Primer Potion, I knew that it was just about time. Time for what you may be wondering… If you're a UDPP user, you probably already know what I'm talking about.

Urban Decay has an almost ‘cult like' following when it comes to some of their amazing products. I think both of us have had some of the purple kool aid, too! 🙂 I recently mentioned how much I love Urban Decay's 24/7 Eye Pencils and the Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner and BigSis mentioned her love for the eye pencils much earlier this year. And, months ago after BigSis told me how much she loved the Primer Potion, I bought myself some Sin Primer and have used it every day since.

There's only one problem with this UDPP and it's the cutesy container that it comes in. The wand can only go straight down into the container and loads of product is left stuck in on the sides and at the bottom. It obviously hasn't kept us from buying it though.

When we were on our trip last month, (yes, still talkin' about BlogWorld in Vegas), BigSis showed me her little jar FULL of potion that she managed to get out of her ‘what appeared to be' empty UDPP bottle. She had seen “the hacking” mentioned on some beauty blogs after she bought the product so she knew there was precious potion hiding in the container. And luckily, she shared that with all of us.

If I hadn't known about that, I would have tossed my “seemingly empty” bottle in the trash once I couldn't get any more to come out on the wand. And after you see what's left in this container, you won't want to throw yours away either until after you hack into it.

I never did ask what she used to hack into her bottle but I decided that this should do the trick!

Here's my unsuspecting little container!

Not much potion on this wand.

I was going to cut the bottle lengthwise but I decided that might be a good way to end up the ER, so I started by cutting off the top.

The plastic was actually much easier to cut than I thought it would be.

Just look at all the precious potion hiding in here!

Look closer.

Score!

Can't stop now, I'm on a roll!

And look how much was stuck at the bottom.

It was a messy job, but…

time well spent!

Voila!!

(Note: My Primer Potion is the Sin Primer and it does come in a different bottle than the original PP so it is possible that this container is made from a different plastic. I have heard that the original bottle may be tougher to cut into!)

One final note, I noticed on Urban Decays website, they mention that the Primer Potion now comes with a new wand. Here's what it looks like.

Hopefully this new wand will be of some help getting the primer potion out of the sides but it would have to also be longer to prevent all the waste at the bottom. I guess we'll find out once we run out of our stash and have to buy a new one.

~LilSis

November 12, 2009

Urban Decay 24/7 Sets

You know what I love more than my new Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils? Give up? Okay, I'll tell ya. It's my new Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner.

I'm so glad this eyeliner was included in my 24/7 Set because otherwise I never would have tried it. The set I bought came with the Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy and I love it! 🙂

The sets come in two choices, either the Stereophonic or the Hi-Fi, and both are a great bargain at $29.00. Each comes with four 24/7 eye pencils and one Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner.

I was on the phone with BigSis while I was in Ulta shopping last month before our Vegas trip.  I remembered her telling me that she loved her Urban Decay eye pencils, so when I stumbled upon the display of these sets, I asked her about them and she said they were the same pencils!

These eye pencils are unbelievable. Not only do they go on really creamy, but they are also waterproof and stay on all day! I'm so glad that I picked up one of the sets.  I love every single color that came in my set.

The Hi-Fi set includes the new shade, Mildew, a deep green, which is exclusive to this set. The set also includes Zero (black), Flipside (teal), 1999 (plum), and the Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Distortion, an iridescent sparkle.

I picked the Stereophonic set that features the new shade, Crash, which is a rich eggplant color that is exclusive to this set. This set also includes Zero (black), Underground (metallic taupe), and Gunmetal (dark gray like it sounds). And my favorite item in this special set is the Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy, a beige sparkler.

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner

I think the main reason that I even tried this eyeliner is because we were in Vegas and I thought it would be something new and fun to try! And, I haven't stopped using it since. It's really easy to apply with a tiny, precise brush so you can apply as much or as little as you like. Just a little line of this over the 24/7 eye pencil adds just the right amount of glitter! You can even add a dab to the inner corner of your eye for a real pop!

The Heavy Metal Glitter eyeliner comes in over ten amazing shades! These usually retail for $18.00 each so getting one in this set with four eye pencils for only $29.00 is a real deal!

If you have someone on your Christmas list that loves trying new things with eye makeup, one of these Urban Decay sets would make a perfect gift, for under $30.00.

And, believe it or not, just a little glitter does make a girl really happy! 🙂

~LilSis

June 22, 2009

BigSis has talked about how much she loves the Urban Decay Primer Potion. Okay, she actually raves about how well this product helps her eyeshadow stay on all day. I've been pretty happy with my MAC Prep + Prime and have just never gotten around to buying the Primer Potion.

I LOVE shimmery, frosty shadows on my lids, so when I read these great reviews on Sephora about the new Urban Decay Primer Potion-Sin, I knew that I had to try it.

The shimmering champagne hue in this product really compliments the frosty MAC shadows that I love to wear on my lids. I love it under Grand Entrance, Wintersky, and French Cuff, but don't rush out to buy any of those colors because they're all discontinued. Dang it! I don't know what I'm going to do when I run out of those colors. I guess I'll have to visit the MAC counter and find some new favorites.

Back to the Primer Potion. Not only does it make the shadows stay on the entire day, but it adds just a little extra shimmer. This is even pretty worn alone for just a little tint or under your brow for a little highlighter.

You know we both LOVE our MAC shadows and they are definitely great on their own and do stay on for most of the day. But, if you need just a little extra assurance that your shadow will last from morning to night, give this Urban Decay Primer Potion a try, either the original if you want a clear primer, or in Sin for some shimmer.

I think you'll agree that this product really does make a difference.

~LilSis