Why The Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick Is The Adonis Creed Of Matte Lip Colors

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While I can’t wait to share all the brand new launches from Urban Decay with all of you lovelies, I first need to do a mega- super-duper rewind and chat about a recent (albeit not brand spanking new) release that changed my world — or, at the very least, elevated my lip game to new heights. As most of you know, the SWV gals might have gotten weak in the knees over a dude, but I get light-headed and sweaty-palmed over a richly pigmented matte lipstick in a bold color that makes a Jackson Pollock-worthy splash. For this reason, I swooned over Urban Decay’s range of Matte Revolution Lipsticks ($22 each at UrbanDecay.com and Sephora.com), which were introduced last summer. Since then, more and more brands have released a growing number of long-wearing, non-drying, highly pigmented, matte lipstick formulas, but few have reached the Bolivar-esque heights of the Urban Decay lipsticks (and yes, that’s a completely over-the-top reference to Simón Bolivar because, well, I’m prone to theatrics).

Thus far, I’ve had the opportunity to try out five of the lipstick hues (11 shades were offered upon launch), and each is a star in its own right.

First, before we dive into color swatches, allow me to make a few notes regarding the packaging and formula. One of the reasons behind my devotion to Urban Decay is its attention to detail: the team really pays attention to all the minutiae when designing a product and, as a result, nothing feels unintentional or haphazard. Each Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick, for instance, is packaged in a pearlescent black tube as opposed to the gunmetal-toned tubes of its non-matte peers. When customers are shopping for these at Sephora, then, they can rest assured that they’re buying a lipstick with the desired finish simply by looking at the color of the tube.

The formula, meanwhile, is close to perfection. Each Matte Revolution Lipstick features the Pigment Infusion System that gives Urban Decay lip products their creamy texture, intense color pay-off, even color distribution, and bewilderingly long wear. Whereas matte lipsticks have often gotten a bad rap for drying lips out, these incorporate moisturizing, soothing, and conditioning ingredients like shea butter; illipe butter (derived from Malaysian illipe trees); a blend of jojoba, avocado, and babassu oils; and vitamins C and E. In other words, your lips will feel comforted while being carpeted with striking, come-hither color.

On to the swatches! Below, you’ll find swatches of three UD Matte Revolution lipstick shades: Matte Stark Naked, a medium, almost toffee-like nude that’s not too pink or too yellow, falling right into that sweet neutral spot; Matte Tilt, a high-wattage blood orange hue; and Matte Bittersweet, a bold, bright orchid purple.

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Next, check out swatches of the UD Matte Revolution Lipstick in Matte Menace, a bold punk-y fuchsia, and Matte Afterdark, a deep aubergine shade:

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As you can see, a simple swipe of the lipstick will offer full coverage and the colors are dynamic and intrepid. And, while they do have a matte finish, they don’t register as flat or one-dimensional but, instead, pack an even more forceful wallop in the audacity department.

In other words, this is the Adonis Creed of matte lipsticks!

Here, check out a few instances in which I rocked some of these shades (there are about a thousand more that I didn’t properly document since I rock these quite often!), but these should give you a sense of how they look when applied to lips.

First, here’s me wearing the Matte Menace shade:

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