Vice, Vice, Baby — Urban Decay’s Sinfully Delicious Vice Lipstick Collection

Last summer, I was quoted in a Cosmopolitan.com piece about Urban Decay superfans (guilty as charged), so it’s no surprise that, after just a taste of the brand’s new Vice Lipstick collection, this UD junkie was coming back for more. Frankly, I didn’t even think Urban Decay had to rethink or reformulate its lipsticks — if anything, I’d always praised their pigment pay-off, hydrating properties, comfortable texture, full coverage, adventurous shade options, and overall longevity — so I was a bit confused as to why the brand had decided to scratch its Revolution and Matte Revolution lipsticks and introduce a whole new range of lip colors. Nevertheless, the more I heard about the Vice Lipstick collection, the more my anticipation heightened. And then came the big reveal: UD had launched a massive collection consisting of 100 shades, ranging from fiery red and demure nude offerings to bright purple, navy blue, and carbon black hues. Moreover, the Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks (which retail for $17 each at UrbanDecay.com and Sephora.com) came in a variety of finishes: Sheer, Metallized, Cream, Comfort Matte, Mega Matte, or Sheer Shimmer. To my delight, many of the shades I’d come to love over the years were reintroduced via the Vice collection — among them Anarchy, Jilted, Gash, Tilt, Rock Steady, Bang, Rapture, and Mrs. Mia Wallace — so that nothing was lost, and everything was gained. What exactly was gained? Well, Urban Decay fans can now continue to stock up on the lipstick shades they adored before while exploring new colors and finishes. Also, the Vice lipsticks are even more hydrating and comfortable on the pout than their already stellar predecessors thanks to a blend of aloe vera, jojoba, avocado, babassu oil, illipe butter, and vitamins C and E.

Below, you’ll find swatches of three of the shades I first tested out: Tantric, Backtalk, and 714. Those of you who are as hooked on Urban Decay as I am probably remember that the 714 shade was introduced as part of last year’s Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani collection, and I was b-a-n-a-n-a-s over the color back then so I was ecstatic to find that it had earned its place among the permanent collection. The Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in 714, then, has a mega matte finish so that it’s incredibly intense and the color is this striking, ring-the-alarm red with warm undertones that makes me think of old-school, 1970s Pontiac Firebird cars. The Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Backtalk, meanwhile, is one of my new favorites since it’s one of those wear-with-anything shades that you can use daily. Because I’m so fair-skinned, nude lipsticks tend to wash me out completely (unless, that is, I’m doing an elaborate smoky eye that balances things out) so, on low-key days when I’m not wearing a ton of makeup, I tend to prefer a light pink shade with mauve undertones — and that’s precisely the color zone in which Backtalk belongs.  As you’ll see in the swatch below, Backtalk is a mauve-nude pink shade, and it’s got a Comfort Matte finish, so that it’s still got a touch of sheen, but it’s still incredibly saturated with pigment. Last, I tried the Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Tantric (available exclusively at Sephora), a sheer golden, peach-y, nude shade that delivers just a hint of luminous color. Admittedly, I’d probably never wear Tantric unless my lips were fully lined with a matching lip pencil or I was layering the lipstick above a more intense and opaque hue, but I’m not a sheer lipstick kind of gal. If that’s your jam, however, you’ll likely appreciate its subtlety.

Next, check out two more hues I’ve been playing with: Crash, a neon orange with a Mega Matte finish, and Wrath, a metallic ruby red with a Metallized finish. Both are available exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com, and they’re dramatic in the best possible way. I actually found myself adoring the Metallized finish of the Wrath lipstick, which surprised me since I don’t tend to love lip colors with a lot of shimmer. Urban Decay, however, found a way to create a lip color with a metallic finish and incorporate some sparkle without making it look overly juvenile.

Next up, check out some pics in which I’m wearing these Vice Lipstick colors, so you can get a sense of how they look on lips!

Here I am wearing the Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Wrath:

Next, here are some pics in which I’m wearing the Backtalk hue:

Last but not least, here I am wearing the 714 shade during a recent “Studio 512” appearance:

Will I be stockpiling more shades? Absolutely! Turns out the Urban Decay Vice collection was aptly dubbed since it’s quickly becoming me new vice — but, hey, it certainly beets gambling or boozing, right?