BACKTALK: Palette Review

I recently got my hands on Urban Decays Backtalk Palette after months of lusting over it online. I absolutely adore pinks and berry colours so as soon I saw it, I knew I had to have it. Different to the rose gold Naked 3 Palette, this one encompasses dusty rose pinks, mauve’s and delicious berry colours all inspired by the cult lipstick of the same name.

The palette includes 8 eye-shadows, two blushes and two highlighters, separated by a huge removable mirror. Backtalk is suppose to be the ultimate all-in-one for those who love a monochromatic look.

First Impression:

When I first tested this in store I wasn’t impressed. The colours were had very little pigmentation and felt chalky. I felt like I really had to scrub the pan to get a good swatch.  The blushes and highlighters fared better but I still was left feeling a little let down by one of my favourite makeup brands. I decided to give the palette the benefit of the doubt and buy it anyway. The colours are gorgeous and are in season for winter in Australia. Urban Decay has branched out with this palette and that’s what makes it interesting to me.

Packaging:

To be 100 percent honest, I am not a fan of the packaging on this palette. The graphic design is creative and ties in nicely with the colours but that’s the only thing I like. As an all-in-one it’s very bulky and I don’t see myself ever reaching for it to chuck in an overnight bag unless I know I want to use it.  It also has a cardboard feel to it which I also don’t like, it feels soft and breakable.

The mirror inside is a decent size but after using the palette I found it frustrating. I ended pulling it out so it would stop sliding around and falling out when I picked up the palette.

Colours:

 The nudes had little pigmentation and barely showed up when swatched or applied on the eyelid. They would be good to use as transition shades or for a very light colour on the lids. WTF and 180 are beautiful browns that would create an effective smoky eye for a night look. My personal favourites are Backtalk, Shade and Attitude. Backtalk can be used for a subtle day look before using Attitude to transform your look into something darker and more glamorous.

The formula of this palette wasn’t the best. I found some of the darker shades are hard to blend while the nudes had to be really packed on for them to be noticeable. The blushes and highlighters also feel chalky to use and have little pigment. For are more intense look you  really pack on the colour and blend.

The blushes look very dark on my face but the colours are lovely and would probably look amazing on someone else. The highlights are also pretty; Low Key is a light pink for those that like a subtle look while Party Foul is a champagne with that produces a brighter glow on the skin.

 

Overall the colour scheme is beautiful but the product itself wasn’t up to the usual Urban Decay standard. I found the colours looked different on when compared to how they looked in the pan and when they were swatched. I also found they didn’t last all day like promised, but using an eye primer may help. That’s an experiment for another day.

Overall:

As one of my favourite makeup brands I expected a better product from Urban Decay. Some of the reviews on the palette agree with me while others absolutely adore Backtalk so it comes down to personal preference. I was so incredibly excited to buy this, so I felt let down when I finally got my hands on it.  It took a little while to begin to enjoy the palette and use it more.  I know I’ll reach for this when I’m in the mood for a pink based natural look or willing to spend the time to really build and blend.

Bang for buck: 6/10