June 18, 2018

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette Review & Swatches

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.
4 stars out of 5

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette review and swatches

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette ($49) is a new 21-pan eyeshadow palette that the brand is releasing this week for Summer 2018 but the shades do have a very Fall 2018 feel since these are such a warm, rich selection of colors. I think the shade range is pretty intentional as although the release is happening towards the end of June it’s still likely to be heavily promoted into the Fall.

The palette is inspired by travel with a gorgeous photograph design featuring different locations across the globe and a map that decorates the inside of the box it comes in. Not only are the shades inspired by different travel adventures and locations but the palette itself was designed to be your one and done travel companion so you can have 21 shades in one easy spot when you’re heading off to your next big adventure in life.

When I first saw the palette it looked really huge to me. I think the rectangle design rather than the square shape Urban Decay typically uses makes it look like a bigger palette than any of my others from the brand. I was actually expecting a cardboard palette but it’s made out of plastic with a really huge mirror inside but no eyeliner or brush included which I have to admit I sort of missed a little.

I think most people will agree the shade range is like mix of a lot of colors we already have from Naked Heat, Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance, and others. For the most part some of the richer berries and burnt oranges will instantly have you thinking of Modern Renaissance for sure but there’s actually a way wider assortment of shades here.

I was a little concerned when I first saw the promo images as it really looks like a mismatch of shades but once I got it in my hands that wariness instantly disappeared and I felt a little more confidence about the looks I could create using it. One thing is for sure, it’s not exactly a beginner eyeshadow palette by any means.

The palette contains a mix of satin, shimmer, and matte shades but no micro-glitter shades so there was very little fall out to worry about. It’s also a solid selection of transitional, base, and contrasting shades which can be used to create a solid look. As I mentioned above I was concerned I’d struggle creating a look but once I started working with I realized how easily the shades worked together.

The shades were all very richly pigmented and applied easily with very little fall out and blended quite well without going muddy when used together. I did struggle a little with Still Shot and Weekender which felt a bit drier and applied patchier on my already dry lids but the other shades were all beautifully soft and easy to apply especially the satiny shimmers which had a velvety, buttery texture.

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette Swatches (Breakaway, Stranded, Blaze, Weekender, Still Shot)

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette Swatches (Double Life, Jet, Drift, Radio, Big Sky)

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette Swatches (Riff, Good as Gone, Hell Ride, Baja, Accelerate)

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette Swatches (Guilt Trip, Ignite, Smog, Wanderlust, Wildheart)

I’m a little surprised. I really thought I’d come out of testing the Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette by ranting about how difficult it was to use. It looks a bit overwhelming at a glance with too many darker shades. But it somehow won me over and I think it’ll be an essential part of my Fall wardrobe. Sadly, I do think it isn’t a perfect pick for people who already have a ton of different eyeshadow palettes to choose from as the shade range isn’t terribly unique. There’s a lot of shades here that are easily duped across a few palettes you likely already own. But on the upside you might be inclined to haul this one and have it available as a travel palette as it was meant to be and created for. I’ll have some looks for you using the palette shortly!

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette launched tomorrow.

Sephora Ulta Nordstrom

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette is a 21-pan eyeshadow palette releasing for Summer/Fall 2018 that includes a selection of warm and jewel-toned shades. I was a little concerned about this one as it looked like an overwhelming selection of darker, richer shades but I was able to easily create some very pretty looks using it. It has a nice selection of shades that should transition well from Summer into the Fall season with plenty of pigment, a velvety texture, and very little fall out or chunky glitter issues.

Pros

  • Perfect for anyone wanting a good transitional eyeshadow palette that will get them through Summer and into Fall.
  • Anyone wanting a palette that contains a huge selection of shades for travel.
  • Quite affordable at $49 for 21 richly pigmented shades.

Cons

  • A little overwhelming for beginners to eyeshadow pairing, application, and blending.
  • A lot of shades are easily duped if you already own a good deal of eyeshadow singles or palettes.

Who

Urban Decay Born to Run Eyeshadow Palette is a very, very easy pick up for fans of the brand’s shadow formula. This palette didn’t disappointing in terms of pigment, texture, formula, and blendability. You’re getting 21 very richly pigmented shade with only two shades

This was provided to me by a brand for review and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post but all opinions are my own.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Kish

    Hmmm I thought I really wanted this, but now that I’ve seen your swatches I realize that it has too many orange/pink shades for my taste. I’d probably use three of the colors. And I have more than enough palettes.

  • Cil

    I already have dupes for all of these colors in UD Naked Heat, The Balm Nude beach and Matte shmaker, my beloved Modern Renaissance, Shayla’s colourpop palette and colourpop singles. So, it is a.pass for me.

    Actually, I’d recommend it to beginners as it has a good shade variety and they won’t spend money in several palettes. Later, if they feel so, they can buy other palettes or singles. Pairing can be learned from tutorials in the internet.

  • Maritza

    I am glad you like it. Nothing original or new tho. I am a warm tone person and have plenty similar colours.
    I lately been wondering if we hsve reach a point of saturation where “newness” is long gone and its just a repromote of the same things. Only thing that excites me now is finding my perfect foundation

  • Lorraine ER

    The review I’ve been waiting for! I was worried I’d have too many similar shades too but seeing this, I don’t think so. It’s a beautiful palette & It’s a decent price considering the naked palettes cost almost the same amount.

  • Jujubes

    Thank you for your review! The colors are nice but I am with you, why didn’t they include a brush if it’s meant for travel? It would have been a more thoughtful inclusion. I do like the blue shades but I already have most of these shades from different palettes, so maybe(since UD palettes go on sale sooooo quickly) when the price gets lower I’ll pick one up. 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      my pleasure! I know right!? I thought the same thing! It would have been nice! I do too! A lot of them are I have as singles or in other palettes so it isn’t quite a unique round up!

  • Carol G

    I really want this but for some reason I have not pulled the trigger yet. You’re the first person to state that the majority of the shades are new. That helps a lot. I was under the impression that most were from their singles line, since it says “of the moment shades”. Why wouldn’t they market it that 16 of the 21 shades are new? Anyway, I have points at Ulta and I could get this free but it is weird, something is holding me back…I think my fear is that it will go on sale in the near future even though it is permanent. However, we’ve seen some UD palettes go on sale recently (like the Heavy Metals one). Idk, I don’t NEED this, but I sure do love my UD. I guess maybe a trip to the store will help me decide. See it in person, ya know? 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      I’ve actually removed what I said because I’m a little confused about the repromte vs the perm shades. It seems like some are repromoted from past palettes (five) but some are single shades. Please correct me if I’m wrong ;-D I agree about sales, it’s hard to really pin down something because you never know if it’ll pop up on sale at any minute!

  • Jay

    I hate to say this, but I want it for the packaging, think it’s gorgeeeous! I’ve travelled a lot and I reckon it’d be the cutest palette to take with me wherever I go.

  • Lori P

    I just got this and have been doing looks with it this week. So far I am loving it and I agree about the travel portion because I’m taking this palette with me on a weekend trip to Dallas I’m taking in September.

  • genevieve

    I think this is one of the better larger palettes that UD has bought out in awhile and it restores my makeup faith in them. It contains an excellent range of shades that will work well with all complexions and with palettes this size there are always a couple of shades you can experiment with if you don’t normally wear those colours.
    Thank you for the review Muse.

  • Susan

    Do you think each column of three shades makes a nice, coherent look? Thanks for the review and swatches!

  • Kay

    100% agree with the disappointment about no included brush. This seems to be a trend with UD lately and I’m not really loving it. I know it’s a bit grabby but I find them so useful to have in there, especially for palettes I take on holiday! That aside I really do like the look of this palette so I think I’ll probably pick it up soon.

    Thanks for another great review 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      Aw my pleasure Kay and I feel your pain! I like having a brush included too so I can just grab and go! Makes for easy travel!

  • Michelle Luna

    I first though, from the swatch arms I saw earlier of this, that I’d like maybe 5 of the shades, but after seeing your way more realistic swatches I only like Drift and Radio, and I’m 99.9 I have a dupe for Radio somewhere. Easy pass. Thanks for saving me!