Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Long-Lasting Water-Resistant Lip Topcoat Review

Bold lip trends have been making a big comeback and I’m not just talking about unusual colors like blue, green and black. Some beauty gurus are taking it a step further by painting intricate water-color murals, adding a vertical strip of color to the bottom lip and even dousing their pout in glitter. Unfortunately we aren’t all blessed with an artistic talent for drawing but you can achieve Instagram-worthy lips in seconds with the new top coats from UD.

These dazzling special effects transform any lip color from beautiful to beyond and they work over cream, metallic and matte finishes. There are 12 glitter and shimmer shades available in clear tubes so you can see the color inside and they come with a flexible brush applicator that helps the formula glide on smoothly for mess free coverage.

Left to right - Circuit (smokey green with iridescent sparkle) and I got 2 in the shade Ritual (smokey blue-grey with 3D sparkle)

Swatched on their own the topcoats are sheer with multidimensional light reflecting particles but blended over lipstick the sheerness is filled out by the color of your lipstick creating a fluid wash of beautiful shimmer. To create a radiant highlight with a mesmerizing two-tone effect - apply the top coat to the center of the lips and when you want to amp-up the glam, glide it on all over.

At first the texture feels like a wet gel but it dries quickly with no sticky residue and creates a water-resistant barrier that seals in the color underneath and prevents it from moving around for longer wear. I also like that it doesn’t feel gritty or uncomfortable and you can layer it to enhance the intensity in specific areas. The glitter can be retouched throughout the day but to reapply the entire look (lipstick and all) it’s best to wipe everything off completely (tip: use the UD Makeup Remover Oil Stick to quickly cleanse the lips) and start over.

Monarchy (bright purple sparkle), reverb (purple with pink-gold sparkle) and Regulate (medium purple glitter)

The formula is enriched with marine filling spheres (aka collagen) for moisture and skin smoothing properties. You may experience a mild tingling sensation upon application as the special effects begin to lock-in and dry but this shouldn’t last very long.

Litter (iridescent glitter), Copycat (bright pink glitter) and Bruja (berry with gold pearl)

Although the topcoats can be used with any brand they match very well with the Vice Lipsticks. If you are unsure how to match them start by pairing each shade with a lipstick that has a similar undertone like red, purple, pink or green hues for a uniform look. When you’re ready for something more dramatic, try mixing colors that don’t quite match but still complement each other like pink with red or blue with green – the possibilities are endless!

Left to right: Regulate, Bruja layered over matte res lipstick, Monarchy over matte purple, Reverb, Copycat, Circuit, Ritual over deep indigo lipstick and Litter

The top coats retail for $21.00 each at Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart, UD freestanding stores and online at urbandecay.ca.