Urban Decay Litter, White Lie, 3rd Degree Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoats

Litter

Urban Decay Litter Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoat ($18.00 for 0.16 fl. oz.) is has a clear base with micro-glitter that reflects between pink, lavender, and green. It was very subtle on bare lips, and as there was not much base color or finish, it looked like haphazardly applied glitter on its own, but the dry down emphasized the texture of my lips. On its own, it only lasted for an hour or less. When layered, it added subtle bits of glitter on the lips but seemed to go on a bit more evenly. The layering did seem to create patchiness and “split” the underlying lipstick along my lip lines, though.

The brand describes the formula as a “shade-shifting topcoat” that can be used over their “cream, metallized, and matte shades” of Vice Lipstick or any of the Vice Liquid Lipsticks, but–wait for it–“or wear these shades alone.” They’re supposed to be a “comfortable, gel-cream formula that dries down quickly and provides long-lasting wear that never feels sticky” while also creating a “water-resistant barrier that seals in the color underneath.” The brand also warns that your lips might “feel tingly just after applying.”

As a topcoat, I think they perform the best; it can be hit or miss depending on the underlying shade, and some topcoats are more versatile than others (sheerer ones tended to work well with anything, more opaque ones could be hard to apply). I did not feel like they truly locked the underlying lipstick in, as they transferred and still lasted about as long as the lipstick did on its own. I also felt that it was lightly tacky, and it varied, but a few shades would lift color in places. The tingling effect was least pronounced when layered. In general, layering over very light shades was often where they missed and any unevenness became much more visible.

On their own, they often struggled to go on evenly. The application over bare lips was similar to trying to apply some of the darker topcoats over very light or dissimilar colors, which just made any application shortcomings highly visible (compared to say, blue shimmer over a blue lipstick). They had a very strong, lingering tingle where my lips felt like they do after being numbed (like from the dentist)–almost too big, swollen, and a mixture of tingling, cooling, burning. This effect lasted between two to three minutes before subsiding. I wouldn’t say it’s water-resistant, as it seemed to transfer after drinking water, but if I did not drink anything, it was fairly transfer-proof. The wear has been between two and four hours and drying.

The packaging on these doesn’t make sense to me; they have a very thin, brush-type applicator that is terrible for spreading product across the lips, but the formula was often sheerer so getting crisp lines with the included applicator seemed like an exercise in futility. I think a squeeze-tube or more typical doe-foot applicator would have worked here, but I like the idea of a squeeze tube, which would “force” one to use a separate applicator would make more sense, as using it directly on top of another lipstick would result in lipstick transfer to the wand and back into the tube.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

NYX Stone Cold (P, $6.00) is more shimmery, more pigmented (85% similar).
MAC Pearly One (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery, more pigmented (85% similar).

Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoat Litter

Litter

Temptalia

D+

Permanent

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

67%

Total

White Lie

Urban Decay White Lie Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoat ($18.00 for 0.16 fl. oz.) is a sheer base with teal, lavender, copper, and lavender flecks of shimmer and glitter. On its own, it applied with a chunkier, more uneven (in terms of texture) finish. It was decently wearable by itself, though it wasn’t the most comfortable product to wear–sort of tacky and felt like cling-wrap on the lips. This shade was one of the easier ones to layer over various lip products, as the lighter base made it workable with many other shades. On its own, it lasted for three hours.

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

MAC Pearly One (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery, more pigmented (90% similar).
NYX Stone Cold (P, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter, more pigmented (85% similar).

Urban Decay Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoat White Lie

White Lie

Temptalia

C+

Permanent

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

7.5

Longevity

Application

77%

Total

3rd Degree

Urban Decay 3rd Degree Vice Special Effects Lip Topcoat ($18.00 for 0.16 fl. oz.) is a muted, light-medium gold with larger and finer gold shimmer particles. It had semi-shere coverage on the lips, and it applied decently–it was not the most even application, and it did emphasize the natural texture of my lips, but it was better than most in the range. On its own, it lasted for three hours, clung to lips, and was a bit drying. When I tried layering it, the product seemed to work well over several types of textures/colors, so it was more versatile than some shades in the range.