Now, please don’t get comfortable with the fact that I’ve posted two days in a row because, well, I’m not a daily poster. I used to actually write for a living so I learned the hard way, how to balance out my schedule.
The previous post was unisex – as will be many – so that both men and women can read this blog but I figured with this blog just starting out and with a makeup picture at the top, I should do a girly post but men are still more than welcome to read!
You Live In One Of The ‘Stans? UNAVAILABLE!
My first makeup post is a problem that I’ve run into here that has to do with one of my favorite makeups: Urban Decay – even though there is not a huge selection like you would see at Mac or Sephora, I still miss it. My problem is that this stuff is not sold here and unlike Mac, where you have to pay half of your salary for a 
SINGLE concealer, this product is not found anywhere!
While Urban Decay is not available in this region unless someone from the States or another available country gifts you with it, they have allowed people from all over the world to steal their face makeup looks! How much fun is that?
Before you think you can’t achieve most of these looks, I’ve done my research – and shopping – and the products needed to achieve the looks ARE here!
I’ve looked through most stores and most colors can be found in Pakistan, especially colored eyeliners (people cannot do without their black eyeliner here, so I’ve learned – so applying some color will be a cinch), blushes, eye-shadows and lipsticks. Believe me, I have visited many, many, stores to find decent makeup at a decent price and I have found a few great places.
Something I have n
oticed here is that Pakistanis are naturally beautiful! They have those large eyes with thick, luscious lashes, full lips and long, dark beautiful hair – all of the traits we, Americans, try so hard to make with makeup in the States.
Because of this natural beauty (no, not jealous at all, nope!), mascara is rarely used and unless you’re going somewhere like a party, dinner or event, the basic look is eyeliner and a some kind of nude lip gloss. Then again, this goes with culture and style that’s been worn year after year – much the way Americans wear shorts and tank tops.
When I have done women’s makeup over here with colors on their eyes and blush on their cheeks, they are truly amazed at how much brighter their eyes pop and stand out or how high their cheekbones actually are!
How To Make It Available To You!
What inspired me to blog about this is that one third of my trio, Sanam, never wore makeup too often in the beginning (the whole natural beauty thing) and then BAM! – all of the sudden, she had the Urban Decay Naked Palette!
I didn’t know whether to knock her unconscious and run out of her house with it or just admire from afar. So I did what any great friend would do and clonked her in the back of the head. Nooooooo, just kidding! That didn’t happen until she got Urban Decay Naked Palette 2 – again just kidding.
Truthfully, I told her how much I’ve been missing certain makeup products and we’ve spent a lot of time talking about how she actually has to wait for someone to leave the country, give them the money and bring it back.
After another palette and a few Sigma brushes later (not to mention my constant ooooo’s and ahhhhh’s) she realized that there had to be a better way to do this which is why she has now opened a page on Facebook called Cosmic Fashion. She will be a guest blogger soon, herself, to explain it in more detail but to sum it up, she is basically bringing back the 
limited amounts she gets to sell these brands and more to you at the price she spent.
It still may seem a high price for makeup but it’s not because A) they are unavailable here; and B) they are full palettes that can last from 6 month’s to a year depending on how much you use it or not. It’s worth way more than the price that they’re being sold here. I’ve even said so to her but the sweetie she is, said that it wasn’t her point to make money off of it but to bring something that people like me and many others want but cannot get.
How can someone like that not be one of my closest friends?
Makeup is magic!
I want people to learn how makeup can bring out your best features without hiding behind the makeup, not limiting only to Pakistanis but all over the Middle East and Southeast Asia (or if I’ve left a place out, feel free to correct me in the comments section!).
So without further ado, here is the only gift that Urban Decay has been able to give us so far to begin experimenting with different makeups and thinking outside of the box!
If you try these looks (even those who have their own take on the looks) and would like to share them with others, just send them to me at toucheglamour@live.com and I’ll post them in the Gallery!
* First, I am still new with some of the updates so please excuse the extra pictures at the bottom of the gallery. Second, I’ve tried hyperlinking these pics straight to each picture’s page but it’s not saving so you can find all these looks with a quick illustration by clicking: Urban Decay – Steal Our Look
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- 15 Year Anniversary
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- 15 Year Collection
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- Afterglow Bang
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- Afterglow Crush
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- Brown Smokey Eye
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- Cat Eye
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- Clash
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- Crystallized
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- Lip Love
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- Lush Lash
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- Mercury
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- Mermaid Eye
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- Midnight Emermgency
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- Monochrome
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- Naked
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- Neutral + Color
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- No-Makeup Nude
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- Purple Cat
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- Roller Girl
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- Signature UD
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- Sire
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- Smoke Out
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- Smoked Out
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- Smokey With Color
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- Starlight
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- Supercurl
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- Urban Bride
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- Urbanbrow
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- Vamped Glitter
As a foreigner, I honestly believe these cosmetic industries would bank off of at least supplying by delivery to unavailable countries since these are considered luxuries. I understand in some cases why they don’t but I still think they’re sitting on a gold mine and don’t realize how fast their products would be bought!
What do you think?
Related articles
- Was Urban Decay’s Decision on China a Publicity Stunt? (piercemattiepublicrelations.com)
Touche` Glamour 