Urban Decay (cosmetics)
{{short description|American cosmetics line}}
{{About|the American cosmetics line|the sociological process affecting cities|Urban decay}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Urban Decay
| logo = Urban Decay logo.svg
| type = Subsidiary
| foundation = {{start date and age|1996}}
| founder = Pat Holmes, Sandy Lerner, Wende Zomnir and David Soward
| key_people = {{ubl|class=nowrap
|{{nowrap|Tim Warner, CEO}}
|{{nowrap|Wende Zomnir, CCO}}}}
| location_city = Newport Beach, California
| location_country = United States
| area_served = Worldwide
| industry = Cosmetics
| parent = L'Oréal
| products = Cosmetics and beauty products
|homepage = [https://www.urbandecay.com/ urbandecay.com]
}}
Urban Decay, an American cosmetics brand headquartered in Newport Beach, California, is a subsidiary of French cosmetics company L'Oréal.{{cite news|last1=Daneshkhu|first1=Scheherazade|title=L'Oréal buys Urban Decay cosmetics brand|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5427f052-37b2-11e2-8edf-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3LNDCLCYT|access-date=9 December 2014|publisher=The Financial Times|date=26 November 2012}}
Current products include lip, eye, complexion and body products.{{cite news|title=Urban Decay|url=http://makeup.lovetoknow.com/Urban_Decay|access-date=9 March 2015}} They are best known for their Naked collection, which includes 12 different eye shadow palettes. Its target market is women, although it is not limited to this range, and is also designed to appeal to customers who wish to purchase cruelty-free makeup.{{cite web|title=Urban Decay - Love to know|url=http://makeup.lovetoknow.com/Urban_Decay}} Its products are sold at large department stores in the United States, such as Macy's, Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, and from the official website,{{Cite web|title = Store Locator {{!}} Urban Decay|url = http://www.urbandecay.com/storelocator|website = www.urbandecay.com|access-date = 2015-11-03}}{{Cite web|title = Urban Decay Makeup {{!}} Nordstrom|url = http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/urban-decay-makeup|website = Nordstrom|access-date = 2015-11-03}} as well as in several other countries such as Mexico and Germany.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}
History
File:Wikimania Mexico City 20.07.2015 10-15-44.JPG]]
Pink, red, and beige tones dominated the beauty industry palette until the mid-1990s.{{Cite web|title = About Us {{!}} Urban Decay|url = http://www.urbandecay.com/aboutus/about-us.html|website = www.urbandecay.com|access-date = 2015-09-18}} In 1995, Sandy Lerner, a co-founder of Cisco Systems, and Patricia Holmes were at Lerner's mansion outside London when Holmes mixed raspberry and black to form a new color. Then, they decided to form a cosmetics company, which they named Urban Decay.Holmes v. Lerner, 74 Cal. App. 4th 442 (1999) Launched in January 1996, it offered a line of ten lipsticks and 12 nail polishes. Their color palette was inspired by the urban landscape, with names such as Roach, Smog, Rust, Oil Slick, and Acid Rain."ABOUT US." Our History. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014
In 2000, Moet-Hennessy Louis Vuitton (a diversified luxury goods group) purchased Urban Decay.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/nov/26/loreal-buys-urban-decay|title=L'Oréal strikes deal to buy Urban Decay|last=Moulds|first=Josephine|date=2012-11-26|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-08-29|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In 2002, the Falic Group (owners of the Perry Ellis fragrance lines) purchased Urban Decay. In 2009, Castanea Partners (a private equity firm) acquired Urban Decay.Castanea Partners Announces Investment in Urban Decay. Reuters (2009-03-30). Retrieved on 2011-09-28 On 26 November 2012, L'Oréal announced it would purchase Urban Decay Cosmetics."L'Oréal: News Release: "L'Oréal signs an agreement to acquire Urban Decay"". EuroInvestor. Retrieved 26 November 2012 L'Oréal acquired the company in 2012. L'Oréal paid an estimated amount of $350 million for Urban Decay.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/fashion/oreal-buys-beauty-brand-urban-decay-article-1.1208049|title=L'Oréal buys beauty brand Urban Decay in a deal estimated at $300 to $400 million|date=2012-11-26|work=The Daily News|access-date=2019-08-29}}
In Spring 2015, Urban Decay expanded its social media presence with a Tumblr site, The Violet Underground. It features collaborations with young artists such as Baron Von Fancy.{{cite news|title= Baron Von Fancy: A Little Inspiration|url=http://urbandecay.tumblr.com/post/112143751838/baron-von-fancy-a-little-ud-inspiration-from-the/|access-date=10 March 2015|agency=The Violet Underground|date=26 February 2015}}
Ambassadors
Recent celebrity ambassadors for Urban Decay include Ruby Rose and Nicole Richie.{{Cite web|url=https://uk.fashionnetwork.com/news/nicole-richie-is-the-latest-brand-ambassador-for-urban-decay,865981.html|title=Nicole Richie is the latest brand ambassador for Urban Decay|website=Fashion Network|access-date=2020-08-02}} In June 2019, Urban Decay announced its new motto "Pretty Different" and named five global citizens as their brand ambassadors - Ezra Miller, Lizzo, Joey King, Karol G, and CL.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meet-urban-decays-global-citizens-300875806.html|title=Meet Urban Decay's Global Citizens|website=PR Newswire|access-date=2020-08-02}} A year later they announced three more ambassadors to promote their Naked Ultraviolet palette - Normani, G.E.M and Camila Mendes.{{Cite web|url=https://drugstorenews.com/urban-decay-rolls-out-new-naked-palette-global-citizens|title=Urban Decay rolls out new Naked Palette, Global Citizens|website=Drugstore News|access-date=2020-08-02}} In January 2021, the South Korean worldwide idol group Monsta X was announced as the brand's global ambassadors and the promotions will start in February.{{cite web|url=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=311&aid=0001254710|title=몬스타엑스, 글로벌 뷰티 브랜드 모델 발탁…명실상부 '대세 아이돌'|website=Xports News|via=Naver|language=ko|last=Choi|first=Hee-jae|date=January 19, 2021|access-date=January 19, 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/monsta-x-urban-decay|title=Monsta X Are The New Face of Urban Decay|website=Teen Vogue|last=Khan|first=Aamina|date=2021-01-25|access-date=2021-01-25|language=en}}
Collections
{{primary sources|date=July 2020}}
The Naked Collection was released initially with the Naked Palette, a set of 12 full-size eyeshadows in neutral, matte, and metallic earth tones and an eyeshadow brush from the company's signature synthetic brushes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/naked-palette-eyeshadow-by-urban-decay/245.html?cgid=14#start=9&cgid=14|title=Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette|website=Urban Decay|access-date=2016-04-20}}
The collection later expanded to include other eyeshadow palettes like Naked Basics, Naked 2,{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/s/urbandecay-us/naked-2-palette-by-urban-decay/604214916463.html|title=Urban Decay Naked2 Eyeshadow Palette|website=Urban Decay|access-date=2016-04-20}} Naked2 Basics,{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/naked-2-basics-palette-by-urban-decay/283.html?cgid=14#start=4&cgid=14|title=Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Eyeshadow Palette|website=Urban Decay|access-date=2016-04-20}} Naked 3,{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/s/urbandecay-us/naked-3-palette-by-urban-decay/604214919006.html|title=Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette|website=Urban Decay|access-date=2016-04-20}} Naked Smoky,{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/s/urbandecay-us/naked-smoky/3605970970116.html|title=Urban Decay Naked Smoky Eyeshadow Palette|website=Urban Decay|access-date=2016-04-20}} Naked Ultimate Basics,{{cite web|title=Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/s/urbandecay-us/naked-ultimate-basics-eyeshadow-palette-by-urban-decay/3605971263002.html|website=Urban Decay|access-date=30 September 2016}} Naked Heat, Naked Heat Petite, Naked Cherry, Naked Reloaded, Naked Honey, Naked Ultraviolet, Naked Cyber, Naked Metal Mania and Naked Wild West.{{cite web |title=Naked Reloaded |url=https://www.urbandecay.com/naked-reloaded |website=Urban Decay |publisher=Urban Decay Cosmetics |access-date=26 March 2019}} The collection also offers mini eyeshadow palettes like Naked Half-Baked, Naked Sin, and NakedFoxy. A sub-collection of the original Naked collection, Naked Complexion,{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/naked/naked-complexion|title=Free Shipping $50+ on Naked Skin Foundation & Beauty Balm From Urban Decay|website=www.urbandecay.com|access-date=2016-04-20}} includes other skin products like foundations, concealers, blushes, highlighters, bronzers and makeup tools to accompany them.
Urban Decay also features collections from collaborations with celebrities like Gwen Stefani.{{Cite web|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-urbandecay-us-Site/default/Page-ShowContentPage?fdid=uvedge-home|title=The Ultraviolet Edge {{!}} Urban Decay|website=www.urbandecay.com|access-date=2016-04-20}} The collaboration with Stefani is part of a larger female-empowerment initiative, The Ultraviolet Edge, that Urban Decay launched in order to reach a goal of donating $750,000 to organizations that benefit women in 2016.
In 2018 Urban Decay collaborated with beauty influencer Kristen Leanne, an advocate for cruelty-free cosmetics, to launch the UD × Kristen Leanne collection. The collection included two eyeshadow palettes, a single eyeshadow, lipsticks and a face palette.{{cite web |title=Urban Decay x Kristen Leanne |url=https://www.urbandecay.com/kristen-leanne-makeup-for-urban-decay |website=Urban Decay |publisher=Urban Decay Cosmetics |access-date=26 March 2019}}
The company also released two limited-edition eyeshadow palettes inspired by the live-action Disney films Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass.{{cite web|title=Urban Decay Alice Through the Looking Glass eyeshadow Palette|url=http://www.urbandecay.com/alice-through-the-looking-glass-eyeshadow-palette-by-urban-decay/UD769.html|website=Urban Decay|access-date=30 September 2016}}
In early 2017, Urban Decay announced its Vice liquid lipstick collection would be released.{{cite web|last1=Abelman|first1=Devon|title=30 Urban Decay Liquid Lipsticks Are On Their Way|url=http://www.allure.com/story/urban-decay-vice-liquid-lipstick-teaser|website=Allure|date=3 January 2017 |access-date=5 January 2017}} The name of Vice became a real business card of this brand after they introduced their lipstick palette. In their Revolution lip gloss series, tone with this name became the most popular out of the whole lineup.{{cite web|title=Urban Decay Lipgloss Revolution Series |url=https://glamlipstick.com/revolution-lip-gloss-by-urban-decay-review-swatches.html |date=28 February 2018 |publisher=GlamLipstick.com}}
Corporate social responsibility
{{see also|Corporate social responsibility}}
Urban Decay launched a global initiative in 2017, The Ultraviolet Edge, which stands for the empowerment of women. The company pledged to donate 100 percent of the profits from the sale of a limited-edition Eyeshadow Primer Potion to the non-profit organizations that support women from developing countries.{{cite web|title=The Ultraviolet Edge|date=9 March 2017 |url=https://www.allure.com/story/urban-decay-ultraviolet-edge}}
Urban Decay is certified by PETA as cruelty-free that avoids and committed to ending animal testing. They claim not to test their products on animals nor allowing others to test on their behalf. Furthermore, Urban Decay also demands their suppliers to confirm that their products were not tested on animals.{{cite web|title=Urban Decay and animal testing|url=https://www.urbandecay.com/commitments.html#:~:text=Urban%20Decay%20announces%20the%20launch,beauty%20with%20an%20edge%E2%84%A2.}}
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{official website|http://www.urbandecay.com}}
{{L'Oreal Brands}}
{{Cosmetics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Urban Decay (Cosmetics)}}
Category:Cosmetics companies of the United States
Category:Companies based in Costa Mesa, California
Category:Chemical companies established in 1996