Illegal is one of my HG nude eyeshadows. In the pan, this looks like a muted, mauvey plum, but on my eyes it's a nude baked-mauve shade with brown undertones. Sounds strange, but it's really beautiful. The shade gives just enough color for a really nice, natural look without completely blending into your eyes.
The formula of this shadow is great. It's super smooth and not at all chalky, which is rare for a matte shadow. The color payoff is excellent, and this lasts all day long on my eyes.
I love wearing this for a light eyeshadow look so I can play up my lips or my cheeks. I usually just wear this all over my lid, sometimes with a liner, but it looks fabulous on its own too. I usually don't use Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows as base colors, but illegal looks so pretty over Flatter Me. Try it!
Illegal will last me forever since you need so little to cover your lid, but as soon as I run out I will definitely repurchase.

Another smooth matte formula from Urban Decay, and as I read previous reviews I see why it didn't work me. It's very cool toned and I just can't pull that tone off. For reference I'm a NW/NC 25.

Urban Decay eyeshadows are very finely milled, feel creamy to the touch, and blend like silk, even if you apply using a fingertip. I have always loved wearing purple eyeshadows, but as I get older, I have to be careful my purples are not too blue or they highlight that dark area between my eyes and bridge of my nose where the skin thins and gives that tired pinched look. Illegal's purple tint is toned down with a bit of taupe so that comes off as a dusty shade of plum with a hint of mauve in it, but not enough to give lab rabbit eyes.

One reviewer commented that Illegal is similar to Prescriptives Mushroom and another said she was looking for a matte version of MAC Shale. Illegal falls somewhere in between, and I love it for a cool-neutral, everyday look that does not scream PURPLE. I sometimes apply it over a thin wash of Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow in Heather (a color that is very similar). I love Illegal and always hope to have this color kicking around in my makeup stash.

I was looking for the same color as MAC's Shale, in a matte finish, when I ordered Illegal online.
Illegal, though very pretty and unique, turned out to be less mauve and more rose/clay than I really wanted.
I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to use Illegal at all, in fact, until I used it as a lid shade with Bobbi Brown Heather (a deeper matte version of Shale's color) in the crease.
Used with Heather, Illegal takes on more of a mauve cast, and really pops my bright green eyes.
Because of some initial disappointment with the color of Illegal, I tried MAC Velour, and Velour turned out to be EXACTLY the color I wanted Illegal to be.
Since Illegal is such a beautiful, unique color ( pinky taupe-y matte mauve?) I'll keep it and wear it with Heather or with grays when I want my eyeshadow to have pink "leanings." To Illegal's credit, it is silky, well-pigmented, and long-wearing over UDPP.
I give Illegal a four, because I like Velour so much better. Also for that reason, I'm indicating that I would not repurchase Illegal.
It's a top quality shadow, just not quite my ideal color. I'm very picky, though, so YMMV.
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This is a nice matte greyish purple...really reminds me of MAC Doverfeather (LE from lonnngg time ago). It blends nicely and works well with purples...it appears darker on my actual eye lids, I guess because they are oily but that's a good thing!

I was looking for another nice crease color to enhance my green eyes. Illegal is it. It's a nice plummy grey that accentuates my greens just enough, while still wearing like a neutral. It's great for a sophisticated look. My favorite pairing with it so far is with Stila Cloud on the lid, and it in the crease, followed by Urban Decay's 1999 as a liner. Voila! A really fast and easy elegant eye that I can wear day to night, due to its matteness. Sure, it's not the consistency of Bobbi Brown's matte shadows, but it's not the same price either.

I'm writing a new review for this product. I've changed my mine about this one, and it didn't take a lot to make it work. With a touch of UD Sin shadow as a base, it is a subtle yet sexy cool-neutral that looks great on my light-medium, golden olive skin. Also works great with shimmery plums, but my favorite way is to use light, colorful, shimmery base colors--from light green, to light blue to light yellow--and Illegal to contour. Really brings out the eyes. It's become an incredibly versatile matte shadow, and it's a dream to blend.

I love this shadow. Urban Decay's Matte shadows are the best I've ever come across. They're finely milled, and are extremely easy to blend, something that can be hard to find in matte shadows.
Illegal is a really pretty colour, too. It's a purple-taupe colour that is great for a neutral eye with just a hint of colour. I don't really find the purple-tone to look like a bruise on me, personally. I have green eyes, so purple tends to bring them out.

I love Urban Decay eyeshadows, so I can't hate it- this is just not my ideal color. I'm Italian and Irish, a mix which left me fair skin but olive/gold undertones- a tricky skin tone to compliment. This looks a little bruise-ish on me if used alone. I can mix it in with other shades to make it work, but I wouldn't repurchase. The texture is wonderful though, so if this color looks good on you It's a good buy,

Just not the right color for me. Illegal is a matte mauve color. I just can't wear purple eyeshadow--makes my ruddy eyelids and eyes look worse. I look like I've had an allergic reaction or bruised. If you can wear mauves, this is a good color. However, use a brush for a blendable application.

love this! i wear the illegal, heist, and cult all together and it is so subtle and creamy and a little smokey and my brown eyes pop. all 3 also work with my grey and brown shadows. they are great interesting neutrals that work well with my other shadows, with wonderful staying power and pigmentation. love UD shadows. wish they made more colors in the mattes.

Reminds me of LM's cashmere blended with topaz. Very pretty neutral, was a bit too light onme unless I used a lighter wash all over the base of my eye. But very gentle and pretty. Gave that ingenue-wide-eyed look. Must use primer!!!! Use with liquid liner winged out at the edges, lots of thick mascara, it's that perfect nude shade that doesn't make you look like a corpse.

I like this okay - on my skin, it's somewhat similar to Prescriptive's Mushroom, but a little redder and deeper. The texture is pretty good and it lasted, I just found that the color could go a little to brick (or clay) colored on me - and overall, I like the Mushroom better.

I've been looking for a subtly smoky matte eyeshadow and this one is so perfect! Love UD's eyeshadows but I was getting tired of shimmer, so the matte range is perfect for me. If you want excellent quality matte shadows try this stuff!
This particular color is stunning, looks great on light skin. I don't think it would show up as well on darker skin tones though.
Very satisfied!

Well, I wanted to try a smokey plum eye, but alas this does not work on me. I really ought to learn my lesson bc I never like matte shadows. I have pale skin with yellow undertones, auburn hair and green eyes. This just looked like a dirty light brown on me, it hardly showed up and really just looked flat. I will be returning it.

I signed up for 'personalized' emails from Sephora and I got one saying that this was the PERFECT eyeshadow for me. I went to Sephora but obviously every other girl and boy who has blonde hair and blue eyes and gave Sephora their email address had gotten the same exact email and they were out. So I ordered it online. Yes, folks, I am that susceptible to advertising! You know, they sure send you a huge box stuffed with wasted paper for one teeny eyeshadow. Poor trees. It's a nice color, neutral rosy taupe. I find when I put it on the lid, it's just too pink. I look like I am having an allergy attack or something. But the consistency is really nice and velvety and the color goes on smooth and even. It's a great color for me to put in the crease, it adds more depth than a plain tan or brown. Those crazy kids at Sephora were right, it does help to amplify blue or green eyes, but I'd imagine it would work for most eyeball colors.

Illegal is one of the new matte UD e/s. It is a muted rose color - smoky rose as described on the UD website. The color looks boring in the pan but it is actually very beautiful once applied.
The texture is pretty good. So is the staying power. However, after having wore it I am already a bit tired of the matte e/s look so I think I will place this in the back of my MU cabinet and go for the more shimmery look in the near future. There's nothing wrong with this particular eye shadow. Except for the fact that I don't like the packaging much. It looks "cheap" and plastic.
To sum it up, I don't think the matte look is for me! For that reason I wouldn't repurchase.
For reference: I am a pale blonde with blue eyes. Cool toned. continued >>

Silky-textured, blendable matte eyeshadow in a light plum/putty shade. Makes a great all-over wash of color for green-eyed girls like myself or it can be used as a base color for a more complex look.