There are some beauty products that are overhyped, used once, thrown in a drawer and soon forgotten about. Then there’s the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette. I have a huge weakness for purchasing beautifully packaged eye palettes and once I eyed this bad boy up in Debenhams, I knew I had to have it. It’s simply every beauty bloggers dream. It is currently displayed in its pristine box proudly on my dressing table for the world to see and has honestly been used every single day since it was opened. It’s incredibly versatile; it’s the perfect day to night palette. It contains 12 smoky neutral shades (9 never-seen-before and three exclusive to the Naked family) in a variety of finishes with a full sized mirror, double-ended brush and detailed lookbook.
Each shade, from the mattes to the shimmery satins, features Urban Decay’s patented Pigment Infusion System which ensures rich, bold colour with a soft buttery texture. The blendability of each shadow and the versatility of the collection makes this palette an absolute essential in any beauty collection. My favourite combination of shades is the first three smoky bronzes on the left (High, Dirtysweet and Radar). I simply build my crease line with Radar, apply Dirtysweet to the lid and highight the inner corner with High, making sure to blend as I go. The shades are so easy to apply and the thousands of online tutorials along with the lookbook provided make this palette simple enough for even beginners to use.
From left to right: High (cream shimmer), Dirtysweet (medium bronze shimmer), Radar (metallic taupe shimmer), Armor (metallic silver-taupe), Slanted (light metallic gray), Dagger (medium charcoal with micro-shimmer), Black Market (jet-black satin), Smolder (deep plum-taupe), Password (cool taupe matte), Whiskey (rich brown matte), Combust (soft pink-taupe matte) and Thirteen (light beige satin matte).
What’s also surprising about this palette is the exclusive double-ended brush. One side is a Tapered Crease Brush, the other a Smokey Smudger Brush. Very rarely do I use the brushes provided but it’s a dream to use, the bristles are super soft and makes application so easy.
The quality of each shade compared to several of my other budget palettes is indisputable. Instead of a powdery consistency with a substantial fallout, the formula of these shades is buttery, richly pigmented and long-lasting. The packaging itself is beautifully designed, has a satisfying weight to it and is very practical. The magnetic closure keeps all shades secure without breaking my nails to open. This is my first Naked palette and I am happy to report that I am incredibly impressed so far.
Do you own any of the Naked palette family from Urban Decay?
Which is your favourite?
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