If you’ve ever been to a makeup mega store such as Ulta or Sephora, you’ve probably seen a number of makeup brands beyond the drug stores staples like Revlon and Maybelline. One of the biggest names in the makeup world is Urban Decay, and one of their most popular products is the widely sought out Naked Palette – an eye shadow palette that has taken the cosmetics world by storm. The first Naked Palette was released in 2010, and since then Urban Decay has released two sequel palettes as well as two mini “basics” palettes. On July 8th, Urban Decay launched their newest addition to the Naked collection: the Naked Smoky Palette.
The smoky eye has been a trend that has been around for a while and doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. Countless products on the market have boasted the perfect smoky color combos, but fans of the cult favorite Naked Palette have finally received the product of their dreams. A waiting list was formed shortly after the announcement of the product’s release – yes, people were that excited about it.
The Naked Smoky Palette is $54 and can be purchased at Sephora, Ulta, or the Urban Decay website. For that price, you get twelve vibrant shadows that are extremely versatile, a dual-ended brush, and a tutorial look book to help ease you into the process of creating the perfect smoky eye. The case and packaging boast an eye-catching floating smoke design and its magnetic closure is firm, promising the safety of the shadows inside.
Urban Decay founder Wende Zomnir says about the new addition, “We are nailing any kind of smoky eye you want.” And that it does, with its wide range of colors, from mattes to shimmers, bronzes, neutrals, and darker hues such as the Smolder, an eggplant purple eye shadow. The palette includes nine never-before-seen shades and three exclusive colors from past palettes.
What I love about this palette is the brilliant color payoff of every shadow inside. You only need a single brush full of shadow to get vibrant colors – eliminating the need for multiple layers of shadow before the color is even visible (a quality I’ve noticed in a lot of drug store products). On the other hand, the colors are easily buildable, which is great news for those of you who are wary of the intimidating dark grey and black colors that are included in the set.
An example of the vibrance of the shadows – just one swipe and that’s how opaque the colors are!
On that note, another aspect of this palette that I love is the included look book that gives detailed tutorials to achieve four different sultry smoky eye looks. Sometimes I get intimidated by the flawless smoky eyes I’ve seen in magazines, and feel like it’s impossible to achieve such a picture-perfect look. The tutorial booklet is easy to follow even for those of you who aren’t as experienced with eye shadow.
The Naked Smoky Palette includes a double-ended brush with Urban Decay’s Tapered Crease Brush on one end and a Smoky Smudger Brush on the other. I like how the brush itself is soft and easy to use with two different sized ends perfect for playing with different techniques – tightlining, smudging, or highlighting. I’m a creature of habit and still prefer the brushes I already own; however, the included brush is a good addition to my collection and perfect for those just starting out with the smoky look.
I have owned the original Naked Palette for three years and have always been impressed with it. The packaging is durable, the colors are always vibrant, and the quality has never faltered. I’m excited to add the Naked Smoky Palette to my collection. If you’ve ever wanted to master the smoky eye look, this palette will help you do just that. Naked Palettes are great investments and will quickly become a staple in your collection – the Naked Smoky Palette already seems to be no exception.
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Images: 1, 2-4 (provided by author)