Okay, so I realize that I am really late to this Naked Palette party (seeing as the Naked 2 Palette is out already), but I originally wasn't going to buy it because I have way too many eyeshadows as it is, and what the hell do I need another palette for? But my curiosity got the better of me, and I succumbed to it at the Sephora in Buffalo's Walden Galleria a couple weeks ago. (The lower retail price and lower tax rate in New York helped, as well as the 20% discount coupon I received from Sephora.) This palette has been reviewed to death, but I figure, what's another review to add to the mix?
As most of you will already know, Urban Decay's Naked Palette is a palette containing 12 eyeshadows in shades that Urban Decay has deemed "universally flattering." It mixes neutral shades from light to dark and in different textures so you can create a slew of different looks. It comes in a sleek brown velvet case with gold embossing on the front, and is by far the most minimalist palette packaging that Urban Decay has come out with. The palette contains a total of 15.6 grams of product (12 x 1.3 g), and comes with a Good Karma eyeshadow brush as well as a 3.7 ml bottle of Eyeshadow Primer Potion. The Naked Palette retails for $58 in Canada, and is available at Sephora.
Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, and Half Baked
Virgin is a satin light nude beige. It has some fine, subtle shimmer, but I can see it working well as a highlighter on fair to medium-dark skintones. It has a smooth, silky texture, and has great pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Brule, and is slightly warmer than MAC Shroom.Sin is a metallic rose-tinged champagne. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is lighter and slightly more pink than MAC All That Glitters.Naked is a matte medium beige brown. This is the only shade in the palette that I had trouble with, as it's on the drier, stiffer side. As a result, the pigmentation was quite sheer and I really had to pack it on to get it to look like the pan colour. It is similar to MAC Soft Brown.Sidecar is a metallic medium bronze brown. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Woodwinked.Buck is a matte medium-dark golden brown. It has a smooth, silky texture, and has great pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Saddle.Half Baked is a metallic medium-dark golden bronze. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Amber Lights.
Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, and Gunmetal
Smog is a metallic darkened bronze. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Bronze.Darkhorse is a metallic dark chocolate brown. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is like a metallic version of MAC Charcoal Brown.Toasted is a metallic medium-dark mauve-brown with a bronze sheen. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Sable.Hustle is a metallic dark taupe-brown with a hint of plum. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Satin Taupe.Creep is a frosty blackened blue-grey. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Print.Gunmetal is a frosty medium-dark blue-grey. It has a very smooth, almost buttery texture, with excellent pigmentation and opaque colour pay-off. It is similar to MAC Knight Divine.
Overall, I am really impressed with this palette. (I guess I'm not that surprised.) With the exception of Naked, every single shade had amazing pigmentation and a smooth texture. It also has amazing versatility; you can create anything from a really simple, natural eye look to a dramatic smoky eye look with this range of shades. I guess it's hyped for a reason, right? Seeing as one single eyeshadow from Urban Decay contains 1.3 grams of product for $20, this palette alone is worth $240. Along with the Good Karma eyeshadow brush, which retails for approximately $30, and the 3.7 ml bottle of Eyeshadow Primer Potion, which is worth approximately $7.74, the Naked Palette set is a ridiculously good value.
That having been said, these shades are very dupeable, so chances are, you'll already have many similar shades found in this palette, regardless of whether you're a make-up junkie or not. Moreover, most of the shades in this palette lean warm, so those with cooler undertones may find it a little harder to utilize. They should, however, work well on all skintones from fair to dark. I would recommend this palette to anyone, but ultimately to someone who is looking for a universally flattering range of shades and doesn't already have a ton of product at home. It's especially great for those who are new or inexperienced in working with eyeshadow, since this palette creates foolproof colour combinations.
I gave in and bought this and I loooveee it!
ReplyDeletethis is making me want to hoard again
ReplyDeleteI never get tired of looking at pics of pretty makeup, especially when the photos are this good! Glad you're enjoying. :)
ReplyDeleteReally love all the colors in this palette and I love the texture of UD shadows. But you're right, a lot of these are dupeable. Funny enough, I more than hit the pan on my second All That Glitters from MAC and before that went through two pots of Urban Decay Sin.
ReplyDeleteI also have a number of the MAC e/s you compared these colors to.
All signs that I don't need this but....never say never, right? ;)
@Mary -- I know, right? I'm kind of considering whether I want the Naked 2 Palette as well, but from all the pictures and reviews I've seen, they might be too similar to justify getting both... BUT if I end up getting a Sephora discount coupon or something, I might succumb... They're just so pretty... :( Thanks for dropping off the goodies today, btw! LOVE! :)
ReplyDelete@Kat -- Lol, well, this is definitely a palette that's worth the money, and the colours would look really good with your skintone. ;)
@Liz -- Thanks! :D
@Lindsay -- What I love about UD's metallic shadows is that they are similar in texture to MAC's Veluxe Pearl shadows, which are MY FAVOURITE. Which creates a dilemma, because I have so many eyeshadows but I am so tempted to buy more of UD's... :( If it makes you feel any better, I have every single one of the MAC dupes I mentioned, and I STILL bought this palette, lol! You may want to hold out for UD's Naked 2 Palette, though. ;)