I'm sure I wasn't the only makeup lover who had a total fan girl moment weeks ago when Urban Decay announced the release of the Naked Smoky palette. Even though I rarely use my other naked palettes, I knew I wanted this one if only to compete my collection. So as soon as I saw that it was in stock at Sephora last week, I quickly snatched it up.
First impression of the packaging was O.M.G. It's beautiful! UD always has awesome packaging, but I really didn't like the velvet cover of the first Naked palette or the tin cases of the other two. This one is plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap and it has a secure magnetic closure. The plastic is kind of see-threw with a smoke swirl all over it and the logo printed in gunmetal across the top. Like the other palettes, it has a nice full-sized mirror inside. It also comes with a little guide with how-to instructions on four different smoky eye looks as well has some helpful tips and tricks for beginners. It's a little thicker than the other palettes, but it isn't too bulky.
The brush that comes with it is pretty nice too. Instead of the double ended flat brush/blending brush, it has a pencil brush on one end and the blending brush in the other. The pencil brush is perfect for smoking out and diffusing eye shadows, especially since this palette is targeted for smoky eyes. The flat brush in the other palettes never got much use from me anyway, so this is a nice addition.
The eye shadows are a nice mix of mattes, metallic shimmers (I'm dying over the shade High) and velvets. Most of the shades are quite deep in color, going with the smoky theme, but there are a few lighter shades for transition shades, such as Whiskey and Combust. There's also a beautiful pop of color with Smolder, a deep purple, thrown in the middle of the palette.
The eye shadows are quite pigmented and blend really easily. In fact, they are more pigmented and easier the blend than the other Naked palettes in my opinion. A few shades like High and Armor have quite a bit of fallout, but with a shimmery eyeshadow with glitter, it's expected. I did find a couple of the darker shades like Dagger and Black Market to apply a little patchy, so I'd definitely recommend applying a tiny bit a little at a time with your brush and blending it completely between layers, and definitely a primer underneath.
Final thoughts? I love this palette. If you were to purchase only one of the Naked palettes, I would recommend this one. It's versatile for both day and night time looks and the eye shadows are just amazing. It is a little pricey at $54, but I definitely think it is worth it. It's a nice addition to any collection, big or small, and I actually see myself using this palette on a regular basis, as opposed to just thrown in my drawer of eye shadow palettes like my other naked palettes.
What are your thoughts on the Urban Decay Smoky palette? Love it or hate it?
Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes
Find me on Instagram @livforlashes
Email: liv_2008@icloud.com
No comments:
Post a Comment