URBAN DECAY NAKED SMOKY

I try to resist buying things that I really don’t need, or those that I want purely because everybody else is talking about them, but Naked Smoky was different. I uhhmed and ahhed for a week or so after it’s release debating should I/shouldn’t I, but I just couldn’t not buy it! While Naked is too warm for me, and I don’t think the shades in Naked 3 would suit me, Naked 2 was my go to palette. I prefer darker, smokier colours and so of course, it made perfect sense to get my hands on Naked Smoky.

The packaging is made out of a study plastic which, while I can’t comment on Naked or Naked 3, it definitely feels more durable than Naked 2. It also features a smoky swirl design which makes for a very distinctive look. The palette also comes with a small step by step guide on how to create a couple of looks which is really handy if you’re a bit if a smokey eye novice like me! The brush included in the palette is also super soft and useful for once; not like those daft little spongy applicators circa 2003!

The palette is packed with 12 sultry and smoky neutrals, from mattes and satins to shimmers, including nine never before seen shades and three that are exclusive to the palette. Shades, left to right, include: High (cream shimmer with micro-glitter), Dirtysweet (medium bronze), Radar (metallic taupe with iridescent micro-glitter), Armor (metallic silver-taupe with tonal sparkle), Slanted (light metallic grey), 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) and Thirteen (light begie satin). You can always rely on Urban Decay shadows to be nice and buttery and for them to blend seamlessly onto your lids. While some of the mattes are a little chalky, the quality is just as you’d expect. The colour payoff is immense, with very minimal fallout from a couple of the darker shades. While I don’t particularly enjoy wearing warmer colours, I do like that Naked Smoky encompasses both cool and warm, something that has divided previous palettes. so I can choose to try out a couple of the warmer shades if I feel like it. 

Please excuse the sorry state of Naked 2, but I love him and use him everyday so I’m sure I can be forgiven! I just thought I’d do a little comparison shot for those of you who can’t quite decide which palette to buy. Now, unfortunately this probably isn’t much help as really, they’re both pretty different! While some of the shades are a little similar, I can definitely justify owning both. 

£38 does sound like quite a bit of money for an eyeshadow palette, but it is such a good investment and actually works out at just over £3 per eyeshadow. Who can resist? I can deifnitely see Naked Smoky fast becoming my favourite eyeshadow palette (sorry Naked 2 and Basics!) and am looking forward to trying out all the different looks this palette has to offer!