Review: Urban Decay Naked Palette (Swatches and Photos)

Everyone wants to look good naked and with one of Urban Decay's most sought after palettes, now anybody can. It seems like almost everyone in the beauty community either wants this palette or already owns it. This palette was originally very hard to find, but now that the Naked2 palette is out, it is much easier to locate in stores. Admittedly, I just recently received this palette as a gift, so I am a bit late to all of the hype surrounding this product. With that being said, there are still many people who have not yet purchased this palette or are now debating whether to buy this palette or the Naked2. Hopefully this review can clear up any confusion over your dispute!

Product Overview

What it is: An eyeshadow palette featuring "Urban" inspired, neutral shades

What you get: 12 distinct .05 oz eyeshadows, Good Karma eyeshadow brush, .13 oz travel-size Primer Potion

What it claims: To provide 12 neutral shades that will work for absolutely everyone

Product Aspects

Packaging: This palette is conveniently very long sleek, allowing it to fit easily into narrow places. The case is covered in a soft, chocolate brown velvet coating that displays large, gold foil letters spelling out "NAKED" across the length of the palette. The palette is secured with a magnetic closure and when opened, there is a fairly large mirror spread across the top portion of the case. On the bottom portion of the case is a small cut out where the Good Karma brush sits comfortably. Overall, the palette is clearly very well-designed and clearly catered towards both convenience and durability.

Shades:

• Virgin*: A very pale nude with a satin finish
• Sin: A pink champagne with a shimmery finish
• Naked: A light tan with a matte finish
• Sidecar*: A dark beige with a sparkly finish
• Buck*: A light brown with a matte finish
• Half Baked: A copper-bronze with a shimmery finish
• Smog: A golden brown with a shimmery finish
• Darkhorse*: A bronze-plum with a shimmery finish
• Toasted: A taupe-bronze with a shimmery finish
• Hustle*: A mocha brown with a shimmery finish
• Creep*: A near black with a metallic finish
• Gunmetal: A dark gray with a metallic finish

                 *Indicates shadows that are not available outside of this palette or are repromotes

Left to Right: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar

Left to Right: Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse

Left to Right: Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal

Pigmentation: Having owned many Urban Decay eyeshadows before, it is clear that the brand is very concerned with quality. When swiping your finger across any of the shadows, the shadow picks up beautifully with a strong, pigmented representation of the true color of the shadow. Although the shadows are very well pigmented, some of the lighter shades like Virgin and Naked take a bit more shadow to create a dense color. Conveniently, the palette comes with a travel-sized sample of the famous Primer Potion, which truly helps to display the accurate color of the eyeshadow on the lid. I would truly recommend using some sort of primer as the base of your eyeshadows, as it helps with longevity as well as color payoff.

Application: After having used this palette extensively, I would suggest using an brush (like the Good Karma brush included) to apply the eyeshadow directly to the lid. Since the eyeshadow is so pigmented, applying it first to your finger and then to your eyelid causes a great loss of color and wastes much of the product. Using a brush minimizes these issues and allows more precision in application. Additionally, these eyeshadows can be applied either dry or wet. Applying them dry creates a more blendable and subtle look while applying them wet creates a more bold and durable look. Whether applying them wet or dry, a primer should always be used first (like the Primer Potion) so that the eyeshadow is true to color.

Left: Half Baked with Primer Potion
Right: Half Baked without Primer Potion

Staying Power: Overall, I found that this eyeshadow lasted me all day (around 8 to 10 hours) with little loss of color. However, these shadows do tend to crease if you have oily lids or do not use a primer before application. With that being said, if you wear the eyeshadow for a long period of time, it is nearly impossible to avoid creasing since the shadow is constantly being moved each time you blink. I do find that applying a primer first and then setting it with powder before the actual application of the eyeshadow causes it to last slightly longer without creasing.

Half Baked after being rubbed with a towel
Left: Primer Potion, Right: No Primer Potion

Quality: Urban Decay is one of my favorite brands when it comes to eyeshadow, simply because the quality is consistently great. Not only is the product itself amazing, but the packaging is flawless as well. A major problem that I tend to have with eyeshadows is fallout onto my cheeks after already having applied my foundation. However, these eyeshadows seem to exhibit very little fallout, with the small amount that does happen only occurring with the more glittery shades. This fallout can generally be avoided if the eyeshadow is applied wet to the lid.

Value: On average, single Urban Decay eyeshadows retail for around $17 a piece, so it would be extremely expensive to purchase each one of these shadows individually. Additionally, many of these shadows can not be found in the permanent Urban Decay eyeshadow collection. When buying this palette, you will also receive a travel-size Primer Potion and a Good Karma eyeshadow brush - two essentials for proper eyeshadow application. With that being said, this palette is a very good investment, especially for someone experimenting to find what shades suit them best.

Product Analysis

The Good:

• Very pigmented eyeshadows
• Beautiful and sleek packaging
• Brush and primer are included
• Very great value for a palette
• Shades are very universal
• Contains new/exclusive shades

The Bad: 

• Some shades were very light
• All of the shades are neutral
• Some fallout for glitter shades
• A tad expensive for some
• The velvet case can get dirty

Product Usefulness

You might like this if:

• You like prefer neutral-toned shades
• You need a palette for everyday use
• You like wet/dry eyeshadows
• You are a beginner with makeup
• You like vegan, cruelty-free makeup

You might not like this if: 

• You prefer more bold, cool-toned shades
• You are on a very tight makeup budget
• You prefer matte shades over shimmery shades

Product Availability

Price: $48

Locations: Sephora, ULTA, Select Macy's stores, Amazon, Urban Decay website

Limited Edition: No

Final Thoughts

Overall, I feel that this eyeshadow palette is a necessity for creating beautiful, everyday looks. In addition to very natural looking colors, the palette also contains more bold shades that would be perfect for turning a day look into a night look very easily. It definitely has the best range of shades, from the very subtle Virgin to the super bold Creep. The quality of the packaging and eyeshadows are wonderful and very convenient for smaller storage spaces. Additionally, the Good Karma brush and travel-size Primer Potion provide an added value to an already wonderful palette. If you don't already own this palette, there is no doubt in my mind that this would be a wonderful addition to anyones makeup collection!

♥


What do you guys think of the Naked palette?