Having been such a makeup magpie for the last few years, I think I’ve actually done quite well in avoiding the whole Urban Decay Naked Palette hype… They’re such a cult classic and seem to be an absolute staple in pretty much every blogger, youtuber and makeup artist’s collection I’ve come across, so most people would probably be surprised if I didn’t own at least one. I’m not sure why though, but I’ve never been such a big a fan of really large palettes. I tend to prefer nifty little quads like the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita or the Dior Ready to Wear. They’re just so much easier to pop in your handbag and travel around with; something I do quite a lot of.
There’s also the fact that Makeup Revolution have come out with exact – but at lower quality – dupes of the UD versions at nearly a tenth of the price (something I’m always a little surprised is allowed to happen, anyone else?). I must admit, each time Urban Decay brought out a new edition of the Naked collection, I would be sorely tempted but for some reason would end up spending the ‘makeup allowance’ I give myself each month (yes, it’s true) on something else.
So what convinced me to finally give in and splash out? Well over the last few months I’ve been obsessed with anything rose gold – and yes I know this is a bit of a cliche right now. I just think rosy golden tones really flatter my complexion, and everything from my watch to my sunglasses now seems to come in this colour. The Urban Decay Naked 3 is an eyeshadow palette entirely made up of these kinds of shades, and I couldn’t seem to find anything else quite like it. Especially perfect for the summer months, I decided to buy it just in time to take on my Spanish holiday.
So how am I finding it?
First off, I have to start with just stating the obvious. How gorgeous is this palette??! The colours are all so pretty with a perfect mix of neutrals, darks, pinks and browns. There’s a few mattes, some subtle shimmers, and a few more intense glittery formulas so you can really take this palette from day to night. Something else I love is that there isn’t a single shade in here that I wouldn’t use (there’s usually at least one that tends to be left untouched). As the colour scheme is quite neutral, they’re all very wearable for those like me with fairer skin tones.
I think my most used shades so far have been Limit and Nooner, a matte beige and a matte brown ideal for defining the crease or an allover wash of colour; Dust and Trick, beautiful pink and gold shimmers; Mugshot and Factory, darker browns which look lovely blended into the outer corners or smudged underneath your eyeline for some smokiness; and finally Blackheart, a really interesting purply aubergine shade which is quite unique to anything else I own. So basically quite a few!!
Moving on to the formula. I have to admit, some of these shades aren’t quite as pigmented as I would have expected. Although the lighter glittery shades like Dust and Buzz are beautiful, they don’t pack as much of a punch as others I’ve tried; for example Bubbly and Kitten from my Stila In the Light Palette. While I do find the shadows are all very long lasting and don’t have any fallout or smudging, I sometimes feel like I have to apply a few layers to get the colour payoff I’m after with certain shades, which is a bit of a disappointment considering the price.
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Overall, I do love this eyeshadow palette and I’m very pleased I bought it, mainly because the colours are just so up my street. I do feel though that if you’re really into your shimmer and glitter shades, possibly look into something like the Stila palettes instead as these seem to have more intensity (and are significantly cheaper). If like me though, you love anything with a rose gold tone, I think you’ll love this palette and the positives definitely outweigh some of the negatives.
What do you guys think of the UD Naked Palettes? Are you a fan or would you recommend others instead? Let me know in the comments!
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Thanks for reading! Joanna xxx
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