Review: Urban Decay NAKED

 "Everybody wants to look good NAKED!"

Review: Urban Decay NAKED Palette

With endless blog and youtube reviews out already, this one may seem insignificant. But this review is specifically for the people who decided they would "pass" on the palette. Those that thought "I have too many neutral eyeshadows" or those that just couldn't justify spending $48.00 on some eyeshadow. - I was one of these people. Plus, with the palette being so rare (limited edition/high demand) I couldn't get my hands on it anyway.

The palette came out in fall 2010, and for the first months it was going for twice it's value on eBay and multiple other cosmetic swap/sale sites. Finally, Urban Decay started producing the palettes faster by replacing the double-ended eyeliner pencil with a brush, but that made a price increase from $46.00 to $48.00 - some weren't happy, but at least Urban Decay was able to supply more.

COST

I did want the palette but even after endless good reviews, I still didn't know if it would be worth it. About a month ago, when I was picking up some shampoo- there it was, one Urban Decay Naked palette remaining. I considered it fate, caved in, and purchased it.

Do I regret it? No. It's the best "I'm not going to spend that much money on that" but then I bought it anyway purchase I've ever made. I've had it for a month and have used it every day. For the rest of you that are cheap (but most likely will splurge on high-end cosmetics - ME!) let me help you justify the cost:

Good Karma Eyeshadow Brush retails for $26.00
Travel Primer Potion retails for $9.00
Then there's 12 x .05oz eye-shadows - (one full size .05oz retails for $17.00) - 12 x $17.00 - $204.00
$239.00 worth of product for $48.00 (about 80% savings) Plus, it's all in one sleek mirrored palette.

I had no problem spending $11.00-$14.50 on an occasional MAC eyeshadow. With MAC, you get the same amount of product - .05oz. With the naked palette, (putting the primer and brush aside) $48.00/12 = the eyeshadows end up being $4.00 each. MAC, the same amount of product for $11.00 (pan) or $14.50 (limited edition/pot.) So, which is the better deal again?

COLORS

Virgin - pale shimmer nude
Sin - champagne frost
Naked - matte beige
Sidecar - shimmer medium bronze
Buck - matte brown
Half Baked - copper frost
Smog - dark bronze
Darkhorse - deep chocolate
Toasted - shimmer dark brown
Hustle - shimmer dark plum-brown
Creep - blue-black shimmer
Gunmetal - blue-gray metallic

REVIEW

I love it. There are a few things I do dislike (cons below) but the good wins over the bad. All of the neutral colors are gorgeous - highly pigmented, great staying power, not chalky, no fallout. I love the palette so much I immediately swapped/sold most of MAC eyeshadows (and by most I mean nearly all - I went from 30 to 8.) I've used it for a month and there's really no sign of use - no surface dents/dips or anything, I feel it will last for awhile!

Every day I use both Virgin & Sin all over the lid and as a highlight, Sidecar on the outer third lid, and Darkhorse in the crease. I often use Buck as an eyebrow filler.

Cons:

Creep and Gunmetal were a big disappointment to me. I'm a big fan of a smokey eye - with no hints of blue. These 2 together nearly look like you've smeared on blue eyeshadow.

Creep really should have been a true matte black for eyeliner, especially since the newer version of the palette doesn't come with any.

The brush was another disappointment. It's decent at packing on all-over lid color on. But I feel like this is more of a concealer brush. It's nearly identically to MAC 195. - I much would've rather had the double-ended eyeliner, but then I still probably wouldn't have this palette due to slow production...

RATING
Product: 4.5/5
Value: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5
Overall: 4.8/5

The Main Point: If you don't already have it, BUY IT. This palette needs to be in everyone's makeup collection.

Naked forever,
-Kaitlyn

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May Favorites

"Favorites" posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) "rediscovered" items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month."

Joico K-Pak Liquid Reconstructor
I've used the Hydrator now for about six months and I've loved it. (I didn't care much for the Reconstructor because of the banana scent.) I really needed a detangler because I was tired of using a child one. This was the solution; it fixes damages, detangles, and protects all in one.

OPI Big Apple Red
The perfect OPI red I've been searching for. It's just a classic red - there is no orange, purple, or blue hues that you find in most red polishes.

OPI Skull & Glossbones
This and silver shatter where the only colors that really caught my attention with the Pirates of the Carribean collection. It's a nude soft gray, basically a good neutral shade for your collection. (Unfortunately, I did have to pick up the mini set just for this polish because it was always sold out.)

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralized Skinfinish
I forgot which collection this was from, I finally arranged a swap for it on makeupalley.com and got my hands on it. It's the perfect color and mix of shimmer for a great highlight anywhere - brow bone, cheeks, body.

Revlon Photo Ready Concealer
This is one of those "she made me do it" products. (Kandee Johnson) - I was on the hunt for a good under-eye concealer. None of my MAC concealers were cutting it. I picked this up in the lightest shade (fair) and it matches perfectly - I'm not sure if I'm extremely pale or these just run darker. It's great for Under-eyes and red spots, splotches, and blemishes it isn't so great for.  This well on it's way to being my favorite drugstore product.

Sigma E40 Tapered Blending
I do have MAC 217, but I use it for crease application.  I desperately wanted the 224, but just couldn't justify $30 on a brush - this is supposedly a dupe (no clue how it compares) for 1/3 of the cost. I don't put any product on this brush, I just blend out what's already been applied - it does a great job.

Sonia Kashuk Eye Makeup Remover
Another supposedly dupe, for one of the Lancome removers. (again, I have no clue how it compares.) I was tired of rubbing my eyes raw with MAC Cleanse Off Oil (more just for the face than mascara) this was the highest rated drugstore remover. It was only $9 - it doesn't sting the eyes and it gets the job done more so than other drugstore removers and Cleanse Off Oil but it still takes 2-3 swipes to get everything off.


Tangle Teezer
I have no clue what has been going on with my hair recently but it's just been such a knotted mess. I have insanely thick hair so brushing while wet, yanking out tangles, etc. Never really mattered - I had hair to spare. (ha) I realize that's not healthy or good for my hair. While browsing Sally's, I discovered this - only $9, I figured it was a worth a shot. I came home and read reviews, they were all awesome. I'm not sure how it works exactly, a hollow brush with soft bristles but it manages to gently get all the tangles out, on both wet and dry hair.  It works pretty quick and it's painless. (With the exception of those huge knots.) But this is a must-have for people with thin, brittle hair and that are extremely tender-headed. - It also distributes conditioner evenly to your hair in the shower. I have noticed if I back comb my hair with this dry it gives great volume.  Basically, a 3-in-1 product.


Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
This is a base and primer in one - the color is a light nude. This product gives a blank canvas and is great for really making eyeshadows pop and will help out those who have bluish veiny eyelids.

Urban Decay Naked Palette
At last, I got one of these (only a year later.) A full review to come later on in June. I could never find these in store, I wasn't going to completely hunt for it or pay an inflated price. I was picking up shampoo and there it was - one Naked palette remaining... I considered it fate, caved in, and bought it. Let me just say I absolutely love it, so much I actually sold or swapped most of MAC eyeshadows.

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MAC Paint Pot Storage

Recycle & Organize!

After endless searching for the correct size drawer organizer to keep my MAC paint pots from rolling around; I realized it was in my pantry all along...

All you need is the tray/container from any cookies or crackers. Clean it out, and you have a new a drawer organizer!

The Oreo container is a few centimeters too big to fit the paint pots perfectly but the grips on the bottom of the container keep them in place more so than any other container I've tried. It can hold 18 Paint Pots. It's not the most sturdy, I'm going to double, maybe even triple this tray to make it more portable. But for now, no more paint pots rolling around in my drawer and you can easily see which color is which.

Don't limit yourself to paint pots, remember it can fit single circular eyeshadows and small face products as well.

Happy Organizing!

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Eyeshadow for Green Eyes

Shades of green or purple should be your go-to colors to make green eyes brighter.

Face:
Origins VitaZing Moisturizer
Revlon Photoready Concealer

Brows:
MAC Lingering Pencil
Maybelline Great Lash Clear Gel

Eyes:
Urban Decay Eden Primer
MAC Bisque, Creme de Violet, & Sketch Eyeshadows

Eyeliner:
MAC Technakohl in Graphblack (waterline & tightline)
L'Oreal Telesopic Carbon Black (above lashline)
Wet 'n' Wild Violet Pencil (bottom lashline)

Mascara:
Clinique High Definition

Highlight:
NYX Milk
Benefit High Beam
MAC Triple Fusion MSF

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April Favorites

"Favorites" posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) "rediscovered" items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month."

China Glaze Sea Spray
A sky blue meets gray.  This color is perfect for those who have a hard time stepping away from neutrals but wants to join the bright color summer trend. (Baby steps!)

Clinique High Definition Mascara
This is one of my HG mascaras. I've purchased this at least 10 times now.  The applicator has a normal brush on one side but a comb on the other.  Distribution is great and it's nearly impossible to have a lot of clumps and spider lashes with the comb.

Essie Topless & Barefoot
This makes my favorites list yet again, it's the perfect nude for pale skin tones. 

LypSyl Lip Balm
Calling all Burt Bee's lovers! It's time to make a change.  Lypsyl is pure Swedish beeswax.  It gives the same Burt's Bees feel but it's less waxy and last longer.  It also has a tingly mint feeling after application.  Lypsyl is a mix between Burt's Bees & C.G. Bigelow with better-staying power and more hydration than both combined. The Lypsyl packaging is also unique it has a bee slider, rather than the usual twist up chapstick, which makes application much easier.

OPI Silver Shatter
If you loved (or even hated) Black Shatter, you need to try this out.  It's better formulated than Black Shatter (Mine made a gloppy after a few weeks of usage, nail thinner is a must anytime I want to wear it now.) The extreme shimmery silver is pretty over any color.

organix morrocan argan oil (penetrating oil
I raved about the conditioner last month, now I've been using the oil all month. It's a MUCH cheaper alternative to salon's morrocan & argan oil.  This one smells better, too!  I have noticed a lot more shine in my hair after using this whenever I'm out of the shower. I haven't noticed my hair being more moisturized; I admit, I mainly use it for the scent.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Correcting Primer (pink)
I really wanted the green primer to cover up the redness around my nose since it was sold out at multiple stores. I decided just to try out the pink one for evening skin tones. I can't imagine putting this all over my face for actual primer (the real use) it makes my face pretty shiny and bright.  (I don't wear powder or foundation.) I just put this around my nose (to cover redness) and under my eyes (to brighten.) It doesn't completely even out of the redness but it does help a lot. The packaging (twist up brush) isn't the most sanitary, a pump would've been a better option.


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