I recently purchased the new Urban Decay "Smoked" palette.
Being a fan of both Naked Palettes (which you can read HERE) I was full of high hopes for their latest release, but after swatching and playing about with the colours, I was left not as impressed as I had wished for.
The palette just seems very unimaginative. It's as though Urban Decay have combined Naked and Naked 2 and mixed them with the 15th anniversary palette before placing them into the Midnight Emergency Kit's Packaging.
Not to mention that only 5 out of the 10 colours are new and exclusive (Kinky, Freestyle, Backdoor, Barlust and Asphalt), the other 50% have all appeared in previous palettes.
I'm not to sure on the palette's packaging. From the outside, it's very different to anything I've got in my collection, the use of black makes it really eye-catching not to mention in keeping with the "smoked" theme.
I do really like the zipper fastening, it makes the palette feel secure and something I'd feel comfortable to travel with.
However, once opened, I found the layout of the shadows wasteful - there is definitely a lot of unnecessary, excess packaging.
Urban Decay do get bonus points for a big full screen mirror but in my opinion, they could have made their palette more compact.
I much prefer the layout of the Naked palettes.
The palette comes with a mini-travel primer potion, a full sized 24/7 eyeliner in the colour "perversion" and also a step-by-step guide containing 12 different looks.
I was very excited to see the tutorial booklet, complete with illustrative pictures of each finished look.
I have yet to follow the instructions but having had a flick through, I'm really impressed with the varying, creative looks - there truly is something for everyone.
In particular, I'm really looking forward in stepping out of my comfort zone completely by having a go at recreating the "Enigma" look - incorporating Rockstar (a deep Aubergine with a shimmer finish) and Loaded (a deep Emerald Shimmer with a metallic base).
As always, UD have not scrimped on the quality of their shadows. They are beautifully pigmented, luxuriously creamy in texture and blend like a dream.
I had personally hoped that UD wouldn't venture too far towards "warm" or "cool" tones and I'm glad that they have kept to a happy medium, thus, appealing to a wide range of skin tones.
At £35.00 it's not an excessive amount of money for 10 eyeshadows, especially when their quality is considered.
But, it's the extras that make this palette value for money - Perversion 24/7 eyeliner is the blackest of blacks and the tutorial booklet is a fantastic asset for beginners and the more experienced alike.
Personally, I can't see this being my "go-to" palette. I'm a neutral girl at heart and for that reason I will always prefer the Naked and Naked 2 palettes, but with the help of their tutorial guide, I can, for sure, see myself using this to "sex up" my make up for a night on the town (!).
If, like me you're afraid of the smoked-eye look, then I would seriously recommend you to have a look at this palette, but if you're an owner of both Nakeds and the 15th anniversary palette you might want to give this one a miss (unless, of course, you're a frequent wearer of the smoky eye.)
Will you be buying the smoked palette?
♥
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