Naked Basics | Urban Decay

Meet the newest member of the Naked family - the basics palette. Released just in time for Christmas (online exclusive to Debenhams) this was sure to be on every beauty junkie's wish list, mine included. 

My lovely boyfriend bought this for me on behalf of Amelie's present to me.

To start it's just so god damn convenient! For me, this ticks all the boxes as to what packaging I want in a palette. It's securely housed in a hard, rubbery case (similar to that of NARS) with a mirror covering the inside lid. Not to mention how compact it is - it fits comfortably in the palm of my hand and you'll always be able to take it with you. 
 I can see this being a staple in my make up bag when I return to work.

That being said when I opened my palette. I had two dents above the eyeshadows. I'm going to put this down to a manufacturing fault, although it could have become dented in travel, in which case this doesn't bow well to carry around in my handbag.

Now let's get down to the nitty gritty..I'm glad that UD have listened to their consumers in regards to producing a matte palette as 5/6 are without any form of shimmer.The only exception being Venus which has a slight shimmer, but seeing as this will be used as a highlighting colour I can let them off.
Considering that the others are matte shades the overall pigmentation is brilliant. Notoriously matte's have a lot less colour payoff and I'm actually pleasantly surprised at the results. Even without my beloved UDPP they don't appear the least bit chalky.
Due to 50% of the colours - I can see this being more favourible for fair/medium skintones although it claims to be a universally suited palette.

Here's a breakdown of the colours:
Venus - Soft, Off-White Demi-Matte.
This is the only non matte shadow in this palette. I can see this being used in the inner corner of my eyes.
Foxy - Cream Bisque matte
This colour was featured in Naked2. I'd describe it as buttery yellow in colour, I didn't reach for it much in that palette and i'm a bit gutted that they've decided to add this again in this one. 
I would have preferred to have a repeat of Virgin which was found in the original Naked palette.
(Walk Of Shame) W.O.S - Very light nude matte.
This colour is my least favourite of the six, in my opinion it is far to similar to Foxy. It also had the least amount of pigmentation. It took multiple swipes to show up and even then it's barely visible on the photograph although this could be down to it being the exact shade of my skin tone (MAC NW20) in which case; I can see myself using this to colour correct my eye lids before using a lid colour, and also to set my primer.
Naked2 - Taupe matte.
By far my favourite. It looks good placed on my lid, crease, lower lash line, wherever.
Faint - Warm dusty brown matte.
A brilliant crease colour for a subtle neutral eye, perfect for the day time.
Crave - Deepest darkest brown/black matte.
I'm glad that they have added a blackened brown to this palette. It makes this palette perfect to use for a day to night transformation. I also like that its not a pure black colour as I found Blackout (featured in Naked 2) to be too harsh to wear during the day.

My overall feelings on this palette is that I understand the theory behind the palette but I think it's execution was awful.

In terms of comparing this to its ancestors, I'm on the fence with this one and to be honest I'd be lying if I thought this palette was an essential. I'm a collector, so for me this was a no brainer but it won't be something i'll use everyday and If I had time to get ready each morning this would definitely not be my 'go to' palette. Also, the lack of colour shades makes it hard to come up with a variety of looks. 
I suppose this all comes down to whether you're looking for a neutral palette with a variety of shades, or if you're looking for something that is convenient, day time wearable and completely 'no frills'. If you have the money to spend I would advise you to invest in Naked or Naked 2 (click HERE for a comparison). However, if you prefer the latter or are completely new to the make up world and don't own either of the Naked's than this is perfect  - it's completely fool proof and has everything you need for your Basic (see what I did there?!) neutral eye.

Will you be buying it?
♥

Urban Decay | Smoked Palette

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?
♥ 

Urban Decay Naked Palette Vs Urban Decay Naked Palette 2

I've had the Urban Decay Naked Palette 2 for a couple months, and after playing round with the palette and exploring the different eyeshadows I now feel confident in comparing and contrasting it to the original.

First Impressions

Urban Decay have certainly improved on their presentation for this palette. I love the nicely housed tin-case styled container (which reminds me of old pencil cases that I can imagine my parents using at school!). 

The case itself definitely seems sturdier than the velvet-type material used for the original and the solid tin framing also has the advantage of being far more practical at wiping away stains and staying clear from any dust like substances that were attracted to the velvet. 

I like that UD have changed the way the case is fastened. I found the original, magnetic fastener to be, at times, unsecure. That being said Naked 2 is definitely heavier, slightly bulkier in width and longer in length. 

I also like that they have raised the "Naked 2" lettering on the case, as some of the wording on the original palette has started to scratch off. Although, this is most likely "wear and tear" thats to be expected when travelling around.

Naked 2 comes with a sample of the Lip Junkie Lipgloss, In the colour "Naked". I personally would have preferred another sample of their primer potion. For me, I think it makes a huge difference on the stay power of the eyeshadows, but I can see why some people might appreciate the variation.

Inside the Palette

Once opened, the palettes are similar in terms of layout and the arrangement of eyeshadows (highlight/lighter colours on the left and crease/darker colours on the right). This is something that I was very happy to see repeated on Naked 2 as it makes choosing colours that complement each other that little bit easier.

One big difference I noticed were the sizes of mirrors. The Naked 2 mirror runs the full length of the top of the palette case, this makes applying the shadows so much easier to do, I didn't use the mirror on the original as I found it far too small.

Naked 2 also comes with a duel-ended synthetic brush; one end having a flat brush (similar to the original) and the other side having a blending brush. I think including a two-in-one brush was a great idea, as combined with the large mirror makes this palette definitely more travel friendly, but I don't think it was their best execution of it.

I found the flat shader brush hard to work with, and like the brush in the original palette, challenging to apply eyeshadow with - It took me ages to get a solid amount of product coverage on my eye, particularly if I was wanting to use it for an all-over lid colour.

 Naked 2's flat brush has the same synthetic hair but narrower in width and smaller in size. 

The blending brush is fantastic, It's soft, flexible and has just the right amount of density to fit nicely in the crease and blend multiple colours.

Eyeshadow Colours

The original Naked palette is far warmer in tone compared to the cooler more metallic shades in Naked 2. I find Naked 2 to have more choice in converting from day to night looks with a wider variety of greys and taupe colours to choose from. Not to mention the colour blackout (a pure, matt black) being included.

This palette features five new eyeshadow colours; Bootycall, Tease, Snakebite, Pistol and Busted.

I was a little bit disappointed that Half Baked was repeated, although, It was a colour I reached for often with the original, so can see why it has been re included - perhaps changing from a shimmer to a satin finish would have been interesting.

Naked Colours:

Naked 2 Colours:

Foxy - Cream / Pale Yellow Beige: Matt Finish

Half Baked - Metallic Coppery Brown with a Golden Glitter Sheen: Shimmer Finish(featured in original Naked Palette)

Bootycall - White Beige tinted with Peach/Champagne: Satin Finish

Chopper - Rose Gold toned Brown with Silver Glitter : Shimmer Finish

Tease - Mauve Brown : Matt Finish

Snakebite- Dark Bronze/Brown with Golden Glitter Sheen: Shimmer Finish

Suspect- Light Taupe with Metallic Glitter Sheen: Frosted Finish

Pistol - Medium Steel Grey with Slight Brown Undertone: Frosted Finish

Verve - Pale Metallic Grey with Pink Undertone: Shimmer Finish (Featured in The Roller Girl Palette)

YDK - Taupe/Medium Brown with a Coppery Glitter Sheen: Shimmer Finish

Busted - Plum/Burgundy Brown with a Golden Undertone Sheen: Frosted Finish

Blackout - Intense, True Black:Matt Finish

Being two neutral colour palettes, obviously both are going to bare some similarities to each other. (This is going to be the same for every palette; two smoky eyeshadow palettes are going to have some similar colours.)

Both palettes have the same formulas and are both extremely pigmented with an excellent staying power (once primer potion is applied!)

What would I change?

I would have loved to see the repeat of the primer potion in Naked 2, or at least have had the ability to choose this rather than the Lipgloss.

I would also liked to have seen more matt colours, as only three of the twelve shadows provided are completely without any form of shimmer.

I also noticed that some original Naked palettes contained the 24/7 eyeliner and I was disappointed that they changed this to a brush, perhaps this is something that Urban Decay can bare in mind when producing the Naked trilogy!

Is it Worth Buying Both Palettes?

This all depends on whether you are a lover of neutral shades or a collector.

If you prefer brighter colours and already have the original Naked palette its probably not worth the investment, but if you don't have either and are looking at purchasing one or other then I would advise you to think whether you prefer warmer or cooler shades. If you favour more golden brown tones then I would recommend the original, likewise if taupe silver colours are more your style then the Naked 2 is probably best.

Have you tried Naked 2?
♥ 

Urban Decay - The Quinceañera Make-up Bag

I've been using the same make-up bag for as long as I can remember, It's an Estee Lauder one and I'm pretty sure my mum gave it to me as part of gift set she had a few years ago.
Since starting this blog, my make-up collection has definitely grown and I have found myself taking a greater amount of make-up with me whenever I go away.
Unfortunately I can no longer fit all of my "essential" travel make-up in my bag, so, I've been on the hunt for  something bigger and better! Not only that but I need a make-up bag that is practical and strong (after all I definitely do NOT pack light!).
That's when I came across the new Urban Decay fifteenth anniversary make-up bag.
I was instantly attracted to its sparkly purple colour and spacious size.

Another thing that I love about this is that it is so practical.
It's made of PVC so it's easy to keep clean and you don't have to worry about any make-up marking or staining the material.
There is a smaller zipped compartment which can be used for finding small products. In my case I have used it to store my favourite mascara, a small sample of mac Studio Moisture Fix (I got this as a sample and now decant a small amount from my full size bottle into here if I go travelling to save space) and a trusty Carmex.
I also love the detailing of the bag, the lining has the fifteenth anniversary logo printed on as well as the zipper being a shiny gold colour (which slides along easily).


Overall, I am really happy, and, If you're a girl who loves glitter, purple and gold - this bag has your name on it!

♥

Urban Decay VI Book of Shadows!

 It was my birthday at the beginning of the month, So I thought I would treat myself to something special and an Item that I haven't previously tried before.
After searching Youtube and Blogspot, I saw the Urban Decay book of shadows.
Priced at £46.00 (I bought this at the time that Debenhams had a 10% deal off make-up and fragrance so mine cost just over £42.) this is definitely the most I'd be willing to spend on a eye-shadow palette..

It comes with 16 colours, 10 of which are brand new and also features the following:

♥ Eyeshadow Primer Potion
♥ Travel Size Curling Mascara
♥ 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Liner in Perversion (Black)
♥ Keychain Speaker for your smartphone/ipod
♥ USB cord/Phonecord

In addition to the above, this book of shadows features five "how to videos" for Urban Decays latest looks to try out via a smart phone.

Indeed, this is definitely the most high-tec make-up box I think I will ever have the fortune of owning, and quite frankly, I can't wait to try out the looks!

 I absolutely love the packaging, the choice of colour really creates a dramatic yet glamourous feel. I also love the way they have included 3-d butterflies and a decent mirror which makes this palette perfect for travelling. 10/10 for looks UD!

I love how the eyeshadow colours themselves are really wearable and being a neutral lover, I was pleased in seeing a huge range of choice to glam up everyday make up. There's also choice of greens, blues, greys and blacks which would be perfect for a smokey eye.

In fact the whole palette choice completely versatile for looks professional enough to wear during the day yet fun enough to wear at night.

(Possibly the only negative comment is that the large majority are shimmers and I would have liked to have seen more matt colours.)

This book of shadow is Limited edition, So if you're looking at treating yourself I would definitely recommend buying it.

Will you be trying it?

♥

More May-hem.

Evening Ladies,

I thought I would do another quick update with my recent make-up purchases that I have made over the last few weeks.

I had a very nice email sent from Debenhams to inform me that they were doing another 10% off on selected make-up. Not one to miss an opportunity..I had a little browse.

Guess what - I bought the Urban Decay Naked Palette! Better late than never right?

I know that all of you have seen this several times beforehand so I won't go on about it too much.

I just thought I would say that the colours are so versatile; I'm going on holiday in a few weeks with my friends to celebrate the end of my A Levels and this will certainly be accompanying me!One thing I will add though is that I have seen some older versions of the Naked Palette with an eyeliner rather than a eyeshadow brush which I would have probably preferred, mainly due to the fact that I've got a million eyeshadow brushes and I've always wanted to try the Urban Decay 24/7, Zero eyeliner!

But nevertheless, the Eyeliner is of top quality, and looks like it is perfect for packing on colour.

Another item of make-up that I have been desperate to have (but has now been discontinued for the current range) is the YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks.

The packaging, as I am sure you will all agree is absolutely beautiful. But, I just couldn't justify spending £22 on a single lipstick.

I then stumbled across THIS website, which offer Make-up at discounted prices.

This lipstick was now discounted by £7!

♡YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick - #2: Sensual Silk

£15.00

My boyfriend and I took a trip to Bicester Village yesterday.

I had a cheeky visit to the CCO, where I was lucky enough to stumble across two discounted MAC brushes.

I'm not 100% sure of the exact prices, but I think there was about £5 knocked off each brush.

♡ Mac 130 

♡ Mac 129.

Finally, I also went to Jack Wills and bought a 'vintage' tin pencil case for £3!

♡ Jack Wills Wash Bag - £19.

Hope everyone has had a great weekend.

I've got my Business Unit 2 Retake tomorrow so an early night is on the cards for me.

♥