What’s with the hype around the Urban Decay Naked palettes?
24.8.2018
Revision: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
I’m sick of hearing how amazing the Urban Decay Naked palettes are and that they’re still everyone’s favourite. For a long time now, they’ve been outdone in quality and outbid on price on all bar two of their palettes.
If you don’t know Urban Decay, they are the stars of the good old YouTube times when beauty brands weren’t set up to fire launch after launch out of a well-oiled canon. Or when people in make-up tutorials were predominantly covered in the same old products.
Urban Decay’s Naked one to three palettes were amongst those names dropped and swatched in almost every video. When you look at the ratings across a range of online shops, it’s clear they’re still doing well to this day.
Nakedness sells
Urban Decay’s popularity comes down to the fact the palettes draw on a broad but likeable colour scheme, which allows them to include every variety of nude. The make-up range also came out at a time when there weren’t many earthy toned palettes to choose from. In other words, their eyeshadows appeal to the mainstream and are known as the go-to palettes no matter what you need or who you are.
The three palettes were (and still are) a hit so it was no surprise the company decided to add new sets to the mix. There was the Naked Smoky, the Naked Heat and the Naked Ultimate Basics palette. There were also mini versions but I won’t be including them in this article. To make it easier to compare them all, I’ve put together an overview collage. My boyfriend would no doubt say they all look the same. But you and I know better, don’t we?
Looking to the future
Given everything I’ve said about their success, you might be surprised to hear I no longer have my own 1 to 3 palettes or the Smoky version. Years after buying them I decided to sell my barely used sets and they were snapped up within seconds. I’d hardly finished writing up the descriptions before a number of offers started winging their way into my inbox. I wondered why.
For a start, they’re expensive so it would make sense to buy them second-hand. But aren’t there plenty of pigmented eyeshadows on the market now that blend better and don’t cost as much? Of course there are. BH Cosmetics, Morphe Brushes and Milani & Co are prime examples.
So which palette makes the cut?
Let me cut straight to the chase. Naked 1, 2 and 3 were way too powdery and crumbly for me. They weren’t pigmented enough and were pretty expensive to boot. The shimmery ones in particular are quite a let-down when it comes to colour intensity. So it’s a definite no from me.
Naked Smoky is another dull, forgettable ember rather than a smoking fire. It wasn’t pigmented enough and the texture was too powdery. If you manage to whip up an intense but clean smokey eye with it then hats off to you. I ended up looking like I’d just spent two rounds in the ring with Mike Tyson.
You might be thinking OK, Nathalie, so which eyeshadow is good to use then? I’d recommend the remaining two Naked palettes:
Naked Heat’s warm, reddish colours are incredibly pigmented and blend like a dream. So it’s perfect for if you want to take a tentative step outside your colour comfort zone rather than a massive leap.
Naked Ultimate Basics is another great palette. The colours are so buttery and rich. And you get a good range of shades, from cool to neutral and warm tones. All of the shadows are matt aside from one light cream that has a satin finish. What I love is that the palette can stand alone or be combined with (bright) colours from palettes you already have to create a variety of different looks. If you need versatility, look no further.
Trying to understand the un-understandable
Now you know how I feel about each of the Naked palettes and which I think are worth splashing out on. But I still can’t get my head around the hype. In my experience, these are the kinds of people who think palettes 1 to 3 are «OMG amazing». They’re not keen on experimenting with make-up; they want to buy one decent palette that can pretty much be used for any look and they tend to spend a long time mulling over a purchase.
Essentially, the hysteria around these palettes comes down to a combination of personal preferences, which are a far cry from mine, and a lack of comparable eyeshadow options. Once we took a look at the (rather big) target audience, we discovered I’m not or maybe just no longer part of it. Mystery solved.
What do you reckon: do these palettes live up to the hype?
Natalie Hemengül
Senior Editor
natalie.hemenguel@digitecgalaxus.chAs a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.