I actually bought this right when it came out (as in the day it came out, I think). I've seen that the palette comes with a brush now, but before it came with this double ended eyeliner! It's a shame, because the matte brown eyeliner is a really versatile color, and it's not available in the permanent line! I know that this isn't a new product or anything like that, but for anyone who doesn't have it: you need it. Emphasis on need. NEED. I had lost it for a couple months after moving out of my dorm room, but now that I've found it again I think I've used it literally every day. It's marvelous.
The packaging, both inside and out, is really sleek and well done. The width of each shadow is just wide enough for a brush, even my wider blending brush. The only problem I have is that Sidecar gets glittery bits into the matte shadows, due to its position between them. Other than that, it's well done.
L to R: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar
Naked doesn't appear very pigmented, but that's really only due to the paleness of my skin. For a matte, it really doesn't come off chalky whatsoever. Virgin has very small shimmer, compared to Sin (which has small but denser shimmer) and Sidecar (which has larger and denser shimmer). Virgin is a really good highlighting color for the browbone and inner eye, especially for more subtle looks that don't demand the intensity of Sin and Sidecar. Even though Sidecar has larger glitter, it absolutely is not gritty.
L to R: Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted
Like Naked, Buck also is pigmented and not-chalky for a matte. The other shimmery colors have similar glitter as Sin (Sidecar is actually unique with its large glitter). Toasted always surprises me with how pigmented it is, and I really love the purple undertones it has compared to the rest of the palette. Darkhorse, for some reason, didn't translate well onto the camera (although it is less pigmented compared to the rest of the palette). It's a blackened gold that almost has greenish undertones to it, compared to Smog and Half Baked which are warmer.
L to R: Zero and Whiskey 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, Gunmetal, Creep, Hustle
I guess if I were to call anything a "dud" in the Naked palette, it would be Creep. It's just not as black as I expect or want it to be. Compared to how pigmented Gunmetal is, they almost look the same. Hustle is actually the same way, but the purple undertones still make me forgive it. Zero is the same black eyeliner in the permanent line, but Whiskey is basically a matte version of Bourbon ( I think, I haven't actually swatched it before). I end up using both the same amount, but it will be a sad day when I run out of Whiskey :c
So here's the rundown!
Pros:
- Very, very useable colors, regardless if you're wearing it to work or at a party.
- All the colors have good, if not exceptional pigmentation.
- Very smooth application.
- Reasonable price ($4 bucks a shadow if you don't include the brush/eyeliner is a total steal)
- Matte colors!
Cons:
- The black isn't SUPER black, if that's what you're going for, although patting it on top of the black eyeliner helps immensely.
- A little bit of fallout, so make sure to tap your brush before you apply!
Available from Sephora, UrbanDecay.com
