Photo: Courtesy of www.refinery29.com
A perfect smokey eye should do three things: 1. make everyone cower in fear at your intense smokey eye game, 2. give your eyes a mysterious depth that Stephen King will want to write a novel about, and, most importantly, 3. your smokey eye should make you feel invincible. All three are totally achievable because Urban Decay‘s cult favorite Naked eyeshadow series is back and darker than ever with their fourth installment: Naked Smoky. With twelve shades of ranging textures, this palette may just be Urban Decay’s finest.
Downtown received early access and we’re about to give you the Smoky breakdown. The palette will hit shelves on July 8th, and there’s already a wait list. The growing anticipation for this palette is evident by the success of its predecessors, Naked 1,2,3. Though, this time around, Urban Decay has outdone themselves with 12 various colors for your subtle daytime smokey eye or crank the dark glam up to the max with deep slates and plums.
The skinny on the shades: Much like every Naked palette, these hues are smooth and buttery to the touch. But that’s not all; the palette contains four shimmery shades (High, Dirtysweet, Radar, Armor), four satin shades (Slanted, Dagger, Black Market, Smolder) and most impressive, four matte shades (Password, Whiskey, Combust, Thirteen), something most other Naked palettes neglect or have few of. YES, the combinations are infinite, but the best part of this palette is the even amount of warm versus cool toned hues.
The Shimmers
The quad for all your high intensity, dramatic looks. Anywhere the light catches your eye, these are sure to be reflective.
High: A champagne shade with a hint of a rose undertone. Payoff: Frosty. Best for: inner corner, brow bone, and eyelid.
Dirtysweet: Mix of tan and bronze. Payoff: sheen/shimmer. Best for: eyelid.
Radar: Warmtone mix of bronze and brown with gold glitter reflects. Payoff: shimmery. Best for: Outer corner the eye, warming up the crease.
Armor: Gunmetal with silver glitter reflects. Payoff: shimmer/sheen. Best For: Outer corner.
Photo: Courtesy of www.frmheadtotoe.com
The Satins
Your subtle, darker shades, aka, your silent killers. These four hue’s are the essence of Smoky. They’ll leave you fierce and smoldering for the entire day.
Slanted: A mix of silver and gray. Payoff: high sheen. Best for: transitioning and outer corner.
Dagger: Cool toned charcoal, slate-like. Payoff: highly pigmented satin. Best for: outer corner, intense for a cool toned smokey eye.
Black Market: Dark charcoal, nearly black. Payoff: INTENSE pigmentation, sheen. Best for: outer corner, placing carefully, this shade can get messy quickly.
Smolder: Dark plum. Payoff: satin Best for: lower lash line for color and the outer corner for a playful smokey eye. Best for brown eyes.
Photo: Courtesy of www.frmheadtotoe.com
The Matte’s:
The necessities. Your transitional, build-able colors. These hues help gradually build intensity before you hit them with shimmers and the satins. Every makeup look demands matte shades for a seamless look.
Password: Cool toned deep taupe. Payoff: matte, pigmented. Best for: using as secondary transition.
Whiskey: True chocolate brown. Payoff: matte, pigmented. Best for: tertiary transition (use Combust and Password first), outer corner and lower lash line.
Combust: A mix of beige and pale pink. Payoff: highly pigmented, yet build-able. Best for: initial transition, lay this baby down for the ultimate blended crease.
Thirteen: Off white. Payoff: matte, pigmented, yet build-able. Best for: the inner corner or brow bone highlighting.
Photo: Courtesy of www.frmheadtotoe.com
Whether it’s the hype of adding to your Naked collection or you yearn to be a smokey eyed vixen, the new Urban Decay palette is your one and only tool for creating the sultriest smoky eye. Come July 8th, you’ll be among the many who’ll praise Urban Decay for their all inclusive, versatile Smoky palette.
By: Yasmine Rimawi
