Sexy, Smokey & NAKED 2!

Salut mes belles & Happy February!! Today, I'm ecstatic to present my first ever makeup look using the coveted Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. The look I'm featuring is a classic smokey eye and glossy nude lip ensemble, right on schedule with the upcoming Valentine's Day celebration. In this post, I'm reviewing the palette, comparing it to the original, and as always, showing off the makeup and providing instructions on how to achieve it. Hooray!!

Keep reading for pix, deets, reviews, & more!!

My new baby :D

I am a "self-respecting makeup junkie", so I proudly own both palettes, the original Naked and Naked 2. I've had the first palette for over a year and have used at least one eyeshadow virtually every day of that year, so I was well overdue for some variety and more Naked options. Naturally, I had to have the second palette, and after nearly 2 months of anticipation and waiting for it to be re-stocked, my new best friend finally showed up at my door... Le Sigh... 

Urban Decay never disappoints: their shadows are by far the best in the game of makeup! I love the consistency, the texture, the pigmentation and the color range; the shadows blend together seamlessly and result in flawless, professional looking makeup every time. The Naked 2 offers 12 greige and taupe neutral shades, ranging from matte to shimmery and light to dark. There are endless possibilities of looks to be achieved from the Naked 2, from classic to dramatic to every day to everything in between, and without hesitation, I would recommend this product to anyone! If that's not enough, Urban Decay is cruelty-free and good for our planet, so what more can you ask for?

PRICE: $50

INCLUDES: Naked 2, Lip Junkie Lip Gloss and Double-ended brush

WHERE TO BUY: The Naked 2 is currently available to purchase online at:

• UrbanDecay.com
• Sephora.com
• Amazon.com
  

LOVE: 

• the quality, consistency, pigmentation, yadda yadda, the norm that's to be expected from UD
• the shade TEASE is my favorite of the bunch, it is a plummy beige counterpart to NAKED from the original palette. I've used it in every look I've created so far and it is soooo flattering and gorgeous on the skin
• the packaging is SUPERB. Not only is the tin pencil box really cute and sleek, it is super sturdy too. How do I know? Cuz silly me, I already dropped it along with my sinking heart, only to discover all 12 shades perfectly intact. That never happens! Usually, when a palette is dropped, it's all over for the shadows... I should know ::smh::

TOP 5 EYE SHADOWS:

1. TEASE -- gorgeous plummy taupe in a matte finish; perfect for contouring or adding color to the lid.
2. PISTOL -- shimmery cool browned silver-gray; great on the lid and in the lower lash line
3. SNAKEBITE -- shimmery antique bronze; very versatile shade
4. VERVE -- cool pearly silver; great to use in the inner corner or as a highlighter under the brow
5. FOXY -- eggshell cream in a matte finish; great as a neutral highlighter and perfect for blending

HATE: the double-ended brush. HUGE disappointment. The synthetic bristles pick up too much product and are too stiff for blending. The result is a very muddy, uneven application. You know those sponge applicators you want to burn after discovering makeup brushes for the first time? yeah. um, they work better than this piece of nothing brush. Seriously, if all UD brushes are gonna be like this, I'll be the first one to yell at them, I mean--c'mon, I expect better!! The only thing that stopped me from ceremoniously trashing this thing is that it looks good in the package. I guess I'm spoiled since my original Naked palette came with a double-ended 24/7 glide-on pencil that I absolutely adore. 

HAVING SAID THAT, the brush doesn't matter because the product is amazing and worth every penny!!! I will forever be a Naked fan and will keep purchasing the Naked 3, 4, 10, whatever, as long as UD keeps coming out with new palettes!

The ORIGINAL VS. NAKED 2

• The NAKED 2 includes cooler shades than the original, but it doesn't matter what skin tone you have if you're only going to choose one. In my opinion, NAKED 2 has more options for blue or gray eyes; whereas for green, hazel or brown eyes, both palettes have complementary shades.
• Half Baked is the only repeater shade, and Hustle (original palette) and Busted (N2) are close dupes. Virgin and Bootycall are similar highlight shades, but have different undertones, resulting in different looks when paired with the same eyeshadow like Suspect, for example. 
• The N2 has 3 matte shades (Foxy, Tease & Blackout), 1 glitter (Chopper) and the rest are shimmery shades of varying intensities.
• Do yourself a favor and get both palettes and if I haven't convinced you, I'll let the eyeshadows speak for themselves!!

On my EYES, I'm wearing:

• Verve -- in the inner corner and inner third of the lid and bottom lash line
• Pistol -- in the center of the lid and lower lash line
• Busted -- in the outer third of the lid and lower lash line
• Blackout -- in the outer "V' of the lid
• Tease -- used to blend out the harsh edge of the previous shadows and contour the eye socket
• Foxy -- used as a highlighter under the brow
• Bootycall -- in the inner corner highlight and under the brow arch
• Urban Decay 24/7 glide-on pencil in Zerosmudged in the outer part of the upper lash line and also used in the waterline
• Elite false lashes in #6

• On my LIPS, I'm wearing the included Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked--a dusty rose neutral tone great for Valentine's or every day
• On my CHEEKS, I'm wearing the Afterglow Glide-on Cheek Tint--a pretty dolly pink blush sample included in the package. Thanks Urban Decay!

CLASSIC NAKED 2 SMOKEY EYE HOW-TO:

1. As always, start off by priming your eye lid with Urban Decay primer potion. Unfortunately, this palette doesn't include one, but you should have one already anyway!!
2. Using a flat natural fiber (!!!) brush, apply Verve, Pistol and Busted to the inner, center, and outer portion of your lid, respectively. Use patting motions to apply and swiping motions to blend the transitions.
3. Taking the edge of the flat brush, apply the same shadows in the same order under the lower lash line.
4. Using Tease on a natural fiber fluffy dome brush and windshield wiper motions, blend out the harsh edge of the three eye shadows right above your crease. Drag the color up and outward, in a cat eye shape, towards the edge of your eyebrow.
5. Taking Blackout on the same dome brush, outline the outer "V" of your eye, (don't worry about being precise) and blend it with the rest of the shadows using small circular motions. Add more color for more depth and more smokiness.
6. Using a stiff angled brush, apply Foxy directly under the brow and bring it down to blend with Tease.
7. Use your pinky to apply a dot of Bootycall to the inner corner highlight and the high point under your brow.
8. Line the waterline and smudge the outer corner of the top lash line with a black waterproof pencil (Zero).
9. Apply your falsies and mascara. My falsies are very dramatic, so I skipped the mascara.

I really hope you enjoyed my tutorial and found my Naked review helpful. I have tons of new Naked material coming up: a plummy smokey eye for every day, a dramatic editorial shimmery cat eye, and an all matte look using both palettes. The next few posts will alternate between more looks from the NAKED 2 and Valentine's appropriate makeup and nail art, so stay tuned and tell your friends!!!

Everything mentioned in this post

bisous,

Maryam Maquillage

♥

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Maryam Maquillage © 2012. www.maryammaquillage.com