Urban Decay Naked Basics

So my approach with Urban Decay Naked Basics was a little backwards, having bought Naked2 Basics first. Don’t judge. I’ve really been feeling matte neutrals lately. My energy’s been zapped lately, so I need foolproof…and mattes are exactly that. Let’s be honest – you know what the packaging looks like, so let’s jump right into it.

DSC_0378Urban Decay Naked Basics

Urban Decay Naked Basics isn’t a new palette. I’m not going to hold your hand through it. But even though it isn’t new, I AM excited about it.

Like Naked2 Basics, Urban Decay Naked Basics has one shade that isn’t truly matte. Venus has a subtle shimmer to it that is quite pretty. It will be a nice highlight for the inner corner or browbone. On me, it might be too light for a lid shade unless I mix it with something else.

I could do without Crave just because I don’t need yet another matte black in my lineup, BUT I do appreciate it having a dark shade for lining purposes. Sometimes, you can only have a single palette handy. At least it isn’t identical to other black shadows I own (also, two palettes in a row considering Lorac PRO 3‘s black is not the same, either) – being kind of ‘light’ and leaning warm for a black shadow, that is.

Urban Decay Naked Basics SwatchesUrban Decay Naked Basics Swatches

A lot of people think neutrals are boring these days, but I’m just as excited about makeup that flatters me as I am about makeup that’s fun – and this definitely flatters me and is universally appropriate. I would not say it is universally flattering, though; deeper skin tones won’t get much out of Naked Basics. Once you pass roughly NC/NW40, this palette’s utility is going to decline for you. (For reference, I’m roughly NC20-25ish in the spring and summer).

The Bottom Line

Urban Decay Naked Basics would make a great gift for a beginner, someone who wants something compact, or someone who has a problem er, an unhealthy neutrals obsession. The quality is the same as one would expect from Urban Decay. Unless your skintone or the skintone of your intended recipient is darker than NC/NW40 you pretty much can’t go wrong! At $29 the price is nice.

On a side-note – do you think Urban Decay is going to release a Naked3 Basics?