Achieve the Perfect Smoky Eye the UD Way

Recently launched in the UK, the new Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette, £38, contains nine never seen before and three exclusive sultry, smoky neutral eye shadow shades with a mixture of matte, satin and shimmer finishes.

The palette is packaged in a strong cardboard box with the smoke pattern in the background and the brand and the palette name embossed into the packaging in a reflective silver colour.

In the box you get a detailed look book of four tutorials to achieve different smoky eyes, key tips to achieve the perfect smoky eye and a short introduction to the palette. The four mini tutorials included are an everyday smoky, a smoky cat eye, a smoky reality star and the iconic UD smoky eye. These are really simple tutorials in under 10 steps.

The packaging of the actual palette is, in one word, amazing! There is the same smoke pattern on the lid and the name definitely stands out. The lid is magnetic so it securely closes and remains closed too.

Inside the palette there is a large internal mirror, 12 smoky shades and a dual ended eye shadow brush. There is a range of shades that are the perfect colours for any smoky eye, including some neutral shades for transitioning and blending out the colours. The range of shades is described as having 'warm bronzes, dimensional greys, rich browns and deep blacks'.

High - Shimmer cream with micro glitter

Dirtysweet - Shimmer medium bronze

Radar - Shimmer metallic taupe with iridescent micro glitter

Armor - Shimmer metallic silver-taupe with a tonal sparkle

Slanted - Satin light metallic grey

Dagger - Satin medium charcoal with micro shimmer

Black Market - Satin jet black

Smolder - Satin deep plum-taupe

Password - Matte cool taupe

Whiskey - Matte rich brown

Combust - Matte soft pink-taupe

Thirteen - Matte light beige

Also included in this palette is a duo ended eye shadow brush with 'Urban Decay Naked Smoky' printed on the handle.

One end of the brush is a short, smoky smudger brush ideal for blending out colour on the lash line or precise buffing into the crease.

The other end is a tapered crease brush ideal for fluffing out colour and blending shades together. I love the quality of this brush. It has the same transparent smoke pattern on the handle, the bristles are soft and it feels like a strong, durable brush.

Each shade is packed full of pigmentation and they are beautifully opaque. I really like the balance of matte, shimmer and satin shades, especially how the shades used for blending and transitioning are matte. The consistencies are incredibly smooth and they apply and blend super easily. Even though this is a smoky palette, you have the option to create any intensity of a smoky eye, from everyday wearable to a dark night-out look.

 The tutorial I have created from this palette is a cool toned, gunmetal smoky eye with a slight purple undertone. Start by priming the lids and blending a white eyeliner over the lids to create the perfect base.

 I am starting the look by using the blending brush to buff the shade 'Combust' through the crease as my first transitional shade.

 Then I am applying a black kohl pencil on the lids and using a regular flat concealer brush to blend it out but I am keeping this just on the lid.

 Then I am patting the shade 'Slanted' over the black base and this is going to give the shade a lot of intensity.

 Then with a precise crease brush I am using the shade 'Password' to soften the edge of the lid shade.

 Then with the shade 'Dagger' and the same precise brush, I am blending this into the outer half of the crease to add some definition.

 Next with the blending brush, I am mixing 'Black Market' and 'Smolder' and fluffing this into the outer corner and gently blending into the lid and outwards from the crease to get a smokier effect.

 I am using the same black kohl pencil to line my upper and lower lash line and then I am smoking out the lower lash line with 'Smolder' using the smoky smudger brush from the palette, and I am blending it out so it connects with the outer corner shade.

 Then I am using the blending brush with a tiny bit of 'Combust' just to soften all the edges and then I am lining the upper lash line with liquid liner. I then dotted 'High' into the inner corner to brighten the look. I am finishing off the eye makeup by curling my lashes and applying mascara.

 On my lips I lined them with the MUA Lip Liner in Nougat and then I used Natural Collection Lipstick in Caramel. I used a bronzer just to add some warmth to my complexion.

What are your thoughts on the Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette?

SparkleEyes x