Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette Review, Photos & Swatches

The Urban Decay ‘Naked‘ legacy continues with this latest addition to the family, the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette ($27 USD / $32 CAD). A simplified neutral eyeshadow palette containing six (rather than twelve) matte eyeshadows in a small, sleek compact. This palette is an answer to all of the wishes of Naked palette lovers who have been craving an all-matte version!  It’s smaller, but I’m loving the simplified concept.

The palette is super slim and fits nicely in the palm of your hand- great for traveling! The compact has a rubbery feel to it, and physically locks shut (similar to Naked2; there’s no magnet here) and I must say I’m not a fan of the closure on this palette. It almost requires some prying open with a nail, and mine are so brittle I’m terrified to break them, so I grab the closest tool I can to pry it open.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

Note the size

The interior lid features a nice, larger mirror (again, similar to Naked2), and you’ll notice the lack of a brush or eyeliner or mini primer- which I’m very happy for! The eyeshadows are the same size as those found in the original Naked palettes, however the palette is obviously much smaller because in contains half as many. I first thought I would have preferred a 12-pan palette (really that’s more just OCD talking), but then I realized that 6 neutral matte eyeshadows is all you really need.

The shades include…

• Venus: Soft, off-white cream
• Foxy: Pale yellow cream
• Walk Of Shame: Pale pink cream
• Naked 2: Mid-tone, neutral brown
• Faint: Deep, rich brown
• Crave: Deep, jet black

The only eyeshadows that you may have seen before include Foxy, which is included in the Naked2 palette, and Walk Of Shame, which is available in single form. The range of shades and undertones is really perfect- I can see this palette being used as an everyday, quick look for school or the office, but also as a complimentary palette to all those other eyeshadow palettes we love, but are full of shimmery shades.

The pigmentation is great- consistent throughout each shade! They have a slight chalkiness to them, so just be careful not to pick up too much product on your brush or you may experience some fall out (especially with Crave); but overall they apply nicely and blend easily.

My favorite shades are Foxy, because it’s yellow base neutralizes tired, red eyelids for an instant brightening effect, Faint, for being the perfect crease color and of course Crave, for being the most intense, jet black eyeshadow ever. You know Urban Decay was thinking “those beauty bloggers are going to criticize this black eyeshadow so thoroughly… so we better make it awesome!”

And they did. Kudos, Urban Decay! This palette is a total winner and must have for all beauty lovers.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

(L-R): Venus, Foxy, Walk of Shame, Naked 2, Faint & Crave

Swatches (L-R): Venus, Foxy, Walk of Shame, Naked 2, Faint & Crave