Cue The Frenzy: There's A New Naked Palette
By Megan McIntyre
PHOTO COURTESY OF URBAN DECAY.
Gird your loins, Urban Decay fans — there’s a brand-new Naked palette coming your way, and we’ve got the exclusive inside scoop. Feast your eyes on Naked Smoky, an entire palette devoted to crafting a totally bitchin’ smoky eye. We’ll pause here while you grab a paper bag to hyperventilate into.
Related: 8 New York Manicurists On What The Nail Industry Is Really Like
Okay, ready to proceed? The newest addition to the Naked family lands on July 8 (get on the waiting list here) and has everything you love about Naked — wearable-yet-cool neutrals, gorgeous packaging, a killer shade range, amazing color payoff — but with a few spankin’-new twists in the format. Unlike Nakeds 1 through 3, which focused on specific color stories, Naked Smoky will span a range of color families.
Related: The Full-Bush Brazilian Is The Latest Waxing Trend
“In most Naked palettes, there is an undercurrent running through them,” explains founder Wende Zomnir. “Naked 1 was a bit more bronze-y, Naked 2 was more taupe-y, and Naked 3 was warm and rosy neutrals. [With] Naked Smoky, you have a range of neutrals — your basic matte shades, and then a mini collection of bronze, a mini collection of taupe, a mini collection of grays and blacks, and then this one eggplant. It’s a variety of color families you can dip into.”
Related: The Best Celeb Marilyn Monroe Moments
That’s nine new shades and three exclusive ones, for those of you keeping track. The shadows are also arranged a bit differently — instead of going from lightest to darkest, the brand has placed the mattes from lightest to darkest on one end and the shimmers from lightest to darkest on the opposite side, meaning the palette has all the lighter shades on the outside and the darker shades on the interior. Zomnir says this was done to make creating a smoky eye a bit more intuitive for users, grouping them categorically rather than forcing you to think about your smoky eye in terms of shades.
Related: Why This Face Oil Should Be A Staple On Everyone’s Vanity
Speaking of the smoky-eye process, Zomnir has a bone to pick with the palettes currently on the market. “[For most smoky-eye kits] when you get the tutorial card, they are usually three steps to a smoky eye. I’m calling bullshit on that — there are like 15 steps to a great smoky eye,” she says. “If you do three steps, [your smoky] is either too harsh or too muddy.”
Zomnir’s ideal smoky eye is multi-dimensional — one that features a mix of mattes, shimmers, and sheens. If 15 steps seems too labor-intensive or intimidating to you, Zomnir promises it’s not as bad as it sounds. “They are tiny little baby steps and they aren’t hard, but if someone walks you through it you get a good one.” The palette features super-detailed instructions to help you create four distinctly different smoky eyes: UD Smoky Eye, Smoky Cat, Smoky Reality Star, and the Smoky Everyday. “We are nailing any kind of smoky eye you want,” says Zomnir, “whether it’s a super-intense black, supermodel smoky eye, or just a little more intense than you would normally wear — the office smoky eye."
Related: The Super-Sneaky Ways The Sun Is Getting To You
Also exclusive to the palette is a brand-new double-sided brush to aid you in your noble smoked-out quest. One side features the Tapered Crease Brush, which will help you apply shadow to the lid, define your crease, or blend out colors. The other side is the Smoky Smudger Brush, which is perfectly designed for highlighting the browbone or inner corner of the eye, and great for smudging shadow on the lower lashline and even tightlining.
Related: This Woman Doesn’t Care If You Hate Her Body Hair
For Zomnir, this was a true labor of love — eyeshadow is her signature look and having seen her smoky eyes up close and personal a few times, we can tell you her game is masterful. The woman knows her way around a sultry gaze. Even the packaging has a very personal connection for her. "I’ve always been obsessed with smoky [glass] ‘70s coffee tables. I bought one for the back-office lounge area — a really cheesy, '70s chrome-and-smoke coffee table — so when it came time to do this, I was inspired by the table for the palette design. The case is a fulfillment of a childhood dream of that smoky glass coffee table.”
Related: You’re So Vein, You Probably Think This Article Is About You
If you’re as excited as we are about getting your hands on the new palette, then you’ll appreciate these words of wisdom from Zomnir. “My advice, for any look, is to practice before you go to bed,” she shares. “Do it differently on each eye, and see what you like better. Keep playing with it until you get a look you like.” Challenge accepted, Wende. July 8 can’t come soon enough.
Urban Decay Naked Smoky, $54, available July 8 at Urban Decay.
Read This Next: Woman Removes Her Face On YouTube & Everyone Sees It Differently
