Vacations are synonymous with summer in many parts of the world, especially those parts that get downright chilly in winter, but I like to set aside some time for a quick trip or two each fall.
Temps are usually a little cooler, the crowds a little smaller, and, beauty weirdo that I am, I like being able to use the season as my rationale for wearing smokey eyes almost every day, and in all of my vacation pics. 🙂
LOL! I had a feeling you’d understand. Now let’s pinky shake for being makeup nerds 4eva!
Thanks to Urban Decay, I think I may have found a perfect palette to take on my next fall foray. It’s called Smoked, sells for $49, has smokey eyes written all over it, and arrives at Sephora and Ultra stores, Macy’s and the Urban Decay website later this week.
Comprised of mostly neutral colors with a few smouldering jewel-toned shades, lacking any electric hot pinks or teals, it seems almost subdued for Urban Decay, but not at all in a bad way.
These are colors a rock goddess might wear to a black-tie affair with fishnets beneath her formal gown and heels bristling with chains and spikes.
It’s as if a warlock took Urban Decay’s Naked and Naked2 palettes, dropped them into a boiling cauldron, added the Black and 15-Year Anniversary palettes, let that stew for a few hours, and then poured the mixture into the Midnight Emergency Kit’s packaging.
The sleek zippered case contains 10 Eyeshadows, five of them new and five repromoted, but all of them in Urban Decay’s new eyeshadow formula; one full-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion (repromote), an inky black the color of a starless sky at midnight; a travel-sized Primer Potion (repromote), and a booklet called the Smoked Get The Look Book, with 12 step-by-step smokey eye tutorials (new).
Truth be told, I’d probably leave out the Primer Potion, as I have a tough time blending shadows on top of it (I don’t think it’s “slippery” enough for me), but I do know many gals who swear by it. If I were going on, say, on a 10-day trip to Italy this fall (hi, El Hub! Hint-hint!), that’s the one piece that come with the palette that I might just leave behind.
Ah… I can see it now — traipsing across the country on a quest to find the perfect pasta, and eating plate after plate of fettuccine, fusilli, spaghetti, ravioli and linguine with clams, perhaps while wearing a look like the smokey cat eyes I’m wearing here.
And I wouldn’t even have to worry about having to reapply after having that second cannoli because these easy-to-blend shadows, which exhibit very little fallout, stay put for at least 12 hours without fading or creasing.
My lower lash and water lines, however, might need a quick touch-up with Perversion pencil after 5-6 hours, but I can live with that.
If I happen to be in a more dramatic mood, because lawd knows that nothing goes with bread, wine and cheese like two smouldering smokey eyes (LOL!), I could even follow one of the tutorials in the Get The Look Book, or line my lash and water lines with Perversion, and then smudge one of the shimmery shadows along the lash lines.
Swatches from the left: Kinky (a new soft ivory peach with a matte finish), Freestyle (a new light pantyhose nude with a matte finish), Mushroom (a repromoted warm gray with a shimmery finish), Backdoor (a new true dark brown a matte finish), Blackout (a repromoted blackest black with a matte finish), Barlust (a new dark golden brown with a metallic finish), Rockstar (a repromoted deep aubergine with a shimmery finish), Evidence (a repromoted a deep navy blue with a shimmery finish), Loaded (a repromoted deep emerald shimmer with a metallic base), Asphalt (a deep gunmetal with silver micro glitter and a metallic base) and Perversion (a repromoted matte carbon black)
I feel like Urban Decay hoped the Smoked palette would appeal to a wide variety of guys/gals, and I think it does. They kept the colors from venturing too far toward warm or cool, making them suitable for a wide range of skin tones.
Big points for portable packaging, a flexible range of colors, wearable finishes, and great quality and longevity from the shadows and liner. Smoked should also be a great palette for newcomers to the brand, specially ones eager to perfect the art of the smoky eye, but obsessive collectors might be turned off by the repromoted shades.
If you already own the Black palette, Naked, Naked2 and 15-Year Anniversary Palettes, you probably already have these shades, or ones very close to them, in your stash.
PRICE: $49
AVAILABILITY: Coming to Sephora and Ulta stores, select Macy’s stores and online this week
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B+
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love how you did your liner in the look above. the colors are nice, but I already own most of them.
Hi Phyrra,
Thank you, my friend!
I’ve been meaning to tell you that your hair looks so pretty. I love how you always change it up.
I can’t wait for this! So glad Loaded is in the palette. I’ve been wanting that shade!
Hi Crystal,
Loaded is a good color! I bet Jewel tones look great on your skin tone. 🙂
How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?
This is the _perfect_ smokey/kitten eye! Would you pretty, pretty please do a tutorial on this look?
HI Amber,
Thank you! I’ll try to schedule in some time this week. 🙂
OMG, PLEASE! You always are so photogenic and pretty, but you look absolutely stunning in these shots. Would love to emulate your look here!
Ohh yes i sooo second a tutorial too! u look just gorgeous!
Me three (or four!) I noticed this on your eyes in another post and was thinking how amazing you looked! I plan on getting this palette and would love to hear what you used.
I quintuple the request for a tutorial for those gorgeous cat eyes! You look so amazing! Actually, I’d like to know ALL of the makeup that you wore for this look. I love the lips, cheeks, everything!
Looks like a great kit! I actually have the Perversion eyeliner from their Christmas eyeliner gift pack that also included Woodstock and Junkie (my favorite green eyeliner). I like it, it wears well all day, and usually fades only a little bit on the waterline. I was attracted to UD for the bright colors like Woodstock, but I’ve bought great neutrals like AC/DC, and Pistol. I would probably buy the kit (if it’s not out of stock like the 15th Anniversary one was every time I wanted it 🙁 ). You look amazing as always! Love the way the kit looks on you 🙂
Hi Katherine!
Oh, Junkie is a great color! I love wearing it with golds.
Do you have their Bourbon liner? It’s this really beautiful brown with golden flecks. Amazing!
Is this limited edition? My bank account is already hurting from Heavenly Creatures 🙁
Hi Katelyn,
I’m pretty sure it’s limited edition.
Karen, dear you look stunning! Even still I’ll skip this palette.
You look gorgeous!
Nice palette! I love Mushroom and Rockstar.
I quite like the colours in this one. I like it can go smokey or not but I’m not a fan of the packaging 🙁 I wonder if Evidence is as blah as it is in the 15th Anniversary palette. I remember the texture as being a bit of a dud. Still, I think its worth taking a look when it gets here. p/s you look fab in these shots and I love your earrings! 😀
I love that you went with a smokey romantic look. Sooo pretty, very “vacation in Italy” 🙂 The liner is perfect with the color scheme. This looks like a great palette, but the zipper? I’m not diggin’ it.
OMG. You look so gorgeous in those pics! I know the palette wouldn’t suit me much, but you’re making me want it!
You did a perfectly gorgeous smoky look using this palette…glamorous but still understated. Which colors did you use?
Hmm…this isn’t all that much more than getting Mushroom and the Perversion liner separately…must think about it.
Oh gosh Karen, you look sooo sexy! I love your look, seriously wow! I love the palette, although I can see that some ppl that already own previous palettes from UD would be a bit less enthusiastic about it. I might buy it though, especially now seeing the pictures!
I wonder if you can compare this palette with UD Black palette? Namely Rockstar vs Jet, Evidence vs Sabbath, and Loaded vs Libertine.
What sizes are the shadows? Not that it matters much, I never hit pan on anything really…
Hmm. I’m not crazy about this palette, but I absolutely love the look you’ve created with it! What a chic, glam smokey eye — I feel like you should be starring in a spy movie or something, gathering intel at a fancy soirée 😉
love the way you have given the liner a smoked effect….http://makeupveda.com/makeupveda/index.php/using-joomla/bath-n-body/165-fabindia-lemongrass-stimulating-and-refreshing-soap-review
Smokin’ HAWT! Girlfriend, that look is perfection! I echo Rae, that’s one film noir/spy movie lead star worthy look!
Hope your week is off to a fun start! xoxo.
You look amazing!
Ohhhhhhh yeaaaaahh! This will be my first Urban decay palette! 😀
Ahhhhh I love this! Already wanted perversion and rockstar so this is perfect. Out of the shades I only have mushroom, but I love that anyway so a double is welcome. I hope I can find this in my ulta or sephora this week, I desperately want to take this with me on vacation, and I leave friday!
OMG your hair looks SO va-va-voom in these pics Karen. Love it! And the eyeshadow is fab too of course. Lovely as always
You look gorgeous, Karen!
The only color in this palette that I want and don’t yet own is Loaded, so I think I’ll just purchase that separately at some point. I’ve never thought I am an avid collector of UD palettes, but now come to think of it I do own both Naked palettes and the 15th Anniversary one. More shadows than I can ever use up in 2 lifetimes!
I feel like this is what the Black Palette should have been. If I could trade them out, I would! But, as it stands, I already have the Naked, Black, and the 15th Anniversary, so I should probably skip this one.
you look so pretty with this look! i love the lips too 😀
This is definitely a pass for me.
What a pretty palette — this is what I hoped MUFE’s Smokey Eye palette would be. Y’know, the one that was never released in the US.
I do have Naked 1 and 2 — but id buy this because of the convenience of a zippered case. The Naked 1 and 2 arent exactly travel friendly, but this one is!
Gorgeous pictures Karen. Another great palette from UD!
“Hi El Hub, Hint Hint” LOL you are so cute! lol
Ok, Karen you look amaze-balls! I saw this palette on somewhere else and kinda dismissed it, but your making me take a second look. Not that I’ll look as good as you! :0)
Oh my, I adooooore this look on you, you gorgeous woman!
I’m really digging the packaging but I think I’ll pass on this one. The colors are a little too dark for my liking.
Nice palette…
I love you lip color! What are you wearing?
Hi India,
I’m wearing Urban Decay’s Naked Lipstick topped with UD Pocket Rocket Lip Gloss in Max.
This needs to show up at my Macy’s/Ulta/Sephora NOW, for the love of God! I am so excited at how universally flattering these colors are. Yay!
I think I have all the colors I like from this palette, so I won’t be getting it. I will say I love the zipper closure on it though. Very cool. They used to sell the UD mini polish sets in little silver & clear zipper cases and while I don’t have the polishes anymore, I do still have the case… I keep my crochet hooks& misc needle work stuff in it. 😀
OOOOH! This looks perfect! I’m heading off to Beijing for 2 weeks in August and have been looking for the perfect palette for traveling. The colors look great — neutrals and also a nice plum and green — both of which are staples in my life. And since this is my birthday month, I can totally justify buying this! Yippee!
BTW, I went to TJs today and they were OUT of coconut water floes…. I was so disappointed. But I guess that means I’ll just have to find the time to return in the near future. It’s always fun food shopping at TJs… even if the girls don’t like their cat food.
Oh yes! Please do a tutorial on your look. It is gorgeous!
This is one of my all time fab eyeshadow looks on Karen ever! I need this palette!
This palette is great! I hope it comes out soon here in France!
It’s beautiful, but it just makes me sad. Urban Decay is no longer cruelty free. On top of it, check out their Facebook page – they’re treating people who are upset about it like absolute garbage. It’s a shame because this palette looks like a lot of fun, but I just can’t support them anymore.
i’m so immature. i see “backdoor” and that it’s a dark brown and i’m just like… please… please don’t tell me they were going for a tongue in cheek bhole reference. i mean, i know UD does a lot of drug/sex references, but COME ON. please just tell me i’m being immature.
this looks nice and i love the zipper casing! but i don’ t think i’ll get behind this craze because it reminds me of one of my inglot palettes that i created
Hi Karen: (1) Will you post what items you used to create this look? Do you think this particular eye kit is necessary to dupe the look? (2) Would you ever post pics of you and El Hubs? You always speak so affectionately of him. As usual, great and helpful review. Thanks!!!
This is gorgeous, I love Urban Decay. Does anyone know if this palette is limited edition?
I had been eyeing this palette for a long time and finally had the chance to buy it. Cant wait to try it out.