I never understood what all the hype was about Naked palettes all throughout high school. Girls would Instagram them as they purchased them or take a selfie while making sure to note that their eye shadow was, in fact, from Urban Decay. While my knowledge of makeup was also incredibly limited, it just didn’t make sense to me why you would ever spend so much money on a palette.

College though, my friends, changed me. Maybe it was because my roommate had an extensive understanding of how to do makeup, maybe it was because I actually wanted to look good when I went out. Who can say for sure? Regardless, between first semester and now, I have saved money and built up a fleet of palettes by Urban Decay.

One of my friends asked what the difference was and as I thought about it, while they do share similar characteristics, they are all very different. Which lead me to this- your all-encompassing (or at least my attempt at being all-encompassing) comparison of the Naked palettes (does not include Naked Basics).

Naked

So, to start with, the obvious Naked is a taupe based palette, with two matte shades and ten shimmer shades. In my experience, it’s very easy to make natural and is good for the day to day. It’s majorly warm tones, which is also a good consideration when picking which palette is right for your skin type. The shimmer shades tend to be darker when the two mattes are some of the lightest shades in the palette. Naked is most similar to Naked 2 as far as similar shades go.

Naked 2

Naked 2 is a bronze and gold tone based palette with three matte shades and nine shimmer shades. I prefer using this palette for going out because it does have a lot of nicer dark shades. This is definitely cool toned and easy to make dark for any nightlife occasion. It has a very drastic spread of colors, which makes it easy to go very light or very dark depending on what you want. Because the palette is more metallic based, it also makes the shimmers really stand out and appear more glittery and bold than in the original Naked palette.

Naked 3

Naked 3 is a rose gold tone based palette with three matte shades and nine shimmer shades. This palette can be made great for both casual occasions and going out. Though, it’s also worth noting that it definitely looks best when you’re wearing pink or black or red (personally). It definitely brings out warmth in the rest of your makeup as well and works well with fair skin. The shades are not as dark as Naked 2 tends to be and are more a mid-to-light darkness. Naked 3 is distinct in that its shades are not like Naked and Naked 2, and are primarily pink.

Naked Smoky

I will just start with the fact that this is so far my favorite palette. It has four shimmer shades, four satin shades, and four matte shades. What I like most about it is the fact that it has deep browns and grays as well as the shades you can use to blend them in well. The palette itself is definitely darker than its predecessors, but what can you expect from a palette created to help you create the perfect smoky eye? This one is a good blend of warm and cool tones for both occasions. You can definitely dress it down too, but it is less natural than the first Naked Palette.

While I can’t tell you what palette to buy that’s right for you, I can suggest that it be one of these. They are very versatile and will having you looking your best for any occasion. In addition, because they are so well - known, Pinterest and YouTube are full of how to’s. Happy shopping!