Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

After a few months of putting the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette to the test, I think its high time I gave it a full review here on my blog. 

As Im sure most of you know, the Naked 2 palette is the follow up to the very successful and famous first Naked palette from Urban Decay. I own the first one and used it for the past year religiously. The question everyone wants opinions on is how does this offering compare to the original? Is it better? Which one should I buy? 

Obviously the answers to all of these questions are a matter of personal choice and preference, but heres what I think.

As much as I love the texture and appearance of the original Naked palette, the Naked 2 is definitely more hard wearing and travel friendly. In no time at all the soft material of my first one got scuffed up, and this pencil-case like tin is much more sturdy and hard wearing which I like.  

I prefer the large mirror that comes in this palette, which I found very handy to use on holiday as I could practically see my whole face in it. I also prefer the double ended brush that comes in this one to the one ended flat brush I got in the first palette. This brush has the flat end for all over lid application, and a fluffier tapered end which is great for blending and crease work.

On a side note the mini lipgloss that came as an extra is pretty lovely too, a nice sheer neutral colour which would literally suit anyone.

Now...how about the actual eyeshadows...

Overall this palette is much cooler in tone, which personally I prefer and find much more wearable on my paler skin. This will obviously be different person to person, but the cooler colours just compliment me more.

I use this end of the palette the most, and particularly love Bootycall and Tease.

It is slightly annoying that Half Baked is repeated in this palette from the first, but not a total deal breaker as it is a lovely colour. 

Now, Im sorry these last two photos are slightly blurry, but you can still get the effect of what the colours look like. 

The middle few eyeshadows are completely stunning to me. Theyre perfect for mixing and matching as crease and outer-v colours, or even all over the lid. Theyre all right up my street and my favourite part of this second palette compared to the first. Id have say I love Verve as its a silvery colour which didnt feature in the first, and Pistol compliments it well too. 

The last three colours are all fantastic as well, I love that a nicely pigmented black is included, meaning that any look from this palette can be transformed to a sultry night look with a quick smokey sweep of Blackout.

Id have to say that all of these eyeshadows have amazing pigmentation, as with the first palette. The mattes and the more chunky glittery colours are great too, which can often be the downfall pigmentation wise with other brands, but theres really no issues here. 

The price of this palette could be something that would put people off, as it retails at around £35. However, when you divide it up it works out at just under £3 per eyeshadow, along with a free double ended brush and a lipgloss. Id say thats amazing value, especially as these are the nicest selection of eyeshadows I could imagine coming all in one set, and at such good quality too.

I feel like such a traitor to my first Naked palette at the minute as Ive been using this one none stop. Im not sure which I prefer as of yet. I think Im still in the novelty new-product-obsession stage of using this, the same phase I went through when I first got the original. The colours of this are much easier for me to pull off, and its a better choice for night time looks I would say. On the other hand Im very faithful to my old first one.

Im glad I have both as to me theyre not as similar as theyre made out to be, but maybe thats just my make-up obsessed brain telling me to think that.

Thanks for reading my rambling on if you got this far!

xoxo