Urban Decay Smoked Palette Review

I recently realised that I took photos and swatches for a review of my UD Smoked Palette last a p r i l  and totally forgot to do the actual review! I know it's very late, but I didn't want to let the photos go to waste, so here we are! 

The design of the case is definitely my favourite of the UD palettes. My Eyeshadows are snug and secure in a cushioned, zip up case, and it has the added bonus of being absolutely gorgeous! Smooth black satin with an embossed title. 

Kinky is a creamy white shade that is pretty much identical to my skin tone! Pretty useless for me, and any other ghosties, but on darker skin would be a lovely non-shimmery highlighter (rare!) 

Freestyle is a warm, almost peachy cream shade, works very well as a base shade. 

Mushroom was, if I'm honest, the only reason I bought this palette. It's a cool metallic taupe, verging on pewter. Initially, it doesn't apply incredibly pigmented, but it's impressive when used with a damp brush. Mushroom is an ideal crease shade for when I'm wanting a metallic shade. (Can you tell I love it? :D)

Backdoor is a lovely medium-dark brown, leaning towards a warm tone. It works very well with both Mushroom and Barlust layered over it, or used as a crease shade for a brown smokey eye. 

Blackout is an incredibly pigmented true matte black. It is perfect for a smokey eye, or as a crease shade for colourful shades. Definitely one of the best shadows in the palette.

Barlust is a delightful Baroque bronze shade, and is wonderfully pigmented. Again, works lovely and adds a certain richness when layered over the likes of Backdoor, or any warm brown or bronze shade. 

Rockstar is a cool metallic purple shade, works really well teamed with a true, matte black (Blackout, for example), especially when used with a black crease. 

Evidence is a cool metallic blue, which I have not used, and likely will never use. It has nothing to do with the eyeshadow, which is very well pigmented, and UDs typical buttery texture, I just really don't like blue eyeshadow. Oh well!

Loaded is a metallic hunter green shade, which, similar to rockstar, works really well with Blackout. 

Asphalt is the final shadow in the palette. It is a cool pewter shade, (similar to Mushroom, minus the taupe) and is a very buildable shade, though application with a damp brush will give a very pigmented effect. 

L - R Foxy, Freestyle, Mushroom, Backdoor, Blackout

L-R Barlust, Rockstar, Evidence, Loaded, Asphalt.

The eyeshadows are Urban Decay's usual top quality, buttery texture and wonderful pigmentation (with the exception of a few of the metallic shades) and although I usually stick with my Naked palettes, I'm definitely glad I own Smoked (if only for Mushroom! hah)

In addition to ten eyeshadows, the palette comes with a travel sized primer potion, a full sized 24/7 eyeliner in 'perversion', which is the most pigmented and long lasting eyeliner I have ever used, and a lookbook, full of ideas and ways of using the products included. For £35 I think this is a pretty amazing deal! 

New treats~

Hey! I thought I'd share a few things I've picked up recently, sort of as a sneak peak into what I'll be reviewing in the next few weeks! :) 

I treated myself to the Naked 3 palette when it came out (no regrets: prettiest palette ever <3), and got the Naked Basics palette as a Christmas present! I also got a Debenhams gift card for Christmas, and so I bought three things I've wanted for ever: Illamasqua's Raindrop and Jo'Mina nail polishes, and MACs Snob lipstick! Ahh I've not even taken them out of their packaging yet, I'm so excited to see them :D I'll be reviewing these (and maybe a few more things) in the coming weeks, so I hope you'll stay tuned :) 

<3

yet another haul post~

I am ridiculous, I bought plenty of makeupy treats last week, and yet today when I was about town, I just couldn't help myself! Oh dear, maybe I'll stop after this haul! (We all know I won't...)

Anyway, I got a few treats that I've been wanting for ages, Urban Decay's Smoked Palette, Gosh's infamous Holographic nail polish, and then I got L'oreal Feria's Extreme Platinum Power and Pastel Pink Panther, and a teal Miss Sporty polish!

I was on the search for the perfect teal nail polish that had a more blue than green tone and I just came across this in the most unlikely place! I've never really paid any attention to Miss Sporty, but this is such a lovely colour. Unfortunately, it doesn't say what shade it is on the bottle, and I can't remember, but I'm sure it's easy enough to find in store :)

(Miss Sporty nail polishes retail in Superdrug and Boots for £1.99)

Gosh's wonderful Holographic polish! I've wanted this forever, but I never got round to actually buying it, but I'm so happy I did! I don't think this picture gives it justice, but it is such a lovely polish, properly holographic (so cool :D). However, it is really quite streaky, even with 3 layers, so it might be an idea to layer it over a silvery polish to get a better coverage? Also, it dries to a semi-matte finish, which I was surprised at. Overall, the formula isn't the greatest, but it's forgivable considering how wonderful the actual colour is :)

(Gosh nail polishes retail in Superdrug for £4.99)

I bleach my naturally dark blonde hair, and I ususally use Jerome Russel, but I didn't feel like it gave me the lift I require (I like my hair to be white blonde as a clean slate to put pastel toned colour in!) and I noticed that L'oreal Feria's Extreme Platinum Power claims to lighten hair up to 8 levels, which, if true, would definitely bring my hair up to white, so hopefully it works! What I like about the colourant is that it comes with a purple toning conditioner, which bleach/blonde hair kits really lack. 

The Pastel Pink Panther toner is, well, a pastel pink toner! I can imagine it is just like a pink hair dye mixed down to a light pink, and I've heard good things about it, so I thought I'd check it up. Once I get round to trying these out, I'll try and show you the results! 

(L'oreal Feria colourants retail in Boots and Superdrug at £5.79)

Last, but definitely not least, is Urban Decay's Smoked Palette. I had wanted this palette for ages, for two reasons, UD's eyeshadow primer, and a beautiful eyeshadow; Mushroom. I've been admiring Mushroom for months, but it took me until today to actually buy the palette! Smoked has ten eyeshadows, five of which are exclusive to the palette, a travel sized eyeshadow primer, and a full sized 24/7 eye pencil in Perversion, pretty good for £35! 

(Urban Decay products retail in Debenhams!)