Today, Urban Decay confirmed the upcoming Naked Cherry palette, which features a variety of pink-leaning hues, in their signature 12-pan format. As I was reacting, it also got me thinking about how much I’d love to see Urban Decay reveal a new book, rather than continue to turn the pages in their Naked range. I’m fan of most of the Naked range, and I like how they’re permanent and make neutral eyes readily available. But as a long-time Urban Decay fan, I am also dying for them to consider richer, deeper, and less neutral-hues in palettes that aren’t just released during the holidays. Palettes that are cohesive, travel-friendly, and available year-round. I think of it as a complement to Naked rather than a replacement.
It must have been that rainbow eye makeup I did this morning that had me diving into Photoshop to create my own dream palettes, and here’s where I went… I’d called it the Velvet line-up, which is a tie to the brand’s own Velvet eyeliners that are deeper, smokier takes on their original eyeliner range.
P.S. — My philosophy shows a bit as perfecting brow bone highlighters and transition shades is tricky to please a universal audience (due to diverse skin tones), so while I wanted to include shades I could see being used in the crease, above it, and possibly on the brow bone, if one needs to bring in a lighter brow bone or transition shade, I think that still makes each palette very versatile.
Velvet Vale
I think earthy, more green-leaning neutral palettes are hard to find in permanent options, and Urban Decay makes some fabulous greens so I know they could do it justice. The more forest-like greens are grounded by neutrals that have been slightly desaturated and are more yellow- and olive-based than orange- or red-based). As always, a mix of depths and finishes to create a cohesive selection of shades.
Velvet Opulence
This is my ode to the metallic and jewel-toned shades that I always gravitate toward. I’ve designed this one so that it looks like two palettes in one, which, I believe, makes it easier to see possible color combinations as there are two color stories (half and half, if you will) but that if you stretch your imagination, you’ll see plenty of possibilities mixing and matching between the two sides. This is a palette that tries to weave cool and warm, light and dark, metallic and matte into one bold, eye-catching palette.
Velvet Empress
To me, the Velvet range isn’t necessarily about being brighter or colorful but richer overall, whether that’s in the saturation or is the depth or the inherent lack of typical neutrals. I think this straddles a line between Naked and where I’d want to take Velvet as a series because plums and mauves are often included here and there within neutral palettes. I feel like they’re the new neutrals. They’re more approachable than bright blues for more people, they offer a little pop and oomph, but they’re easier to use together whether it’s only a couple of shades or half a dozen in a look. This palette combined cooler, purplish and purplish-taupe shades along with slightly warmer, more mauve and plum hues across a mix of finishes and depths.
Where would you like to see Urban Decay go with their palettes?
