Naked 3 Palette Review and Swatches

As 2013 came to a close, Urban Decay released the much anticipated Naked 3 Palette, which in turn, led makeup addicts as myself to act like one of those crazed Black Friday shoppers who decides to line up at 7PM on a Thanksgiving night. As soon as fellow beauty blogger, Lisa, alerted me at 6 in the morning of its release, I raced to the computer and purchased my own right before work started. By around 11AM, the Naked 3 Palette had sold out.

Now I know it's been a while since its release and many of you who've been waiting for its release have probably gotten it by now. But for those of you who are on the fence over whether or not its worth the splurge, then hopefully, my post will aid you in your decision. Although I'm a pretty big fan of Urban Decay eyeshadows and I pretty much only use them nowadays, I had my initial doubts on whether this palette would look good on me. As you can see, this palette is very pink-based and I wasn't sure if it would match my skin tone. I'm a light-medium tone in the winter time and I felt that this palette would perform best with light skin. However, after much experimentation with the variety of colors, I'm happy to say that this palette will suit a wide variety of skin tones and shades and worth gifting to yourself. So read on for more details!

First and foremost, I just have to get this out of the way: the box that the Naked 3 Palette comes in is gorgeous! Rose gold has been all the rage nowadays and everyone has been obsessed with the color. And the packaging on the actual palette itself is just as beautiful. It's fashioned similarly to the Naked 2 Palette and comes in a metal case with a wavy texture. The box also includes 4 different samples of the famed Urban Decay potion primer, which I will get more into detail later. 

Another neat thing about the Naked palettes is how they always manage to include a makeup brush. This brush is dual-ended and includes one side of patting the eyeshadow and one side for blending. The quality of this brush is wonderful and definitely gives this palette its bang for its buck. I only really use the blending brush end and it's pretty much replaced all of my other blending brushes. The blending side is more dense than other brushes I've seen, making it easier and faster to blend all of your colors together.

And here are the samples of the primer potions. I've never actually gotten the chance to try these yet but I am looking forward to trying out Sin the most. Here are the descriptions: 

Original - This undercover wonder works invisibly to keep color in place. 

Eden - This nude matte formula preps lips, and prevents shadow meltdown. 

Sin - Just a dab of this shimmering formula prevents fading and creasing.

Anti-Aging - Makes shadow last and in an 8-week clinical study: 

• 100% of participants had a measurable improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• 100% had measurably brighter skin. 
• 97% had a measurable improvement in radiance and clarity. 

And now without further ado, let's take a look at the eyeshadows, which I'm sure you're most interested in reading about anyways! To avoid any confusion, I should preface this by explaining that I will start with the pictures of the eyeshadows, followed by its official description and my own personal opinion, and finally the swatches of the eyeshadows. 

Strange (a pale neutral pink matte-satin) - This color performs very well in flattering most eyeshadow looks in this palette and works best as a highlighter. The texture is quite buttery and I appreciate how its matte, so that it does not compete against the many other shimmery colors in this palette. 

Dust (pale metallic pink shimmer with iridescent micro-glitter) - I've heard mixed reviews about this color but I'm really digging it. The micro-glitter in this eyeshadow makes fallout nearly unavoidable. I would avoid packing this one on on my eyelid but I find that this looks beautiful when worn in the inner corners. 

Burnout (light pinky peach satin) - This one is still relatively light compared to the other shadows in the palette. It has great pigmentation with no fallout at all. If you're looking for a light wash of pink on the eyelid, this would be your best bet over Dust. 

Limit (light dusty rose matte) - This shade is great for everyday makeup and actually shows up a little more mauve than pink when blended out onto the eyelid. It's great for blending and works great for deepening the eye crease. 

Buzz (metallic rose shimmer with silver micro-glitter) - A soft pinky color, Buzz pretty much looks like how it does in the pan and blends out buttery smooth. I find myself picking this color up when I feel like doing a soft, feminine look. It blends out to a nice, soft medium pink. 

Trick (light metallic pinky copper shimmer with tonal mid-sparkle) - Initially, Trick looked quite coppery and even similar to the shade Chopper from the Naked Palette 2. I didn't find myself using this much at first but was pleasantly surprised to find that this color comes out more as a soft rose gold. There is a bit of an orange tint, but it nicely complements most colors in this palette. To add dimension, I recommend blending a small amount of this color onto the eye close to the inner corner. 

Nooner (medium pink-brown matte) - One of my absolute favorite matte colors to use out of all the Naked series, Nooner works well as an all-over shade up until the brow bone. It's a great transitional color for smokey eyes and comes out darker than Limit. I find myself reaching for this shade the most. 

Liar (medium metallic mauve shimmer) - Great for a medium smokey eye, this shade is warm and bronze-y with a pinkish tint. This is probably one of the more versatile shades in the palette, as this looks great blended with all of the last four shades. 

Factory (pinky-brown satin) - Now I know Factory and Mugshot look pretty different next to each other, but I use the two pretty equally interchangeably. Factory is a lot warmer than Mugshot and looks bright and shimmery when blended out. 

Mugshot (metallic taupe shimmer with a slight pink shift) - Do not underestimate the pigmentation of this particular shade because a little bit goes a long way! This looks more like a light taupe but when blended out, it's actually capable of standing on its own if you feel like going for a cool-toned eye look. 

Darkside (deep taupe-mauve satin) - This is definitely one of the more fascinating colors in the Naked 3 palette. I've never spotted this shade anywhere else before and I want to say it's dark purple-toned taupe. This would obviously work well for smokey eyes but you'll have to pack it on and then blend it out to get full color payoff. 

Blackheart (smokey black matte with rosy red micro-sparkle) - Love, love, LOVE this color! As the Naked Palette 3's darkest shade, I was skeptical about this color because I wasn't sure how well it would complement the other colors. Let me just tell you, this shade is hot! It's definitely smokey but it's not even close to the darkest black eyeshadow I own. But is it amazing? All signs point to yes, and this is perfect for creating those alluring dark smokey eyes for a night on the town. And plus, who doesn't love to glitter a little? 

Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

I have to admit, my expectations were blown away by this palette and as I continue to experiment with different colors and looks, I find myself appreciating this palette more and more. A solid purchase, I would definitely say that this palette is worth the steal even if you do own any of the other Naked palettes. The Naked 3 Palette is very pink-based and I can see how some people may be put off by that factor. But it's definitely the most different from the last two palettes and will probably look a lot better on you than you think. Is it a must-have? Well, I suppose that's debatable. But it's definitely one of the my most-used palettes at the moment and probably will be for a long time...until the Naked 4 Palette comes out. Then we'll have a problem. Just kidding. Not really. 

So what did you think of the Naked 3 Palette? Did you grab yours yet or are you planning to get it in the future? Do you think that this palette is worth the price hike? And do you own any of the other Naked palettes? Urban Decay lovers and newbies, let me know what you think in the comments below! 

With Love, Tiffany 

Review: Diamond Lash Glamorous Eye Series

When it comes to going out and dressing up nowadays, I say forget diamonds, false lashes are a girl's best friend! I've gone through so many different brands of lashes, some have stayed in my collection for years while others have ended up gathering dust somewhere in a random corner of my house. 

However, for the past couple of months, I believe that I have definitely found a favorite. I already had super voluminous false lashes, as well as very natural lashes, so I was looking for something in between--and I ended up stumbling across Diamond Lash. Diamond Lash  is a very popular brand that is often associated with the models from EGG, a popular Japanese gyaru fashion magazine. After browsing through the many varieties, I decided to go with the Glamorous Eye series.

I got these from PinkyParadise for $19.99 excluding shipping and tax. As you can see, they come in a set of 5 lashes, which is a pretty good deal, considering how durable they are.

And here is a more closeup picture of the lashes. 

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For my review, I will be considering four categories: Design, Comfort and Durability. 

Design: 5  ❤❤❤❤❤ 

As you can see, these lashes are quite full, thick and voluminous. They alternate between thick lashes and a smaller criss-cross design that gradually get smaller as they go inwards towards the inner tear duct. The design is brilliant because while you have the thick lashes to give both volume and length, the alternating cross-cross hairs keep the lashes look natural enough to blend in with your own lashes. 

I love these because they are super versatile and you can pretty much use them in any look. For a gyaru or doll-eyed inspired look, you can pair them with lower false lashes. If I feel like glamming it up, I'll use these with a smokey eye. And if I just want to show off the lashes, I'll do a more minimal look paired with a bright lip, like the one I'm doing in this entry.

As you can see, when I stick these eyelashes onto my lash line, I get the triple threat of length, volume and thickness. A lot of the super thick and voluminous lashes of there can get a bit fake looking, but I feel that these lashes add just enough glamour to give your eyes that 'pop' without going overboard. 

Comfort: 4  ❤❤❤❤❤

Upon receiving these, I was a bit intimidated by how thick the lash band was. I was afraid that the thickness of the band was going to be very uncomfortable, as I have had some bad experiences with super thick bands and eye irritation. However, while the band was thicker than, say Dolly Wink or the Darkness series, it wasn't as horrible as I expected. 

Due to the lashes being too long, I ended up having to cut the outer end of the lashes because they were poking the outer corner of my eye. After I snipped off the outermost lash and criss cross, it became a lot more comfortable. Whether you have to cut the lash band is really up to the length of your eyes and preferences. 

I've worn these out to many different occasions such as clubbing, dinner outings and even shopping. After around four to five hours, I started feeling the weight of them a bit more. 

Durability: 5  ❤❤❤❤❤ 

The great thing about the thickness of the band is how incredibly durable these lashes are! I've used the first pair many times and even after seven washes, they wear practically as good as new. They hold their shape wonderfully and are super easy to glue on and take off. 

Overall 

The quality of Diamond Lash is definitely evident in how long lasting these are. I don't imagine that I'll be running out of these anytime soon. And I'll definitely be repurchashing these when I run out. As my go-to lashes now, I must always have them ready on hand to bust out for any occasion.

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To wrap things up, I'll add a few pictures showing off the lashes. Please don't mind the cam-whoring. 

Just a note, I'm wearing the Geo Princess Mimi Almond Brown (Bambi series).  Since it was daytime, I wanted to go for a little more natural look while still showcasing the lashes so I kept my makeup minimal. My lip color is Revlon's Lip Butter in "Sweet Tart". 

I hope you all found this review helpful. I'm a huge fan of the Diamond Lash series and I'm interested in trying out some of the other series. What do you think of these lashes? Are there any other false lash brands you are going crazy over? Let me know in the comments below! 

With love, Tiffany