There was a lot of hype around the original Naked palette. It was deemed an instant cult favorite in the land of YouTube, and was hard to get a hold of weeks after it was released. I wasn’t able to get it until months later, and I found myself a bit underwhelmed after finally getting my hands on one. With Naked success already, the Naked 2 palette was another sure thing for Urban Decay. So why not drop a third one? We all know there’s a Naked palette out there for us if we’re willing to shell out the $50+ dollars for one, but now the question is: which one is the right one for you?

The Naked 1

The original Naked palette has the flimsiest packaging. While it does have a magnetic strip to close the lid, it doesn’t snap shut like the newer palettes. The mirror inside the palette is also significantly smaller than the newer palettes, so a travel mirror is a must when taking the Naked 1 on trips. Along with the shadows comes a brush and mini primer potion. The brush that comes with it is a one sided standard brush with bristles made for packing on color. As for the shades, the original palette has two matte shadows–Naked and Buck–and the others are shimmer packed golden tones.

The Naked 2

The Naked 2 palette has the sturdier packaging with a snap shut lid and smooth surface that makes for easy travels. The mirror inside takes up the width of the lid, so a travel mirror isn’t necessary if this becomes your “to-go” palette. This set comes with a double sided brush, with one side for packing on color and the other for blending out a smokey look. Instead of coming with the primer potion, however, it’s equipped with a mini neutral lip gloss that has a slight shimmer. Not the best side to have with an eye palette, but it lends a nice opportunity to try out their lip products if you’ve never ventured their before. As for the shades in this one, they all have a cooler tone than the original. There are 3 matte shadows–Foxy, Tease, and Blackout–and the others are velvety shimmer shades. Urban Decay isn’t a huge matte brand, so it’s no surprise this palette is primarily shimmer. The main difference here is the shades in this one (and Naked 3) are smoother in texture than the original, as if the glitter is more finely grained than it once was.

The Naked 3

The Naked 3 palette has the same sturdy packaging as the 2, only it features a ripple-like texture to add a little more eye appeal. While the original palette comes with the primer potion and the second palette comes with the double-sided brush, the Naked 3 comes with both the double-sided brush and the mini primer potion. As for the shades, this palette has 4 matte shadows–Strange, Limit, Nooner, and Darkside–and the remaining 8 all have that same velvety smooth shimmer texture as the shadows from the Naked 2. The main difference with this one is the undertones are a rosy pink, so the eyeshadows range in romantic petal-like colors.

The Ranking:

1. Winner: Naked 3 – largest ratio of matte to shimmer shadows, best brush/primer potion combo
2. Runner Up: Naked 2 – largest color variety of the shadows
3. Last Place: Naked 1 – high shimmer shadows

Final Thoughts:

The Naked 3 palette is by far the clear winner for my personal taste. Speaking objectively, the Naked 2 and 3 are very comparable. The 3 takes the lead because you get the most bang for your buck with the quality brush and sample of primer potion, but the shadow preferences really depend on what shades look best with your skin’s tone. So when it comes to the shadows, which is best? Well, it depends.

• If your eyes look best with rosy shadows like pearly white, petal pink, and rich brown, then the Naked 3 is absolutely the one for you.
• If your eyes look best with cooler shadows like taupe, silver, and moss, then the Naked 2 will be your best bet.
• If your eyes tend to look best with neutral to warm shadows like true gold, maroon, and tan, then the Naked 1 should be your palette of choice.

I try to use all three palettes, but the first has more shimmer than I care to wear everyday. I reach for the 3 daily, and 2 I tend to use on the weekends when I want a darker look. Which palette is your favorite?