Urban Decay Naked Foundation First Impressions.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation ($38) is a newer foundation by Urban Decay that is described as being "light as air", with coverage that's buildable but ultimately making you look like you're wearing nothing at all.

"Naked Skin uses light-diffusing spheres to "blur" imperfections for a luminous, demi-matte finish that feels invisible but looks professionally retouched. Naked Skin is oil-free, paraben-free, fragrance-free, and loaded with nourishing ingredients. "

Naked Skin is available in (18) shades: 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0, 12.0. Shades ending in .5 are cool toned, and shades ending in .0 are warm toned.

4.0 seems to be a really good match for my warm NC30-35 skintone. I could probably go one shade up if I'm really tan, as 4.0 is better geared for NC30.

From left to right: 2.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 8.0.

This foundation is often compared to Make Up Forever HD Foundation, and with MUFE HD being one of my favorite foundations, I was really curious to try Naked Skin. 

Although the sample I have doesn't have an adequate amount of foundation to properly test the foundation, I was able to gather some thoughts and decide whether it's a foundation I'd purchase or not.

First off, the consistency is very thin and velvety. It has a watery, silicone consistency (had I known this prior, I probably wouldn't have been curious to try it).

After blending a small amount of product on my face, the product almost played a magic trick - once it was completely blended, it looked like nothing was there. After examining the side of my face without foundation, I noticed that the foundation softened the appearance of my pores and gave a little color to my skin. I didn't notice much, if any coverage, but the side with foundation did look slightly better. With another coat of foundation, flaws were concealed a bit better, but still visible. Redness and any discolorations are evened out, pores are softened and my skin has a velvety matte finish. It feels completely weightless on my skin.

From left to right: Bare Skin, One Layer of Foundation and Two Layers of Foundation. (click image for full-size)

Now, I don't like it for a few reasons. I used the whole sample and it didn't cover my whole face. It only covered 1/2 of my face. It was a very decent sized sample, but a little product doesn't go very far with this foundation. Once I apply it to my face, it disappears, and I need more and more. I prefer a higher coverage foundation so I could use less - in the end, it will last longer.

I also didn't care for the finish. It's very flat, and somewhat dull. If I had to use this, I would most likely mix in a highlighter to make it work for me.

Is it anything like MUFE HD? No. Make Up Forever HD has a creamier consistency, and although it contains silicones, it doesn't have the powdery/velvety feel of a liquid with a high silicone content. The coverage is much better with MUFE HD (medium, buildable) and it gives the skin an airbrushed, slightly dewy finish. Naked Skin looks like your skin, but better and feels lighter weight on the skin, but I prefer MUFE HD in the long-run.

Overall, I think this foundation is ideal for those who don't have much to cover, and for those who prefer tinted moisturizers over foundations. Although the foundation is buildable, I find that you'd have to use too much product to get a solid medium coverage, and once you apply too many layers, it can make the skin look quite ashy. If coverage is your main goal, you may want to skip this foundation, but if you want a very lightweight foundation for every day that will give you the appearance of better skin, this may be worth a try.

Have you tried this foundation? What'd you think of it?

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Light texture that disappears into the skin 
• Featherweight on the skin - feels like you're wearing nothing at all
• Light coverage, buildable to a light-medium for those who don't have major flaws
• Matte-finish, if you're prone to shine
• Nice packaging - has a pump.
• Decent color range, although there aren't enough cool shades.

Cons:

• The color applies a bit lighter than it looks. Before purchasing this foundation, definitely try it and wear it for a while before purchasing.
• Doesn't have enough coverage to conceal blemishes.
• To achieve a solid medium coverage you have to build it quite a bit, and once it's layered, it can look a little dull. 
• Can make the skin look a bit flat and lackluster. 
• If you're dark skinned with red and/or cool undertones, you may not be able to find a good match. All of the shades after 8.0 are warm toned, and can have the tendency to look ashy on dark skin.

Price: $38, Sephora, Ulta, Urban Decay.

Completely unrelated, Check out the cake I made for my niece's birthday this past weekend! If you're ever looking for a good Red Velvet Cake Recipe, check this one out on the Food Network. It was my third or fourth time making this cake, and it was delicious!! (I doubled the recipe and made the cake 4 layers instead of 3, and used one of the layers for crumbles to coat the outside of the cake in, and with the extra layer.. I don't know what happened to it.... *ahem*)