Watch: Nicole Richie Kill Off This Iconic Beauty Classic
Goodnight, sweet prince
After eight years of dominating best-sellers lists and spawning countless side palettes (Naked2, Naked3, Naked Smoky, Naked Heat, Naked Basics, Naked2 Basics…), Urban Decay’s iconic Naked Palette has been both killed off and laid to rest by the brand. Like, literally.
Presided over by brand ambassador Nicole Richie, draped in a black lace shawl and wearing a matching smoky eye look, the funeral was attended by beauty vloggers Kandee Johnson, Christen Dominique, Katy DeGroot, Shayla Mitchell and Chrisspy. Keeping her emotions under control, the House of Harlow designer read an eulogy to the now-deceased 12-shade eyeshadow palette, positioned in a tasteful gold satin-lined coffin which offset its combination of matte and shimmer neutrals. To close the ceremony, mourners tossed purple rose petals into the casket, amid sobs.
Posted by the brand to social media, Urban Decay captioned the video with a solemn farewell. “Today, we mourn our beloved original Naked Palette, a revolutionary product that changed the beauty industry forever. A little bit naughty, often dramatic, and always in the press, the innovative game-changer and category creator will be laid to rest after 8 years. The funeral is being held today in Newport Beach, CA with badasses and beauty influencers alike.” Retailers in the U.S have now marked the original Naked down to fifty-percent off, however the same product remains full price on the Sephora Middle East site.
While a funeral is as final as it gets, we’re suspicious of the “death” of such a beauty phenomenon. The product has been sold 30 million times over, generating US$1 billion for Urban Decay and ushering in a neutrals-focused trend that still prevails today. Call it the Jon Snow effect, but we don’t think this is the last we’ve seen of the OG Naked. And if it is truly the end of the road for this iconic beauty bag staple? Then vale, Naked Palette. Ashes to ashes, pigments to pigments, dust to dust.
Now cracks a noble eyeshadow aficionado’s heart.