The latest in Urban Decay’s NAKED family is already causing quite a stir—and it won’t even be available until tomorrow. Ready to meet the new NAKED Skin Beauty Balm? I thought so! Let’s go…
Urban Decay NAKED Skin Beauty Balm
Branching out in the NAKED complexion department (and there’s more, just wait!), the NAKED Skin Beauty Balm is a BB cream in theory, but with a unique Urban Decay twist. While most BB creams hailing from Asia focus on coverage and correction, most U.S.-based BB’s have been considered more like tinted moisturizers.
Urban Decay’s NAKED Skin Beauty Balm is a complexion perfector in an optical illusion sense; with light-diffusing spheres that minimize the look of fine lines and pores, while smoothing the skin down to a velvety finish. NAKED Skin Beauty Balm also focuses on skincare properties—with anti-aging ingredients that promise to hydrate, firm, and smooth skin over time. Pair all of that with an oil-free formula and an SPF 20, and that’s Urban Decay’s version of a BB cream.
Urban Decay NAKED Skin Beauty Balm
Right out of the tube, the product has a peach tint, and a little bit of a minty scent. (The fragrance dissipates, so don’t worry, but I wanted to note it.) At first, I was worried that it would make my skin orange, but once blended in, it’s nearly translucent. If anything, it warmed my skin up a little bit, but it doesn’t really add coverage or color. What amazed me immediately was how smooth it made my skin look and feel. I’m someone with enlarged pores, and I’m always looking for minimizers to help diffuse the look of them. NAKED Skin Beauty Balm fits the bill in that department, I’m happy to report! It not only smooths my skin visibly, but also to the touch.
Since this doesn’t really have coverage, it’s nearly universal and probably a good fit for most skin tones—which was probably the smartest thing Urban Decay could do. (If you need coverage, try their NAKED Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup, it’s FANTASTIC.) It’s oil-free, so oil-phobes can commit to it, and it helps keep my skin matte for a few hours (2-3) before I start getting breakthrough oil. I not only like wearing this alone, but it’s also a great foundation primer—pairing this with liquid foundation is an excellent plan. I can also skip my morning moisturizer if I wanted to, but I’m probably not going to give that up any time soon!
Swatches…
Urban Decay NAKED Skin Beauty Balm
After — totally translucent and smooth
Bottom Line…
This may not be the BB cream for traditional BB cream enthusiasts—but in terms of optical blurring and smoothing, this product does an excellent job of minimizing the look of my pores and fine lines due to its light-diffusing spheres. It also makes a great makeup primer! Urban Decay calls this their “retoucher in a tube”, and I completely agree in a texture-sense. But remember—it doesn’t offer coverage!
Price & Availability…
$34; Available on urbandecay.com on 1/3, and available at retailers Sephora, ULTA, and select Macy’s stores on 2/1.
