Makeup Monday: Smokeout

Urban Decay recently sent me their new Book of Shadows (IV), so I obviously had to play around with it. If you follow me on twitter, you might remember me tweeting a preview pic of the pretty butterfly packaging. Now, I want you to keep in mind two important things about me: I judge books by their cover and I'm a sucker for gimmicks. Read on.

Many of the colors in this palette are more subdued, though Urban Decay is well known for their vibrant colors. They're still really pigmented, though, and if you (like me) do not own the Naked Palette (you should - and so should I), this is a nice change from the usual brights. Pair this with the 15th anniversary palette that I used here and here and you're pretty much covered on all fronts. I'd say this is especially ideal for beginners because it has five tutorials, sixteen eyeshadows that aren't intimidating, primer potion, mascara and liquid liner.

The palette comes with a QR coded tutorial card, mini speaker and a setup for your phone (so you can watch your tutorials and do your makeup at the same time). I've read a few comments and reviews from people who thought this packaging was gimmicky. Well, maybe - but gimmicks are the besssssst. You're talking to a girl who lives for infomercials and is occasionally known to purchase weird things like Bumpits and Shake Weights in the middle of the night. Plus, I actually think this is quite handy. I had no issues scanning the QR codes and the tutorials were clear and helpful. I even decided to forgo my usual step by step tutorial and follow theirs. I chose the Smokeout tutorial, because much like my gimmicks, I'm also a sucker for a smokey eye. Watch the Urban Decay tutorial here to see how I got this look. Note: I didn't use their gloss - I patted on a teeny bit of Bobbi Brown's lipstick in Rose and then a little Burt's Bees. More photos after the jump!