Urban Decay increases prices on NAKED palettes (UD1-3 + Basics)

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As of April 10, 2014 the prices on Urban Decay's NAKED palettes have increases another $2 from $52 to $54. NAKED Basics went up $1 from $27 to $28. No clear reason why there was an increase on the NAKED palettes only that the price were increased. As of right now the individual shadows remain at $18 while the Moondusts remain at $20.

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Of course I had to give my own opinions.

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For those curious. When the NAKED palette was first introduced in 2010 the cost of the palette was $44, over the last four years it has increased approximately 22.75% (or as I put it, almost 25%). Since NAKED Basics was introduced last year the increase has only been increased about 3.75%.

 
Wow...that is ridiculous. I feel like Urban Decay is soooo over-hyped, and they're just milking the fact that they're popular, and they know it.

 
I also think its a greed move. Their naked palettes probably make up a significant portion of their total profits, so raising the prices on those is an easy way to make a quick buck. It also annoyed me that they raised it right before the chic week sale. Now I'm thinking about buying naked 2 to finish off the trio before they get up to $60!

 
Definitely a greed move, those palettes probably cost $5 to produce...I just ordered Naked Basics, but I don't think I'll be buying any of the others. It's just too expensive when there are other perfectly good neutral palettes out there! I kind of want a new neutral palette, but I'm thinking either Smashbox full exposure (if it gets back in stock with Birchbox and I can pay with points, this will definitely be the one) or Lorac Pro. Maybe TheBalm Nude Tude if it goes on Hautelook soon.

 
I also agree that UD is doing this to increase profit. It's a supply and demand thing - the palettes are so popular that they know people will buy them even with the price increase (especially since Naked 3 sold out so quickly when it was launched). I don't have any of the Naked palettes yet but I've been thinking about it... even though I really don't need any more eyeshadows.

That said... the price increase puts the cost of the eyeshadows at $90/oz which is actually not too bad if you look at this blogger's cost-analysis (same price/weight as the Kat Von D True Romance Palettes)

(not my blog, I just really like that this blogger has calculated the price per weight of makeup products):

http://www.brightestbulbinthebox.com/2014/01/sephoras-januaryfebruary-2014-eyeshadow.html

It's also possible to get the Naked palettes at 20% off.

Still... if the price keeps going up I'll probably just stop thinking about buying them because there's no feasible way that I'll actually use up the whole palette to justify it.

 
Quote: Originally Posted by chibimorph /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I also agree that UD is doing this to increase profit. It's a supply and demand thing - the palettes are so popular that they know people will buy them even with the price increase (especially since Naked 3 sold out so quickly when it was launched). I don't have any of the Naked palettes yet but I've been thinking about it... even though I really don't need any more eyeshadows.

That said... the price increase puts the cost of the eyeshadows at $90/oz which is actually not too bad if you look at this blogger's cost-analysis (same price/weight as the Kat Von D True Romance Palettes)

(not my blog, I just really like that this blogger has calculated the price per weight of makeup products):

http://www.brightestbulbinthebox.com/2014/01/sephoras-januaryfebruary-2014-eyeshadow.html

It's also possible to get the Naked palettes at 20% off.

Still... if the price keeps going up I'll probably just stop thinking about buying them because there's no feasible way that I'll actually use up the whole palette to justify it.
I love that blog! Such a nice sciency logical approach to makeup! Me, I'm just, "ooooh pretty must have!" So I like looking at it from a more rational perspective sometimes.

True, it still isn't super expensive when you consider the price/weight ratio, but the only entire eyeshadow I have used up ever in my life was one side of a Clinique duo my grandmother gave me when I was 16. First eyeshadow I ever owned, only eyeshadow I owned until I used it up, and since then I have been buying all the eyeshadow! It's weird, even with products I really like, I rarely use it all up because I start rationing it out when it gets low, special occasions only! Even if buying another one is totally feasible. It's not really a conscious thing, but it happens....

 
Quote: Originally Posted by jayeme /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I love that blog! Such a nice sciency logical approach to makeup! Me, I'm just, "ooooh pretty must have!" So I like looking at it from a more rational perspective sometimes.

True, it still isn't super expensive when you consider the price/weight ratio, but the only entire eyeshadow I have used up ever in my life was one side of a Clinique duo my grandmother gave me when I was 16. First eyeshadow I ever owned, only eyeshadow I owned until I used it up, and since then I have been buying all the eyeshadow! It's weird, even with products I really like, I rarely use it all up because I start rationing it out when it gets low, special occasions only! Even if buying another one is totally feasible. It's not really a conscious thing, but it happens....

I know, right! To be honest, sometimes the cost/weight is really not that important since it takes so long to use up eyeshadows anyways. And the eyeshadows that will be used up (neutral/basic shades) are probably dupe-able or there are similar enough shades in a different palette. There are just so many neutral palette options now that the Naked Palettes are really not that special. In other words, hsn just shipped my Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette which has SUPER CUTE packaging (aka I will probably keep it forever because of the packaging) AND I got it with a full-sized Shadow Insurance for $31 making it a SUPER REASONABLY PRICED $50/oz (assuming I count the primer as free).
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As someone mentioned, it is possible to get the UD Naked palettes at 20% off when Ulta has a sale. This probably isn't hurting the bargain shoppers that much. But I can see it having an impact on beauty bloggers who order the palettes when they're newly released in order to do reviews. Unfair!

 
I bought the last of the NAKED trio (ironically, it was the first Naked) from Ulta with 20% off. I managed to get it ONE DAY before they raised the freaking price again. I saw that they had raised the price at Sephora so I decided that it was now or never. I still don't have the Basics though (but I absolutely DO NOT need it). I want Electric, let's hope they don't go crazy raising the price on that one too.

 
It's sad that UD feels they need to keep hiking up the price. I wonder if Ulta-Sephora sales/second hand market/dupes are driving down their profits.  

 
Oh, I'd forgotten that the original palette used to be $44. I now feel $6 less guilty for constantly failing to love it as much as I should for what I spent on it. Something about my body chemistry and UD products just doesn't mix and leads to 'eh' results. I originally thought it was because I was such an eye shadow newb (and I was), but no, they just don't work for me enough to distinguish them from WnW shadows, except for when the WnW outperform them.  I just have such a hard time just letting go and calling quits given what I spent on it. 

I'm surprised that they are upping the price, when the last increase was so recent and with no good reason. 

 
I really wanted to pick one up.  $52 was a bit too much for me, but I was going to get one around my b-day in June.  Now with the price hike, I think I'll start looking into more reasonable options.

 
Quote: Originally Posted by Megan27ist /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I really wanted to pick one up.  $52 was a bit too much for me, but I was going to get one around my b-day in June.  Now with the price hike, I think I'll start looking into more reasonable options.

Keep an eye on Sephora 15% off coupons and ULTA's 20% off. They send those out at least once quarterly.

 
I don't own any of the NAKED palettes. I've thought about them, and especially the NAKED 3, but every dollar it's raised just makes me that much less likely to buy it. I realize each shadow doesn't come out to that much, but I still just don't usually drop that much on one shopping trip, much less one item, even if it is a palette. I've seen some great looks with them, but I think similar things can be done with other, less expensive brands. And I'll agree that it seems a bit greedy to keep raising the prices. It seems like they're just trying to see how far they can go based on the hype or something. I don't know. I guess I just don't see the massive appeal. They're nice, but not "that" nice to me.

 
It's true. Once the hype dies down it's really not such a big deal to own it. It's not a game changer like my Clarisonic or an every day essential like a great foundation. IMHO, to do a full eye look with a dark, midtone, and highlight shade is probably too intense for most work/school/daytime activities... so if you're not a makeup artist doing fancy looks on clients, a $50 palette isn't really a necessity. It's fun to play with at home, but on most days I just sweep any brownish Elf or drugstore shadow into my crease to give my eyes a little dimension. No one looking at me can tell if I'm using a shadow from a $50 palette or a $2 palette.

 
I bought the first NAKED palette back in December when Ulta had a 20% off coupon and I can honestly, honestly say I rarely touch the palette. In January, I bought Too Faced chocolate palette and I constantly reach for it and my Kat Von D Ladybird palette. Last year, I was just starting to get into eyeshadows and I've come to realize that I love mattes and ànything to shimmery just doesn't work for me unless I'm going out at night. I wasted my money on the naked palette and if I could go back I would've just bought CS Revealed palette.

 
All the three NAKED palettes are indispensable to me. i have tons of other eyeshadows in various formulas, but keep coming back to NAKED. even with the price increase, it's still worth it to me, and i'd re-purchase (with a discount, of course)!

 
This is so annoying!! I have all three Nakeds and I may be wanting to get a new Naked 1 sometime since I've hit pan on a few shadows and the case is pretty beat. I would definitely never pay full price, knowing I can get a discount from Ulta, Sephora or even UD f&f sale.  I cannot fathom a reason other than greed why they would raise the prices.  From a marketing perspective this is just in poor taste. A 20% discount on $54 is almost $11.  That's too big of a savings to ever pay full price for. I'm guessing that the more and more palettes they crank out, especially under the Naked label, they will have many of their repeat sales from makeup enthusiasts and palette collectors like us who know exactly how to get the best deals. With all of the other similar palettes out there now, this price increase seems ridiculous and downright greedy. 

 
I work in an industry that sees quarterly price increases on our inventory.  I kinda understand were UD is coming from on this.  Everything costs more now than in years past.  Shipping, freight charges, manufacturing costs and it goes on and on.  Instead of smaller across the board increases, often the most popular items, in UD's case the Naked palettes, will see a larger increase.  At work our top 25 part numbers are increased more every quarter than the lesser popular numbers.

 

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