OK, so this is probably the twelfth write-up you’ve read (at least) on Urban Decay‘s Naked 2 palette, but it really is outstanding.

In case you’ve been hiding out somewhere under a rock without beauty products for a few years (awe, poor you!), here’s the 411 — or 911: Urban Decay’s Naked palette ($48) is a set of 12 neutral eyeshadows, an eyeshadow brush and a travel size eyeshadow primer. It was (and still is) a huge hit, and stores like Sephora could barely keep it in stock. It’s one of those beauty products you can’t help but obsess about to all of your friends and demand that they buy a palette.

Now the sequel is out, and there’s a whole lot more obsessing to do. Although you can’t quite get the entire effect in this picture, the palette contains a range of textures, including flat neutrals like Foxy, Bootycall and Tease (first, third and fifth from top) and full-frontal metallics like Half Baked and YDK (second and tenth from bottom). This palette may be neutral, but the eye looks you create from it are everything but. We’ve used it to create both subtle eyes for job interviews (using Foxy and Tease) and smoky looks for going out (combining Busted and YDK).

From a practical sense, the palette also travels well with its hinged lid and metal case. It’s something we don’t have to worry about throwing in a suitcase when jetting off to exotic places — like our parents’ house.

– Elizabeth Lilly, Beauty Editor