EDITED: It's back in stock on TheBalm's website if anyone is interested.
I've gone back and forth on buying one of the Naked palettes. I know that everyone raves about them, and a few of the colors I do really love, but overall the colors are just overwhelmingly brown and warm toned, and the colors just seem too similar. For now, the Too Faced Naked Eye palette is what I use most often for a neutral eye, but I've been trying to find another good, every day palette with neutral shades that I really love.
Finally, I found it (and I know this is old news, but it's new to me). I discovered TheBalm's Nude Tude palette and it's exactly what I've been looking for. Each shadow is smaller than in the Naked palettes, so Naked is a better value, but I love that this palette has a better variety of shades (in my opinion) and some cool colors.
It gets great reviews and is supposed to be high quality, so I find it weird that Sephora doesn't carry it. It's sold out on TheBalm's website and Ulta doesn't carry TheBalm, so I ordered from Perfumania.
Since I'm supposedly cutting back on F&B stuff, I'm considering this part of my Mother's Day gift
Re: Finally found an alternative to the Naked palettes
Blog: Call Me Imelda
I haven't received it yet, but there is a good review on the Temptalia blog.
http://www.temptalia.com/thebalm-nude-tude-eyeshadow-palette-review-photos-swatches
She says this:
Overall, the quality is high and consistent with theBalm?s eyeshadow formula (which is one of my favorites). I only had major issues with Silly, which was much sheerer and drier than any of the other eleven shades, and then very minor issues with the softness (which led to slight sheerness) of Sultry. When applied, the concerns I had about Sultry disappeared, though, while Silly just never quite worked out. The other ten eyeshadows, though, were excellent?soft, smooth, buttery, and pigmented.
I also experience the same thing with UD vs. Dior. I really love UD shadows.
$36 - so quite a bit less than Naked, although the overall amount of product is less.