We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise.
With so many different occasions and new makeup trends to try, why limit yourself to just one eyeshadow pot and stifle your vibes? Nah, no thanks. This year, get yourself a whole eyeshadow palette with a full spectrum of shades, tones, and finishes to suit your style, the season, whatever. No matter how you prefer to apply eyeshadow, whether it's just a soft wash of color or a full-on glam cut-crease, these eyeshadow palettes, below, will give you everything you need to create the looks you want (some even come with primer and brushes, FYI). Keep on reading to find out how to choose the best eyeshadow palettes, then shop some of our all-time favorites.
How do I choose an eyeshadow palette?
Besides the obvious shade selection, you've got a few other things worth considering when choosing the best eyeshadow palettes for you. A pro makeup artist would probs want to choose a palette with shades, textures, finishes they have yet to experiment with and maybe even splurge a little on it. But if you're a beginner who frantically scans through all the bright colors in a palette for the one slightly shimmery neutral shade, you'll want to find a set that offers you a pared-down selection of the shades you'll actually use in soft shimmery or satin finishes.
Still, no matter who are, there are a few non-negotiables when searching for the best eyeshadow palettes: High-quality pigment and color payoff, blendable formulas, and good variety, so you can get the best bang for your buck. Need a few recommendations? No prob! We've pulled together the very best eyeshadow palettes, from new launches to classic favorites, below.
If you've played around with other eyeshadow palettes and discovered warmer shades of orange and gold are flat-out not for you, stick with what you know and find a palette full of basics that work with yourskin undertone, like thisassortment of cool rosy shades and taupes.Bonus: This palette also comes with aneyeshadow primerin the top left cornerthat'll help your pigments stay put and prevent any creasing or smudging. We love a good two-for-one.
If you have a massive collection of eyeshadow palettes, mostly because you feel bad tossing them once you've hit the pan on your fave shades, grab this guilt-free, 100 percent recyclable (yay,sustainable beauty!) eyeshadow palette full of matte shadows. And trust me when I saythe color payoff isn't just "good" forclean beauty—it's good, period.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
I know,I know—in what world is a beginner palette over 50 bucks?! But listen—these velvety formulas basically blend themselves, and theeasy-to-wear shadescan be blended as is, ordampened and used asliquid eyeliner.Try the soft, coral, champagne colors in this palette, or choose from one of the other color combos that fit your preference.
Whether you've got to quickly put together amakeup look for aZoom meetingor just want to add a little somethin' somethin' to your everyday face for happy hour, reach for this classic color collection full of neutral browns. It'ssmall enough to take with you on the go, and each of the shades can be built up or toned down to suit your vibe.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Although you’ll still find some cooler shades on the right end of this palette, this assortment of desert-inspired colors, like turquoise, terracotta, and copper,is a warm-toned dreamland.You'll find all the matte, metallic, and shimmer finishes you know and love from the brand, along witheasy-to-weartransition shadesthat make the iconic Naked palettes famous. Although any eye color can wear any eye makeup, theseeyeshadows on blue eyeswould look particularly amazing, IMO.
6
Best Pink Eyeshadow Palette
Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette
It would be totally remiss not to include this classic eyeshadow palette in the mix. With matte, shimmer, and metallic finishes in neutral, orange, and pink shades, it’s equal parts soft and pretty as it is bright and glam, and it works for any and every occasion and skin tone. I’m not gonna lie—I’m also a big fan of the double-sided makeup brush that comes included.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Looking for something simple, subdued, soft, and natural? Scroll on, friend, because this ain't it. All you makeup devotees totally bored by nude eyeshadow palettes need this bright, bold eyeshadow palette that comes witha mix ofpastels in matte, metallic, glitter, and matte sparkle finishes. Colourpop is known for its good-quality eyeshadows at equally impressive prices, and for just over 30 bucks, you get 30 shades with this eyeshadow palette to create any rainbow eye look.
Here's the thing about drugstore eyeshadows: They can be really, really great, or really, really not. This one falls in the first category. Unlike cheap eyeshadows that offer dusty, faint, muddy shades, this palette proves that bright, bold, blendablecolors and shimmers that actually show up*can* be done for an affordable price.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
This one goes out to all my friends who snatch up allthe browns, bronzes, golds, and champagne eyeshadowsthey can find. With this palette, we're talkin' 35 gloriousneutrals in matte and metallic formulas. If you own the 350 Nature Glow palette, it's time to upgrade it because this 2.o version now includes 11 new shades ofbrown and a pop of peach.
If the regular shimmers just don't cut it for you, let me introduce you to the duo-chromes, pressed pearls, and silicone-infused sparkles found in this glitter eyeshadowpalette. Of course, the buttery, blendable mattes are worth praising, too, but it's the unique foiled finishes, which look just as good once applied as they do in the pan (a rarity)that'll really catch your eye.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
11
Best Splurge Eyeshadow Palettes
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership V Eyeshadow Palette
I love drugstore makeup, so rarely do I say an expensive product is worth the money, but in this case, you'll want to start saving up right TF now because these eyeshadows arerich (and I mean that in all of the ways). Opening one of these luxe palettesis a surreal experience in and of itself(I still keep mine in the protective sleeves, not gonna lie), but getting your hands onthe one-of-a-kind color-shiftingshades and cream-infused powders is worth the price.
If you catch yourself putting on the same two or three colors every time you get ready, it's time to shake up thatmakeup bag.(I don't mean that literally. Don't break your precious pressedshadows, pls.) This array of coral, silver, hot pink, and royal blue colors in matte, satin, and metallic finishes will remind youhow fun makeup can be—and that it's probs time to find a new signature look, just sayin'.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
All you need arethese six shades to pull together a multitude of makeup looks for both daytime and nighttime. Create a '90s-inspiredsmokey eye with the soft, warm, anddark brown matte shadows,or throw in a few of the shimmers and the rich red to punch it up a bit.
Brooke Shunatona
Brooke Shunatona is a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan.com.