- Number of Shades: 12
- Finishes: Matte, pearlized and metallic
- Size: 12 shades with 0.02 ounces each
- Cruelty-Free: Yes, Leaping Bunny Certified
- Price on publish: $75
Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we may earn a commission from our partnersโ links. This content is created by TIME Stamped, under TIMEโs direction and produced in accordance with TIMEโs editorial guidelines and overseen by TIMEโs editorial staff. Learn more about it.
Containing everything from basic neutrals to glittery rainbow hues, eyeshadow palettes are perhaps the most inspiring part of your makeup routine. You get to play with color and palettes make it easy to carry one piece with your base, crease, and highlight in one. These days, though, it seems that every brand offers many palettes (with endless assortments of colors). Unlike shopping for beauty tools or eye creams, a good eyeshadow depends on the person wearing itโif youโre looking for something toned-down for work, you wonโt want the palette thatโs filled with neon shades, or if youโre fair, you wonโt want one filled with pastels. To help sort through the choices, we researched dozens of eyeshadow palettes to help you pick the one thatโs likely to suit your style.
This 12-shade eyeshadow palette is great for beginners because it organizes colors into four looksโday, desk, date, and dream. One reviewer said, โOne of the most beautiful eye palettes I have ever purchased! Colors are perfect for any occasion. Itโs very easy to mix/match.โ
This gorgeous little compact is an influencer favorite for good reason. It has all you need to build a beautiful eye look. Diorโs beauty line is known for its luxury foundations, menโs colognes and womenโs fragrances, but this all-in-one eyeshadow palette is a true winner. With one creamy eye primer and eight blendable shades in matte and shimmer finishes, you wonโt need much more than this for a multitude of eye looks.
This limited-edition set includes all of Anastasiaโs fan favorites that have highly-pigmented formulas. The easily buildable and blendable palette includes nine ultra-matte and five metallic eyeshadows for both day and night.
At just $20, this line of eyeshadow palettes certainly packs a punch. Each seasonal palette comes with 16 shades, which means youโre paying just over $1 per color. We love the useful palette for everyone but if youโre looking to have some fun, give the Paradise Shock eyeshadow palette a whirl.
This richly pigmented palette is a favorite among makeup artists, YouTubers, and casual cosmetics enthusiasts alike. โโโJuviaโs Place is my go-to brand for highly pigmented and affordable makeup,โ said beauty content producer, Jenn Aye. โThe rich formula of the shadows and the versatility of looks that can be created from the Garden of Juvia palette is any makeup enthusiasts must-have, especially for the price point of under $25.โ
This warm-toned, nude eyeshadow palette features five ultra-pigmented matte shades in a variety of saturations, from beige to caramel to reddish brown. The shadows have a smooth, buttery feel and build really easily, whether youโre going for an everyday, natural look or a smokey eye.
The assortment of peachy pinks and mauves seems to be universally beloved and the price point makes it an affordable option for most. The metallic, pearlized, and glitter finishes offer variety, have good pigmentation, and wear nicely without fallout.
This modern nude eyeshadow palette has 16 beautiful shades to work with all skin tones. Inspired by the Born This Way Foundation's stunning color collection, the creamy, nude shades included can be used to create a natural glow. Cosmetics content creator Gillian Grace said, โI absolutely love the Too Faced Born This Way Palette because of how versatile it is. Thereโs a balanced combination of shimmer and matte eyeshadows, making it easy to transition from day to night looks; a perfect palette if you had to pick just one.โ
Many credit Urban Decay Naked Palettes as the creator of the palette trend. Of course, they werenโt the first to make an eyeshadow palette, but they were the first to make YouTube tutorials with their products a regular thing. This miniature version has all the mattes you needโfrom base to crease to highlightโand can still fit in your makeup bag or purse.
The velvety, highly-pigmented eye shadows in this affordable palette is available at any drugstoreโand itโs also been reviewed as one of the best palettes Maybelline ever created. โThis is a pleasure to touch and use and it gives a true-to-palette-color pay off at the first stroke,โ said one reviewer.
Pat McGrath has been the queen of color for years nowโthe renowned makeup artist has put a premium on exceptional pigmentation, high-tech formulas, and innovative finishes. Beauty influencers and makeup industry insiders swear by her eyeshadow palettes. The Mothership IX palette beautifully showcases why the line is so beloved, with its 10 blendable high-performance eyeshadows in five futuristic finishes.
We researched the most popular eye shadow palettes reviewed by makeup artists and beauty influencers in the field. We selected the best for each category based on eye safety, use with other eye creams and cosmetics, application, ingredients and price point.
Choosing an eyeshadow palette depends on your eye color, your skin tones and undertones, and what youโre looking to achieve. Whether youโre choosing neutral shades for an every-day work look or bold pastels and jewel-tone colors for artistic drama, ensure that there are colors that will work for your eyelid base, deeper crease color and highlight for the inner corners and arches.
Choosing an eyeshadow palette thatโs best for you can be based on budget, availability, ingredients, or colorway. Use your eye color as inspiration (purples look great on green eyes, warm tones work well for blue eyes and gold and beige colors accentuate brown eyes), then select a palette based on the range of colors and textures you want to work with.
Most eyeshadow palettes are powder-based formulations, which means theyโll last a pretty long time in your makeup case. As opposed to the best eye creams, foundations or other cream-based or oil-based beauty products, you can use powder-based eye shadows for up to 12 months after theyโve been opened. You can also stock up, as theyโre usable for up to 36 months if unopened. Remember to clean each shadow with alcohol occasionally, especially if youโre using a palette on people other than yourself. Makeup artists sanitize after every application.
Eyeshadows can be delicate and break easily while traveling, so we always suggest storing them in your carry-on. Avoid carrying large or expensive eyeshadow palettes while traveling, but if you must, you can add cotton pads or a thinned out cotton ball to absorb any impact.
The best method for cleaning (or disinfecting) an eyeshadow palette is with rubbing alcohol. Simply pour rubbing alcohol (at least 70% isopropyl alcohol) into a small spray bottle, then spray down your palette and let dry.
While you can use your fingertips to quickly swipe on eyeshadow, the oils from your skin can introduce bacteria into your palette and can also absorb into the shadows themselves (changing the way they wear and reducing their lifespans). Instead, use an eyeshadow brush.
The information presented here is created by TIME Stamped and overseen by TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About Us page.