Best Eyeshadow Palettes: Top 5 Brands Most Recommended By Beauty Experts

Tossing on a bit of eyeshadow can take your look from day to evening in a snap. From mattes to glitters, eyeshadow colorways stretch as far as your imagination wants to go. The best eyeshadow palettes can make a statement for practically any occasion, so the key is to find the one that suits your style and personality.

It doesn’t really matter if you use a lot, or just a little makeup. If you look good, you tend to feel good. Having a regular beauty routine can help to boost your overall confidence. A recent poll of 2,000 American women had some interesting findings about their relationship with beauty. In fact, results show that 82 percent would describe themselves as confident people. Three in four respondents feel that their confident attitude transpires into positive interactions with others when they look good. The same percentage agrees they could take on anything when they feel confident.

According to the survey, the eyes are a vital part of enhancing the face. A third of women say they’re most likely to highlight their eyes (33%), eyelashes (28%) or eyebrows (27%) when doing their makeup. Seven in 10 think that their eyelashes are important to their overall look (71%).

So, if you want to give your eyes a pop of color, finding a quality eye shadow palette can do just that. But with tons of choices out there, it can be hard to settle on just one type. Well, not to worry! StudyFinds compiled a list of the top five best eyeshadow palettes from ten expert websites to find the perfect products to add to your makeup collection. As always, we’d like to see your own recommendations in the comments below! 

eyeshadow palette and makeup brushes
Eyeshadow and makeup brushes (Photo by freestocks on Unsplash)

The List: Best Eyeshadow Palettes, According to Reviews

 

1. Charlotte Tilbury (Luxury or Instant) Eye Palette – Pillow Talk

Looking for blendable eyeshadow colors that can take you easily from day to evening? These Charlotte Tilbury palettes can do just that. “The Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette in Pillow Talk breaks its colors into the categories ‘day, desk, date, and dream’ for the color combos that make the glam process foolproof for everyday life,” according to People.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Instant Eye Shadow Palette
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Instant Eye Shadow Palette (charlottetilbury.com)

Byrdie adds, the colors “fall in the rosy and brown families, and when combined, they make for a romantic look that’s wearable for every day. We love that the rose and pink shades make this palette just a bit different from the typical everyday neutral palette, all while allowing you to maintain a toned-down look.”

While the Instant Eye Palette in Pillow Talk has 12 shades, the Luxury version is smaller. Consider it great to toss in your purse. “There may only be four shades in this palette, but make no mistake about it—the four are next-level versatile. They look great on an array of eye colors and skin tones and get the job done to create plenty of different looks, even though they all are fairly neutral,” notes Women’s Health.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Luxury Eye Shadow Palette
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Luxury Eye Shadow Palette (charlottetilbury.com)

Plus, they’re cruelty-free. “Work your way up from the dusky rose ‘prime’ shade to the rose gold sparkle ‘pop’ for a romantic, wide-eyed effect. The best bit? This one has been specially designed to suit all eye colors, so the shades will look incredible on anyone and everyone,” suggests FEELUNIQUE.

2. Natasha Denona Bronze Eyeshadow Palette

Warm hues are where it’s at with this eyeshadow palette from Natasha Denona. Brides adds, “the colors come in a mix of matte, chrome, metallic, and shimmer finishes.”

Natasha Denona Bronze Eyeshadow Palette
Natasha Denona Bronze Eyeshadow Palette

The New York Post points out the palette’s “rich pigmentation and ability to last for more than 12 hours. Specifically, the true copper, bliss and silk shades are too good to pass up.”

While Forbes calls it ‘The Golden Ticket Of Summer Eye Makeup Looks’, noting it “features an assortment of brilliant, copper-tone shades that go on smoothly—with some also leaving a dazzling finish.”

An added bonus? It’s cruelty-free.

3. NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette

NYX offers budget-friendly palettes in multiple hues. Stylecraze gives the Brights palette ‘Best Blendability’ suggesting, “blend them over the base color and watch them pop on your eyes instantly. Adding a refreshing vibe, whether you are at a beach getaway or night party, your eyes will smile and shine all-day.” 

NYX’s Ultimate Shadow Palette in Brights
NYX’s Ultimate Shadow Palette in Brights

IPSY highlights NYX’s Ultimate Shadow Palette in Festival, pointing out the “16 velvety-smooth mattes, satins, shimmers, and metallics that make layering, blending, and building your eye makeup fun and oh-so easy. The color combos are pretty much endless and easy to play up or pare down for any occasion.”

NYX’s Ultimate Shadow Palette in Festival
NYX’s Ultimate Shadow Palette in Festival

You can find NYX cruelty-free palettes in most drug stores. “But the most impressive part is the velvety feel, pigmented color and long wear sans creasing. The Ultimate Shadow Palette comes in a slew of color families, from neon colors to smoky hues. Since it’s so affordable, you can get one of each to make sure you’re prepared for every occasion on your social calendar,” according to Forbes.

4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette

This 14-shade palette is “a glorious spread of warm hues, romantic purples and pinks, and a smattering of shimmery metallics — all tied together with a few dark shades to add some depth to the spectrum,” notes People.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette
Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette

Women’s Health highlights the palette’s soft earthy tones, adding, “you’ve got everything you need to create a natural daytime look or to ramp it up with a darker smokey hue.”

Also cruelty-free, it “contains a variety of neutral, cool, and warm nude shades, as well as some subtle pops of color that you can get creative with. We also appreciate that it has a wide shade range in depth, making it a great option regardless of skin tone,” points out Byrdie

5. PAT McGRATH LABS Mothership IX: Huetopian Dream Eyeshadow Palette

This last palette is a bit pricey, but it features ten shadows in five finishes. “It’s no secret that Pat McGrath is the G.O.A.T. of creating high-pigment shadows and out-of-this-world eye looks. So when we came across this shimmering, prismatic palette we were instantly in awe. Swipe a mix of these shimmering and matte hues for look-at-me lids that are sure to stun,” according to IPSY.

PAT McGRATH LABS Mothership IX: Huetopian Dream Eyeshadow Palette
PAT McGRATH LABS Mothership IX: Huetopian Dream Eyeshadow Palette (patmcgrath.com)

Temptalia suggests this palette, “will work best for someone who doesn’t mind experimenting with application techniques, using additional products (like a tacky base), and doesn’t mind potential fallout if it means ultra sparkly goodness all over one’s eyes.”

Otherworldly is the best way to describe these pigments from Pat McGrath Labs. They all have a velvety texture, and the palette features a unique combination of metallic, chrome and shimmer finishes. It’s well worth the price tag, as it’s a secret weapon for creating standout and memorable makeup looks,” adds Forbes.

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Sources:

Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations. This post may contain affiliate links.   

Comments

  1. Glad your recommendations were not paid for nor sponsored; therefore an honest opinion. I get so sick of the manipulation of ads so do you ever really get an honest opinion anymore? Thank you with all sincerity!!

    1. I can’t figure out how to make my own comment but I believe people should check out some indie brands which have better formulas and more than just a shimmer you have duo chrome multi chrome at affordable price actually less than Pat McGrath etc and beat them out of the park a couple companies It’s Bel Cosmetics and definitely Adept cosmetics you won’t be sorry

  2. These all look the same. Not everyone wants to wear a brown smoky eye. Where’s the versatility? I, myself prefer indie brands like Oden’s Eye, Kaleidos,etc. I’m in my 40’s and love a colorful look. I wish it wasn’t discouraged that women over a certain age had to follow makeup rules when makeup is supposed to be fun.

    1. Momo, I so agree I’ll be 60 in 2 and I love to p lay with and wear me some funky colors. Some need to understand that age is just a number and my makeup makes me feel better.
      So I say we go for it.

    2. Hey! I hear you! I’m 52 and I sure as heck am not following that certain age in regards to make up! I wear colorful make up and also I wear skinny jeans. Everyone says I don’t even look 50. Lol. But bottom line is you live for yourself, not others and make yourself happy. If wearing colorful makeup makes you happy, then do it and ignore that dumb rule.
      I’ve actually been approached and complimented on how pretty my eyes were and how I look so young. So , girl, go do what your gear desires. Nobody lives to please others while making ourselves miserable. Oh nope nope.
      Have a great day

    3. Your so right these are all the same, have no variety and are just plain and boring. I think they either chose these because they were or atleast hoping to be possibly paid for by the brands for choosing them because if you do something that promotes a big enough brand in a big enough way they will compensate you for doing for example celebrities all the time will make random social media posts of them using, wearing or with something that is made or from a big brand such as clothing brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Channel or makeup up brands such as Too Faced, Huda Beauty, and more.

  3. Love him or hate him you have to admit that almost any palette that Jeffree Star has made, is huge on quality. the way it goes on, the way it blends, the colors that are offered are fun and beautiful

    1. I disnt see your comme till after I made a comment basically saying the same thing! Thank you!!!! So cool to see someone else that pretty much agrees with, says the same, and acknowledges it also. 😊🩷

  4. Not saying that these brands are awful or bad but there are other brands and paletes that are so much better in so many ways from packaging, variety, and especially and most importantly formulas. Love em or hate em and say what you want about em but one brand that has much better formulas, variety, and packaging than these brands on this list is Jeffree Star Cosmetics that offers amazing formulas, amazing eyeshadow pallets and more with amazing packaging. The “CONSPIRACY” eyeshadow palette was a collaboration between Jeffree Star Cosmetics & Shane Dawson hands down slays all these on this list alone not to mention other ones that JSC has created such as Psychedelic Circus, jawbreaker, Blood Sugar, Alien, and so many more. I feel this list was really made because they were or hoping that these brands chosen in the list would reach out and compensate or send free PR Kits and stuff for the free advertising and promotion of for choosing them for this list. Plus all these on this list look the same and have no variety and are just kinda plain and boring and one thing that alot of people love about makeup in today’s current beauty society is that makeup can be and is fun, creative and different and can be used to express one’s self and used to be different and creative and try new things. And JSC is so affordable as well wich just makes it all the more amazing.

    1. Has anyone tried Hank and Henry love how it stays on and doesn’t fade his Karla and bianca pallettes have so many bright colors and los Angeles makeup institute is also owned by him he has sales going on right now too

  5. I think that Colourpop and Sydney Grace are spectacular eyeshadows. Sydney Grace is an indie brand that makes incredible eyeshadows and blushes. Colourpop is very affordable with a million pallets to choose from! They also have super Shock shadows that are amazing, along with a full face of makeup that rivals others.

    1. Morphe aka Forma Brands is a company with terrible business practices which filled for bankruptcy early 2023. They closed ALL brick and motor stores in the US without any warning to their dedicated retail employees, just weeks before Xmas of 2022. Many employees found out they no longer were employed when they showed up for their shifts only to find their stores completly empty and locked for good. Many of those employees weren’t offered any sort of severance pay while the CEOs still received their large salaries.
      Morphe also didn’t pay some cosmetic manufacturers they worked with for purchase orders that were completed (filled, delivered and sold to customers). All in all, Morphe is not a company that many people are interested in supporting any longer. All of the information regarding the whole bankruptcy proceedings are publicly available for anyone who cares to know more.

  6. Honestly this is not a good list. It’s majority neutrals that only look good on certain skin tones. The only decent palettes were the nyx ones and the Pat McGrath one. Also Charlotte Tilbury is insanely overpriced.

  7. There are so many other exciting, independent makeup companies out there these days that create eye shadow formals that blow many of the companies’ palettes listed above out of the water in many ways. The unique multichrome formulas from indie companies such as Terra Moons, Devinah Cosmetics, Touch of Glam Beauty to name a few offer options unlike any of the palettes listed in this article, with the exception of Pat McGrath (who is becoming redundant and overrated). Many offer single shadows so you can pick exactly what you want vs buying a whole palette that many contain shadows similar to what you already own. I just can’t recommend looking into indie brands enough, IG is filled with amazing companies and people love to share swatches of everything available. Although others have already left comments about Jeffree Star Cosmetics, I can’t stress enough that you need his products in your life if you want to step up your makeup game. Every palette is phenomenal and the color stories of each one will provide you with every color under the sun, all perfect for pairing with all of the multichrome shadows I already mentioned!

  8. I assure y’all the best eyeshadows I’ve ever used in my life are by Claropsyche cosmetics by Juliana Horner. And I’ve tried hundreds of different eye shadows

  9. Can’t believe Juvia’s Place are missing from the list; they have the most beautiful and highly pigmented palettes so Every skin tone is catered for.

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