The 12 Best Eyeshadow Palettes for Every Look You Could Want, Tested & Reviewed

Best Overall

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette

View On Amazon $45 View On Nordstrom $49 View On QVC $44

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  5/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

Anastasia Beverly Hills is known and loved for its eyebrow products, but its eyeshadow palettes also deserve epic praise. With perfect scores across the board in shade range, pigment, application, and value, the Soft Glam palette from ABH is our testers’ highest-rated eyeshadow palette. It contains fourteen shades ranging from mattes to shimmers that can be worn alone or layered to create countless looks —  from a simple everyday eye to a full-on glamorous beat. “I would gladly pay $45 for a cruelty-free eye shadow palette that has fourteen shade options,” says one tester, who was also a fan of the sparkling colors and vibrant pigments.

Personally, this is one of my favorite eyeshadow palettes, and the testers agree that the creamy texture in both the shimmer and matte shades provides a true-to-color payoff without the need for a primer. In addition to the durable packaging, this palette also comes with a double-sided brush. Though all of the shades are long-lasting, the darker shadows sometimes have fallout. To avoid that, tap excess product off your brush before applying.

Shades: 14 | Finish: Shimmer and matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: Yes

Best Splurge

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership IX Eyeshadow Palette

View On Amazon $202 View On Sephora $128 View On Patmcgrath.com $128

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  4/5
• Pigmentation
  4/5
• Application
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

Dame Pat McGrath puts magic into every single one of her eyeshadow palettes, but the Mothership IX: Huetopian Dream Palette is otherworldly. Inside, you’ll find a mix of warm-toned, glitzy shimmers and mattes: There are ten shades including pinks, mauves, browns, golds, and one bold purple shadow. "I would definitely turn to this palette for a night out or if I was going for a particularly colorful look,” says our tester. “The colors are absolutely stunning and vibrant, and you can tell they're well made." Pro tip: Though you may be tempted to use a brush, your finger is the best tool to get the full pigment.

The palette scored high for application and value, with testers agreeing that the shadows stay vibrant without creasing. "They didn't look cakey on my eyelid at all, but quite colorful and pretty,” one tester mentions. While this palette is on the pricey side, its quality, durability, and versatility make it more than worth it. It’s not only great to use on the eyes — try using the shade Astral Venusian, a translucent, holographic hue, as a highlighter across your cheekbones (and thank us later). Though the luxe packaging is durable and beautiful, it takes up a lot of space so it may not be the best palette to travel with.

Shades: 10 | Finish: Shimmer and matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Mirror Included: Yes

Best Value

Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

View On Maybelline.com View On Target $12 View On Walmart $12

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  5/5
• Pigmentation
  4/5
• Application
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

Inexpensive eyeshadow palettes are known to contain overly chalky formulas that don't last long and crease at the tiniest hint of oil on the eyelid. You won’t experience that with this palette from Maybelline, though. The 12 neutral shades stand up through blending and layering and don’t crease, even for those with hooded eyes. One tester says that the pigmentation is even across every shade in the palette and that she was "able to get a nice gradient when blending."

Whether you're doing a smokey eye, graphic eyeliner, or no-makeup makeup look, this palette is a great everyday choice. Though the darker shades can get patchy throughout the day, the quality is unmatched for the price. Testers wish it included a mirror for quick touch-ups, though.

Shades: 12 | Finish: Shimmer and matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Mirror Included: No

Best for Beginners

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette

View On Nordstrom $75 View On Charlottetilbury.com View On Revolve

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  4/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

Charlotte Tilbury isn't making you guess what colors go together with this eyeshadow palette: It comes with a guide that tells you exactly how to use it. Inside, you’ll find a mix of blush hues along with warm oranges, browns, and berry shades. Divided into four sections — Day, Desk, Date, and Dream — the four shadow trios take the guesswork out of what hues will mesh to create a perfect, cohesive look, which, according to one tester, makes it a great option for beginners. "The palette also includes little tips on where to apply the colors for the best wear and look," she shares.

The shades themselves are pigment-packed and made to blend and layer. While the matte shades are very opaque and transfer well from brushes, the shimmery shades are sheerer and best applied with your fingers. “A little goes a long way,” shares the tester. "I’d only put a little product on the brush at first and then build up from there if you're looking for something bolder."

Shades: 12 | Finish: Shimmer and matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: Yes

Best Brights

Juvia's Place Warrior III Palette

View On Amazon $14 View On Ulta $20 View On Juviasplace.com

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  5/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

Chichi Eburu founded Juvia's Place after years of searching for pigmented cosmetics that would stay bright on her dark complexion. What began as a personal journey in the makeup industry turned into the famous brand that makeup lovers, editors, and InStyle's lab testers all agree is one of the best for eyeshadow palettes. The Warrior III palette includes nine uber-bright colors that could easily create a rainbow on your face in just a few swipes. "This palette has the prettiest,  most vibrant colors that paired well with my skin tone," one tester says. She also loves the creative art on the front of the palette which showcases the African representation of the brand.

Bright powder eyeshadows that work on light and dark skin tones can be hard to come by. Most of the time, you'll see makeup artists and beauty content creators using an eyeshadow primer before applying bright pigments, but this palette truly doesn’t need a primer for the colors to shine. Our tester was shocked at the low price tag, too. "It could go for $30 to $45, honestly,” she says. “But it’s only $20, and I highly recommend it to others."

Shades: 9 | Finish: Metallic and matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: No

Best Mattes

Dose of Colors Baked Browns Palette

View On Amazon $32 View On Doseofcolors.com $32

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  4/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

A full set of matte shadows is a must for any makeup kit, even if you don’t have space for a large palette. Enter: The compact Baked Browns Palette from Dose of Colors. It contains five creamy matte shades: Cream white, light beige, medium brown, rich red-brown, and dark brown. Testers like this palette for its simple color scheme that can create everyday, natural looks. “The light beige eyeshadow made for the perfect base color,” one tester shares. “It helped define my eyes and add dimension.” When it comes to the pigment, the shades stay vivid and true to color on the eyelids.

This palette can fit easily into any makeup bag, and includes a mirror and handy brush for on-the-go use. Seriously, if you ever see me doing my makeup on the subway, I’m most likely using this palette — in five station stops, I can create a subtle smokey eye. If your eyelids get oily throughout the day or you’re prone to teary eyes, consider using an eyeshadow primer beforehand to keep the colors from creasing. When I don’t use a primer with this palette, the colors melt away after a long day, pilling inside the crease of my hooded eyes.

Shades: 5 | Shade Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: Yes

Best Neutrals

Too Faced Natural Nudes Eye Shadow Palette

View On Nordstrom $54 View On Ulta $54 View On QVC $54

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  5/5
• Pigmentation
  4/5
• Application
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

This palette is comprised of 16 shimmery and matte shades ranging from light pink to deep brown. The extensive shade range allows you to easily create a natural-looking smokey eye, a deep halo eye, or pretty much any makeup look you can imagine.

What we love most about this palette is that all of the neutral hues work for an array of skin tones — offering transitional shades, glittering highlights, and blendable, in-between hues for those with light and dark complexions alike. One tester was amazed at how minimal the fallout was, even with darker colors. One thing they wish the palette included is a blending/buffing brush. “That would have been a nice touch,” they say. At $52, this palette is a bit expensive compared to our other winners, but, according to testers, it’s worth the investment because it will last a very long time and it’s perfect for everyday use.

Shades: 16 | Finish: Shimmer and matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: Yes

Best Glitters

ColourPop Eyeshadow Palette

View On Amazon $30 View On Ulta $24 View On Colourpop.com

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  5/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

If you're as glitter eyeshadow obsessed as I am, ColourPop never fails to unveil palettes full of eye-safe shimmers, glitters, and foils that actually show up and last. This palette in particular is a favorite among testers. “It’s nice to have something go on glittery instead of just shimmery,” says one tester. It features 16 matte, shimmer, and glitter shadows in varying shades of pink and purple, and though you may think that wearing bright hues is difficult to pull off, this palette is great to use for  parties, lunch with friends, or just because — you never need an excuse to wear vibrant hues (or glitter!)

Unfortunately, a majority of the matte shades offered are very similar, to the point you can’t tell the difference when wearing them together. Luckily, all of the glitter shadows are unique so you can create endless looks. Though the formulas are long-lasting, it’s best to prime your lids with NYX Glitter Primer to ensure your makeup lasts all night.

Shades: 16 | Shade Finish: Shimmer, glitter, and matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: No

Best Cool-Toned

PYT Beauty Upcycle Eyeshadow Palette

View On Amazon $30 View On Ulta $34 View On Asos $23

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  5/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  4/5
• Value
  4/5

You don’t need to compromise on quality when looking for clean beauty products — in fact, high-quality, conscious beauty is where PYT Beauty thrives. This palette in Cool Crew Nude proves that clean ingredients don’t equate to dull shadows. Eight matte and four shimmer shades are formulated without harsh chemicals, silicones, talc, or sulfates, but they’re made with vitamin E and sunflower seed oil to help the shadows blend better. The shimmery shades are some of our favorites: They’re made with mica (a naturally found mineral that is crushed to create the pearly sparkle you see in makeup) and blend out pretty sheer, making them great for layering and adding dimension. Bonus: The palette is recyclable: When you’re ready to recycle, you can toss the shadow pans by popping them out through the back, then take the palette to your local recycling facility or any Credo store participating in the Pact Collective Program.

Shades: 12 | Finish: Shimmer and matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: No

Best for Blue Eyes

Dior Backstage Eye Shadow Palette

View On Amazon $87 View On Sephora $52 View On Selfridges.com

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  4/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

Time for a bit of color theory: When choosing what eyeshadow colors look best on you, consider a complimentary shade, opposite your eye color. Makeup artist Renée Loiz tells InStyle this is the simplest way to choose eyeshadow. “If you have blue eyes, choose eyeshadow colors that have more orange in them (like copper, gold, or bronze hues),” she recommends.

This coral palette from Dior is a favorite amongst testers with blue eyes, noting that the peachy colors aren’t too bright, but are still extremely flattering. The color selection is similar to other pink-toned palettes on this list, but the consistency is where this one shines. “A little product goes a long way — even dipping the brush in just a touch of the eyeshadow has a huge impact, especially with those darker, more pigmented hues,” shares one tester. As far as luxury makeup brands go, Dior prices their products pretty moderately compared to palettes from Chanel, Gucci, and Valentino. Additionally, you get a lot more product and color variety that will help you make both natural and glammed-up makeup looks. While it’s a great addition for one-palette eye looks, we wish there were more shades in this palette for darker skin tones.

Shades: 9 | Finish: Shimmer and matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Mirror Included: No

Best for Dark Eyes

Alamar Cosmetics Pressed Pigment Palette

View On Amazon View On Alamarcosmetics.com View On Nordstromrack.com

Our Ratings

• Shade Range
  4/5
• Pigmentation
  5/5
• Application
  4/5
• Value
  5/5

Darker eye colors deserve their framing moment, and this palette from the Latin-owned Alamar Cosmetics will make them shine. The packaging itself is gorgeous (and deserves the front and center spot on your vanity) but it’s the high-quality formulas inside that will keep you grabbing it again and again — the pigment power is what won over the InStyle lab testers. “I only had to put on two layers of the hot pink (shade Ponte Hyper) for it to show and look like a solid color,” one tester says. “I was actually surprised at how evenly the color went on, too.”

When accentuating brown eyes, Loiz says to use bronze or golden shades to bring out the same hues naturally found in dark eyes. We recommend using Jaja, the cool-toned brown shade in this palette and blending it with Muy Excited, a vibrant orange hue. To finish the look, apply one of the four shimmering shades for a defined look that draws attention to the gold specks in your eyes. One thing to note: the shades are prone to fallout, so be sure to tap off the excess before applying.

Shades: 8 | Finish: Metallic and matte | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Mirror Included: Yes