Best Eyeshadow
No other kind of makeup lets you play artist quite like a good eyeshadow palette. Whether you’re mixing and layering colors, playing with texture and sparkle, or experimenting with daring angles, eyeshadow truly brings out your inner expressionist. We’ve scoped out the best tints and formulas, from easy-to-wear neutrals to over-the-top brights—everything you need to make your lids a work of art. Whether you’re an understated brown eyeshadow type of lady or prefer wild blue, we’ve got the best picks for you.
Do up your eyes on all fronts – get the best mascara, eyeliners, and eye creams.
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Neutral Eyeshadow
Just because neutral shadows aren’t as flashy as their bold, colorful counterparts doesn’t mean they don’t serve a painterly purpose. Neutral palettes can help you bring out the brightness of your eyes, get a faux inner glow or play up what nature gave you with a little subtle sparkle.
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| Avon Smooth Minerals in Bronzestone $9 Highly pigmented, so the shimmery, buttery shadow actually improves the texture of your skin. And even though it’s applied in loose-powder form, it stays the day without flaking. |
Stila Pan Eye Shadow in Kitten $18 Has won scads of beauty awards, and for good reason. It’s ultra-versatile, looks good on most skin tones, and can be worn wet or dry. It’s a makeup drawer must for every woman. |
NARS Cream Shadow in Petula $21 Dewy, rosy lids are a couture runway staple. Look lit from within—without detracting from your fresh-faced everyday look—with a sweep. |
Colorful Eyeshadow
Sometimes your look requires an element of surprise. Skip pricey costume jewelry and instead add a (wallet-friendly) burst of color to your look by incorporating a bright shadow in a shocking hue. Go with classic blue or try something more offbeat, like Mac’s lemon tone.
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| Sephora Jumbo Pencil in Blue $6 If coordination isn’t your strong suit. The chunky crayon puts you in complete control, so you can cover your entire lid, or just add a thick, creamy line of this icy iris blue. |
HIP Bright Duo by L’Oreal $8 Sweep on one or both of the grapey tints and you’re sure to turn heads. This shadow goes on thick and rich for maximum impact. |
MAC Eyeshadow in Swimming $14.50 MAC is a brand known for its irreverent rock-star attitude, so it’s no surprise they’ve developed tons of look-at-me shades. A satiny leaf green, refracts light without being too glittery. |
Eyeshadow Palettes
Designing elaborate multi-color shadow looks can make for the most amusing makeup mirror time. If you want full customization privileges, choose a shadow palette packed with complementary colors perfect for mixing, matching and layering.
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| Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Quad in Vintage Wine $10 The most foolproof way to achieve the sometimes-elusive smoky eye. Base, crease, accent and highlighting colors are well labeled, and an included instruction book shows how to take the look from day to night by layering. |
The Cargo Eyeshadow Palette in Tahiti $28 Makes every day feel like a tropical getaway. Lime, sea blue and parrot green tints mix and match for all kinds of beachy-chic looks. |
Too Faced Liquid Eye Shadow Collection $35 Wear the 12 shades alone (there are hundreds of combos, considering there are shimmery, smoky and subtle tints), or use the thin-tipped Liquif-Eye brush to transform any of the double-saturated shades into a liner. |
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