Skip to Content

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

ELLE Edit: 20 Of The Best Eyeshadow Palettes To Play Up Your Eyes

Colours galore!

By ELLE Beauty Team
best eyeshadow palettepinterest
.

It might be a momentous occasion when you find the long-lasting, exact match foundation of your dreams, or discover a mascara that gives you smudge-free, Bambi-esque lashes. But nothing really gets us make-up fans going quite like the harmonious colours of an eyeshadow palette.

But with so many on the market, it's easy to get a little carried away (next thing you know you've got a 12-pan palette with just the one shade that you'll actually use...) Which is why we've rounded up the best eyeshadow palettes to make your daily make-up routine easier; from the classic neutral quad to a neon extravaganza.

To find the right one for you, make-up artist Emily Wood often looks for one that has practicality and playfulness in equal parts. 'My go-to palette is a classic, cool-toned smokey eye palette where I can use the deep browns and black shades to create smouldering lids or as a liner. Medium browns are great as transition colours to soften edges or to create a sixties cut-crease, doe-eyed look, while lighter hues are good for highlighting,' she explains. With the festive season upon us, Wood is excited to see more 'metallic magic' with pigments in shades of lavender, baby blues, peach and pinks to accessorise the eyes.

Rules don't apply when it comes to playing various tones. 'Don’t be afraid of colour,' says Dominic Skinner, MAC Global Senior Artist. 'It’s a great way to modernise your classic go-to smoky eye. Try throwing a little turquoise under the outer bottom of your eye and then blending a swash of purple into the socket/brow bone area.'

Shop 20 Show-Stopping Eyeshadow Palettes To Try Now

1

Vieve The Ninetease Palette - £45

The Ninetease Palette - £45
1

Vieve The Ninetease Palette - £45

Shop at Cult Beauty
Credit: .

In case you haven't heard, beauty's obsession with the nineties is here to stay. Vieve's cool-toned eyeshadow palette is just the ticket to recreating the smoky-eyed looks made popular by Christy, Cindy and Naomi aka the world's most iconic supermodels.

2

NARS Stargaze Eyeshadow Palette - £60

Stargaze Eyeshadow Palette - £60
2

NARS Stargaze Eyeshadow Palette - £60

Credit: .

This eyeshadow palette is ready to dance the night away with its shimmering hot fuschia, speckles of gold dust and ruby glitters. The best part? Each shimmer has a corresponding matte and satin shade along with smokey eye staples.

3

Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Eyeshadow Palette - £31

The Contour Eyeshadow Palette - £31
3

Kevyn Aucoin The Contour Eyeshadow Palette - £31

Credit: .

For an eyeshadow palette that's lightweight, compact and great for travel, look no further. It has all the everyday neutrals in both matte and gleaming finishes so you can dial it up or down. There are three colourways available to suit deep, fair and tan skin tones.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4

Rose Inc Satin & Shimmer Duet Eyeshadow - £23

Satin & Shimmer Duet Eyeshadow - £23
4

Rose Inc Satin & Shimmer Duet Eyeshadow - £23

Credit: .

For all the make-up minimalists just two great shades are more than enough. Rose Inc's thoughtfully curated duos feature both light and dark tones to brighten and add dimension to eyelids. The cream formulas are buildable, and the palettes can be refilled.

5

Dior Couleurs Couture Dior en Rouge in Reflexion - £51.50

Couleurs Couture Dior en Rouge in Reflexion - £51.50
5

Dior Couleurs Couture Dior en Rouge in Reflexion - £51.50

Credit: .

Sunset tones will never go out of style. This visually pleasing Dior eyeshadow palette features five shades of russets and terracotta to enhance every single eye colour. With such wearable hues, this luxe palette makes for a great gift too.

6

Guerlain Ombres G Eyeshadow Quad in Mystic Peacock - £62

Ombres G Eyeshadow Quad in Mystic Peacock - £62
6

Guerlain Ombres G Eyeshadow Quad in Mystic Peacock - £62

Credit: .

Since appointing make-up maven Violette Serrat as creative director, Guerlain have been nailing it in the colour department. The hues are even more opulent, the pigments pack a punch and we love how generously-sized each pan is.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7

Illamasqua Unveiled Artistry Palette - £39

Unveiled Artistry Palette - £39
7

Illamasqua Unveiled Artistry Palette - £39

Credit: .

This Illamasqua palette proves that neutral doesn't have to be boring. All you need are varying tones of the same family to create depth and a hint of light-catching, but still understated, sparkle to open up the eyes. We love how smoothly these powders glide on too (no chalkiness here!).

8

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership IX Artistry Palette Huetopian Dream Eye Palette - £118

Mothership IX Artistry Palette Huetopian Dream Eye Palette - £118
8

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership IX Artistry Palette Huetopian Dream Eye Palette - £118

Credit: .

Known affectionately as 'mother' in the MUA world, Pat McGrath's palettes are what you would expect: highly pigmented, bold and a dream to paint on. The multidimensional shimmers impart an otherworldly shine like no other.

9

Viseart Petites Mattes Editorial Brights Eyeshadow Palette - £35

Petites Mattes Editorial Brights Eyeshadow Palette - £35
9

Viseart Petites Mattes Editorial Brights Eyeshadow Palette - £35

Credit: .

If hi-def rainbow brights are up your street, this 12-pan palette by Viseart is guaranteed to be a staple. French brand Viseart is a make-up artist favourite for its impressive colour payoff and silky textures, so expect only the punchiest pigments from this palette.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glam To Go Mini Palette - £30

Glam To Go Mini Palette - £30
10

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glam To Go Mini Palette - £30

Credit: .

Yes, ABH is known for its larger, 14-pan eyeshadow palettes, but don't sleep on the smaller ones as they feature eight of the most flattering hues, in the same buttery, richly-pigmented finish as the larger palettes. It's the kind of eye palette you'll reach for on the daily, making it well-worth the purchase.

11

Beauty Pie x James Molloy Deluxe Eyeshadow Quad in Rose Gold - £40

Deluxe Eyeshadow Quad in Rose Gold - £40
11

Beauty Pie x James Molloy Deluxe Eyeshadow Quad in Rose Gold - £40

Credit: .

A-list make-up artist James Molloy teamed up with Beauty Pie to launch a range of eye palettes that promise to be long-wearing and easy to blend. This Rose Gold version screams sophistication.

12

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Rebel - £43

Luxury Palette in The Rebel - £43
12

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Rebel - £43

Credit: .

Queen of Hollywood glam Charlotte Tilbury knows a thing or two about creating mesmerising smoky eyes. For a fresh update, why not swap greys and browns for a khaki green hue? Pigments are infused with glossy esters and diamond powders (fancy!) for a luminous, glimmering finish.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13

Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge Eyeshadow Quad - £68

Jasmin Rouge Eyeshadow Quad - £68
13

Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge Eyeshadow Quad - £68

Credit: .

High octane, uber glam colours and an incredibly pigmented finish is exactly what you'd expect from Mr Ford. This Selfridges exclusive colourway is one for nights out at a swanky bar.

14

Natasha Denona Zendo Eyeshadow Palette - £64

Zendo Eyeshadow Palette  - £64
14

Natasha Denona Zendo Eyeshadow Palette - £64

Credit: .

The sumptuous eyeshadow shades created by this make-up pro are intensely pigmented and yet a breeze to blend out. There's plenty of palettes to choose from, but we love Zendo for the balance of playful hues and more earthy, everyday tones. One to add to your Christmas wishlist.

15

Byredo Eyeshadow 5 Colours in Syren - £58

Eyeshadow 5 Colours in Syren - £58
15

Byredo Eyeshadow 5 Colours in Syren - £58

Credit: .

The brilliant beauty brains of make-up artist Isamaya Ffrench and Byredo's Ben Gorham came together in 2020 and the brand's first make-up collection was the result. We love the boldness of this palette, which, since it's formulated by a pro, has an unexpected colour combo that somehow works harmoniously together.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16

Bobbi Brown Jadestone Eye Shadow Palette - £49.50

Jadestone Eye Shadow Palette - £49.50
16

Bobbi Brown Jadestone Eye Shadow Palette - £49.50

Credit: .

If you're a little shy about playing with colour but want to create depth and definition around the eyes, you can't really go wrong with this Bobbi Brown palette. It has just enough shimmer, and buildable soft shades of bronze that suit every complexion along with pops of green to get you into the festive season.

17

Huda Beauty Empowered Eyeshadow Palette - £58

Empowered Eyeshadow Palette - £58
17

Huda Beauty Empowered Eyeshadow Palette - £58

Credit: .

We imagine Huda had hot cocoa, burning embers and fallen leaves on her moodboard when designing this positively autumnal colour palette. As always with Huda Beauty, the powder pigments are velvety smooth and a little goes a long way.

18

Patrick Ta Major Dimension II Rose Eyeshadow Palette - £60

Major Dimension II Rose Eyeshadow Palette - £60
18

Patrick Ta Major Dimension II Rose Eyeshadow Palette - £60

Credit: .

From the make-up artist who's no stranger to working with Emily Ratajkowski and Camilla Cabello comes this rose tinted eyeshadow palette complete with pop star level sparkle and supermodel-approved matte neutrals. Add to cart if you're all about the glamour.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19

Makeup By Mario Master Metallics Palette - £55

Master Metallics Palette - £55
19

Makeup By Mario Master Metallics Palette - £55

Credit: .

'Tis the season for embracing all things shiny and joy-sparking. Let your imagination run wild with these metallic hues that go on like a dream on the eyelids and last until final orders.

20

MAC Pro Eye Palette in The Romantic - £32

Pro Eye Palette in The Romantic - £32
20

MAC Pro Eye Palette in The Romantic - £32

Credit: .

If the recent SS23 shows are any indication, purple is set to be huge next season. Get ahead of the trend with this cream eye palette in delicious hues of violet and berries. Use as a base to extend the longevity of your powder shadows, or sheer out as a wash of colour - these colours are made to experimented with.

Watch Next
 
preview for ELLE UK - Beauty
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Shop Beauty

a group of bottles

ELLE Edit: 15 Of The Best Cleansing Oils

best heat protection spray

ELLE Edit: The Best Heat Protection Sprays

best makeup mirrors with light

ELLE Edit: The Best Make-Up Mirrors With Lights

best red lipstick

The Oscars After Party Was An Ode To The Red Lip

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below