The 13 Best Eyeshadow Palettes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette

5

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If you keep up with popular makeup launches, chances are you’re familiar with this iconic palette. The name sums it up beautifully: It’s true perfection for soft glam looks—and so much more. 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. 

Unsurprisingly, our tester loved this palette. She raved about the color story, saying she was surprised by how much range a neutral palette could provide. She also appreciated that the shades were richly pigmented and easy to blend, allowing her to create a gorgeous look in a short amount of time. 

One thing to note is that some online reviewers find the eyeshadow formula from Anastasia Beverly Hills to be overly powdery in general. So it’s wise to do your eyeshadow before your complexion makeup when working with their shadows to avoid fallout ruining your foundation or concealer. 

Price at time of publish: $45

Number of Shades: 14 | Finishes: Matte, Shimmer | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Drugstore

Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

4.5

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The drugstore boasts some excellent makeup goodies, but we’d be lying if we said they have endless options of high-quality eyeshadow palettes. This one, however, is a great palette that you can snag at an affordable price. It contains twelve neutral shades that range from light to dark, which allows you to go subtle or build up the intensity of your look.

Our tester shared that he was able to diffuse the colors with minimal effort, and he was impressed with the variety of neutrals in the palette. While he would have appreciated the inclusion of a mirror, given the price tag, it’s not a deal-breaker. 

If we could change anything about this one, it would be the intensity of the shimmery, satin shades. They perform well, but they don’t offer much shine or light reflection like some of our favorite shimmers do. 

Price at time of publish: $13

Number of Shades: 12 | Finishes: Matte, Satin | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Everyday

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette Pillow Talk

4.5

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There are no rules when it comes to makeup, but sometimes a little bit of guidance is appreciated. This palette comes with a plastic overlay that provides suggestions on where to place each shade for a flattering look, making it a great option if you’re new to eyeshadow. 

The shades 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. 

Our tester found the formula to have even pigmentation and great blendability, although she did note that she had to build up the shimmers to give her the impact she prefers. If you like a more metallic finish, wet your brush and then apply the shimmery shades to give them more shine. 

Price at time of publish: $75

Number of Shades: 12 | Finishes: Matte, Shimmer | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Soft Glam

Urban Decay Naked Reloaded Eyeshadow Palette

4.8

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As this is the re-release of the nude eyeshadow palette that arguably started the palette craze, it’s no surprise that we enjoyed this one. It comes with 12 shades in a variety of cool and neutral-leaning tones that vary in depth to provide a bit of everything. 

Our tester shared that the shades were not lacking in the pigmentation department—so much so that she had to be careful as she explained that a little bit went a long way. If you struggle to find neutrals that deliver on color payoff, this is a great option for you. 

If you’re loyal to the Naked range from Urban Decay, beware that some people find the eyeshadows in this palette to be more powdery than those in previous palettes. However, it doesn’t seem to negatively affect the blendability or color payoff of the palette, so it’s not a major concern for us. 

Price at time of publish: $22

Number of Shades: 12 | Finishes: Matte, Metallic | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best for Special Occasions

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership IX Eyeshadow Palette: Huetopian Dream

4.5

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Makeup is a luxury and we’d argue that Pat McGrath eyeshadow palettes are some of the most luxurious items on the market. Yes, they’re incredibly expensive—but the quality, artistry, and uniqueness of each palette make them a special treat. 

This one is the ninth iteration in the Mothership lineup, and it’s the glitter eyeshadows and nuanced rose and violet tones that make it stand out. Aside from noting the undeniable quality, our tester shared that the shades blended seamlessly across her eyelids as well as with each other to make a cohesive look. She also appreciated its versatility—you can achieve a somewhat subtle look or something bold for a special occasion.

The glittery eyeshadows in the palette—which Pat McGrath refers to as Blitz Astral shades—are incredibly vibrant and impactful. However, our tester noted that they can take some building up to get them to appear fully opaque. 

Price at time of publish: $128

Number of Shades: 10 | Finishes: Matte, Shimmer, Glitter | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Best for Bold Looks

Juvia's Place Warrior III Palette

5

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If you’ve played with a variety of eyeshadows, then you might know how difficult it is to find a high-quality, colorful palette. Many colorful eyeshadow palettes lack pigmentation and blendability—but not this one. This affordable option contains nine vivid eyeshadows that deliver the perfect combination of richness and buildability. They’re not overly pigmented and hard to work with, but you won’t need to spend too long packing on the color. 

Our tester shared that the shades showed up beautifully on her dark skin tone and they blended effortlessly. But just like many colorful palettes, the shadows do produce a bit of fallout, so it’s wise to do your complexion makeup after using this palette. 

Price at time of publish: $13

Number of Shades: 9 | Finishes: Matte, Shimmer | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Glittery

ColourPop Truly Madly Deeply Pressed Powder Eyeshadow Palette

4.7

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Glitter can be such a fun medium to use when you’re getting creative with your makeup look, but the mess it poses to make can be a major deterrent. With this eyeshadow palette, you get glitter eyeshadows in a mess-free, pressed formula that’s incredibly easy to use. The combination of glittery, matte, and metallic shades makes it a great palette to reach for whether you’re creating an everyday makeup look or something more vibrant. 

As is true with most ColourPop palettes, this one delivers on pigmentation and blendability. Our tester shared that while the glittery shades didn’t apply well with a brush when she used her fingers to apply them, they went on smoothly and didn’t make a mess. 

Price at time of publish: $24

Number of Shades: 16 | Finishes: Matte, Metallic, Pressed Glitter | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Pigment

Alamar Cosmetics Spanglish Pressed Pigment Palette

4.5

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Taking your time to create a beautiful eyeshadow look can be a form of self-care. But an elongated process due to shadows that lack pigmentation and blendability is anything but relaxing. This flirty palette delivers on pigment and blendability, so you won’t struggle to get your desired look. 

Our tester enjoyed the even split between matte and metallic shades, and noted that both formulas applied smoothly and vividly on her lids. She also loved how iridescent the metallic shades were without having to add several layers. 

One thing to note is that this palette does create a bit of fallout, so beware of that before reaching for it. 

Price at time of publish: $28

Number of Shades: 8 | Finishes: Matte, Metallic | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Nude Tones

Too Faced Born This Way The Natural Nudes Eye Shadow Palette

4.5

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A go-to neutral palette is a makeup collection staple, and this one is an excellent choice. It contains a versatile range of nude tones that vary in depth to allow you to create natural and smoky eyeshadow looks. It also has a nice balance between finishes which makes it even more versatile. 

Our tester shared that they were able to create a subtle look and take it from day to night by adding some of the deeper shades to give it more dimension. The deeper shades didn’t produce fallout which was seriously impressive.

While the blendability of the formulas in the palette was great, the pigmentation didn’t wow us. However, the shades can be built up to a nice intensity with a bit of effort, so the lack of bold pigment right off the bat isn't a deal-breaker for us.

Price at time of publish: $26

Number of Shades: 16 | Finishes: Matte, Shimmer, Metallic | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Mattes

Dose of Colors Baked Browns Palette

4.5

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A matte, neutral palette is practical for everyday use, but it can also be great for taking looks from day to night if it has shades with depth. Although this one only comes with just five different shades of neutral browns, they range from light to dark so that you can add dimension to your eyes. 

If you’ve tried lots of different matte eyeshadow formulas, then you may have noticed that many of them lean dry and powdery, making them tricky to work with. But the formula in this palette is smooth, creamy, and easy to blend out. Our tester found that the shades looked the same when applied to her lids as they do in the pan, and they were easy to work with. Aside from the bit of fallout you might experience, it has everything we could ask for in a mini matte palette—including a mirror and a blending brush. 

Price at time of publish: $32

Number of Shades: 5 | Finishes: Matte | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Best Travel-Friendly

Dior Backstage Eye Shadow Palette in Rosewood Neutrals

4.8

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This palette is part of Dior’s Backstage line—a sector of the brand that’s slightly more affordable than their other ranges—but the quality doesn’t decline with the price tag. This warm palette boasts eight gorgeous shadows with matte and shimmery finishes, as well as a creamy shade that’s meant to be used as a primer. The addition of primer adds a unique touch to the palette, but given that it’s a very light shade, it might not be ideal for all skin tones. 

In terms of the quality, our tester shared that it delivered on pigmentation and blendability, and did not produce noticeable fallout or kickback. She was able to create a cohesive look as all of the shades worked together beautifully, but she noted a particular affection for the deep shades as they added a rich pop of color that complimented her blue eyes. 

With this palette, you get a well-rounded color story, great quality shadows, and a bit of luxury all wrapped up into a small, travel-friendly package. 

Price at time of publish: $49

Number of Shades: 9 | Finishes: Matte, Shimmer, Primer | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No

Best Sustainable

PYT Beauty Upcycle Eyeshadow Palette in Cool Crew Nude

4.5

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It’s no secret that the cosmetics industry is a major contributor to waste, so anytime we can be more sustainable with our beauty routines, the better. This gorgeous palette is made from 15% recycled plastic, and it can be recycled once you’re done with it. 

Aside from the sustainability component which we appreciate, the array of cool and neutral shades are beautiful for daytime and evening looks, and the shadows blend with ease. Our tester appreciated that the formula is buildable, so you can gradually apply color to achieve your look. However, some online reviewers mention that the eyeshadows feel a bit powdery which can create kickback in the pan as well as some fallout. 

Price at time of publish: $24

Number of Shades: 12 | Finishes: Matte, Shimmer | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes