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Byrdie / Lecia Landis
Fact: The perfect glitter eyeshadow palette sparks joy. Whether it’s bold and bright or made up of bronze-toned neutrals, there’s just something special about a shiny, shimmery makeup palette that makes us swoon. “I love a good glittery eye,'' makeup artist Michael Brown tells us. “It’s also an easy occasion look as it doesn’t really take a lot of time or skill to throw together—just create a base, layer on your glitter and finish with mascara,” Brown adds.
While not as functional as a great concealer or clear brow gel, a glitter eyeshadow palette is still a useful inclusion in any makeup kit—one swipe across the lids can take you from boardroom to bar in seconds (and we’re 100% here for that).
From wearable neutrals to disco hues and everything in between, we conducted hours of research on the best glitter eyeshadow palettes., evaluating each on shades, pigment level, texture, and finish. After consulting a celebrity makeup artist and considering dozens of options, we landed on the products in this roundup.
Ahead, find the best glitter eyeshadow palettes to create dramatic, statement eyes.
Best Overall
PAT McGRATH LABS Mothership V: Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow Palette
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Sephora
Easy to wear shades
Beautiful textures
Satin, shimmer, and glitter finishes
Expensive
It would be criminal of us to talk eyeshadow and not mention Mother and makeup legend, Pat McGrath. Mothership V: Bronze Seduction is a beautiful mix of copper, bronze, and deep pink, making it versatile but highly wearable.
“Pat’s shadow formulas are unmatched,” adds Brown. “Silky soft, they blend beautifully and wear really well over the course of a day.”
Shades: 10 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Neutral
Too Faced Born This Way Sunset Stripped Eyeshadow Palette
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Sephora
Mix of glitter and matte/satin shades
Great neutrals
Contains coconut water to support hydration
Not as pigmented as others
A mix of soft pinks, deep taupes, and shiny charcoal, the Too Faced Born This Way Sunset Stripped palette is a great all-rounder. It’s actually a mix of classic matte, satin, and glitter shades, so you can build out a look that speaks to your mood, or the occasion. The glitter specifically is also quite creamy, so you shouldn’t experience too much fallout.
Shades: 16 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Pink
ColourPop Truly Madly Deeply Pressed Powder Eyeshadow Palette
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Ulta Beauty
Bright color palette
Richly pigmented
Only a handful of glitter shades
Aside from looking straight out of a ‘90s romcom, this candy-colored palette is pigmented, versatile, and works on all complexions. While not every shade is a true glitter, we love the fact you can mix and match for a customized finish. Try dusting on a satin hue first, before layering glitter on top.
Shades: 16 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Finish
NABLA Glorious Lights Glitter Palette
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Beauty Bay
True glitter
High shine finish
Only 4 shades
Risk of fallout
How stunning is this palette from Nabla? Each color has a holographic finish, for a dimensional, light-catching effect. The glitters themselves contain both large and small pigments, so they adhere to the lids relatively well. For added longevity, put a primer underneath.
Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Jewel Tones
Urban Decay Stoned Vibes Eyeshadow Palette
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Amazon
Great shade range
Rich pigment
Dimensional, chunky glitter particles
Risk of fallout
“This has been in my kit for a long time,” explains Brown. “The colors have so much depth, and I love the metallic finish—one swipe provides amazing coverage.”
Fun fact: The shades in this palette are also infused with real tourmaline to bring the good vibes. We’re unsure just how well it works, but we think it’s a cool extra feature nonetheless.
Shades: 12 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Blue Eyes
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in Walk of No Shame
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Sephora
Easy to apply
The four shades work well together
Expensive
Not a classic glitter
If you’re more of a makeup minimalist but still want to enjoy a little shine, look no further than Charlotte Tilbury’s iconic Walk of No Shame quad. The rose-tinted shades are universally flattering, but work especially well to complement those with blue eyes. It’s buildable as well, so you can work up to your desired intensity.
Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Sensitive Eyes
Huda Beauty The New Nude Eyeshadow Palette
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Sephora
Wearable colors
Highly pigmented
Comes with a concealer base
Not entirely made up of glitter shades
“This is another favorite of mine, both in terms of the shade range, texture, and finish,” explains Brown. “The pinks are just so soft and illuminating, while the glittery hues just melt into the skin. It’s also talc and fragrance free, so is safe for those with more sensitive eyes.”
Shades: 18 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Shade Range
Juvia’s Place Culture Eyeshadow Palette
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Ulta Beauty
Amazing shade range
Highly pigmented
Not all shades have a glitter effect
If you want to own every eyeshadow color of the rainbow, add this Juvia’s Place palette to your wishlist, stat. Packed with neon hues, metallic shades, and glitter textures aplenty, it’s all you need to create a bright, bold makeup look.
Shades: 30 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Green Eyes
NARS Voyageur Eyeshadow Palette
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Sephora
Great color payoff
Fine glitter prevents fallout
Expensive
Small but mighty, this NARS palette uses a super fine glitter, so it blends easily, and won’t spill out onto your cheeks. Quartz especially combines a mix of plum, pink, and copper—a mix that’s glamorous but still easy to weak. Also, the purple undertones do a stellar job at enhancing green or hazel eyes.
Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best for Daily Use
Morphe 35C Everyday Chic Artistry Palette
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Morphe
Huge range of colors
Great mix of shimmer and glitter shades
Affordable
Not as pigmented
If you want a palette that indulges your glitter makeup fantasies but can still be worn daily to work, the Morphe 35C Everyday Chic Artistry Palette is perfect. While there’s a great shade range overall, we love the fact it’s packed with taupes, plums, and browns—plus a few glitter hues for good measure. It’s also not as highly pigmented as some of the others on this list, which is a good thing if you prefer a soft finish.
Shades: 35 | Cruelty-Free: Yes| Byrdie Clean: No
Best Mini
Lime Crime Prelude Chroma Palette
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Ulta Beauty
Buttery texture
Pigmented
Smaller shade selection
This tiny palette still packs a punch in the color department. Made up predominantly of green and gold, the each individual color is buttery and richly pigmented for great coverage in one swipe.
Shades: 8 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Drugstore
NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Utopia Shadow Palette
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Ulta
Affordable
40 shades
Saturated pigment
Great shade range
Not entirely made up of glitter shades
As far as price goes, this palette from NYX can’t be beat. Not only does it boast 40 pigmented shades, but has an excellent mix of rich metallics, heavy glitters, and saturated shimmers so you can literally achieve any look with the single palette.
Shades: 40 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: No
Final Verdict
We simply can’t go past the Pat McGrath Mothership V: Bronze Seduction Palette as our winning formula. Not only is the color payoff unmatched, but the texture is so soft and silky it’s almost like applying velvet to your eyes. The NABLA Glorious Lights Glitter Palette is a true glitter with a light-catching finish, and the NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Utopia Eyeshadow Palette because it serves up excellent shades at an excellent price.
Meet the Expert
Michael Brown is one of Australia’s leading celebrity makeup artists and experts, and has worked on countless photoshoots, campaigns, red carpet looks and magazine covers over the course of his 20 year career. Michael has also held Australian ambassador roles for global brands including St Tropez, Marc Jacobs, Moroccanoil, Ardell Lashes and Olay.
What to Look For in a Glitter Eyeshadow Palettes
Formula
If you've ever owned a glitter eyeshadow, you know that not all are created equally. The wrong palette will have your entire face covered in glitter (sometimes everywhere but the lid) and that is of course a no no. Glitters with a silkier and more satin finish that glide on the eye are typically the most optimal when it comes to pigment and payout with the lowest risk of fallout.
Complementing Colors
While there is of course wiggle room when working with glitter shades (after all, the point is to pop), finding colors that compliment your eyes is always a plus. For blue eyes, reach for earthy tones. Green eyes, neutrals. And for brown eyes, lucky you, you can pull off just about any color.
Shade Range
If you are a palette queen and have the ability to purchase in multiples, finding color-specific palettes may be your thing. But if you're looking for one master-shimmer palette, go for something with variety. The bigger the variety, the more bang for your buck. You never know when you'll be in the mood for something different.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Emily Algar has been a beauty journalist for over eight years—not to mention someone who is very fond of a glitter eyeshadow moment (especially now that parties are back on the agenda). For this edit, we also tapped a makeup expert and scoured through internet reviews to find the best of the best.