There was a time when the eyeshadow palette dominating our makeup bags was a status symbol.
Whether you had the Urban Decay Naked palette (original, 2 or 3), the chocolate-scented Too Faced or the perpetually dry drugstore alternative, it said a lot about who you are. Brands like Morphe based their brand on providing affordable, expansive ranges and thrived on it, but times have been a-changing.
This may be attributed to the revival of early Noughties trends where single shades reigned supreme or the move towards more sustainable practices where the beauty world has turned away from the wastage of numerous unused shades. Or, perhaps it’s in line with the minimal no-makeup makeup trend that has left convoluted multistep and vibrant pigments as démodé.
While on the whole, these trays of extensive colourways aren’t as popular as they once were, the ability to layer up different hues to reflect your outfit allows us to flex our creativity and transforms an everyday look into an extraordinary one for those times you want to do something special with your lids.
The appeal of a palette cannot be denied. Whether in three, four, five or 35-shade strong combinations, they provide high-performance, buildable and blendable formulas that are powerfully pigmented and leave rich colour payoff in just one sweep. And evolution in the space has resulted in build-your-own or refillable alternatives, taking a more environmentally-conscious approach to our shopping practices.
From Vieve to Anastasia Beverly Hills, these sets combine universally flattering neutrals, sultry shimmers and sumptuous mattes that can be worn alone or layered up in one travel-friendly tray.
Shop the best eyeshadow palettes where no pan will go to waste.
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Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette
Anastasia Beverly Hills has garnered a reputation for highly pigmented hues and that is, in no small part, due to this very eyeshadow palette. The Soft Glam has an instant and vibrant colour payoff with just a single sweep of the powder, whether you apply it with your finger or the dual-ended brush provided.
The long-lasting palette contains 14 universally flattering, blendable shades with a combination of neutral nudes and metallic glitter finishes, the latter of which are some of the best in the biz. This on-the-go makeup essential comes complete with a mirror and a luxe velvet exterior.
Buy now £46.00, Space NK
Vieve Soul Shadows
For those steering away from the palettes packed with more colours than they can ever use, look to Vieve and the makeup artist’s collection of quads that make eyeshadow application a breeze. To create your eye look, you can use every colour in the pan, taking a lightest to darkest approach and finishing it off with glitter.
Don’t for one minute think that doesn’t leave room for creativity though. The pigmented hues can be mixed and matched or worn alone. There are four colour combinations to choose from, including this warm combination of terracotta and burnt orange hues as well as a classic smouldering smoky eye.
Buy now £29.00, Vieve
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette Pillow Talk 4-shade eyeshadow palette
Pillow Talk is Charlotte Tilbury’s signature shade - and alongside the lipstick, liner and gloss are eyeshadows in the same universally flattering nude pink. Start with the lightest across your lid and create a dramatic look with the darker shade at the corner of the eye. Finish with the shimmer glow hue and you’ll have mimicked the legendary flawless dewy aesthetic that the eponymous make-up artist’s brand is known for.
There are a range of colour combinations as well as the ultra-pigmented sparkle of the Hypnotising Pop Shots that provide a glitter layer with a dab of the finger.
Buy now £45.00, Charlotte Tilbury
Makeup by Mario Master Mattes™ Eyeshadow Palette
This is considered by Mario himself to be the hero product in his eponymous range and was the first that he worked on. It takes its inspiration from human skin tones where all the shades can be used by every skin tone in different ways. This also makes for a hugely timeless palette that surpasses trends. Use the top row for highlighting, brightening, setting the base or in the crease of your eye, while deeper hues create definition or can be used for contouring.
They are designed to be mixed too and blend together seamlessly. The formula melts into the skin and, when paired with primer, will last as long as you need. The shades aren’t overly pigmented and this was the intention so you don’t need to be careful about how much you use - they are extremely buildable. Shades 6 and 11 can be used on brows, while the darkest shade is great for creating a smokey eye look.
Buy now £55.00, Sephora
Glossier Monochromes essential eyeshadow trio
The pigmented Glossier palettes have something for every texture preference. The three-pan tray includes a matte, satin and metallic hue that can be mixed and matched or worn solo to leave a wash of colour with just one swipe. It’s buildable too so you can go as dramatic as you like but due to the payoff, go light with your brush or finger if you’re only looking for a subtle hue. There are 10 shade combinations and the case is refillable. Honourable mention goes to the shimmery shade for its ability to transform a day look in an instant.
Buy now £19.00, Glossier
Hourglass Curator Eyeshadow
The beauty of the Hourglass Curator palette is that the power is in your hands to collate the colours you’ll actually use – taking wastage out of the equation. The process begins by selecting the size of your pan. It can house just one shade, three or five and then the fun really begins. Hourglass has 60 colours to choose from that range from matte to metallic, satin to shimmer.
The finely milled texture glides onto the lids with a smooth finish, locking in place without drying out the skin. It is also entirely vegan and cruelty free.
Buy now £28.00, John Lewis
Morphe 35O Nature Glow palette
This is a take on the original palette in the Morphe collection, the Natural Glow, and while the brand has produced hundreds of variations, it holds a special place in our hearts for the range of muted hues with a combination for every outfit.
The Supernatural Glow offers 35 shades and while you’ll certainly play favourites with a few, this should encourage you to get creative layering new colours. Each is wearable, blendable and minimises fallout. The only critique? It would benefit from a mirror.
Buy now £28.00, Morphe
DIOR Backstage Eye Palette 003
This eyeshadow palette from Dior is a favourite among pro makeup artists and it’s not just for its luxury feel with every application. Peter Philips, the Creative and Image Director for Dior Makeup, and a backstage regular created the range to give versatility, whether you are creating a natural no-makeup-makeup look or a sensual evening-ready lid. The result are pigments that are a breeze to apply in fast-paced situations.
The French fashion and beauty house has seven colour combinations in the range with 003 providing all the inspiration you need to do something different thanks to its warm amber hues and neutrals that are far from ordinary.
Buy now £43.00, Sephora
TARTE Tartelette™ In Bloom Clay Palette Multi + Net
While Tarte flirted with UK stockists like QVC, it has found a home at Sephora and we are grateful to have easy access to its pigmented performing range that includes the eyeshadow offering. The brand excels in neutrals and the Tartelette is a case in point. The 12-stong pan deserves its place in your makeup collection with its bronze and rosy hues. The shade are enriched with Amazonian clay that safeguard the shades for maximum staying power and ensures it won’t settle into creases.
Buy now £42.00, Sephora
Jones Road Beauty Eyeshadow Palette 2.0
Bobbi Brown founded Jones Road to provide easy to use makeup products to enhance our natural beauty – and that ethos is reflected in this eyeshadow palette that has just four shades to use together for a simple smoky eye look. The makeup artist has collated a cream, medium brown and dark brown with a glitzy shade dubbed ‘So Pretty’ that you can layer over the others, transforming the look from day to night. Brown also explains that the versatile dark brown hue can be used to fill in brows and as a soft liner.
Buy now £37.00, Jones Road Beauty
