The Best Eye-Shadow Palettes, According to Makeup Artists

Multiple artists we spoke to unanimously agreed that the brand Viseart makes some of the best eye-shadow palettes on the market. “The pigment is stunning and the textures are so fine and easy to blend,” says makeup artist Amanda Thesen, and makeup artist Emma Elizabeth agrees: “They’re super creamy and you get excellent color payoff. They’re some of the best quality palettes for the money out there.” The best-selling Neutral Mattes palette contains 12 natural shades that can be used to create a simple, toned-down look; serve as a base for more glamorous looks; or even fulfill other purposes such as contouring or filling in hairlines, says makeup artist Crystal Gossman, who has been using her Viseart palette for over 13 years. The pans are interchangeable, which Gossman appreciates because you can swap out different shades depending on your preferences or only take a few colors “if you’re traveling and you don’t want to bring the full palette. It’s just a very, very versatile line,” she says. This specific palette is also celebrity-approved: Franchesca Ramsey likes that it works with “every makeup look I’m going for,” and told us that it was recommended to her by her makeup artist: “She basically told me, You need this. She never leads me astray.” But if you’re looking for something a little more adventurous, the brand offers plenty of warm and cool mattes, as well as ultrabrights and collections of curated color stories; Elizabeth is a particular fan of the Paris edit, an assortment of romantic mauve and pink shimmers.

This Smashbox palette “was created to mimic the Cali sunset,” notes Emmy-nominated makeup artist Steven Aturo, who calls it “the best natural palette” with shadows that “work on every skin tone.” It comes with two different double-sized base shades to apply first and build your eye-shadow look off of. Aturo uses them to highlight the brow bone, and says “the texture offers a great color payoff and has a hint of shimmer for extra glow.”

While the original Urban Decay Naked palette contains mostly shades of brown and gray, this one — one of seven in the Naked collection — has a much more fiery shade range full of pinks and ambers. Makeup artist Mylah Morales, who regularly works with Rihanna and Taraji P. Henson, calls it “a great everyday palette for all ages.” She especially likes that “it can be used wet or dry,” and says anyone from a pro to a beginner can use it. She also thinks this colorway works well on “all skin tones from the lightest to the darkest.”

Anastasia Beverly Hills’s Soft Glam palette has achieved cult status thanks to its range of 14 warm-neutral shades that can be mixed and matched in endless combinations. A year ago, I was on the hunt for an eye-shadow palette that would serve as my go-to everyday palette, and after much research and perusing threads on beauty Reddit, this was the one I chose. The palette offers a healthy balance of shimmer and matte shades, and I’ve never experienced any fallout or fading, even after a full day of wear. I also like that the set includes a dual-ended brush; I use the denser side to stipple and layer the matte shadows and the fluffy side to brush a dusting of glitter on top.

Porsche Cooper, a celebrity makeup artist who works with Mary J. Blige, Iman, and Winnie Harlow, suggests Juvia’s Place for inexpensive palettes that offer warm bronze and rust shades. “It’s filled with a rich tan and auburn as well as matte and shimmery dark chocolate options to accomplish the most beautiful smoke signals on your eyes,” Cooper says. “The pigment of each shadow is extraordinary enough to inspire makeup pros and novices to create soft and high glam moments.”

Kastuk is also a fan of Huda Beauty products and says this Pretty Grunge palette is “really fun because it’s got a few different textural elements to it,” from pearlescent shimmers to chunky glitters, so “you can use it to do everyday looks or really sparkly going-out looks.” Keep in mind, though, that because Huda Kattan is a makeup artist herself, some of Huda Beauty’s products require a certain level of technique and aren’t necessarily for beginners.

Morales recommends any of the five “Tartelette” palettes from Tarte. “It’s a vegan, cruelty-free makeup line,” she says, and the shadows “are creamy and blendable for a natural eye makeup look.” Each of the palettes has 12 shades, ranging from matte to metallic, and they’re “perfect for all skin tones,” Morales adds. Makeup artist Natalie Dresher likes this matte Amazonian Clay version in particular because of the subtle mauve and purple tones in the color story: “It has every color you would need for everyday or going out,” she says.

If you’d rather not splurge on makeup at the moment — but you still want to try out a new look you spotted on TikTok — might we suggest these $3 e.l.f. Cosmetics palettes? They come recommended by makeup artist Margina Dennis, who says they’re an “inexpensive makeup kit for talent on set,” because they’re cheap enough to toss afterward for sanitary reasons. But you don’t have to be a makeup artist to appreciate these. They also have “good pigment payoff for a variety of skin tones and a great range of colors and finishes,” Dennis adds.

Anastasia Beverly Hills sells many different iterations of its Norvina palette, and makeup artist Sheika Daley likes them all. “These have an amazing color payoff and they come with a larger selection of colors,” she says. With 25 different shades of “professional-grade eye shadows” that Daley calls “bold and rich,” she thinks it’s “perfect for those who like to create outside the box” and are constantly switching up their look.

For a really vivid look, Dennis says that the pigments on this neon rainbow-colored palette show up strong and vibrant — and for the price, you won’t have to stress too much over how the shades will actually look on your eyes. But if you’re still feeling hesitant, NYX’s website will let you try on the colors virtually before you buy.