20 Drugstore Eyeshadow Palettes That Look Luxe, Starting at Just $3 (2024)

Table of Contents
Best Overall NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette Who It’s For Best Budget e.l.f. Cosmetics Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best Nude Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best Palette Brush Flower Shimmer & Shade Eye Shadow Palette Who It’s For Best Earth Tones Jason Wu Beauty Flora 9 Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best Neutral e.l.f. Cosmetics The New Classics Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best Dupe Joah Color Haul Eyeshadow Palette, Smokeshow Who It’s For Best Pigment Makeup Revolution Forever Flawless Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best for Everyday Wear L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche La Palette Nude 1 Who It’s For Best Monochromatic CoverGirl Clean Fresh Color Eyeshadow Who It’s For Best for Smoky Eye Rimmel London Eye Palette, Smoke Edition Who It’s For Best Shimmery Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Eye Enhancing Shadow Who It’s For Best Matte Maybelline Mini Palette Matte About Town Who It’s For Best Jewel Tones Milani Bold Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best Warm Tones BLK/OPL High Impact Eyeshadows Who It’s For Best Cool Tones L.A. Girl Smoky Beauty Brick Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best K-Beauty Etude House Play Color Eyes Who It’s For Best Cream Revlon Illuminance Crème Eye Shadow Who It’s For Best Buttery Texture Milani Gilded Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Best Mini Juvia's Place Mini Eyeshadow Palette Who It’s For Where We Stand How We Researched What to Look For in a Drugstore Eyeshadow Palette Why Trust Byrdie

If you ask us, it's always worth scoping out all your options when buying makeup. Drugstore products have always held an important place in the cosmetics industry, and for good reason. For instance, eyeshadow palettes can cost a pretty penny at luxury retailers, but believe it or not, there are tons of show-stopping kits from fallback drugstore brands like NYX, e.l.f., L'Oreal, Maybelline, and Revlon, plus a few up-and-comers.

"Nowadays, you don't have to splurge with a high-end price point," says New York City-based professional makeup artist Maria Gianno. "Drugstore makeup is competitively priced, has excellent formulation, and comes in a wide variety of products. I find many high-end dupes at the drugstore, which I reach for just as often as my more expensive makeup."

The best part is that you don't have to set foot in an actual pharmacy to score top-notch products. We conducted hours of research on the best drugstore eyeshadow palettes, evaluating them on shade range and pigmentation, as well as the balances of matte to shimmer shades so you can create varied looks. After consulting with several celebrity makeup artists and considering dozens of options, we landed on these top-rated choices.

Our Top Picks

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What We Like

  • Includes warm and cool shades

  • A good mix of matte and shimmer shades

  • Highly pigmented buildable colors

What to Consider

  • Warm Neutrals is the only all-shadow palette; the others are a mix of eye and face pigments

This travel-friendly eyeshadow kit by NYX pulls out all the stops. It's got a whopping 16 different colors, including warm and cool tones with both matte and shimmery finishes, and the velvety powder is impressively pigmented yet goes on silky smooth without creasing. Best of all, the Ultimate Shadow Palette comes in nine color families: Warm Neutrals (the most versatile), Brights (for playing with pops of color), Smokey & Highlight (for dramatic eyes), and more. Pro tip: When you use a shadow primer underneath, it increases the staying power of these complementary hues, proving them to have the same finish as higher-end shadows at a fraction of the price.

Who It’s For

If you’re looking for a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette, you’ve met the perfect match with NYX’s Warm Neutrals palette. At under $20 for 16 shades, it’s not only a steal, but reviewers appreciated how the highly pigmented colors last all day and don't crease after hours of wear.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 16 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Applies smoothly

  • Pigmented

  • Easy to blend

What to Consider

  • Can break easily

"e.l.f.'s Bite-Size Eyeshadow Palette collection is another fantastic find. The palettes are only $3, and you get four beautiful eyeshadow shades," Gianno tells Byrdie. Plus, they come in seven different color combinations that include a mix of blues, greens, and berry hues, as well as a Pumpkin Pie palette that’s made for trying out the latte makeup trend at home. Another thing we loved about these petit quads is the fact that the shadows stay put—even on one reviewer with self-proclaimed oily eyelids.

Who It’s For

Anyone who gets overwhelmed by too many shades should keep this palette in their kit. With only four to mix and match, you can try pre-color-coordinated layered looks or swipe on one at a time.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Nice range of matte shades

  • Can be used wet or dry

  • Sheer, light finish

What to Consider

  • Could be longer-wearing

Many view The Nudes as a budget-friendly dupe of Urban Decay's Naked Palette—and if you ask beauty expert and makeup artist Tomy Rivero, Maybelline is giving the latter a run for its money. “I love the Nudes palette by Maybelline for a wash of color that gives you that no-makeup makeup eye look,” he says.

Rivero also relies on the eyeshadow kit—which has 12 complexion-complementing colors—when he’s going for juicy skin with shiny eyes. To create this vibe, he suggests adding a dab of lip balm over the shadow on the eyelids for a glossy, fresh-out-of-a-facial aesthetic.

Who It’s For

If you want to try out Urban Decay’s popular Naked Palette without paying $59, this is the dupe of your dreams.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 12 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like

  • High-quality, full-size brush

  • How-to demos for different looks on the back

  • Compact case

What to Consider

Who doesn’t love a bonus brush in their eyeshadow palette? Most of the compacts we came across during our research were tool-free (or came with a tiny applicator), but reviewers had lots of love for Drew Barrymore’s full-size, high-quality brush in her Flower Beauty Shimmer & Shade Palette. Even though it’s advertised for creating three different looks, you can mix and match any of the 10 shades to create many more, according to Connecticut-based makeup artist Lindsey Trop. “It’s a beautiful mix of matte, shimmer, and metallic shades, which are all super wearable and range from light nudes to smoky plums,” she says, adding that they are also soft and very pigmented.

Although we did see a few reviews questioning the shimmer and metallic shades' transfer abilities from brush to lid, Trop’s tip is to apply those shades with your fingers for maximum pigment payoff.

Who It’s For

If you were a fan of Charlotte Tilbury’s discounted Instant Eye Palette (RIP), Trop says Flower’s 10-pan palettes are reminiscent of the cult favorite, and the blending brush is perfect for those who are looking for a simple one-stop-shop solution.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 10 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Shades are comparable to higher-end options

  • Suits many skin tones

  • Available in multiple shade options

What to Consider

  • Colors could be a bit brighter

"I've discovered Jason Wu Beauty eyeshadow palettes this year, and I can't get enough," says Gianno. "The quality, pigment, and shade range of his palettes are absolutely amazing!" The Flora 9 kit has nine all-matte hues in earth tones, or you can choose from a mix of shimmery and matte shades that are perfect for creating day or night looks.

Wu’s super clean formula is also free of talc and toxins but still long-wearing and pigmented. Plus, the square-sized case fits in most cosmetic bags without you having to make room for a long rectangular palette.

Who It’s For

Clean beauty loyalists who are all about pure products minus the junk and nasties—don’t sleep on this pick.

Finish: Matte & Multi | Number of Shades: 9 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Large palette

  • Creates many different looks

  • Easy to blend

What to Consider

  • Can break easily

With 18 pans of ultra-pigmented satin, matte, and shimmery shadows, The New Classics has a hue for every occasion. We're talking shades of nude, earthy colors, browns, grays, golds, subtle greens, blush pink, champagne, and a smoky almost-black.With so many tan, brown, and beige shadows, it’s helpful to mention there are more peach and pink-brown tones and fewer yellow-brown tones in the mix.

Who It’s For

This palette is for neutral lovers who don’t stray far from their go-to eyeshadow colors but may want a few darker options or metallic shimmer shades for special occasions.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 18 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Super blendable pans

  • Includes dual-sided brush

  • Beautiful matte and shimmer options

What to Consider

  • Some fallout is to be expected

Another non-drugstore eyeshadow palette icon is Urban Decay’s Naked Heat palette, and according to Trop, Joah’s Color Haul kit looks pretty similar—only it costs less than $15 instead of $59. “It includes 12 pigmented shades ranging from soft and pale all the way to deep and smoky, with some warm terracotta shades in between,” she explains. “There’s a great mix of mattes, shimmers, and even a metallic to create several eye looks, and the metallic shade is a great topper for any of the looks that can be created.”

Trop is also partial to the palette’s dual-ended brush for both application and blending, saying it’s perfect for someone looking for just one eyeshadow palette to keep in their makeup bag. Another pro in our beauty book? The viral Korean beauty brand is known for using skin-friendly ingredients, and they’re cruelty-free.

Who It’s For

Prestige makeup fans who want reliable dupes for drugstore prices, Joah’s Color Haul kits are some of the best we’ve seen for all of these reasons and more.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 12 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Large palette

  • Bright, pigmented shades

  • Available in many different shade options

What to Consider

  • Can be messy

"My favorite drugstore eyeshadow palettes are Makeup Revolution for the pigment," says Arizona-based makeup artist Felicia Gonzalez. With 18 pans of strikingly vibrant powders in matte, shimmery, and glittery finishes, the Forever Flawless kit is all you need to achieve a wow factor with high-impact hues in seven different colorways.

There’s Ice for bold blues; Fire for flaming reds, oranges, and yellows; Unconditional Love for punchy pinks and purples; and Grey, which ironically doesn’t contain a block of gray at all but rather every other color under the rainbow.

Who It’s For

If highlighter hues with powerful pigments are what you’re after, Makeup Revolution is known for having some of the best palettes around, and their low price tag makes it easy to collect ‘em all.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 18 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • All-day staying power

  • Includes dual-ended brush

  • Includes satin, matte, and shimmer finishes

What to Consider

  • Some of the colors seem redundant

When you want to add some shading and definition to your everyday look, you'll be glad to have this stunning range of eyeshadows. La Palette Nude has 10 impressively pigmented and versatile colors with all-day staying power. Plus, it has a built-in mirror and comes with a dual-ended applicator, making it ideal for on-the-go makeup.

Who It’s For

Anyone who wants a mix of lighter nude hues with no flaking, fading, or transfer—here’s your daily go-to.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 10 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like

  • Three different finishes in one palette

  • Clean ingredients

  • Non-chalky

What to Consider

  • Color payoff could be stronger

CoverGirl’s Clean Fresh Color palettes are the ultimate four-pan perfectors for your lids in monochromatic colors. “With four matte, metallic, and shimmery shades of one color (think beiges, coppers, burgundies, and pinks), this palette is a great option for those who want an easy-eye look,” says Trop. “Whether you're just getting into makeup or don’t have a lot of time to spend on eye makeup, these shades are super flattering, wearable, and the pigments are silky soft.” She also likes that there’s no guesswork, and with such a beautifully minimalistic four-color range, no colors in the palette will go untouched.

Another perk? It’s vegan and free of talc and parabens. “It’s hard to find a great drugstore eyeshadow palette without talc!” says Trop.

Who It’s For

We’re plugging this for those who stick to one eyeshadow shade but like to play around with different finishes of said shade. Maybe you do the shimmer in the inner corner of your eye and the matte on the lid or layered mattes and metallics all over—whatever your desired look is, CG’s clean palettes will help you create it.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Deep, cool-toned shades

  • Includes dual-ended brush

  • Long-wearing

What to Consider

  • Packaging could be improved

If you love a smoky eye as much as we do, you'll appreciate the Magnif'Eyes Smoke Edition palette. This award-winning 12-pan kit has a range of deep, cool-toned colors, including satins, mattes, and shimmers. Since the powder works as a shadow, liner, and highlighter, it's all you need to create a sophisticated smoldering effect, and the smear-proof formula goes the distance for up to nine hours without budging.

Who It’s For

Smoky eye lovers who want all the cool-toned shades for under $15—check this out. And it’s worth pointing out that reviewers with all different eye colors are equally obsessed over this palette.

Finish: Shimmery | Number of Shades: 12 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Can be used wet or dry

  • High-shine finish

  • A little goes a long way

What to Consider

  • Can be messy

When it comes to glittery eyeshadow, Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Palette doesn’t hold back. This palette has six seriously sparkly eye-enhancing colors, ranging from dark to light in long-wearing, creaseless, and blendable formulas. It's ideal for going out, dressing up, celebrating, or any time you want to step up your glam.

This highly-pigmented liquid powder eye shadow palette is also designed for wet and dry applications for two finishes. Wet for intense color with ultra-long-lasting wear or transforming shadow into liner and dry for a softer result.

Who It’s For

We love this pick for anyone looking for gray, silver, and black metallic shades, specifically. It’s also great for contact wearers, as Physicians Formula’s palettes are recommended by allergists, dermatologists, and ophthalmologists because they’re hypoallergenic and safe for sensitive eyes.

Finish: Shimmery | Number of Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Neutral shades work for every day

  • Available in many different shade options

  • Goes on smoothly

What to Consider

  • Some colors can look dull

If you're not into the shimmery, sparkly look, Maybelline's Matte About Town eyeshadow kit is for you. With six pans in neutral colors ranging from deep mocha brown to banana, it looks almost like a contour palette. The creamy powders are perfectly flat, but when you blend them onto your lids, you'll have plenty of dimension, and the super-saturated colors are universally flattering for all eye colors and skin tones.

Who It’s For

Grab this if you’re a matte shadow wearers who want an everyday palette of creamy nudes, tawnies, and taupes to work with.

Finish: Matte | Number of Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like

  • Warm, rich shades

  • Buildable

  • Creates many different looks

What to Consider

  • The darker shades can be a bit muddy

Milani Bold Obsessions is another one of Gonzalez's go-to drugstore eyeshadow palettes. You'll get 12 velvety-soft shadows in strikingly rich jewel tones, including colors reminiscent of ruby, emerald, citrine, garnet, amber, and onyx.

Reviewers also praised the not-too-shimmery nature of these shadows, acknowledging how super frosty shades can often emphasize wrinkles. “This eyeshadow softens the eyes and makes you look years younger,” one commented.

Who It’s For

Those looking for an assortment of universal neutrals and rich jewel tones to experiment with endless makeup looks will love adding this palette to their kit.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 12 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Pigmented

  • Buildable

  • Smooth and creamy consistency

  • Female, black-owned brand

What to Consider

  • Packaging could be improved

Red-toned eyeshadow can be totally fierce and can work on all different skin tones if you’re not afraid to experiment in the quest to find the best shades for you. Warm palettes like this one also work well for fall and cooler months in the winter. With this in mind, the statement-making BLK/OPL Iconic palette has six warm colors, including shades of chestnut, copper, rust, and brick in matte, metallic, and shimmer tones, making your natural skin pop without being ashy or gray.

Who It’s For

If you're looking for browns and coppers with a touch of cranberry, give this eyeshadow palette a try.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Highly pigmented

  • Includes dual-ended applicator with brush and sponge

  • Applies smoothly

What to Consider

  • Contains parabens and BHT

The L.A. Girl Smoky Beauty Brick has 12 supremely pigmented cool-toned colors. We're talking charcoal, navy, deep plum, chocolate brown, shimmery mauve, dove gray, taupe, and your everyday blue. Some fallout is to be expected when using this palette, however, which is why a few reviewers suggested using a primer underneath for staying power. Another tip: Do your eye makeup before your face to avoid having to touch up the rest of your glam.

Who It’s For

This palette has it all when it comes to a beginner-friendly, easy-to-use kit with several shades of icy silver, blue, gray, and onyx. Plus, it’s extremely affordable!

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 12 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Smooth and creamy consistency

  • Bright shades

  • Cute packaging

What to Consider

  • Some noted it could be more pigmented

Korean beauty brand Etude House had some fun curating the shadows for its Play Color Eyes kits. Whether you go with Bakehouse, Caffeine Holic, In the Café, or any of the other playfully named palettes, you can count on a silky texture that lasts all day.

These soft contouring colors fall in the middle in terms of saturation, but they brush on very subtly, so apply a few times if you’re looking for darker coverage, or use a makeup sponge or your finger to pat on more product.

Who It’s For

K-Beauty fans looking for a travel-friendly palette with a good combination of base colors and some shimmer will love this pick.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 10 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like

  • Easy to blend

  • Leaves behind a natural-looking sheen

  • Good value

What to Consider

  • Shade range could be better

For those who prefer cream eyeshadow, we recommend Revlon's Illuminance palette. The four ultra-smooth, crease-resistant colors glide on effortlessly, blend easily, and leave behind an eye-enhancing finish.

Best of all, these slim palettes come in five light-reflective colorways: Not Just Nudes (pictured above), Precious Metals (sand, silver, and mauve), Wild Orchids (dreamy purples), Black Magic (white, black, pink), and a few more covetable combos that radiate from all angles.

Who It’s For

Calling all cream shadow converts who love the glide-on ease of this texture over less luminous powder. This one's for you.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: No

What We Like

  • Nice mix of velvety mattes and stunning shimmers

  • The compact has a mirror and magnetic closure

  • Easy to blend

What to Consider

  • A couple of the shades need build-up

Sometimes, shimmery shadows can draw unwanted attention to dry skin and fine lines making them more noticeable, but Rivero is quick to point out Milani’s Gilded Eyeshadow palette has a buttery texture that’s perfect for all types, tones, and ages. “The colors are rich, and very little goes a long way,” he tells Byrdie. “I like using them with a damp brush to get the richness of the colors, starting with the closest color to your skin tone all over the lid and adding a crease color depending on the look desired.”

Gilded is offered in four distinctly different kits: Nude, Gold, Terra, and our personal favorite, Luster Light, which Rivero says is ideal to pull off a cut crease ‘90s smoky eye with mega lashes.

Who It’s For

Reviewers with darker skin tones spoke so highly of the beautiful pigments in this Milani palette, but several also noted you have to pack on the shimmer shadows and mattes for them to pop more. So, consider additional applications or using your fingers or a wet brush for full effect.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 15 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

What We Like

  • Compact and easy to travel with

  • Buildable

  • Easy to blend

What to Consider

  • Could be more pigmented

Juvia's Place Mini is the perfect purse-sized palette for creating an eye-catching look no matter where you are or where you're headed. It has six best-loved colors from the brand's full-sized eyeshadow kit, including a dark brown matte, a satin clay hue, and a shimmery rose.

Those who know and love the brand’s mini shadow compacts always tout their rich creamy blending ability and true pigmented colors, but we especially love that the mattes are true to their hue and the shimmers are beautifully gentle, as well as long-lasting!

Who It’s For

Anyone in the market for a teeny-tiny eyeshadow palette that packs a big punch color-wise can find what they’re looking for here. This mix of classic nudes and neutrals is highly wearable and the perfect complement to any complexion.

Finish: Multi | Number of Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Where We Stand

Our overall top pick for the best drugstore eyeshadow palette is the NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette, thanks to its 16 pans of warm, cool, shimmery, and matte eyeshadows and silky smooth, crease-resistant formula. And if you're only looking to spend a few bucks, the e.l.f. Cosmetics Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette is your best bet.

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 in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then collaborated with several experts to narrow down our picks, providing you with the best of the best.

Attributes we evaluated each drugstore eyeshadow palette on:

  • Shade range
  • Ingredients
  • Price/Value
  • Reviews
  • Design
  • Pigmentation
  • Wearability

What to Look For in a Drugstore Eyeshadow Palette

  • Shades: While some kits have more colors than others, there are a few key shades you'll want to look for. First, you'll need a medium transition shade. "A lot of the time, this is a neutral shade blended between the crease," says Gianno. "Also, always look for one deeper neutral color; this can be a dark brown or dark gray to create depth on the eyes." Lastly, you'll want a lighter hue, which you can use to highlight the area above the crease and blend your eyeshadow up toward your brows.
  • Matte vs. shimmery: Some kits come with exclusively matte colors, like the Maybelline Mini Palette Matte About Town, while others have only shimmery shadows, such as Physicians Formula Eye Enhancing Shadow, and many have both. Choosing between matte and shimmery eyeshadows is mostly a matter of preference. However, shimmer and glitter shadows tend to work better for highlighting, whereas flat shades are often used as a base. Gianno recommends having a matte option, as it'll come in handy for blending and building color. "When looking to buy an eyeshadow palette, I find that having at least one light matte shade is essential," she tells Byrdie.
  • Versatility: When you're on the go and have limited space in your makeup bag, you'll be glad to have a neutral kit with a multi-use formula in tow. e.l.f. Cosmetics The New Classics Eyeshadow Palette is perfect for this. "Eyeshadows are often formulated to be versatile so that you can use them throughout your face or body. I love taking some of my pink shadow shades and using them as blush and some glitter shades and placing them on the cheeks' high points as a highlighter," says Gianno. Deeper shadows can also be used to contour.

FAQ

  • Which eyeshadow palette is best for a natural look?

    For a natural eye look, look for matte shades in neutral, earthy tones. We like Maybelline's Matte About Town palette because it is ideal for an eye contour or making your eyes look more defined without looking like you're wearing eye shadow. L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche La Palette Nude also has a range of shades for a no-makeup makeup look.

  • How do I choose an eyeshadow palette?

    It depends on what type of looks you want to create. Palettes with bright colors and shimmers are great for statement-making looks, while neutral, matte tones found in many nude eyeshadow palettes create more of a natural look. Experiment with different shades to see which make your eyes pop and give you the look you crave.

  • What's the best eyeshadow palette for beginners?

    We like the e.l.f. Cosmetics Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette because it has four basic yet beautiful shades to start with, making things less overwhelming than staring down a huge palette. As an idea to get you started, you could use the lightest shade to highlight the inner corners and brow bone, the peachy shade all over your lids, the bronze shade on your outer corners, and finally, the darkest shade to line your lash line.

  • How do I choose an eyeshadow palette?

    The best way to start with choosing eyeshadow is to use your own eye color as inspiration. While you don’t need to match your eye color, choosing shades that complement your eyes can make your look pop. Additionally, you’ll want to think about how often you actually wear eyeshadow so you don’t collect too many palettes that won’t get used.

  • How do you know if eyeshadow is good quality?

    High-quality eyeshadow applies evenly and smoothly. The product shouldn’t get stuck in certain parts of your lid. It should also hold its pigment once applied, and the shade should look similar to how it appears in the pan. If you’re wondering exactly how you should be applying and blending your eyeshadow, we recommend following a makeup artist-approved tutorial.

  • How long do eye palettes last?

    It may come as a surprise that makeup in general should be used within months of opening it. Check the period-after-opening symbol on your palette’s packaging, and never use expired products. Makeup artist Ashley Rebecca says that "skin irritations such as rashes, bumps, and burning sensations can occur when using expired products.”

  • Are all eyeshadows the same?

    All eyeshadows are definitely not the same! That said, pricier doesn’t always mean better, and there are plenty of great drugstore eyeshadows and eyeshadow palettes. Be sure to choose pigmented shadows that glide on smoothly and evenly. Knowing how to properly apply and blend your eyeshadow will also help you glean which shadows are of better quality than others.

Why Trust Byrdie

Byrdie contributor Theresa Holland is well-versed in the world of cosmetics. She has substantial experience writing about makeup and has tried out a handful of products on this list. She's particularly fond of NYX, e.l.f., and BLK/OPL eyeshadow palettes. You can find more of Theresa's work on The Spruce and MyDomaine.

Kelli Acciardo is a commerce writer for Byrdie with over a decade of experience in the beauty industry. She lives for a high-quality, yet affordable, eyeshadow palette that’s not only made for travel but filled with numerous pans to create different eye looks depending on her mood. She’s currently obsessed with Jason Wu’s Flora 9 palette, along with The Nudes by Maybelline.

Team Byrdie worked with the following makeup artists to help inform our picks:

  • Maria Gianno is a professional makeup artist living and working in New York City.
  • Lindsey Trop is an award-winning makeup artist based in Fairfield, CT, who specializes in bridal, editorial, TV, film, and runway makeup.
  • Felicia Gonzalez is a makeup artist and hairstylist who lives in Colorado and creates custom beauty looks for her clients.
  • Tomy Rivero has an illustrious career as a celebrity makeup artist who is based in New York and Los Angeles. Rivero is known for defining and redefining life’s most delicate canvas while enhancing the natural beauty of his clients.
  • Ashley Rebecca is a makeup artist living and working in New York City and is a monthly contributor for Byrdie.

According to ourDiversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough drugstore eyeshadow palettes from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us atcontact@byrdie.comand we will evaluate the product ASAP.

20 Drugstore Eyeshadow Palettes That Look Luxe, Starting at Just $3 (2024)
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