All the very best eyeshadow palettes that our beauty team have discovered from years of testing

Eyeshadow palettes are a beauty lover’s playground. They’re pretty much the wardrobe of the makeup world. Open them up, and depending on how you feel, you can pick out a new ‘outfit’ for your eyes by pairing different staples with wildcard shades. But we get it; shopping for a new eyeshadow palette can be daunting. Not only are there hundreds to choose from, but what we want out of a palette can vary.

While some want a 20-pan option with tons of colourful shades (we’re loving smoky blue tones right now), others may prefer a quad with a tight edit of wearable nudes that can be swept on with fingers. And when you find a palette that you love, it can change your makeup game forever.

Have you got your eye on the trends? One eyeshadow vibe that’s having a significant moment is ethereal Euphoria-inspired shadows. Next season, Anna Sui and Tom Ford have already featured the look in their SS22 fashion shows. And, eyeshadow veteran, Urban Decay, has given simmering holographic eyes its much-respected seal of approval with the launch of its latest Cyber Palette of iridescent Gen-Z friendly duo-chrome shades.

As for the classics, champagne is the plain white tee. It’s fresh, classic and goes with everything. Smoky shades like dark brown, charcoal and deep bronzes are the LBD. They’re a faithful go-to for fancier occasions. Then you have your wild cards, like the khaki green that you haven’t had a chance to wear yet, but definitely (probably) will use. Or the sultry burgundy you switch to for something a bit different and the acid pink that you’re holding onto for a future, unforeseen occasion.

The safest bet is to identify the shades you’re drawn to and often use. Which single shadow do you always get to the bottom of? Do you go for champagnes, bronzes, greys, browns? Next, work out whether you prefer cool or warm tones. Start by making sure you find a palette that has several of the sorts of shades you wear every day, as these are the shadows you’ll be using the most. 

Next, consider how you like to amp up your makeup for the evening or fancy occasions, whether with smoky shades (like midnight blue or burgundy) or bold, bright pigments. Then, determine, realistically, how many shades you’d actually use. If you’re a minimalist, stick with a quad; if you like a few options but not too many, choose a palette with around six shades. If you want to experiment, go for more.

So we’ve made it our mission to find the best eyeshadow palettes around, to save you the stress (trust us, we know the heartache of parting with precious pennies on a palette you just don’t use).

Below, we’ve listed the ones we’re loving right now, from Huda to Urban Decay – all of which will fancy up your eyelids and go perfectly with our eye makeup ideas.

Here are the best eyeshadow palettes chosen by our beauty editors…