A beautiful eye look can transform your whole face, which is why I think of luxury eyeshadow palettes as an investment. A good shadow should be smooth, pigmented and long-lasting. I really hate formulas with a lot of kickback, since it makes a huge mess, and don’t even get me started on patchy shades. As you can tell, I’m super picky when it comes to makeup, which is why I’ve put together this list of the best eyeshadow palettes out there. 

Urban Decay – Born to Run 

Urban Decay designed this palette as an all-in-one for girls who love to travel, which is what attracted me to it in the first place. The diverse color story of the Born to Run palette allows you to create so many different looks, from smoky to nude to rainbow glam. The formulas are consistent and pigmented and the shimmers stay beautiful all day long. 

Too Faced – Just Peachy Mattes

Too Faced makeup is just so much fun. I love their quirky concepts and pretty packaging almost as much as their high quality formulas. Their original Sweet Peach eyeshadow palette sold out quickly, inspiring a whole peach-themed range. Personally, I much prefer the color story and overall look of the Just Peachy Mattes palette. It’s more compact which is perfect for travel and it looks so pretty on my vanity. The shadows themselves are smooth and velvety, with amazing color payoff and there’s no kickback in the pan. 

Charlotte Tilbury – Pillow Talk Instant Eye 

This is hands down the best eyeshadow palette Charlotte Tilbury has ever released. Honestly, the golden packaging is so pretty that the formula didn’t even need to be good – but it is. The shadows glide on beautifully and last all night. This is an amazing choice for makeup beginners, too, since the palette is based around four easy eye looks which each use three shades. The Pillow Talk color theme is nude, with a flirty hint of pink. 

Natasha Denona – Bronze Palette 

Legendary makeup artist Natasha Denona is killing the game with her eyeshadows and the Bronze palette is my personal favorite. It’s warm, versatile and suitable for day and nighttime looks. The deep rich shimmers are stunning and the nude matte shades are flattering on all skin tones. 

Huda Beauty – Nude Obsessions 

Influencer-turned-makeup-mogul Huda Kattan produces some of the best eyeshadow palettes out there and I’m a particular fan of her Nude Obsessions palettes. These compact 3×3 palettes come in three shades so that there’s a quad to suit every skin tone, but they’re so gorgeous that it’s hard to stop at just one. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills – Modern Renaissance 

The Modern Renaissance palette set the standard for warm-toned neutrals and confirmed Anastasia Beverly Hills’ status as one of the most coveted makeup brands around. With a beautiful range of nude and berry tones, this versatile palette has sparked an array of copycats but none have stolen its crown. 

Laura Mercier – Parisian Nudes 

These aren’t just nudes – these are Parisian nudes. There are a million and one nude eyeshadow palettes out there, but Laura Mercier spices things up with some subtle glamor and rich shimmers. These buttery shadows make it easier than ever to achieve an effortlessly chic smoky eye. 

For more on makeup, why not check out this article on cruelty free beauty or this list of the top luxury foundations?