What to Look for in Eye Shadow

Choosing the best eye shadow can elevate your makeup look and enhance your eyes—here’s what to keep in mind.

1. Pigmentation

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Highly pigmented eye shadows deliver vibrant color payoff with less product. Look for formulas that provide rich, true-to-pan shades for striking results.

2. Blendability

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A quality eye shadow should blend easily without patchiness or harsh lines. Creamy, finely-milled powders or smooth creams make application effortless and allow seamless transitions between colors.

3. Longevity

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Long-wearing formulas help your look last throughout the day or night. Consider eye shadows that are crease-resistant and offer extended wear, particularly if you have oily lids or need all-day performance.

4. Finish and Shade Range

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Eye shadows come in a variety of finishes, including matte, shimmer, satin, and metallic. Choose a palette or single shade that suits your style and complements your skin tone, whether you prefer subtle neutrals or bold statement colors.

  1. 1
    Eye Color Quad Eyeshadow
    2,643 REVIEWS
    BestSeller
    An eyeshadow palette inspired by Tom Ford’s philosophy of sculpting features with light and symmetry that contours eyes with melting, magnetizing shades.
  2. 2
    Eye Color Quad Crème

    Tom Ford

    1,985 REVIEWS
    Buildable, long-wearing eye color creams that enhance eyes in one swipe. 
  3. 3
    PurePressed Eye Shadow Triple
    591 REVIEWS
    BestSeller
    A carefully curated trio of complementary shadows that add depth and dimension with easy-to-create, nuanced looks. Gentle and safe for sensitive eyes. 
  4. 4
    Cashmere Matte Eyelights

    RMS Beauty

    506 REVIEWS
    BestSeller
    Creaseproof, matte cream eyeshadow in 8 new nourishing shades.
  5. 5
    Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow
    226 REVIEWS
    A weightless micro-glitter eyeshadow infused with light-reflecting pearls to create high impact, sparkling eyes.
  6. 6
    PurePressed Eye Shadow Palette
    221 REVIEWS
    Six expertly coordinated shadows for limitless looks.
  7. 7
    Total Seduction Eyeshadow Stick
    213 REVIEWS
    A cream eyeshadow stick that delivers high-impact color with an all-day, crease-resistant finish.
  8. 8
    Luxe Eye Shadow

    Bobbi Brown

    127 REVIEWS
    An all-new, multidimensional metallic eye shadow formula designed to give eyes instant incandescence.
  9. 9
    Sateen Eye Colour

    Laura Mercier

    106 REVIEWS
    Layer the eyelids with a single stroke of distinct, luminous color.
  10. 10
    Phyto-Eye Twist

    Sisley Paris

    94 REVIEWS
    BestSeller
    An ultra-easy, fun, luminous, waterproof and no-transfer eye make-up.

What to Look for in Eye Shadow

Choosing the best eye shadow can elevate your makeup look and enhance your eyes—here’s what to keep in mind.

1. Pigmentation

Citrus catapult arrow

Highly pigmented eye shadows deliver vibrant color payoff with less product. Look for formulas that provide rich, true-to-pan shades for striking results.

2. Blendability

Citrus catapult arrow

A quality eye shadow should blend easily without patchiness or harsh lines. Creamy, finely-milled powders or smooth creams make application effortless and allow seamless transitions between colors.

3. Longevity

Citrus catapult arrow

Long-wearing formulas help your look last throughout the day or night. Consider eye shadows that are crease-resistant and offer extended wear, particularly if you have oily lids or need all-day performance.

4. Finish and Shade Range

Citrus catapult arrow

Eye shadows come in a variety of finishes, including matte, shimmer, satin, and metallic. Choose a palette or single shade that suits your style and complements your skin tone, whether you prefer subtle neutrals or bold statement colors.