Cream Eyeshadows | 2018 Editor's Favorites
Is it any surprise that ColourPop dominates this list? They’re one of the few brands that has a cream eyeshadow formula in their permanent range, and one of the fewer that regularly adds new shades to it. They also released the newer Jelly Much Eyeshadow formula, which is a nifty take on cream eyeshadow, though the packaging can be messy.  Chanel is one of the other brands that has a core cream eyeshadow formula and adds shades to it (or offers limited edition shades) over the year. One of my all-time favorite cream eyeshadow formulas is Tom Ford’s Cream Color for Eyes, which is finally a permanent formula, but I’d like to see a few more shades offered in the line-up in 2019 (there’s room!).
What cream eyeshadows did you reach for this year?
P.S. — You can view swatches of my favorites here.
Best of 2018
Cream Eyeshadows
P.P.S. — If you enjoy reading/viewing my favorites, make sure you check out my all-time favorites here, products I’m thankful for (2018 series), and all of my editor’s recommended products here.
Top Cream Eyeshadows of 2018
Emerald Isles (Cream Color) is a deep, smoky green with warm, olive undertones and a pearly sheen. The consistency was smooth, creamy without being...
Emerald Isles (Cream Color) is a deep, smoky green with warm, olive undertones and a pearly sheen. The consistency was smooth, creamy without being...
ColourPop Runnin' Thru the Six Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a medium-dark, bluish-teal with faint pearl over a matte finish. It looked...
ColourPop Runnin' Thru the Six Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a medium-dark, bluish-teal with faint pearl over a matte finish. It looked...
ColourPop The Six Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a deep, bronzy gold with warm, rusty undertones and a golden sheen. It was like a mix of...
ColourPop The Six Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a deep, bronzy gold with warm, rusty undertones and a golden sheen. It was like a mix of...
ColourPop Milky Way Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is an intense, bright fuchsia pink with cool undertones and cooler blue and fuchsia...
ColourPop Milky Way Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is an intense, bright fuchsia pink with cool undertones and cooler blue and fuchsia...
Floating Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a bright popo of yellow with a sparkling finish. It had rich color payoff paired with a smooth,...
Floating Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a bright popo of yellow with a sparkling finish. It had rich color payoff paired with a smooth,...
Thought Bubble ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a medium-dark, plummy bronze with warm undertones and flecks of copper and purple sparkle. It was intensely...
Thought Bubble ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a medium-dark, plummy bronze with warm undertones and flecks of copper and purple sparkle. It was intensely...
Cherish is a rich bronze with subtle, warm undertones and flecks of silver glitter. It had rich color coverage that adhered evenly and smoothly to...
Cherish is a rich bronze with subtle, warm undertones and flecks of silver glitter. It had rich color coverage that adhered evenly and smoothly to...
Natasha Denona Full Metal Black Chroma Crystal Top Coat ($28.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a deep black with a heavy dose of silver sparkle. The texture was...
Natasha Denona Full Metal Black Chroma Crystal Top Coat ($28.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a deep black with a heavy dose of silver sparkle. The texture was...
Natasha Denona Full Metal Bronze Chroma Crystal Top Coat ($28.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a rich, medium-dark brown with strong, warm undertones and flecks of...
Natasha Denona Full Metal Bronze Chroma Crystal Top Coat ($28.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a rich, medium-dark brown with strong, warm undertones and flecks of...
Blitzen is a rich, coral-red with warm undertones and flecks of gold and pink shimmer and larger sparkle. It had nearly opaque pigmentation in a...
Blitzen is a rich, coral-red with warm undertones and flecks of gold and pink shimmer and larger sparkle. It had nearly opaque pigmentation in a...
ColourPop Foxes Jelly Much Eyeshadow ($8.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a rich, molten gold with strong, warm orange undertones and a metallic sheen. It was...
ColourPop Foxes Jelly Much Eyeshadow ($8.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a rich, molten gold with strong, warm orange undertones and a metallic sheen. It was...
Chanel Rose Lame (826) Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a sparkling, light peach with subtle, pink undertones and...
Chanel Rose Lame (826) Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a sparkling, light peach with subtle, pink undertones and...
Natasha Denona Burnt Terracotta/Green (1) Duo Chrome Top Coat ($28.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a bright, medium orange-copper base with gold-to-green shifting...
Natasha Denona Burnt Terracotta/Green (1) Duo Chrome Top Coat ($28.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a bright, medium orange-copper base with gold-to-green shifting...
ColourPop Quick Six Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a rich, coppery red with warm undertones and flecks of gold and pink. The consistency...
ColourPop Quick Six Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a rich, coppery red with warm undertones and flecks of gold and pink. The consistency...
ColourPop Half Moon Jelly Much Eyeshadow ($8.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a medium-dark plum with strong, warm red undertones and pink-to-blue shifting pearl. ...
ColourPop Half Moon Jelly Much Eyeshadow ($8.00 for 0.23 oz.) is a medium-dark plum with strong, warm red undertones and pink-to-blue shifting pearl. ...
ColourPop Left on Thread Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a medium green with subtle, cool undertones and flecks of teal sparkle. It had...
ColourPop Left on Thread Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a medium green with subtle, cool undertones and flecks of teal sparkle. It had...
ColourPop Hallucinogenius Jelly Much Eyeshadow ($8.00 for 0.23 oz.) seemed to have an almost translucent base with blue-to-violet shifting sparkle and...
ColourPop Hallucinogenius Jelly Much Eyeshadow ($8.00 for 0.23 oz.) seemed to have an almost translucent base with blue-to-violet shifting sparkle and...
Chanel Verderame (824) Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a blackened teal with subtle, warmer green undertones and a...
Chanel Verderame (824) Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow ($36.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a blackened teal with subtle, warmer green undertones and a...
ColourPop Frog Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a muted, peachy pink with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish that was...
ColourPop Frog Super Shock Shadow ($5.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a muted, peachy pink with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic finish that was...
I love cream shadows! I’d really like to try the ColourPop Jelly ones sometime. I’ve been using NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha a ton this year, it just looks so effortless.
Although I got this in 2017 I believe, I still continue to use two shades of MUFE’s XL Colour Paint Shadow. It’s held up really well and both shades I got (shimmers) are quite flattering.
Half Moon is probably my favorite shadow I’ve bought all year. It’s so much more dimensional and less glittery than Butter London’s Oil Slick. I also love Once and Floral!
The only 2 new cream shadows I got this year were Lise Watier’s Jet Set (nice, though not the most wearable shade) and Laura Mercier’s stick shadow (does that count as “cream”?) in the colour Khaki, which is absolutely love.
ColourPop’s SSS are the only ones I can wear without them creasing. I wore the birthday one from this year and last year quite a bit on the center of the lid, and Raven (the black w/silver sparkles that was part of the Rumer Willis collection) as eyeliner. I didn’t buy any new this ones this year, though, because I want to use up more of what I already have before they dry out.
Yeah, I have the same worry too, Rachel. That these are prone to drying out. A few I bought several years ago have, and one that’s only a year old did. Plus, I very unwisely went waaay overboard buying these for a few years there, and now feel as if they will all dry up soon.
At least they don’t have much in them. I may need to do a project pan on them. Many of the original, bright, glittery shades I loved CP for have been long-since discontinued, anyway. I should use up all the SSS I have and stick with powders, especially since many brands have put how similar shades in powders since CP SSS debuted.
Can you believe that I have only purchased CP Frog this past year? I think with me it’s the persistent thought that if I have too many, they will all dry up on me before I make a dent in them. And so, I’m a bit reluctant to add any more. But I do wish that I had snagged the Sixth collection from CP!
That’s impressive!!
I think Colour Pop’s Thought Bubble was the most interesting shade here and, of course, I love the Emerald green offerings from TF and Chanel – but I didn’t purchase them.
I really only use them as “base” products, so I just continued to reach for my MAC Paint Pots & Maybelline Color Tattoos. They’re all kind of old, and I don’t think I actually bought any new ones this year… I know there are a few that should be tossed, due to age, but they’re all still good, so I plan to just use them all regularly throughout the next year, then toss whichever ones are actually opened.
That Chanel Rose Lame is gorgeous!
Cream eyeshadows have been my holy grail this year, they’re so easy to use and I can do a 1-2 color look for work and look polished.
Colourpop Wattles is probably the warmest one I can get away with (and thank you for calling me out on that other comment, I needed that. It’s time for me to adapt) and Armani eye tints in Cold Copper and Flannel is next.
I’ve been eyeing some of the CT Eyes that Mesmerize pots but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet.
I’m just not a cream eyeshadow person. I feel like on my aging lids they tend to dry and make me look older. That said, I bought two from Kiko that go on as paint that look great, so maybe I just need to try a few huh?