If you had to keep up to 5 eyeshadow palettes (or single equivalent), what would your top 5 look like?

Pat McGrath Decadence, Viseart Paris Nude, Coloured Raine Queen of Hearts, Tom Ford Nude Dip, Chanel Empreinte du Desert. I’d be very upset, though, and I beg everyone never to make me choose this for real.

— Christine

81 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Jessica Avatar

I currently only have four: Tarteist Pro, Viseart Neutral Mattes and Editorial Brights, and Urban Decay Born to Run. I am always tempted by others, but I have plenty to play with in terms of colors and finishes. I think I will try to hit pan on at least a good chunk of one before I indulge in another. I think Pat McGrath is next!

jel888 Avatar

You are doing great! Keep it real because once you start purchasing more than you can use it becomes an obsession and struggle to stop. šŸ˜‰

Kat Avatar

I’d rather do this than only keep 10 cheek products! I’d be much more upset to lose my single shadows.

I’d keep:
Dior Backstage in Cool (new to me but loving)
Kat Von D Metal Matte (I no longer buy from her but I already own it and it’s a good colorful option)
ABH Modern Renaissance
ABH Subculture
And I’m putting my single shadow palette as one, I’m super attached to my single shadows

I don’t have many more palettes than this, and I’d be fine tossing them. I’d still cry though!

Kat Avatar

I adore it! I kept going back and forth on whether to get it because it always felt great swatching it in-store but it was pricey and got mixed reviews, but I had a $15 gift card to offset the cost and I just went for it. I love doing a plummy smokey eye with the Matte Plum, Shimmer Purple, and OmbrƩ Sculpting Powder shades.

A Avatar

Kinda “cheating” with my custom palettes, but I’d stick with what I use now!
Two custom MUFE Artist Shadow palettes (one neutral, one colourful), one palette with depotted Viseart Paris Nudes, some BareMinerals duos and a few assorted singles, and Chanel Tisse Rivoli.

I have some other palettes like UD Naked 2 and ABH MR, but I haven’t felt the need to reach for anything else for like a year now!

Ana Maria Avatar

Nice to see UD Naked Smoky on someones list. šŸ™‚ I was actually impressed by that palette for both everyday and smoky looks, the color scheme made more sense to me than the other Naked palettes (which have too many shades that basically blend to the same color scheme). I used it everyday as those were my only eyeshadows in my collection at that time (I try to keep my collection very minimal), loved it! I never understood why the other Naked palettes are so praised, while this is not… but maybe I’m just not the average make-up consumer or your standard make-up guru…

Mariella Avatar

I agree, Ana Maria, and I never understood why Naked 3 (my daughter wanted it so I got it for her but, honestly, it is so subtle as to be pointless in my opinion) and Naked Heat are so loved by so many but Smoky – which was a practical and versatile palette that lived up to its name but still had enough variety to be daytime/work perfect too – was discontinued so quickly and got very little love while it was around…

Mariella Avatar

Only here would “10 palettes” seem realistic!!! I’d be able to add KvD Monarch, the 2 new Smashbox palettes I bought, the 2 Buxom customizable ones, Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons, Guerlain Les Fumes and Chanel Tisse Rivoli (and I think I’m now already over 10 so maybe 15 would be “do-able”)

Mariella Avatar

Rachel – thanks for reminding me about the MUFE Nudes You Need palette…I don’t use that one often but I sure do like it. I found one for under $20 at Marshalls (and that’s a real bargain price here in Canada) and bought it for my daughter. In a moment that illustrates my own obsession, I nearly bought a 2nd one for me! And I’ve got to include a “self assembled” palette of Sephora singles (the old formula) – Fall Leaves, Cashmere Coat, Secret Keeper, Girls Night Out, Cookie Crunch, Be On the A List and that most wonderful of wonderful shadows, Snakeskin Dress.

Mariella Avatar

Shari, unless you have it and just don’t use it, you might be out of luck because it was discontinued a while back. And it’s not perfect but I don’t think any of the Naked ones are (the original, for example, has Sidecar which is beautiful but has such fallout and each of them has great shades and then one or two that aren’t as good but I think that’s the case with most larger palettes)

Emily Avatar

This discussion inspired me to bring my Naked Smoky palette out to play, which has been hanging out toward the back of the line for some time. I bought it when it was new, then returned it because it didn’t wow me and I had too many dupes, then bought it again when it went on mega sale, then received one as a Christmas gift (which I regifted to a friend who loves it). Did a quick look this morning with High all over the lid and Smolder as a liner (I love how that looks in the pan, but it always went muddy on me when used as a shadow) and Combust in the crease, and it’s really cute! I’m delighted by my reflection in the mirror. That High shimmer is fantastic! So, thank you!

Mariella Avatar

I love the shade High – it’s perfect for the fairly simple work-day looks I rely on where I basically want something to brighten my eye area (High) and then something subtle for a bit of lighter crease definition (Password applied lightly with a softer, fluffy brush). Not sure what I’ll do when I finish High….I don’t know if it’s available as a single but it’s not at Sephora, though they don’t have all the UD singles.

Ana Maria Avatar

Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani collection was such a nice idea from the brand… would love to see something similar coming back. The top 8 light neutrals are too similar for my own taste and opinion, but the combinations of a beautiful blue, a black, a warm and a cool deeper brown, the pink and the gold… it was a nice combo.

Seraphine Avatar

I’m doing this from memory because I’m at work, so I don’t know if I’m forgetting something.

1. Bare Mineralsā€”Bare Sensuals (so many gorgeous pale shades…and I love pale shades!)

2. Lorac Pro Palette 4 (because it’s one of the most perfect palettes I own)

3. Dior Backstage Cool (because these shades go so beautifully with my eye color)

4. The Emily Edit Wants (because it’s my most used palette that has a wide variety of different shades)

5. MAC custom 9-shade palette: Blanc Type, Malt, Omega, Kid, Sumptuous Olive, Coquette, Grain, Haux, and Satin Taupe (ok, I kind of cheated because I don’t actually own a custom palette, but I do own every one of these shades, so I could make this palette if I really had to!)

Zee Avatar

I would cheat here because the palette I use on the daily is my custom Z palette. So I’d definitely keep that if I’m restricted to any options haha! But if I couldn’t, I would probably choose Zoeva Nude Spectrum, Tartiest Pro, Viseart Neutral Mattes, Ciate Fearless, and Stila Sea Siren Glitter.

AB Avatar

Tough question… As of this moment, I’m thinking I’d keep:

Viseart Tryst
Viseart Theory in Nuance
Viseart Theory in Minx
Custom ABH quad: Fresh, Blazing, Burnt Orange, Brick
ABH Modern Renaissance

Ana Maria Avatar

I own just a custom made MAC palette with 15 eyeshadows (Blanc Type, Omega, Haux, Naked Lunch, Woodwinked, Scene, Rule, Pink Venus, Star Violet, Satin Taupe, Deep Truth, Humid, Deep Damson, Indian Ink, Knight Divine)… it’s more than enough for me. I would even say I would personally skip Rule and Pink Venus, pinks and oranges don’t suit me. šŸ˜† I’m a minimalist helped a lot by temptalia reviews and dupe list.

Sarah Avatar

1. MUFE #1 Artist Palette – Nudes You Need
2. Becca Ombre Nudes
3. Tom Ford Cocoa Mirage
4. UD Naked 1
5. My giant custom palette (made from a children’s book and magnetic sheets) with my favorite MAC, MUFE, and ABH singles (cheating a little on that one!)

When I travel, I usually just take the MUFE #1 artist palette (all shimmers) and the Becca Ombre Nudes (all mattes). Both are lightweight and you can make a TON of looks between them. That’s why they made the top two!

Nancy T Avatar

First, I would cry. For real!
Next, I would put all my favorite MAC singles in an XL palette, because that was an investment! Therefore:
1.) MAC Pro Pan singles of Orb, Kid, Folie, Nehru, Soft Brown, Handwritten, Saddle, Fig 1, etc.
2.) ND Lila
3.) UD Born To Run
4.) Chanel Empriente du Desert
5.) I’m so torn! PMG La Vie En Rose? UD Vice 3? Or Naked 2? Lorac Unzipped? ???

Hazel Avatar

Colourpop Yes, Please!
Colourpop You Had Me at Hello
TooFaced Sweet Peach
Strobe Cosmetics Creepy Cute
Urban Decay Kristen Leanne Kaleidoscope

Mags Avatar

I actually decluttered my stash to only 5 palettes as I found myself using only 3 in heavy rotation and the other 2 as supplements!

KVD Shade + Light Eye
UD Naked 2
ABH Norvina
KVD Alchemist (I seldom use this anywhere but my eyes, so must count!)
NYX Ultimate Brights

Rachel Chiariello Avatar

Too Faced Chocolate Bar, Too Faced Chocolate Gold, ColourPop You Had Me at Hello, Makeup Revolution Emily Wants, Urban Decay Naked 3… To be fair, I don’t have many more palettes than this.

KuƔvsui Avatar

I donā€™t think I even own whole 5 palettes, but out of the ones I have, I really like and use my Viseart Minx Theory palette, Isadora Matte Chocolates, and two colourful custom palettes (or one, if i put them in a larger palette) with a bunch of Coloured Raine and ColourPop singles. And Beccaā€™s Afterglow is really nice!

Nicole D Avatar

1. ABH Modern Renaissance
2. Chanel 4 Ombres ES Quad PremiĆØre Ɖclosion (my go-to for spring-summer)
3. My custom palette (mixture of Inglot x MAC x Chanel mono in 48 Quartz))
4. Babor Duo in 10 Nude (itā€™s not nude but a beautiful muted dark pink duo ā€“ one satin and one creamy)
5. Marc Jacobs Glambition

CeeBee Avatar

Cripes.

1. BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Deluxe
2. Colourpop She
3. Natasha Denona Lila
4. Anastasia Modern Renaissance
5. Colourpop All I See Is Magic

Then I’d cry tears of pure desolation.

jel888 Avatar

No please don’t make me! LOL! Okay out of my collection (not my dream collection, but what I actually have) these would be my top five (and not based solely on quality, but due to color scheme, real enjoyment of using them and wanting to cover the maximum possibilities of looks; not in any order):

Natasha Denona Star Palette
Too Faced Boss Lady Beauty Agenda 2017
Jouer Ultra Foil Shimmer Shadows Palette
Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment (even though I can’t even remember even using it, but now I need to pull that bad boy out, because now I know I could hook up some looks with this and other palettes…I think when I bought it I was ready for it, it was a tad ahead of it’s time)
Colored Raine Queen of Hearts

I could survive for years with just those five if I absolutely had to leave it to only five palettes.

Brenda Avatar

I canā€™t, just canā€™t. I looked at my collection and as I tried to whittle it down to 5 the amount of anxiety I experienced was ridiculous. I knew I loved my collection but this showed me just how much. I do know 4 I would keep, itā€™s once I get to fifth that I just canā€™t choose!!
1. Pat McGrath mothership 5
2. Pat McGrath mothership 2
3. Jeffree Star Blood Sugar
4. Colourpop Fame
5. ABH Norvina, KVD Pastel Goth, Pat McGrath La Vien Rose, UD Electric, Natasha Denona Tropic (tie)

Christie Avatar

Iā€™m sooooo out if the eyeshadow game. I need help. I am not a creative type or an artist so palettes with a lot of color combinations are lost on me. Iā€™m also not that great at applying with brushes as when I first started using eyeshadow we just used the sponge applicators that came with the palette. Can anyone offer some advise on THE best brands that go on, true to color, have little to no fall out, and blend easily, kinda like a palette for dummies. My eyes are blueish green. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

joy Avatar

does this mean you already have brushes you like? when i started experimenting with large amounts of makeup and daily use, i found the quality of brushes mattered a bit more than brands of eyeshadow. as for recommendations, it really depends on how much you want to play with different looks, finishes or if you want just want to do the same look from day to day?

Christie Avatar

Thanks for your reply. I have tons of brushes. Now that Iā€™m thinking about it more, maybe I should go into MAC and get a custom palette that gives me one or two different and easy looks.

ShariP Avatar

Hi Christie. Going into MAC is a great idea. The MUAs are very helpful and will help you find the colors that will flatter your skin tone and eyes. They will also help you in the creation of a couple “looks”.

Another suggestion is to find a couple You Tubers who look like you…..there are some really talented MUAs out there and watching their videos will help advance your own techniques.

ouineque Avatar

Maybe you could try one of the Viseart Theory palettes? Three mattes, three shimmers/satins (those you can very well apply with sponge applicators btw). All look beautiful together and you can make it as simple or as complicated as you want (1 shadow looks, 2 shadow looks, 3 or more…). I would highly recommend the Theory palette in Cashmere! It’s a beautiful, truly neutral palette that looks good on cooler and warmer complexions. The quality is exquisite. Surprised it didn’t show up on anyones list yet. It would be on mine. šŸ™‚

Christie Avatar

Hi,
Thank you so much for your reply. Actually, I have been eyeing this palette and was thinking the exact same thing. I donā€™t think they carry these palettes in-stores at Sephora though and Iā€™m not sure where I could go see them in person. Iā€™ll have to look into this.

Amy Avatar

I’m new-ish to this game. I’ve far from sampled every brand, but I have good luck with Nyx and Urban Decay. Colour varies depending on skin tone and primer (or other things) underneath the shadow. (other things: try Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil to enhance colours in less pigmented shadows. The standard recommendation is Milk, but Cashmere tends to be my go to)
To enhance blue eyes (I have blue), try browns, oranges, bronze/ gold/ copper, and purple. Apparently plum/ purple for green.
As for blending and brushes, I think it’s just a matter of practice. I’m nowhere near perfect, but a few nights with cotton pads and makeup remover have upped my game. Ditto on colour combinations. Try something, see if it works (or look up tutorials/ suggestions): if not, it washes off.

joy Avatar

i didnā€™t realize the true challenge of this question until i started reading the responses and kept on saying darn it, i forgot that one. it was sooo good!

1. pmg decadence. the only no brainer
2. viseart grand pro 1
3. UD naked 3
4. nars wanted
5. an old marc jacob palette with the shimmery green in it

Jen Avatar

– Colourpop Give it to me Straight
– Too Faced Gingerbread Spice
– Too Faced Sweet Peach
– Jaclyn Hill Morphe Palette
– Tarte Tartlette in Bloom

Whoa that was hard!!!

Christie Avatar

Iā€™m curious to know what brand offers the best custom palettes based on colors, finishes, and quality. And, can be found easily IN-STORE vs. online only. Iā€™m thinking MAC but would love any feedback.
Thanks and have a blessed day!

joy Avatar

i still really love makeup forever. yes the change in formulation made them less amazing than before but theyā€™re still great performers.

Emily Avatar

Tough but I think Iā€™d go with these:

1. ND Star Palette
2. Viseart Grande Pro Vol 1
3. Original Tartelette
4. Anastasia Self Made
5. Jeffree Star Blood Sugar

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! šŸ™‚ If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!