By Bianca Lambert
last updated
in Buying Guides
I used to be afull-palette girlie when it came to eye shadow. But now, I'm a product minimalist using curated palettes with six shadows or less. I love full palettes with an array of color options, but I'm also someone who travels often and usually throws on makeup with10 minutes to spare. Because of this, full-on palettes aren't my thing anymore, and I find they can take up too much space when I'm trying to pack only a carry-on. Looking back, even when using a 12-piece eye shadow palette, I'd gravitate to the same three to four colors.
(Image credit: @bianca__lambert)
Designer makeupis one of the beauty marketplace's most tested and coveted staples. However, as a Black woman with a medium-deep skin tone, I often find myself severely underwhelmed with the formulas that come to market. The shadow shades are either nonexistent on my lids, the formula is chalky, or a disappointing combination of both. And with most designer quads starting at $50, no one wants to waste their hard-earned coins on a palette with pretty packaging and a lackluster product.
Below are the designer palettes currently in my rotation; some surprised me with how much I loved them and truly pop against my brown skin. Here are 15 of my tried-and-true mini-designer palettes worth the investment. Keep scrolling!
Dior
Diorshow 5 Couleurs Couture Eyeshadow Palette in 279 Denim
Whenever I wear this five-piece denim palette, I get compliments—every single time. Because of its color payoff, it has become one of my top three palettes. Before trying it, I wasn't familiar with Dior's beauty products, mainly because I assumed I'd be disappointed as I’ve been with many designer palettes. However, Dior andits gorgeous formulas have proven me wrong in the best way. This set gives you a matte, satin, shimmer, metallic, glitter finish and a cohesive eye look in minutes. For a little more sparkle, I layer the formula with Danessa MyricksBeauty Infinite Chrome Flakes Multichrome Gel($26).
Off-White
Imprint 4-Piece Set
It was a welcome surprise to see Off-White lean into beauty. Inspired by Virgil Abloh's years of graffiti, this set is playful with impactful color. The pigmented, matte crayons glide on easily and have auto-fixing chrono technology to ensure lasting hold on the skin. With these, you can either blend with a brush or your fingers for your desired look.
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Smoky Eye Brick in Tweed
This eye shadow brick has been a mainstay in my beauty bag for years. I love it because it is pigmented and hydrating, and it also comes in a tiny yet beautiful brass compact that is excellent for travel. I know the brick size can be questionable for some, but you need so little product to build a look, and the palette will really last you a while. The shades come in a satin matte finish and are dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, and safe for sensitive skin. To add additional depth to the eyes, layer this palette with the Satin Kajal Liner in Cinnamon($30). (So pretty!)
Pat McGrath Labs
Divine Rose Luxe Eyeshadow Palette: Eternal Eden - Divine Rose II Collection
Dame Pat McGrath is iconic in the world of fashion and beauty. So it's no surprise that any palette she drops becomes a part of my collection. This pink rose-inspired quad is a breath of fresh air because I usually lean into browns and coppers. The shades are vibrant and buildable and can come in these hues: Pink Mystique (light pink with a shimmering gold finish), Temptation (muted matte magenta), Earthly Delight (mid-tone cool-brown matte), Forbidden Fruit (rich pink bronze metallic). For an extra dose of pink, I pair this palette with the Skin Fetish: Divine Powder Blush in Lovestruck($39).
Tom Ford
Eye Color Quad Eyeshadow Palette in Honeymoon
Tom Ford fragrances and makeup are beauty icons in their own right. They tend to live up to my high expectations, from the packaging to the formulas. However, I do find that the quad hues (which can be applied wet or dry) offer more color payoff on my skin than the formulas that are only available to use dry. How do you know which can be used for both? If there's TF imprinted on the shadow, it can be used wet and dry. I love the Honeymoon palette because it has pops of color, staying power (I don't need eye shadow primer), and can take me from day to night.
Valentino
Color Flip Eyeshadow Palette
This palette might seem tiny, but when you pop it open, you quickly realize Valentino designed this to give us major bang for our buck. For example, the palette features eight shades with two satin eye shadow shades, one matte, one shimmer, and two base colors to pair with reflective add-on glitter shades in silver and gold. And if you're curious about how the pigments show up, each shade offers an impressive color payoff.
Yves Saint Luxury
Couture Mini Clutch Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in 200 Guerliz Dream
Any time I pick up anything YSL beauty, I'm impressed. Somehow,it even makes mascara tubes luxe. Andit doubled down onits air for luxury beauty withits couture eye shadow quad that includes oil-enriched satin, matte, metallic, and shimmer eye shadows. The formulas give impactful color payoff on brown skin, and the buildable formula can go from no-makeup-makeup to soft glam. And the packaging is stunning!
Guerlain
Ombré G Quad Eyeshadow Palette
Guerlain is another brand that's always surprising me with how wellits products work for my skin tone, andits quads have had the same positive effect. This four-piece palette is curated with burgundy, brown, and gold hues, allowing deep skin to play with new colors to build a dynamic smoky eye. For maximum pigment, use a damp brush to apply the metallic shades.
Hourglass
Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Custom Palette
I didn't realize how beloved the Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked palette was until I tried it. I used the palette recently to build a quick daytime look and used every one of the six pieces, from my eyes to my cheeks, to make me look awake even though I was exhausted! For medium-deep skin tones, the Snake palette is the best suited for us. I'm hoping next year, they will add an additional shade for even deeper brown skin tones because this palette is worth every penny!
Kevyn Aucoin
The Contour Eyeshadow Palette
Kevyn Aucoin taught me how to do my makeup in my teens via his book Making Faces, so I love using his products now. He was truly a pioneer working with everyone from Naomi Campbell to Cher! This simple, fragrance-free, wet/dry six-piece palette has three mattes, one enhancing shimmer, and two shimmer shades, each pigmented and buildable that blend out to perfection and can take you from natural to dramatic in seconds.
Charlotte Tilbury
Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in The Rebel
Curated with gold and khaki eye shadows, this palette gives us another opportunity to play with color and the traditional smoky eyes. The formulas are made with multi-reflecting pearls that add hints of extra sparkle, while the glossy ester brings luminosity and a silk-like feel.
Dior
The Diorshow 5 Couleurs Couture Eyeshadow Palette - Velvet in 869 Red Tartan
This limited-edition eye shadow palette is another one of my all-time favorites. It features five long-wearing eye shadows in a warm-toned palette offering a mix of matte, satin, and shimmer finishes. For added oomph, I place the shimmer copper shade in the order of my eyes and under my bottom lashes.
Hourglass
Curator Five-Pan Custom Palette
It’s not every day a brand gives you free rein to curate your own palette. However, Hourglass does! You can curate your ideal five-piece palette, selecting from 13 mattes, six satins, 12 metallics, and nine shimmer shades!
Christian Louboutin
Abracadabra Le Duo Eyeshadow Palette in Silver Spike
This duo features long-lasting shades that give up to 10 hours of wear and are housed in a tone-on-tone red case adorned with Louboutin’s signature spikes. The small but mighty duo also features a large mirror and a double-ended brush applicator with a foam tip to apply and a brush to blend.
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Bianca Lambert
Freelance Contributor
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