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Best Eyeshadow – Top, Metallic, Shimmery, Long-Wearing, 2 in 1, Matte, Pencil, Palette, Powder Eye Shadow

Looking for the best eyeshadow? This article has top eye shadow overall, best metallic, cream, matte, 2 in 1, duos, pencil, palette, long-wearing  shimmery, powder, glitter, mineral and most affordable eye shadow. By the end of the discussion, you will know which the best eyeshadow is in the various general categories and specific categories as well as lists from some of the leading websites. 

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow
Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow

To cover the subject of best eyeshadow in comprehensive manner possible, we are going to look at some of the top brands as ranked by some leading websites and then go to specific categories of eyeshadow and get the top brands there.

What does Other Website Say About Best Eyeshadows?

While try to establish some of the best eyeshadow available in the market, we went through some of the authority websites to see what they had in mind. This is important in help you quickly choose some of the good brands.  Here are the three websites that had a comprehensive list of the top eyeshadows:

Makeup Geek List of Best Eyeshadow Makeup – All Time (makeupgeek.com)

Makeup Geek has ranked the top 10 top eyeshadow all time. From this list, you should be able to pick one or two best eyeshadow that you will like.

Best Eyeshadow Reviews – Different Best Eye Shadows Types and Rankings
Top Types and Rankings

 

  1. Bare Escentuals True Gold Glimmer – 14K gold color
  2. Make Up For Ever #92  – matte brilliant purple color
  3. FACE Atelier Azure  – frosted purple-blue color
  4. Urban Decay Baked –  rich bronze color
  5. NYX Herb Single E – shimmery olive green color
  6. MAC Melon Pigment – soft bright golden peach color
  7. NARS Rated R  Duo – chartreuse green shimmer/ cobalt blue shimmer color
  8. MAC Plumage matte dusty peacock color
  9. Smashbox Flamingo –  coral pink shimmer color
  10. 10.   Stila Kitten  shimmering – nude pink color

Total Beauty Best Eyeshadows (totalbeauty.com)

Another website that has listed some of the top eyeshadow is Total Beauty. They have not ranked their good eyeshadow but just given a list of what they found to be the best.

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Lorac Unzipped eyeshadow review
Lorac Unzipped
  • L’Oreal Paris HiP Concentrated Shadow Duo
  • Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow
  • Nars Duo
  • Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Soft Shimmer
  • Victoria’s Secret Sexy Little Things Douse Me With Diamonds Wet/Dry Eye Shadow
  • Urban Decay Deluxe
  • L’Oreal Paris HiP Shocking Shadow Pigments
  • LORAC On Screen Duo
  • MAC Eye Shadow
  • Sonia Kashuk Powder Partners Duo
  • Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream

Elle List of Best Eyeshadow Makeup for Parties (elle.com)

Elle.com has reviewed the brands for parties. You should not confuse this list to mean the top eyeshadow overall but the best brands to wear to parties and other evening functions. Most of these eyeshadow are shimmery and very shinny.

  • Nars Single  in Tropic
  • The “très chic” M.A.C  in Club
  • Dior 5-Colour in Stylish Move
  • Urban Decay Deluxe in Frigid
  • L’OréalParis HIP Pure Pigment Shadow Stick in Dazzling

Best Eyeshadow in Various Categories

You definitely want to buy a good brand. We reviews quite a number of eyeshadow that below to various categories and came up with a list of a few we felt were great. This list is not conclusive and is based on our sampling, reviews, ratings and popularity.  If you do not find your favorite eyeshadow listed, you need not to be worried. Not all the top eyeshadow has been rated.

Best  Metallic Eyeshadows

Metallic eye shadow are ideal for evenings and parties and not during the day. They are shinny and lustrous just as metals are and they come in quite a number of colors including gold, copper, bronze, silver etc. They are quite dramatic and could give you stunning looks. However, you need to ensure you use metallic eyeshadow well since they can easily make you look like a clown. Some of the top metallic eyeshadow you could go for include the following:

  • Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow
  • NARS Limited Edition Mie Mini Soft Touch Shadow Pencil
  • L’Oreal Paris Color Appeal Chrome
  • Estée Lauder Pure Color
  • Laura Mercier Foiled Eye Colour
  • Rimmel London Kate Moss Union Jack
  • Yves Saint Laurent 5 Colour Eye Palette
  • BYS 5 Piece Horizontal High Shine

Best Cream Eyeshadows

Cream eyeshadow tend to last longer and create a better look than powder eyeshadow. You could choose either the creamy formulation or lotion formulation that easily dry leaving behind a powder like surface. Learn more on Cream Eyeshadows. Some of the greatest brands in cream form you could buy include the following.

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - e.l.f. Duo Eye Shadow Cream
e.l.f. Duo Cream
  • Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow
  • MAC Paints by MAC
  • Revlon Midnight Express Cream  Palette
  • Eye Studio® Color Gleam™ Cream
  • Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream
  • ELF Bronzed Cream
  • NARS Cream

Best Matte Eyeshadows

You do not want the shimmery looks as you go to office or during the day. You need to go for matte eyeshadow. These eye shadow do not have light reflection particles and thus they do not shimmer. Some of good brands you could purchase includes the following:

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - MAKE UP FOR EVER Eyeshadow matte Fresh Pink
MAKE UP FOR EVER matte Fresh Pink
  • Urban Decay Matte
  • Revlon Matte
  • The 88 Cool Matte Palette
  • E.l.f Studio Matte
  • L’Oreal HIP Matte Duos
  • Milani Matte Powder
  • theBalm Meet Matt(e) Palette
  • Nyx Matte
  • Too Faced Matte Collection
  • Nars Matte by NARS

To learn more on how to apply matte, tips for using them, more best brands and much more, visit matte eyeshadows.

Best 2 in 1 Eyeshadows and Duos

Also known as duo, these two eyes hadow come as a single pencil that has two eye shadow on either ends. If you are looking for the best eyeshadows 2 in 1, the following brands will be great.

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - e.l.f. Duo Eye Shadow Cream
e.l.f. Duo Cream
  • Stila Convertible Eye Color
  • Estee Lauder Two-In-One Duo
  • NARS Mad Mad World Duo
  • The Twin Set Duos
  • Ombres Duolumieres 2 Color – Duo Palette Luxury Eye Makeup

Most Affordable Eyeshadows

You do not have to spend your fortune to get some of the best eyeshadow. There quite a number of them, that are exceptional despite being very affordable. Cheap or affordable does not always mean bad as you could get cheaper eye shadow better than expensive ones. It is only that they have been reasonably priced. Some of the most affordable brands include the following.

  • NYX Cosmetics Eye Shadow Palette
  • e.l.f. Studio Endless Eyes Pro Palette
  • CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 1-Kit Shadows
  • e.l.f. Studio 141 Piece Master Makeup Collection
  • L’Oreal HiP Studio Secrets Professional Metallic Shadow Duos

Best Pencil Eyeshadows

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Urban Decay 24-7 Eyeshadow Pencil
Urban Decay 24-7  Pencil

Pencil eye shadows are among the simplest to use eye shadow, which will give you great looks that are not as bold as liquid eyeshadows. If you are looking for good eyeshadow pencil, you need to give the following a try.

  • Avon Big Color Eye Pencil
  • MAC Eye Kohl
  • Urban Decay 24/7  Pencil
  • Pearly Waterproof Eye Shadow Pencil
  • NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil
  • NYX Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil

Best Eyeshadow Palette

If you are looking for the greatest palettes, take some time and review the below palettes. They have been voted by most users as the brands and they will not disappoint you.

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - NYX Cosmetics Eye Shadow Palette
-NYX Cosmetics Palette
  • Urban Decay Naked Palette Both Naked  and Naked 2
  • Coastal Scents 88 Color Palette i.e Coastal Scents 88 Ultra Shimmer Palette
  • NYX 10 Color Eye Shadow Palette
  • Maybelline Eye Shadow Quads
  • Lorac Eye Shadow Palette
  • Too Faced Palettes

Best Long-Wearing Eyeshadows

If you want an eye shadow, which will not require you to reapply after a few hours, you have to buy long lasting eyeshadows. Most of the long lasting brands can last for a whole day without fading or being smudged. Some of the top eyeshadows you could buy that are long lasting include the following:

  • Bare Escentuals Buxom Stay-There

    Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow
    Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadow
  • ELF Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous
  • Avon – ExtraLasting
  • Rouge Bunny Rouge Long Lasting
  • Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting

Best Shimmery Eyeshadows

If you want eye shadow, have particles that reflect light, you need to go for shimmery eyeshadow. These type looks excellent worn on eyelids, eye corners and brow bone. Furthermore, are often used with matte if you do not what to sparkle so much and are best for evening uses. Avoid using them during the day. Some of the best eyeshadow in shimmer include the following:

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow
BBobbi Brown – Shimmer Wash
  • Nars Duo
  • Bobbi Brown – Shimmer Wash
  • 88 Color Shimmer alette
  • Wet ‘n’ Wild Shimmer the Night Away Palette
  • Maybelline Gold Shimmer Color Tattoo 24 Hour
  • Almay Intense I-Color Shimmer Browns

Best Powder Eyeshadows

These either are eye shadow, which come in powder form that could be pressed or loose. They come in various form such as matte, shimmer or sheer. They are milder than cream or gel eye shadow in terms of the effect they form and are easier to blend. If you are looking for the great brands, here is what we came up with:

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Milani Powder Eyeshadows Review
Milani Powder Eyeshadows Review
  • Avon Loose Powder
  • Milani Powder
  • Peeper Pleaser™ Powder
  • NARS Pressed Powder
  • LORAC powder
  • Bare Escentuals Loose Powder
  • Revlon Beyond Natural Cream to Powder
  • Fyrinnae Loose Powder

Best Glitter Eyeshadows

Glitter eyeshadows will enable you to look dramatic and glow. They are ideal for night outs and it is advisable you do not use them during the day. While ranking some of the best brands in this category, we found quite a number of good glitter eyeshadow in the market. Some of the brands that made it to our list include the following:

  • LORAC Sparkle Pencil Eye Shadow & Liner-Blue Topaz

    Best Eyeshadow Reviews - NYX Glitter Powder Eyeshadow 10 Colors
    NYX Glitter Powder 10 Colors
  • 24/7 Glide-On Eye Shadow Pencil by Urban Decay
  • NYX Glitter Powder 10 Colors
  • MAC Iridescent Powders
  • Sephora Glitter Cream Set
  • Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Gel For Eyes
  • Hard Candy Glitteratzi Eye Shadow Gel
  • La Femme 12 Pcs Glitter Cream  Palette
  • L.A. Color Glitter Starlet  Palette
  • Dior Designer Palettes

To read more exclusively on these eyeshadows and get more brands, how to apply them and some important tips, see glitter eyeshadows.

Best Mineral Eyeshadows

People who are conscious of the chemicals, which certain eye shadows might be having, need to try mineral eye shadow. These are fine ground (ultra fine or microscopic) eyeshadows, which are made from only naturally existing minerals. They have several benefits and quite a number of people are slowly turning to them. Some of the top mineral eyeshadows include the following:

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Avon - Smooth Minerals Eyeshadow
Avon – Smooth Minerals
  • E.L.F. Pressed Mineral
  • Bes
  • The All Natural Face Mineral  Review
  • Bare Escentuals Minerals
  • Crushed Mineral – Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics
  • Mineral Magic Cosmetics Mineral

Read mineral eye shadow to learn more on them including their benefits; get more brands and much more

Overall Best Eyeshadow

After the long list, you definitely want to know which the overall best eyeshadow is. This is what we felt deserved to be the best, even if it might not be the one you are using or the most popular one. Our best  overall:

Best Eyeshadow Reviews - Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow
Dior 5-Colour
  • Dior 5-Colour Eyeshadow

Do you agree or disagree? Give you us your opinion or name the best eyeshadow you like. If you are an Urban Decay, NYX, Stila, L’Oreal or LA eye shadow girl, give us your top brand.

Conclusion
We have tried to list the best eyeshadow in different categories to ensure you get most brands and specific categories. This should make everything easier if you are look for a specific type of eye shadow or brand.

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Posted Comments [3]

  1. cover girl use to have deep blue metallic cream eyeshadow…it came in a stand alone square with rounded corners case…do you make it anymore ? I dislike the powder version

    Reply
  2. Useful info. Fortunate me I discovered your website by accident, and I’m stunned why this accident did not took place in advance! I bookmarked it.

    Reply

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