10 Best Eyeshadow Palettes

Hello beautiful people! Back in September 2015, I shared my picks for the 10 best eyeshadow palettes, and that post has been one of the most visited posts on Phyrra ever since. Eleven years later, my collection, my standards and the indie beauty world have all changed. So I’ve given this post a complete refresh for 2026 with the best eyeshadow palettes I actually reach for right now.

Just like the original, I only chose palettes you can buy today rather than limited edition or sold out palettes, because nothing drives me crazier than falling in love with a product on a best-of list and then finding out it’s unavailable. Every palette on this list is cruelty free, most are vegan, and I’ve swatched and worn all of them on my very fair olive skin. In addition, I’ve pulled the current top 10 best sellers at Sephora and Ulta so you can see how my picks compare to what’s actually flying off the shelves. And if you’re curious about the original 2015 picks, I’ve kept them in a section near the end of this post.

The Quick Answer

The best eyeshadow palettes for 2026 are colorful, cool toned and almost entirely indie. First, the Cheeryep #23 The Fall is my pick for cool toned purples, while the Kaleidos Black Jasmine Quad wins for smoky greys and black. Next, Bellabeautebar’s Dark Dreamscape, Ocean Jewel, Morally Grey, Dead Roses and Basic Witch palettes earn five spots for the best multichrome and matte formula in indie beauty. The Black Moon Cat’s Meow Palette delivers cool toned mattes, the Cosmic Brushes Angelic Palette is an affordable matte heavy pastel palette, and the Cheeryep #04 Neon brings the brightest brights. Finally, the discontinued Kaleidos Twilight Rush Quad earns an honorable mention.

10 Best Eyeshadow Palettes for 2026

Black Moon sent me the Cat’s Meow Palette in PR, and I have also purchased it to gift to friends. I bought everything else in this article myself. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, and I earn a small commission if you shop through them, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for shopping through my links and supporting my work!

If you love bright colors, cool tones, multichromes, holo chromes, and amazing mattes, you’ll notice a theme with my picks.

1. Cheeryep #23 The Fall

Cheeryep (aka Qianyan) is a Chinese beauty brand that has become one of my favorites, and The Fall is their newest 16 pan palette. The color story is a deep blue-purple inspired by a surreal garden where forbidden fruit ripens under a purple night sky. You get deep midnight purples, a matte Klein blue, a concrete grey matte, blue-based purple multichromes that shift as you move, and a cool silver sparkle that looks like liquid metal on the lid. If you love cool toned purples as much as I do and you want more than four shades of them, this is the palette to buy. It launched this fall and has been selling out and restocking, though, so keep an eye out if it’s unavailable when you look. I haven’t had time to swatch this palette yet, but I’ve shared swatches of it in the Facebook group. Cheeryep is also cruelty free and vegan.

Price: $49 USD. Where to buy: Cheeryep, YesStyle, CBeautyMall.

2. Kaleidos Black Jasmine Quad

Kaleidos is one of my favorite beauty brands, and their eyeshadow formula is wildly underrated. Kaleidos recently announced that they’re discontinuing their quads, and Black Jasmine is the one survivor. It deserves it, because this is the ultimate tiny goth quad. Base is a muted phantom grey matte, Diffuse is a moody slate grey matte, and Accentuate is a deeply pigmented pitch black matte that’s perfect for smoking out liner. Then there’s Radiate, a steel silver shimmer that reads slightly blue from some angles, and it’s the best shimmer out of all the Kaleidos quads I own. Black Jasmine is also the only quad in the line that’s talc free. Kaleidos is cruelty free, and this quad is vegan. See my Kaleidos Quad Palettes swatches and looks for more.

Price: $22 USD / €19,55. Where to buy: Kaleidos, YesStyle.

3. Bellabeautebar Dark Dreamscape

I bought Dark Dreamscape in October 2025, and I’ve worn it obsessively ever since. It’s my favorite palette from Bellabeautebar, and it is the pastel goth palette of my dreams. You get 20 pans: 11 buttery mattes, 6 multichromes, 2 holo chromes and 1 shimmer in pastel pinks, orchid, lavender, deep wine plum, indigo and turquoise. For example, Wormhole (pastel turquoise matte), Supernatural (turquoise matte) and Mirror Image (holo chrome blue) make the icy teal look I keep coming back to, while Void, Upside Down and Subconscious make a gorgeous purple look. Compared to the rest of the line, Dark Dreamscape is more cool toned than Dead Roses, Recently Deinfluenced and Basic Witch, and more purple heavy than Ocean Jewel. Bellabeautebar is Leaping Bunny certified, and this palette is vegan. See my Dark Dreamscape Palette review and my Dark Dreamscape look for deepset eyes. If I had to choose just one palette from this entire list, it would be Dark Dreamscape.

Price: $78 USD / €75,50. Where to buy: Bellabeautebar (use code CORDELIA to save 10%), and Monolith in the EU.

4. Bellabeautebar Ocean Jewel

Ocean Jewel is Dark Dreamscape’s blue leaning sibling, inspired by abalone shell and the depths of the ocean. It has 20 pans: 11 buttery mattes, 1 sequin matte, 6 multichromes, 1 holochrome and 1 duochrome, all in cool blues, purples and turquoises with ocean themed names. Over half the palette is matte, which I love, and the shimmers are stunning. In particular, Mother of Pearl, Nautilus, Oyster, Abalone and Nacre are my favorites. If you love blue eyeshadow, bold hues and long wearing shadows, this is your palette. It’s vegan as well. See my Ocean Jewel Palette review, swatches and looks.

Price: $75 USD / €76,50. Where to buy: Bellabeautebar (use code CORDELIA to save 10%), and Monolith in the EU.

5. Bellabeautebar Morally Grey

Morally Grey is my favorite cool toned neutral palette. It has 9 heart shaped pans with a romantic goth theme: 5 mattes (Moral Compass, Ambivalence, Mixed Feelings, Shades of Grey and Not a Hero) and 4 shimmers and multichromes (Not a Villain, Complex Motivations, Bittersweet and Indecisive) in muted greys and grey pinks. Not a Villain is my favorite shade in the palette. Every single shade works with my cool, fair skin tone, and it takes you from subtle everyday looks to a full smoky eye. So if bright colors intimidate you, start here. See my Morally Grey Palette review and live swatches.

Price: $42 USD. Where to buy: Bellabeautebar (use code CORDELIA to save 10%), and Monolith in the EU.

6. Bellabeautebar Dead Roses

Dead Roses tells the story of a rose’s life cycle compared to the life cycle of a romantic relationship. The top half of the palette is blooming and vibrant, the bottom half is dying and dead, and the shade names (Stupid Cupid, I Need Space, Thank U Next, UR the Worst) are perfect. It has 16 shades: 7 multichromes, 2 duochromes and 7 mattes in bright pinks and purples. The matte formula is excellent, and the pink multichromes are especially striking. Not Yours, Ew, Friend Zone and As If are my favorite shimmers, while I Need Space, Thank U Next, Single AF and Love Stinks are my favorite mattes. If you want multiple pink multichromes or bright mattes in one palette, this is it. In fact, I use this every time I want bright pink or bright red, and I recently wore it on Halloween. This palette has been on three continents too, because I took it to New Zealand with me. It’s vegan. See my Dead Roses Palette review and swatches.

Price: $72 USD / €79,50. Where to buy: Bellabeautebar (use code CORDELIA to save 10%), and Monolith in the EU.

7. Black Moon Cosmetics The Cat’s Meow

Black Moon Cosmetics is one of my top 5 makeup brands. Black Moon sent me The Cat’s Meow Palette in PR, but I would have purchased it for myself, and I did buy more of this to gift to friends. It has 10 shades: 6 mattes, 2 pressed pigments, 3 A.M. (an extreme black with sapphire and lavender shimmer) and Cattitude (an intense pink duochrome metallic). Cat Nap is a true vibrant periwinkle that I reach for constantly, and Meow is a deep purple based grey that smokes out liner beautifully. The packaging features cat faces hand painted by the artist Queenie. It’s an awesome, unique, cool toned leaning palette, so if you like Black Moon’s matte formula and cool tones, you’ll love it. Keep in mind that Europe and Canada approve two of the pigments, Laser and Curiosity, for eye use, but the FDA does not, so my US readers can use them at their own discretion. Black Moon is 100% vegan and cruelty free. See it in action in my winter makeup inspiration and my autumn vampy lip combo look, or watch my Cat’s Meow Palette swatches.

Price: $42 USD. Where to buy: Black Moon Cosmetics.

8. Cosmic Brushes Angelic

Angelic is the palette that broke my no buy in February 2026, and it was worth it. Cosmic Brushes is a UK indie brand, and this 12 pan palette runs heavy on the mattes: 8 mattes and 4 shimmers and multichromes (Halo, Angelic, Illuminate and Ethereal), inspired by the soft glow of the sun reflecting on fluffy clouds. It’s mostly cool toned with aqua front and center, plus a few warm grounding shades like the peachy orange Halo. If you have hooded eyes or deepset eyes, or you simply prefer mattes to shimmers, this palette is for you. It also beat the Danessa Myricks Pastel Dream palette in my head to head comparison at roughly a tenth of the price per pan. Cosmic Brushes labels the mattes as body pigments for US customers because the FDA hasn’t approved some of their ingredients. However, the UK and EU approve them, and I’ve worn them on my sensitive eyes without any issues. Cosmic Brushes is cruelty free and vegan. See my Cosmic Brushes Angelic vs Danessa Myricks Pastel Dream comparison review.

Price: €25,95. Where to buy: Cosmic Brushes.

9. Cheeryep #04 Neon

If The Fall is Cheeryep’s dark side, then Neon is the party. Cheeryep based this 16 pan palette on psychedelic thermal imaging, and it packs high saturation neons across five color families (pink, purple, blue, yellow and green) in matte, shimmer, satin and metallic finishes. It’s the brightest palette on this list and the natural successor to the Urban Decay Electric palette from my 2015 list. If you love brights, it’s a blast to play with. Personally, I use the lavender holo shade on the bottom row (below the shimmery green) the most. In Europe you can find it at Glisten Cosmetics, while YesStyle sells the same palette under the name #04 Excitement. Cheeryep is cruelty free and vegan.

Price: £32 / €43,95 at Glisten Cosmetics. Where to buy: Glisten Cosmetics, YesStyle, Cheeryep.

10. Bellabeautebar Basic Witch

Basic Witch was my very first Bellabeautebar palette, bought in March 2024, and it’s still in my top 5 most used palettes. It has 15 shades: 9 mattes, 2 multichromes, 2 holo chromes and 2 duochromes, loosely grouped into a purple set (Resting Witch Face, Hex, Black Magic and Hecate), a green set (Cauldron, Hocus Pocus, Creep It Real and Coven) and a supporting cast of neutrals plus Black Cat. The mattes blend easily and build without the struggle of overly pigmented shadows, and the duochromes, multichromes and holo chromes get me compliments every time I wear them. It also lasts all day on me over eyeshadow primer. The palette I pair with Basic Witch most often is the Blend Bunny Lure Palette. It’s vegan. See my Basic Witch Palette review, swatches and makeup ideas.

Price: $68 USD. Where to buy: Bellabeautebar (use code CORDELIA to save 10%), and Monolith in the EU.

Honorable Mention: Kaleidos Twilight Rush Quad (Discontinued)

Twilight Rush earned my highest recommendation when I reviewed it in August 2026, and then Kaleidos announced that they’re discontinuing it, so it couldn’t go on the main list. It’s a cool toned purple quad: Base is a muted indigo grey matte, Diffuse is an ashen lilac matte (my favorite base shade), Accentuate is a midnight black with fine twinkling shimmer, and Radiate is a lilac duochrome that shifts from purple to pink to champagne and steals the show. The two matte shades are so phenomenal! If you can still find it at a retailer, grab it. Otherwise, the Cheeryep #23 The Fall gives you cool toned purples with 16 shades instead of 4. See my Kaleidos Twilight Rush Quad review, swatches and look.

What’s Actually Selling at Sephora and Ulta

My list of the best eyeshadow palettes is colorful, cool toned, bright and almost entirely indie. For comparison, here’s what the two biggest beauty retailers in the US are selling the most of right now. Neither Sephora nor Ulta publishes sales numbers, so I used each retailer’s own best seller ranking. Dior, Lancôme and Sephora Collection are not cruelty free, so they would never make my own list. However, I’ve left them in so you can see the full picture.

The 10 Best Selling Eyeshadow Palettes at Sephora

Sephora curates its own Best Selling Eyeshadow Palettes collection, so this is that list as of November 2026, in Sephora’s order.

1. Makeup by Mario Master Mattes: The Original ($56): 12 mattes that Mario describes as inspired by human skin tones from light to deep, so soft white, warm sand, tan, ochre, terracotta and browns through to black. In other words, Sephora’s number one palette is a palette of skin colored beiges and browns.
2. Makeup by Mario Ethereal Eyes: The Original ($69): 12 shades in glossy shimmer, sueded matte and natural metallic finishes, all neutrals: creamy beige, champagne, muted peach, soft brown, cool mauve, dusty rose, taupe and gold.
3. Patrick Ta Major Dimension Essential Artistry Edit in Cool Taupe ($46): 6 talc free matte neutrals billed as the only neutrals you need. Patrick Ta also sells it in Light, Medium, Deep and Warm Rose editions.
4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Genesis ($56): ABH’s new 12 pan modern neutral palette: cool taupe, mushroom grey, peach clay, dusty rose, sandy nude, cinnamon, coffee brown and smokey brown mattes, plus an opal multichrome, a pearlescent ivory and a bronze metallic.
5. Natasha Denona Mini Xenon ($29): 5 shades for a smoky cat eye: off white, light grey, platinum silver, dark grey and Blackest Black. The one palette on this list with no beige or brown in it; it’s greys and black instead. I own the full size version of this one.
6. Sephora Collection All That Matters Eye Palette in Warm Tones ($18, not cruelty free): 9 mattes running from high pigment beiges to deep browns. Sephora also offers it in Cool Tones.
7. Patrick Ta Major Dimension Dream Date Essential Artistry Edit ($49): a limited edition 6 pan with 3 soft shimmers and 3 pale velvety mattes for a romantic eye look.
8. Urban Decay Naked2 Basics ($35): 6 matte taupes, from the pale nude Skimp to the smoky brown Undone.
9. Urban Decay Mini Naked in Sin ($35): 6 shades pulled from the original Naked palette, in shimmers and mattes.
10. Makeup by Mario Master Mattes: The Neutrals ($56): the sister palette to number one, 12 mattes that Mario describes as a modern take on ’90s neutrals: cream, peach nude, cool sand, muted beige, taupe, tan, pale mauve, ochre brown, brownish grey, cool brown, blue grey and black.

In short, that’s 10 neutral palettes, and only one of them is grey and cool toned.

The 10 Best Selling Eyeshadow Palettes at Ulta

Ulta’s eyeshadow palette category sorts by Best Sellers by default, so this is the order on November 5, 2026. I removed the sponsored placements that Ulta mixes into the results, as well as a face palette that Ulta files under eyeshadow.

1. Morphe ChromaPlus 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette ($16): the most reviewed palette in Ulta’s top 10, with over 1,600 reviews and a 2026 Allure Best of Beauty award. Morphe sells it in several colorways, and most of them are neutrals: Tailored Nudes (all matte warm neutrals), Mauve Mode (rosy neutrals), Underslated (cool neutrals), Rich Glitch (champagne, taupe and chocolate) and Cyber Chrome (grey, rose and brown). Meanwhile, Sky-Fi (lilac, teal and periwinkle) and Python Code (gold, bronze and emerald) are the colorful outliers.
2. Morphe ChromaPlus Eyeshadow Trio ($13): 3 pan minis in 5 colorways: Tulle Order (ballet pink and brown), Cut to the Lace (beige and maroon), Dream Sequins (peach and champagne), Jewel Intentions (pinky beige and plum) and Jean Spirited (cream, antique gold and navy).
3. Dior 5 Couleurs Couture ($72, not cruelty free): Dior’s signature 5 pan. Ulta stocks six harmonies, and most of them are nudes and browns like 649 Nude Dress and 689 Mitzah, with 279 Denim as the blue exception.
4. Morphe ChromaPlus 12-Pan Eyeshadow Palette ($23): 12 pans in Flickering Sands (warm neutrals), Moon Stone (cool neutrals and greys) and Rose Frequency (rosy neutrals), plus an Ulta exclusive berry colorway, Electric Currant.
5. Lancôme Idôle Café Crush Nude ($59, not cruelty free): 12 coffee inspired nudes and browns that Lancôme created with makeup artist Sheika Daley, with shade names like Café Au Lait, Caramel Macchiato and Chai Latte.
6. NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Color Shadow Palette in I Know That’s Bright ($20): 16 high saturation brights in mattes, metallics and shimmers, 100% vegan and cruelty free. The one bright palette in Ulta’s top 10.
7. Anastasia Beverly Hills Genesis ($56): the same new neutral palette that made Sephora’s list.
8. Juvia’s Place Culture Palette ($38): an Ulta exclusive with 30 shades inspired by African culture, from tangerine, clay and chestnut to turquoise, navy, olive and lilac.
9. Sigma Beauty Vintage Radiance ($65, on sale for $39 when I checked): a new 14 pan bridal inspired palette of ivory, peach, dusty rose, mauve, chestnut and bronze with a single deep blue shimmer for something blue.
10. ColourPop Silver Lining ($14): an Ulta exclusive 9 pan of cool silvers, greys and black with a frosty Y2K vibe.

Eight of the 10 are neutrals, nudes, browns or greys, since ColourPop Silver Lining is a cool toned grey palette. In contrast, the only exceptions are the NYX brights and Juvia’s Place Culture.

How I Chose the Best Eyeshadow Palettes

• Cruelty free, always. I’ve bought only cruelty free beauty since 2012, and every brand here meets my standard. I also note vegan status as a bonus for my vegan readers.
• Available right now. No limited edition or sold out palettes on the main list, which is why Twilight Rush is an honorable mention instead of a pick.
• Formula first. The best eyeshadow palettes have mattes that blend with a brush or your fingertips, and shimmers and multichromes that show up on their own.
• Tested on very fair skin. I swatch everything on my pale olive skin, and most of these palettes lean cool toned because that’s what flatters cool and neutral undertones best.
• Price per shade. This list runs from $22 for a quad to $78 for a 20 pan palette, and I’ve included prices so you can judge the value for yourself.

The Original 2015 List

I originally published this post in September 2015 as a Top Ten Tuesday post about the 10 best eyeshadow palettes, and so many of you still find it that I wanted to keep the original list here. Brands have since discontinued many of these palettes, but my reviews and swatches are still live if you’re hunting for one secondhand or feeling nostalgic.

1. Urban Decay Spectrum: 15 eyeshadows for monochromatic looks in teals, blues, purples, pinks and neutrals. See my Spectrum Palette review.
2. Urban Decay Electric: the brightest palette UD ever released. Gonzo, Jilted, Urban and Thrash were my favorites. See my Electric Palette review.
3. Urban Decay Naked Basics: my daily staple at the time for Walk of Shame and Crave. See my favorite Naked Palettes swatches.
4. Too Faced Stardust by Vegas Nay: warm neutrals with pops of pink, purple and metallics. See my Stardust review.
5. Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar: peach, copper and chocolate work safe neutrals. See my Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar review.
6. Saucebox Forbidden Fruits: fall berry tones with a golden glimmer red, burgundy brown and blackened plum. See my Forbidden Fruits review.
7. Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour: a matte neutral palette broken into neutral, warm and cool quads.
8. Japonesque Pixelated Color: baked eyeshadows with 4 satin mattes and 6 ultra shimmery or metallic shades.
9. Sugarpill Cold Chemistry: rich, dark, beautiful colors. See my Cold Chemistry review.
10. Sugarpill Burning Heart: the classic bright yellow, orange, red and purple palette. See my Sugarpill swatches.

It makes me sad that the Urban Decay of that era, a brand with a soul and bright color, no longer exists. They used to be my favorite brand, and now I no longer see anything innovative from them.

Best Eyeshadow Palettes FAQ

What is the best eyeshadow palette for 2026?

For cool toned purple lovers, the Cheeryep #23 The Fall. For an everyday cool toned neutral, the Bellabeautebar Morally Grey. For a smoky eye, the Kaleidos Black Jasmine Quad. If you only buy one big palette this year, though, the Bellabeautebar Dark Dreamscape is the one I use most and would be my first pick.

Are all of these eyeshadow palettes cruelty free?

Yes, every brand on my list is cruelty free. Bellabeautebar and Black Moon Cosmetics are Leaping Bunny certified, and the Kaleidos, Cheeryep, Cosmic Brushes and Black Moon palettes here are vegan, as are all five Bellabeautebar palettes. The Sephora and Ulta best seller lists are a different story, since Dior, Lancôme and Sephora Collection are not cruelty free.

Which eyeshadow palette is best for hooded or deepset eyes?

The best eyeshadow palettes for hooded and deepset eyes lean matte heavy, because mattes are the easiest to work with on both eye shapes. The Cosmic Brushes Angelic, Bellabeautebar Morally Grey and Kaleidos Black Jasmine are my top picks. My eyes went from hooded to deepset, and all three work beautifully on me.

What is the most affordable palette on this list?

The Kaleidos Black Jasmine Quad at $22 USD is the lowest price, while the Cosmic Brushes Angelic at €25,95 for 12 shades is the best value per shade at roughly €2,16 each.

Which eyeshadow palettes work on fair skin?

All of them. I swatch and wear everything on my very fair olive skin. If you have pale skin with cool or neutral undertones, the cool toned picks (Morally Grey, Ocean Jewel, Dark Dreamscape, Black Jasmine and The Fall) will be the most flattering. Warm leaning shades are easy to find elsewhere, so this list deliberately leans cool.

What are the best selling eyeshadow palettes at Sephora and Ulta?

The Makeup by Mario Master Mattes and Ethereal Eyes palettes, Patrick Ta’s Essential Artistry Edit and the new Anastasia Beverly Hills Genesis lead Sephora’s own best seller list. Over at Ulta, Morphe’s ChromaPlus palettes, Dior 5 Couleurs Couture and Lancôme Idôle Café Crush lead the best sellers. Nearly all of them are neutral, beige and brown palettes, so the best eyeshadow palettes by sales volume look nothing like my list. The full top 10 lists for both retailers are above.

What happened to the palettes from the original 2015 list?

Brands have discontinued many of them, including the limited edition Urban Decay Spectrum and Too Faced Stardust palettes. Still, you can read my original reviews, which I’ve linked in the 2015 list above. My picks have also shifted almost entirely to indie brands, because that’s where the most exciting multichromes and the best cool toned mattes come from right now.

Where can I buy these palettes in Europe?

Monolith carries Bellabeautebar in the EU, but I usually buy directly from BBB. Kaleidos ships internationally and is on YesStyle, Cheeryep is on YesStyle, CBeautyMall and Glisten Cosmetics in the UK, and Cosmic Brushes ships from the UK. Either way, check each brand’s shipping page for current rates and customs information.

Final Thoughts

Eleven years after the original post, the biggest change isn’t the palettes, it’s who makes them. In 2015, my list was mostly mainstream brands you could buy at Sephora. In 2026, it’s almost entirely indie, because indie brands like Bellabeautebar, Kaleidos, Black Moon, and Cosmic Brushes are making the bright, colorful multichromes, holo chromes and cool toned mattes that the big brands still won’t. Above all, I hope this list of the best eyeshadow palettes helps you find your next favorite.

What are your picks for the 10 best eyeshadow palettes right now? Do your picks change with the season?

More to See

• The Best Cool Toned Eyeshadow Palettes
• Best Alternative Makeup Brands to Try in 2026
• Kaleidos Quad Palettes Swatches
• Cosmic Brushes Angelic Palette vs Danessa Myricks Pastel Dream
• Bellabeautebar Recently Deinfluenced Palette Review