Image: MomJunction Design Team
Get ready for your next party with the best smokey eye palettes and make your eyes look attractive and bright. A smokey eye look works for all occasions, effortlessly giving your eyes intensity and glamor. The trick behind creating the right look is knowing when to blend and smudge. As a beginner, you might make mistakes, but you can create the look easily with enough practice and patience.
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you will need a suitable eyeshadow palette to work with. These palettes should have enough nude, brown, and black shades to create a smokey look. With multiple shades, sufficient pigmentation, and other features, choosing the right palette can be challenging. So, we have reviewed multiple products to bring you high-quality eye shadow palettes for dramatic, bold eye makeup that exudes confidence and style.
Top Picks
15 Best Smokey Eye Palettes
1. Best Long-Lasting:LamoraNudes Exposed Eyeshadow Palette
Lamora’s gorgeous eyeshadow palette comes with 16 pigment-rich colors, with incredibly long-staying power, and blendability. Created with good-quality ingredients and ultra-micronized formula, this set is luxurious. The 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and waterproof eyeshadow palette comes in a variety of colors, from dark browns to rose gold shades, and in shimmery, natural, and dramatic finishes.
Its velvety application gives it a smooth finish and it can be used both dry and wet depending on the look you are going for.The easy-to-apply eyeshadow comes packaged in a small, portable sleek case with a magnetic lid so it can conveniently accompany you on all your travels.Here’s avideothat demonstrates exactly how easy it is to use this product every day.
Pros
- Ideal for day and night makeup look
- Natural colors
- Lasts all day
- Does not crease
- Smooth and easy to blend
- Offers a shimmery finish
Cons
- May require a light primer or foundation for the colors to be vibrant
- May have a powdery texture
2.Best Waterproof Formula:Ecofavor De’Lanci Panda Eyeshadow Palette
The Ecofavor De’Lanci Panda eyeshadow palette features nine cool-toned neutral shades that are richly pigmented, making them suitable for creating a stunning smokey eye or dramatic goth makeup look. This versatile palette is also great for creative Halloween looks. Its waterproof formula ensures long-lasting wear, and the smooth texture of the shadows makes them easy to blend.
The shadows offer an impressive color payoff, so you only need a small amount to achieve the desired shade. Additionally, these eyeshadows are sweat-proof and non-streaky and have a hypoallergenic formula.
Pros
- Compact and portable
- Easy to remove
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Suitable for all skin tones
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Some shades may be a bit chalky
- May experience some fallout during application
3. Best For A Shimmery Effect:Vodisa Matte And Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette
This professional eyeshadow palette is a combination of 18 matte shades and seven shimmer eyeshadows. It’s perfect for day and night use with its mix of cool and warm mattes with neutral shimmer hues. The easy-to-wear, long-lasting, waterproof eyeshadow is made of safe and high-quality extracts and ingredients. The 25 colors of this makeup palette enable you to go from subtle to dramatic depending on your mood and occasion.
Made of highly pigmented, natural, and nourishing ingredients, it’s suitable for both normal and oily skin.The soft textured powders with their super blendability give you a seamless finish, and the colors are dye-free and range from cream colors for highlighting to dark colors for smokey eyes. This palette comes with a set of six eye makeup brushes to make application a cinch.
Pros
- Blends well
- Lots of colors to choose from
- Includes both cool and warm tones
- Comes with a set of brushes
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Brushes could have been a little less stiff
- Might cause mild irritation to sensitive eyes
4. Best Highly-Pigmented:Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Shadow & Liner
This six-eyeshadow palette set has multi-reflective shimmer shades for a glamorous look for any occasion. The six shimmery shades are creaseless, long-lasting, and have a blendable formula. Made with safe and healthy ingredients, they are suitable for even those with sensitive skin and contact lens wearers.
The product is recommended by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, ophthalmologists, and allergists. This hypoallergenic product is devoid of 150+ harsh ingredients usually found in makeup products. It’s also cruelty-free, so you can use this product without an iota of guilt.
Pros
- Compact size
- Blends smoothly
- Comes with an eye shadow stick
- Suitable for day and night wear
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Some may find it a little too glittery
- May not be highly pigmented
5.Best For All Skin Tones:Rimmel Magnif’eyes Eye Palette
The Rimmel Magnif’eyes palette features 12 high-shimmer shades in light and dark colors, suitable for creating versatile day and night makeup, from natural to dramatic look. Its smooth and blendable formula ensures effortless application with minimal creasing or smudging, making it long-lasting.
With this sultry palette, you can break free from the traditional black and gray colors typically used for smokey eyes and create multiple monochromatic smokey looks that will turn heads.
Pros
- Compact size
- Soft texture
- Suitable for all skin tones and eye colors
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- 可能不是pigmente吗d as expected
- May not be suitable for daily wear
Trivia6. Best Smudge-Proof:Almay Smoky Eye Trios Eyeshadow – Lavender Haze
This eyeshadow is suitable for every occasion and comes in a unique and compact eye-shaped palette. The velvety and rich texture of these eyeshadows is sure to enhance your eye makeup. These long-lasting shades last for up to 16 hours so you can wear them for work or to party without worrying about smudging, creasing, or fading.
The hypoallergenic, ophthalmologist-tested, and non-irritating formula is safe for all skin types. You can make gorgeous blends with the three colors of this palette and create a bold and beautiful look.
Pros
- Doesn’t irritate the eyes
- Soft and smooth texture
- Easy to use
- Blends easily–not too heavy
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Colors may be a bit too subtle
- Does not come with applicators
7. Best Blendable:BYS Eyeshadow Palette – Nude Smokey
The matte and metallic shimmers of this collection help accentuate the beauty of the eyes. It comes with a dual applicator blender as well as a brush which makes application quick and easy. This palette features 12 shades ranging from barely visible nude to deep shades, so you can create a subtle or dramatic look that’s suitable for every occasion.
These velvety, highly pigmented eyeshadows shade, define, and brighten your eye and are extremely long lasting and blendable. The easy-to-apply eyeshadow palette comes with a full-width mirror that enables you to apply these matte to shimmer shades on the go whenever you please.
Pros
- Contains cool shades of gray
- Colors are not dusty of flaky
- Blends extremely well
- Resistant to oil or sweat
- Cruelty-free
Cons
- Staying power could have been better
- May require multiple layers
8. Best Soft-Textured:Ucanbe Luxury Gathering 60 Colors Eyeshadow Palette
This smokey eyeshadow palette has 60 nude spectrum eye colors with soft and blendable textures. The highly pigmented long-lasting eyeshadow palette has soft mattes and shimmery metallics to suit your mood and occasion, and makes for a great starter palette. It has a good balance of cool and warm tones and can create both a glamorous smokey look or an everyday look with equal panache.
The ingredients used in these waterproof eyeshadows are of high-quality and they have an ultra-micronized pigmented formula and silky and creamy texture. They can also be used as a liner and for contouring your eyes.
Pros
- Contains a good mix of matte and shimmer shades
- Soft shadows
- Blends well
- Good color payoff
- Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free
Cons
- May require multiple layers to get the desired look
- May not include enough cool tones
Did you know?9. Best With Natural Mineral Oil:Shany Smokey Eyes Eyeshadow Palette
对烟的眼睛最好的眼影调色板, it comes with 12 shimmer and highly pigmented smokey colors—three shades of white to off-white, three shades of gray to silver, three shades of brown, and three shades of black to jet black. Each eyeshadow is made from a natural mineral oil base that creates their vibrant color, allows smooth application, and makes them resistant to smudging or fading.
It comes in a compact, slender, sturdy, and portable container, which makes it an ideal travel companion. The high-quality, buttery soft colors of this palette are blendable and smooth to apply and are ideal for both day and night use. With this, you have a wide range of looks at your disposal to experiment with different styles.
Pros
- Combination of light and dark shades
- Good pigmentation
- Blends smoothly
- Stays on for long
- Doesn’t smudge
- Easy to carry
Cons
- Does not include a brush
- May not be great for those with sensitive eyes
10. Best For Full-Coverage:L.A. Girl Beauty Brick Eyeshadow Collection – Smokey
The bold and smoky 12-color eyeshadow palette offers full coverage and has a super soft texture. Its blendable and buildable formula gives your lids a beautiful look in shimmer, metallic, and matte finishes. The collection includes four basic brown matte shades, a light gray, a deep navy blue, two highlighting shades in cream and silver, and four shimmery colors—gray, taupe, brown, and purple. These pretty shades can be mixed and matched for different smokey looks. The cruelty-free product has good pigmentation, and long-staying power. In addition, it has a great texture with subtle, dimensional shimmer, so you have none of that chunky glitter on and around your lids.
These eyeshadows in cool-toned colors are ideal for creating the perfect smokey eyes. This palette comes in a magnetic case that includes a mirror and double-sided eyeshadow applicator, making it easy to use while on the go.
Pros
- Panel includes a mirror
- Lovely colors to let you create different looks
- Colors are buttery, buildable, and pigmented
- Doesn’t run or flake
- Suitable for mature skin
Cons
- May not stay on for long
- May be slightly messy during application
11. Best Customizable:Palladio Eyeshadow Quad
This elegant smokey eye palette has four highly pigmented eyeshadows and is a combination of matte and shimmery shades, which can be customized to suit all occasions. The off white, light gray, dark gray, and pink colors of this palette can be used all year round and for both day and night wear. It comes in a compact palette with a dual sponge applicator for convenient and on-the-go application.
The formula is infused with aloe vera, shea butter, and vitamin E, which keep the eyes hydrated and gives these eyeshadows a silky smooth texture. And you can use this product guilt-free as it’s cruelty-free too.
Pros
- Contains just the right amount of shimmer
- Vivid colors
- Easy to apply
- Easily blends with other makeup
- Free of parabens, talc, and gluten
Cons
- May be a little too shimmery for day use
- Might not show up well on medium to dark skin tones
12.Best Cruelty-Free:Ccolor Soft Natural Eyeshadow Palette
If you are looking to experiment with a smokey eye look but find the intense black shades overwhelming, the Ccolor natural eyeshadow palette can be a great starting point. With soft neutrals like brown and beige, you can still achieve a beautiful smokey eye without appearing too harsh. This versatile palette features shimmer and matte shades suitable for daytime and nighttime wear.
The colors are highly pigmented and offer a one-swipe color payoff with buildable intensity to suit your preferences. The soft, satin texture of the shadows allows a seamless application, and the formula won’t fade or smudge, letting you play around and create various looks.
Pros
- Blends effortlessly
- Cruelty-free and free of harsh chemicals
- Long-lasting formula
- Suitable for wet and dry applications
- Travel-friendly
Cons
- May be a bit smaller than expected
- May require more product for better coverage
13.Best Buildable Formula:Lancome Drama Hypnose Eyeshadow Palette
The Lancome Drama Hypnose eyeshadow palette features five cool-toned shades that range from matte to metallic to help you create beautiful day-to-night looks. Its smooth and soft texture makes application a breeze, and the buildable pigment lets you intensify the look according to your preference.
These versatile eyeshadows are flake-resistant and smudge-resistant, making them suitable for creating a striking smokey eye. You can use the lightest shade to highlight the brow bone and inner corner, while the darkest shade can be used to smoke out your eyeliner and intensify the waterline.
Pros
- Compact size for portability
- Blends smoothly
- Includes two foam applicators
- Long-wearing pigment
Cons
- Colors may crumble
- Some shades may shinier than expected
14.Best Vegan:Winky Lux Galaxy Kitten Eyeshadow Palette
The Winky Lux galaxy eyeshadow palette features nine colors with a balanced mix of matte, satin, and shimmery shades to create fun eye looks. The colors are highly pigmented and have a velvety formula that goes on smoothly and does not crease even with long wear.
This versatile, cool-toned, micro-milled palette is suitable for daytime and nighttime wear and has beautiful light, dark, and transition shades that can be used to create natural or dramatic looks. It is flattering on all skin tones and is free of harsh chemicals.
Pros
- Compact size
- Long-lasting formula
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Gluten-free
Cons
- Some colors may be a bit patchy
- Coverage may be a bit light for some
15. Best Travel Companion:Ecofavor Nude Gold Smokey Eyeshadow Palette
This smokey eyeshadow palette contains 15 naked, warm, and neutral metallic shades for that perfect smokey eye look. The highly pigmented colors are extremely blendable and come in a smokey velvet matte, shimmer, and metallic finish for super dimensional looks. The long-lasting and waterproof eyeshadow palette comes in a compact and convenient size which makes it an ideal travel companion.
The velvety and silky soft powders blend evenly and smoothly, adhere easily to the eyes, and give a great smoky eye effect. Moreover, the organic formula glides smoothly along your eyelids, giving full coverage and is suitable for all skin tones.
Pros
- Has a creamy and silky texture
- Easy to put on
- Good collection of nude shades
- Comes with a mirror
- Vegan-friendly and cruelty-free
Cons
- Colors may be a bit too bright
- May not be highly pigmented
How To Choose The Right Smokey Eye Palette?
Go through these pointers to choose an eyeshadow palette that works the best for you.
- Texture and finish: Before you choose your eyeshadow palette, you need to be sure whether you want a matte, creamy, shimmery, or metallic palette. A matte finish is good if you have oily skin, as it has no shine or sparkle and has a long wear. If you have sensitive skin, a natural mineral based eyeshadow palette is a good choice. Creamy eyeshadows are great for dry skin, while a shimmer and metallic palette is ideal for those late night parties.
- Eye color: Brown and black eyes look their best with burgundy, but warm browns also work well if you want to go for a more neutral look. Midnight blues and rich navy blues give a very dramatic look to brown and black eyes. Warm peach and mustard hues brighten up green eyes. Layering and blending with colors like milk chocolate, cool taupe, or gold can help highlight and add richness, intensity, and dimension to your eyes. Those with blue eyes can get a greyer tone for a smokey eye effect with shades of lavender and a purple eyeshadow. But if you want a more electric look, go for rust colored eyeshadows.
- Versatility: A nude eyeshadow palette is very versatile and goes with most outfits and is also a good choice for beginners. It helps you to understand the difference in the colours that should be applied to the crease, the outer corner of your eyes, the eyelid, and brow bone. However, palettes that offer a wide range of shades are great too.
- Quality over quantity: Sometimes you may get tempted to buy a palette because it has 30 different colors in it, but they may have no pigmentation to speak of. Choose an eyeshadow palette that contains highly pigmented shades that go with your eye color, skin tone, as well as personality. Also don’t choose a palette just because you happen to like one color in it. If you are not going to use at least 80% of the colors in your eyeshadow palette, then it’s better to go for single colors. Make sure your palette has a good mix of textures and colors— a light shade, a dark shade, a neutral shade, and one with shimmer.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Poulami Nag is a writer and editor passionate about fashion, makeup, and skincare products. She undertakes extensive research to make her reviews informative and objective. In this article, she lists the best smokey eye palettes that are high-quality, pigmented, and long-lasting. Poulami has considered user reviews to give you an unbiased opinion. The list includes a buying guide to help you choose the right product.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does a smokey eye look good on everyone?
Yes, there’s a smokey eye variant for every eye type. For instance, a winged smokey eye look complements almond-shaped eyes, while a thick liner on both lashes smokey avatar accentuates big round eyes.
2. What color lipstick goes with smokey eyes?
Although it’s a matter of personal preference, light or subtle shades of pink, nudes, and peach are recommended to accompany smokey eyes as they make the eyes and smokey effect more prominent and noticeable.
3. Can I wear red lipstick with smokey eyes?
Red lipstick paired with smokey eyes screams a perfect party or glam look when you want to make a bold statement with panache.
4. How do I do a smokey eye as a beginner?
Here’s a quick way to achieve smokey eyes with perfection, even as a beginner.
- Apply a gel-based eye pencil on the lower and upper waterlines.
- Use the same eye liner as a primer and color half of the eyelid or till the fold.
- Buff the edges of the primer with a small fluffy brush.
- Set it with black eye shadow for a crease-free matt finish.
- Smudge out the lower lash line with a flat definer brush.
- Soften the edges further by buffing a brown shadow.
- Soften the new edges with a blending brush for a dissolved effect.
- Apply a bit of highlighter in the inner corners and just below the brow bones.
Smokey eyes are the trending eye makeup in recent times. It comes from the retro phase that is now back in style, and everyone wants to master the look. These dramatic eyes can be attained with the help of a palette consisting of the right shades. Ensure to consider the finishing and smoothness of the product and choose shades that naturally blend in with your skin tone. Lastly, research the brand and quality of the product to ensure your safety.
Infographic: Mistakes To Avoid When Creating Smokey Eyes
不仅是创建完美的烟眼睛效果about using the right eyeshadow palette but also avoiding certain mistakes that can ruin your look. The following infographic lists such mistakes you should avoid when creating the smokey eye look.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.
Download Infographic
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