Beauty
Bring on the shine.
Maybe you've started rocking winter nail colors or swiping on winter's hottest lipstick shades as you prepare for the holiday festivities (even though they're probably virtual). Another way to show some cheer in your beauty look? With a shimmer eyeshadow palette, which will take your eye makeup from zero to festive in a flash.
Whether you're planning to attend a Zoom holiday party or want to get fancy for yourself and only yourself (because makeup counts as self-care), shimmer eyeshadows are the way to go. The options are endless: You can use a mixing medium and turn them into eyeliners, choose a bright, bold shade to wear in your inner corner, or wear them in lieu of a more traditional eyeshadow shade. Or, if you're feeling extra snazzy, wear shimmers in your crease and on your lid for an extra-festive eye look.
If you need a bit of help tracking down some of the best shimmer eyeshadow palettes for your sparkly eye, these 15 options are a good place to start.
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1
The Liquid Option
A palette doesn't have to be in powder form. These liquid eyeshadows from e.l.f. feature bold, strong pigments for plenty of color via their metallic shimmer, all in liquid formulas (which are easy to swipe on, BTW). Plus, with eight shades, you can create a multitude of different looks with just one palette.
2
The High-Shimmer Creams
For those who already have their fair share of matte eyeshadows, Rare Beauty's Confident Energy palette is perfect. Every shade features vivid shimmer in a creamy, blendable formula that delivers gorgeous hues. Plus, the small, travel-friendly collection of shades features a variety of colors like blue and green alongside more neutral hues.
3
The Neutral Tones
For those who need a more mild introduction to the world of shimmer shadows, Tarte's Make Magic Happen is the way to go. The collection features all neutral tones and some matte shades to dip your toes into shimmery waters before going for a full-on sparkle fest (though that's an option with this, too).
4
The Splurge
If you're looking to go big on the shine, Pat McGrath's latest launch is a great choice. While yes, this palette is $78 and a definite drop in the money bucket, it's also a deal for getting this many shimmery pigments from the legendary makeup artist's line. Most of McGrath's palettes retail for around $125, so if you're looking for some festive eyeshadows and have always wanted to try her products, this is the palette to choose.
5
The Rose Gold Option
Charlotte Tilbury's iconic Pillow Talk range has been distilled down into a quad collection of rose gold eyeshadow shimmers that are perfect for fans of the brand. Just like the popular lipstick hues of the line, the hues in this palette are flattering for all skin tones, and they don't crease — no matter how long you wear them for.
6
The Adventurous Option
If you want to try more eclectic eyeshadow shades, this four-part palette by Chanel Beauty brings shimmery hues that are less traditional. There's an army green, gorgeous bronze, and two other vibrant colors to blend into your holiday makeup looks.
7
The Jewel Tone Palette
Urban Decay's Stoned Vibes palette is perfect for people who can't get enough jewel tones. From emerald green to sapphire blue and amethyst, the shimmery shades are rich and sparkly — aka everything you could ask for in a holiday look.
8
The Metallic Option
For those who love high-impact metallics, Makeup By Mario's shimmer palette is a solid choice. The collection features warm, neutral tones like gold and cream but is also home to vivid hues like teal blue and olive green — all of which give you chromatic effects to play with.
9
The Budget Option
If you're more of a cool-toned makeup fan, Milani's Gilded Coast palette offers silvers, grays, blues, and champagne hues that are perfect for winter weather. It also gives you a mix of matte and more shimmery finishes for any kind of look you want to try. Oh, and it doesn't break the bank.
10
The Clean Beauty Choice
Clean beauty fans will love Lily Lolo's eyeshadow palette, which offers a range of colors with both matte and shimmery finishes. All are blendable, so you can go sheer or opt for a bolder, more sparkly finish using the pretty shades (which range from pale neutrals to deep charcoal gray).
11
The Hypnotic Hues
For your most festive holiday looks, swipe on one (or maybe three) shades from this Uoma Beauty palette. It's got a wide range of vivid hues, like shimmery greens, shimmery gold, and matte colors to mix together for the perfect finish.
12
The More-Is-More Option
If bold color is your thing, Huda Beauty's Obsessions palette in Gemstone gives you gorgeous, vibrant options to play with. With a collection of rainbow-hued shimmers, this palette brings you pops of blue and green for your cool-tone fix as well as orange and red for when you're craving a warm look.
13
The Trendy Option
Into experimenting with your makeup look? Opt for Fenty Beauty's Snap Shadow palette in Money. The olive and green hues have been an it-colors since fall, and four of the six shades in this palette give you fun forest colors in shimmery finishes.
14
The Versatile Option
Natasha Denona's mini palette brings you a mix of light and dark shimmery eyeshadows, including a shiny mocha hue and a rose gold. All of the five shadows deliver bold pigment, and they're easy to throw in your bag for whenever you're on the go and need a touch up.
15
The Day-To-Night Option
This eyeshadow palette from PYT Beauty works for both your day and nighttime makeup looks. It gives you cool-toned mattes, but also gorgeous shimmers (think gold and champagne) to layer on when it's time to celebrate.
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