Eye shadow is my weakness. Even if I only have two minutes to put on makeup after my skincare routine is sorted [1], there's a 99.9 percent chance it's something that will go on my lids [2]. When new palettes come out at Sephora [3], my eyes water tears of joy at all the colours — but in direct competition with my shadow obsession is a love of travel [4] that I indulge in just as much . . and those two things don't always mix.
You see, out of sight is never out of mind for me, so I only ever travel with a carry-on bag. And there's no way a palette will remain flat, right-side-up for the entire journey, crammed in my suitcase. (We won't even get started on the idea of packing a full-set of brushes [5].)
Because I rather like my clothes and shoes without a surprise dusting of shimmer after I land, I've tried dozens of eye shadows [6] in any other form I could find, and here are my very favourite ones to bring with me on a trip, all from Sephora. These tubes, tubs, and sticks will last wheels up to wheels down, time and time again. If fact, some of them are so good, they've earned a spot in my regular rotation [7], or a place in my gym bag [8] (or desk drawer) when I'm closer to home.
Find the best eye shadows for travel from Sephora ahead.
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick
Not only is a shadow in pencil form easy to use, it's also extremely portable. This Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick [9] ($30) is a waterproof option whether you want to attempt a brush-free smoky eye, or simply add one of the 15 colours on as a regular shadow.
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow
Tubs of creamy eye shadows like this Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow [10] ($32) mean you don't have to worry about a powder palette cracking if squeezed in a makeup bag or getting everywhere if the top isn't fully on. It's also so easy to apply: Just dab some on a finger and sweep back and forth like windshield wipers to coat your entire lids with colour, no brush — or mirror — necessary.
Stila Shimmer and Glow Liquid Eye Shadow
This lightweight, water-based Stila Shimmer and Glow Liquid Eye Shadow [11] ($24) stays on even without primer (so that secondary product can be left out of your travel bag if need be). And, while there's a ton of shimmer, if you're wanting something that really sparkles, there's also the Stila Glitter and Glow Liquid Eye Shadow [12] ($24) in a similar texture with added glitter.
Milk Makeup Eye Pigment
A little goes a long way with this Milk Makeup Eye Pigment [13] ($24), which is especially good if you're just dipping a toe finger into the new pastel makeup trend [14]. Because it dries very quickly for a gel, it's easy to apply liner pretty much immediately after this, and it makes an excellent base for a layered shadow look.
Huda Beauty Matte and Metal Melted Double Ended Liquid Eyeshadows
Even if space is tight in your beauty bag, this Huda Beauty Matte and Metal Melted Double Ended Liquid Eyeshadows [15] ($25) still deserves a spot. After all, it's actually two shadows in one — a velvety matte on one end (to apply all over your lid), and a metallic on the other with a paintbrush-like tip to get the sparkles exactly where you want them.
Lancôme Ombre Hypnôse Stylo Longwear Cream Eyeshadow Stick
This Lancôme Ombre Hypnôse Stylo Longwear Cream Eyeshadow Stick [16] ($25) is another smart travel-bag option as it comes with its own built-in sharpener in case you want to use the shadow as an eyeliner instead. It's also long-lasting and waterproof so the colour stays on, no matter how you apply.
Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow
Yes, this may look like a traditional eye shadow palette with potential to crack, but trust that this shadow is extremely well packed in — and it's travelled about 25,000 miles with me in the six months alone. The Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow [17] ($22) is extremely velvety and smooths right onto lids as a light shadow solo, or can add a soft dusting of glitter on top of other shadows (or even to your cheeks as a highlighter).
Surratt Beauty Smoky Eye Baton
While most people are not taking a full set of brushes on a weekend getaway, it's true that not all makeup looks can happen with just your fingers. That's where this Surratt Beauty Smoky Eye Baton [18] ($35) comes in. Create ombré smoky eyes by first applying the creamy pencil side. Then, flip to use the smudge tip — it's packed with eye shadow that comes out as you press to add additional colour and shading as desired.
Kaja Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment
This Kaja Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment [19] ($16) has both crystal powder and glitter pearls for maximum sparkle. The bright colours — including teal, amethyst, and royal blue — all dry to a powdery set, even though the eye shadow's more like a gel when it comes out of the tube.
Tom Ford Emotionproof Eye Colour
The waterproof Tom Ford Emotionproof Eye Colour [20] ($46) won't come off if your emotions get the best of you. There's also the Tom Ford Cream Colour For Eyes [21] ($46) which just-as-easily blends in with a finger — and both offer such rich, pigmented colours that you may not even want to add a second shadow on top.
Armani Beauty Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow
If you want to try out a liquid eye shadow but want no glitter, shimmer, or metallic tones near your eyes, this Armani Beauty Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow [22] ($30) comes in matte shades just for you. (Note: There are shimmery options as well.) There's no primer needed to get a smooth sweep of colour, and it can be applied as a shadow or a liner with the applicator tip, or be swept on and blended in with your fingers instead.
Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour
A full shadow look can be created with just two of the Nudestix Magnetic Eye Colour [23] ($26) pencils, but it's tempting to pick up more than just that when considering your base and accent colours. Even more tempting than the 22 total hues offered separately is this limited-edition Nudestix Rose Gold Palette [24] ($59). It would cost $156 if you purchased each full-sized pencil separately . . . but most colours are only available in this kit at Sephora.
Wander Beauty Exquisite Eye Liquid Shadow
The silky Wander Beauty Exquisite Eye Liquid Shadow [25] ($22) is more than just makeup as it's rich in nourishing ingredients for your skin from soothing green tea leaf extract and aloe water to niacinamide to fight fine lines. That doesn't mean the five earth-toned colours are any less radiant — and a texture that starts out liquid but ends like an actual powder make it easy to apply with nothing more than your hands.
Kaja Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio
These super-portable Kaja Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trios [26] ($21) pack together complementary shades, whether that's three shimmers or a mix of shimmery and matte options. It's possible to apply all over your lids with a finger, but the darker colours make a nice liner if you happen to have that brush type with you, too.
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow
Fill in (or line) lids with this Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Shadow [27] ($29). The creamy, crease-resistant pencil comes in shimmer, matte, and metallic formulas . . . and, depending on the colour you choose, it can also add glow elsewhere as a highlighter.
Supergoop! Shimmershade Illuminating Cream Eyeshadow SPF 30
There's bonus sun protection in the Supergoop! Shimmershade Illuminating Cream Eyeshadow SPF 30 [28] ($24), ideal for warm weather holidays. The shimmery shadows can be built up for a pigmented colour, or serve as a soothing primer base instead (as there are antioxidant-rich flower essences in all).
Sephora Collection Colourful Shadow and Liner
There are over 1,700 5-star reviews for this Sephora Collection Colourful Shadow and Liner [29] ($14). It can be blended out into shadow solo, or used to top another shadow for a lined, smoky eye look. No matter what you choose, the highly pigmented colours are very resistant to sweat, water, heat, and humidity.
Violet Voss Eye Glitter Topper
If a sweep of sparkle sounds like the perfect end to any party look, this Violet Voss Eye Glitter Topper [30] ($15) is here for you. Not only is there less mess than actual glitter, it's easy to pop this in a bag or pocket when you want to boost up your daytime look with some extra sparkle come night.