There are a lot of benefits when buying an an eyeshadow palette [1]. On a very basic level, they provide you with a bunch of different-coloured shadows in one convenient place. If it's a good palette, it gives you the ability to create a wide variety of eye makeup looks, and since the shadows inside were to complement one another, you can easily layer them, blend them together, and mix and match them without worrying if the shades clash. Sometimes, the colours will even be arranged in order of how you should apply them, whilst a few select brands even provide helpful diagrams on the back.

Unfortunately, there are also a few downsides to purchasing an eyeshadow palette. For one, they can be quite expensive. Leave the the high street [2] and you'll be hard pressed to find a palette that's under £25. Second, you can end up with a bunch of colours you never use, which feels like a waste of money and a waste of resources when you have to throw it out with not all of the pans fully empty. We've all been there, even makeup artists and beauty editors, which is why we decided to get to work and create a list of the best eyeshadow palettes on the market, all of which are full of beautiful shades and textures that you won't be able to get enough of.

Before you break out your purse, however, the first thing you want to do is pinpoint what you want to use an eyeshadow palette for. Do you want something that provides you with shadows that you can use to create both daytime looks, nighttime looks, or both? Do you want a selection of shimmery jewel tones [3] that you can choose from for weddings and big events? Do you want a palette that will make executing smoky eyes less of a faff? Do you prefer warm-toned colours like golds, coppers, and bronzes, or cool-toned hues such as blues, grays, and purples? Once you've narrowed down exactly why you want to buy an eyeshadow palette, we promise you it will help narrow your search slightly.

We chose the palettes on this list expressly because of the high quality of their formulas and the fact they work a very wide variety of skin tones. However, if you're ever out shopping and your complexion is in the dark to deep range, makeup artist and beauty influencer Jonet Williamson [4] shared some tips with POPSUGAR to keep in mind. "When selecting metallic or colourful shadows for deeper or darker skin tones, your best bet will be pure pigments — pressed or loose — and mattes that look and feel rich," she explained. "If it passes the swatch test where it [feels] buttery and not powdery to the touch, then it's good in my book."

Keep reading to see our list of the best eyeshadow palettes — from brands like Makeup by Mario, Pat McGrath Labs, Charlotte Tilbury, Tarte, and more — that are truly worth the investment.

— Additional reporting by Danielle Jackson and Tori Crowther

Naomi Sadé London Bronze Lookbook

After years of working at some of the best makeup counters in the UK, makeup artist Naomi Maximen [5] realised the need for a high quality, vegan, cruelty-free eyeshadow palette that was pigmented enough to work across a multitude of skin tones. "As a makeup artist, the most requested look was always smoky eyes that were bronze or gold in tone, but when I would do a bronze or gold smoky eye, I would always have to have two or three different palettes on the table, and it kind of scared people and put them off a bit," Maximen told POPSUGAR. "So, I thought, well, why don't I just create a palette that has enough warm tones to suit every skin tone and a variation of bronzes and golds, so that you don't have to go into three or four different palettes to get all the colours you want." The result? The Naomi Sadé London Bronze Lookbook [6] (£30), which features 12 creamy powder eyeshadows that are guaranteed to look rich and opaque no matter what colour your complexion is.

Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette

The Makeup by Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette [7] (£41) is not only a favourite of nearly every professional makeup artist we've spoken to recently, it also happens to be founder Mario Dedivanovic's favourite piece in his entire makeup collection. "It's inspired by human skin tones and is very universal," Dedivanovic said. His inspiration comes from his very specific eye makeup technique, which he's perfected over the years. "When I do makeup on the eyes, I tend to use complexion products like concealers and foundations and also deeper tones to smoke the eyes first, almost like a primer — then I go in with shadows. So, I've created my eyeshadow palettes based off that technique," he added. Inside you'll find 12 of the most perfect, silky, easy-to-use matte hues you've ever dipped your brush into.

Makeup by Mario Master Metallics Eyeshadow Palette

Dedivanovic's Makeup by Mario Master Metallics Eyeshadow Palette [8] (£41) has also quickly become a makeup artist favourite. A collection of 12 twinkly metallic colours, the powders are ridiculously creamy (thanks to the fact they're actually a blend of powder and cream) — so much so that you can apply them with your fingers and still get intense, sparkly payoff.

Uoma Beauty Black Magic Palette in Poise

The Uoma Beauty Black Magic Palette in Poise [9] (£44) contains a gorgeous selection of powder shadows that will look rich and pigmented on any skin tone. "The shades in the palette are my favourite because there's a combination of mattes and shimmers," Jaleesa Jaikaran [10], makeup artist and host of The Life of a Makeup Artist [11], told POPSUGAR. "The pop of colour is perfect as the palette can give you both simple and elevated looks,

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette

"The Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye Shadow Palette [12] (£46) is one palette I often restock because the shadows look great on all skin tones, the shades can be applied year round, and they also allow for makeup changes that can easily take a look from day to night," makeup artist Latrice Johnson [13] told POPSUGAR. "Additionally, they're so pigmented that I can use them as eyeshadows and liners."

Beauty Bakerie Do It For the Graham Eye Shadow Palette

Beauty Bakerie Do It For the Graham Eye Shadow Palette [14] (£36) is a great way to ease yourself into the world of colourful eyeshadow. In addition to the pretty neutral tones (like shimmery gray, beige, taupe, and bronze), there's also blue, green, red, and yellow hues that, whilst incredibly pigmented, are muted enough in tone that they're not super intimidating to play around with if you're not particularly comfortable with wearing bright colours on your lids.

Cozzette Beauty 12 Mattes Eyeshadow Palette

Another palette that's exceptionally good for dark and deep complexions is the Cozzette Beauty 12 Mattes Eyeshadow Palette [15] (£48). "I love this Cozzette palette because the colours have a gorgeous warm undertone and richness that a lot of palettes fail to execute," said Johnson.

Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Clay Eye Shadow Palette

The Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Clay Eye Shadow Palette [16] (£42) is a fan favourite on both sides of the Atlantic. It's won numerous Readers' Choice Awards in America and is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars on QVC in the UK. The vegan and cruelty-free palette's popularity comes from its extensive range of neutral tones ("no scary colours" as one QVC customer wrote) that come in both shimmery and matte finishes, allowing you to create a wide range of looks for day or night, the office or a party. Tarte's also known for its high quality powder shadows, which blend beautifully and contain quite a bit of pigment.

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership II Sublime Eyeshadow Palette

"I love pretty much all of her palettes, but the Pat McGrath Labs Mothership II Sublime Eyeshadow Palette [17] (£115) is one of my favourites," Williamson told POPSUGAR. "These shadows are super pigmented and melt into the skin nicely without looking powdery/ashy. They're on the pricier side but I promise they are so worth it. [I'd also recommend] Bronze Ambition and Mothership IV. They both include really rich browns, regal golds, and pressed pigments in amazing jewel and ruby tones."

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership VIII: Divine Rose II

In addition to including a breathtakingly beautiful mix of pink and peach tones (no really, we gasped when we first opened this palette in real life), the Pat McGrath Labs Mothership VIII: Divine Rose II [18] (£120) is also extra special because it includes the first ever "triochrome" shadow, which means it's a metallic colour that shifts between three different shades in the light.

Huda Beauty Rose Gold Remastered Palette

After discontinuing her beloved Rose Gold Palette, beauty entrepreneur Huda Kattan gifted us with the Huda Beauty Rose Gold Remastered Palette [19] (£56), which features a new-and-improved powder formula (so that they're silkier and more pigmented), sturdier packaging, and a few shade replacements (Pink Diamond and Bubbly, which take the place of Angelic and Bae). The matte black hue also got an updated wet/dry formula, allowing you to use it as eyeliner if you please. The new palette sold out just a couple days after it launched back in 2018, and it's easy to understand why. The selection of 18 warm-toned pink, red, and neutral shadows flatter a wide variety of skin tones and allow you to create hundreds of different looks — from a subtle daytime smoke to a flashy burgundy cut crease.

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Instant Eye Palette

Makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury took her iconic Pillow Talk lipstick and reimagined it as an epic 12-shade eyeshadow palette full of pink-tinged hues like a shimmery ballerina pink, a vivid matte fuchsia, and a warm taupe. The nicely pigmented powders in the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Instant Eye Palette [20] (£60) suit a variety of skin tones and can be taken from day to dusk to night.

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership I: Subliminal Palette

Yes, we've really included three of McGrath's epic palettes, because it is difficult to pick just one . . . or two, that we really love. Pat McGrath Labs Mothership I: Subliminal Palette [21] (£120), is the very first palette the makeup artist launched in her range and is still an all-time favourite of ours. Most of the 12 shades are neutral tones; however, they're not your average taupes and charcoal grays. There's a shimmery grey with a tinge of lilac to it, there's a duochrome formula that has a orange-brown base with pink-to-blue shifting sparkle, an incredibly inky black that can be used as a liner when applied a wet, as well as a warm, antique gold that twinkles like the real stuff. Amidst all those tones is also McGrath's "Blitz Blue" colour, which is the most dazzling shade of sapphire blue we've ever seen in shadow form.

Viseart Editorial Brights Eyeshadow Palette

If you like to wear bold, vibrant eyeshadow colours than we'd suggest investing in the Viseart Editorial Brights Eyeshadow Palette [22] (£69), which is a favourite amongst professional makeup artists. It may be on the pricier side than some other brightly coloured options, but thanks to the quality of the formula, the powders look as intense and vivid on skin as they do in the pans.

Maybelline New York Nudes of New York Eyeshadow Palette

Maybelline New York Nudes of New York Eyeshadow Palette [23] is a high street option that contains a range of 16 neutral tones in three different finishes — matte, satin, and shimmer — that allow you to experiment with both subtle and dramatic eye makeup looks. A quick note: whilst the powders are strongly pigmented , the few light shades at the top will most likely be too pale for anyone whose complexion is deeper than medium-dark.

Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette

The day the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette [24] (£36, originally £45) launched, not only did it sell out in 13 hours, but the brand's entire site crashed. What was all the hype about? The palette offers an extensive variety of matte and shimmery neutral shades, whilst the warm, rusty tones look beautiful with all eye colours. It's a product we're still obsessed with three years on.