The best neutral eyeshadow palettes at different price points

From beiges and browns to greys and blacks across the saturation and hue spectrum, neutral eyeshadows form the bedrock of any quick, simple, fuss-free yet glamorous eyeshadow makeup look.

These can be easily used to create a soft smoky eye by using the lightest shade as a transition shade and the darkest on the outer edges to create definition beforing finishing with a touch of the shimmers. Of course, various eye makeup looks for both day and night can be created with just your imagination. Find out which trusty neutral eyeshadow palettes you should start exercising your creativity with.

Elf Cosmetics Bite-size Eyeshadow Palette, $5.75

Available in other neutral shade combinations, this pocket-friendly eyeshadow quad makes it easy to create a look. To create a soft Korean-style eyeshadow look, line the eyes with the deepest shade and use the lightest to create a soft fade that hugs the eyes. Then top with the shimmer shades for added punch.

Wet N Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow in Nude Awakening, $12.90

Another compact design, the topmost eyeshadow has been helpfully labelled as the “transition” shade to sculpt the contours of the eye. Then add definition and dimension by playing with the placement of the lighter and deeper shades. The palette is also available in a more green-toned colourway.

Excel Skinny Rich Shadow, $25.90

This four-shadow palette is offered in eight different neutral combinations of hues and tones ranging from cool to warm. Excel also has a helpful chart to help you determine which palette is best suited for your skin tone, whether you veer warmer- or cool-skinned.

Romand Better Than Eyes, $26.90

Soft pink and coral hues are universally flattering, which is why we picked this colour way amongst the many others they offer. You can also consider using the pinks as blush and the brown eyeshadow to fill in your brows.

Clio Pro Eye Palette Advanced, $35.85

This Clio eye palette is for you if you’re looking for neutral eyeshadows beyond the typical beiges and browns. The Spring Sunshine On Canvas (pictured) and Atelier in Hannam are especially colourful while being work-friendly as they are more coral and pastel purple-toned in colour respectively.

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3CE Multi Eye Color Palette, $55

Neutral eyeshadow looks don’t have to be boring. The 3CE palettes offer shimmer and glitter shades with varying textures and colours to amp up any day or night look. The matte shades are also present to complete a cohesive look.

Dominique Cosmetics Transition Palette, US$48 (S$67.07)

Beauty YouTuber Christen Dominique purposefully created her eyeshadow palette with pans big enough to fit larger face brushes so that the shadows can be used across the entire face, whether to bronze, contour or fill in the brows.

This palette is made with all matte shadows, which also makes it a good starter for those just starting to dip their toes in makeup.

Patrick Ta Major Dimension Eyeshadow Palette, $103

Celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta is known for his soft, high glam looks. This palette has two cream bases and both matte and shimmer shades. Use the softer hues for the day/work and turn up the drama with the darker and glitter shades for the night.

Hindash Beautopsy Palette, $106.20

This palette might look intimidating at first but it is actually made to be highly versatile by beauty influencer and makeup artist Hindash.

Each pan features a gradient of colour that you can mix and match within and between pans to create an infinite number of colours for your look.

Natasha Denona Biba Palette, $206

Natasha Denona’s palettes cost a pretty penny but their blendable yet pigmented eyeshadow formulas speak for themselves. The rows are made to be warm, neutral and cool-toned respectively to create a corresponding look but can also be used in combination.

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This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.