The Best Makeup Palettes
We compared six makeup palettes on owner ratings, price, and specs. The Urban Decay Naked3 Mini Eyeshadow Palette is our top pick for its high pigmentation and versatility.
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The bottom line
The Urban Decay Naked3 Mini Eyeshadow Palette is our top pick for its high pigmentation, versatility, and long-lasting formula. It offers six rosy pink neutral shades that blend smoothly and last up to 12 hours. The closest alternative is the UCANBE Eye Makeup Palette, which provides highly pigmented eyeshadows at a much lower price. For a budget pick, the Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette offers blendable powders for sculpting and shaping at an affordable price.
Urban Decay Naked3 Mini Eyeshadow Palette $35.00
Best eyeshadow palette for versatility and pigmentation
The Urban Decay Naked3 Mini Eyeshadow Palette offers six rosy pink neutral shades with high pigmentation and long-lasting formula. Owners rate it 9.4/10, and it costs $35. The tradeoff is its higher price compared to other options.
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UCANBE Eye Makeup Palette $9.49
Best budget eyeshadow palette with vibrant colors
The UCANBE Eye Makeup Palette provides highly pigmented eyeshadows in various finishes at an affordable price of $9.49. Owners rate it 9/10, but some mention smudging issues.
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Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette $5.42
Best contour palette for medium to dark skin tones
The Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette offers blendable powders for sculpting and shaping at a low price of $5.42. Owners rate it 9.2/10, making it a strong option for medium to dark skin tones.
Check price on AmazonThe field, ranked
- Urban Decay Naked3 Mini Eyeshadow Palette Best for high pigmentation and versatility 9.4/10 $35.00 Amazon
- UCANBE Eye Makeup Palette Best budget option with vibrant colors 9.0/10 $9.49 Amazon
- Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette Best for medium to dark skin tones 9.2/10 $5.42 Amazon
- Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Matte Eyeshadow Palette Good for cool neutral matte shades 8.8/10 $35.00 Amazon
- LAURA GELLER Best of the Best Baked Palette Good for full face application with baked powders 9.0/10 $44.20 Amazon
- JUDYDOLL Contour Palette Highlighter Makeup Korean Makeup Good for sculpting, bronzing, and highlighting with blendable formula 8.8/10 $18.99 Amazon
Owner complaints and issues
Some owners of the UCANBE Eye Makeup Palette mention smudging issues, especially with the more vibrant colors. They recommend using a 'wet' based primed eyelid for better application. Additionally, a few owners of the JUDYDOLL Contour Palette Highlighter Makeup mention that the highlighter may not be very visible on some skin tones.
Also-rans
The Laura Geller Best of the Best Baked Palette and the JUDYDOLL Contour Palette Highlighter Makeup did not earn any pick roles. The Laura Geller palette is a 7-in-1 full face palette but lacks specific strengths compared to the top picks. The JUDYDOLL palette offers blendable formula and long-lasting color but has issues with highlighter visibility on some skin tones.