The 5 Best Drugstore Eyeshadow Palettes That’ll Make Your Eyes Pop

When I was in high school, I remember spending hours slinking through the beauty aisles at my local drugstore or Target. I loved seeing the latest product each brand came out with. I frequently tried to swatch products on my hands when I knew I shouldn’t (I mean, who doesn’t do this?). There’s nothing more satisfying to me than finding an incredible beauty product for a great price, and I’ve always loved finding the best drugstore eyeshadow palettes that won’t break the bank. 

I’ve been a beauty editor for a long time, and at this point, I know what’s worth spending money on and what isn’t. Of course, a great luxury eyeshadow palette from Sephora is nice, but you can find eyeshadows just as pigmented, vibrant, and with less fallout at your local drugstore any day. Obviously, one of the biggest drawbacks of finding the best drugstore eyeshadow palettes is that you aren’t allowed to swatch them in-store. Thankfully, there’s no need for you to sketchily open the eyeshadow palette packaging to try and swatch a shade—I’ve tried them all and I’m here to tell you which are worth purchasing. 

The 5 Best Drugstore Eyeshadow Palettes

NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette

This is one of the most popular drugstore eyeshadow palettes on the market, and for good reason—it’s a great neutral palette that works for so many looks. The Warm Neutrals palette contains 16 neutral shades, and features both matte and shimmery colors. 

I love this palette because the colors are pigmented and the fallout is minimal. I did notice that when I applied this eyeshadow with an eyeshadow primer underneath (I love the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer), the colors were more vibrant than when I applied it without a primer. 

One of the downsides of this pick is that the colors in the palette might be a bit too warm for my skin tone. The NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals features a lot of reddish shades. Sometimes, I find that red shades on my eyelids really highlight the redness in my cheeks and chin. Because of this, I normally try to avoid red-based colors. However, this palette does have a bunch of cream and brown shades that complement my skin tone nicely. 

Available at Amazon ($10) | Also available at Target and Ulta

Milani Gilded Nude Hyper Pigmented Eyeshadow Palette

This palette is pretty dang amazing. The formula feels like butter when you apply it to your eyelids. Plus, the pigment is very impressive and the fallout is basically non-existent. The Milani Gilded Nude Hyper Pigmented Eyeshadow Palette comes with 15 shades. Most of them are in the “warm” category. 

This palette has a good mix of shimmery and matte shades. It’s a little bit on the pricier side for a drugstore eyeshadow palette (it’s $15), but I think it’s worth the money because the quality is so good. One con is that it’s a little bit hefty for an eyeshadow palette. Although it’s slim, I can’t really see many folks traveling with this palette. At least I don’t!

Available at Amazon ($15) | Also available at Target and Walmart

Pacifica Cosmic Reflect Palette 

The packaging on this palette makes me laugh. The formula is “hemp-infused” and has marijuana leaves all over it. I kinda love the psychedelic look of this palette—it makes me excited to use it. 

The Pacifica Cosmic Reflect Palette comes with 14 shimmer and matte shades. The shade range in this palette is all over the place, which could be a good thing for those who like to switch it up every once in a while. It has some great neutral shades that can be paired with some of the wild shades, like the purple “Cosmic” or sparkly pink “Delphi.” 

While I love that this palette is clean and cruelty-free, the pigment certainly isn’t as strong as some of the other palettes on this list. I think that’s because Pacifica uses ingredients that are on the more natural, cleaner side. That being said, don’t write this one off—the shades are buildable and you can still get a great, colorful look.

Another downside to this palette is that it is large and bulky. I would keep it at home in your vanity and not travel with it. Finally, it’s the most expensive pick on this list, costing $19 per palette. 

Available at Amazon ($19) | Also available on Pacifica Beauty and Ulta

Maybelline New York The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

This is a truly great selection of nude shades. I love that you can create a soft or super dramatic, smokey eye look with just one palette. With both matte and shimmery shades, you won’t be missing any shade with this pick. 

The colors are great, but the formula isn’t amazing. Unfortunately, these shades will wear off pretty quickly unless you wear an eyeshadow primer underneath. I would not recommend using this palette without an eyeshadow primer. 

Available at Ulta ($13) | Also available at Maybelline

e.l.f. Mad for Matte Eyeshadow Palette

If you’re not a shimmery eyeshadow gal, consider reaching for the e.l.f. Mad for Matte Eyeshadow Palette in Nude Mood. This pick has a great array of nude eyeshadows, ranging from ivory cream to chocolate brown. 

These shades are not super pigmented and have quite a bit of fallout. However, the price is pretty decent, and I like that the palette is so compact and easy to travel with. I also appreciate that, if the palette does break while traveling for whatever reason, it won’t be super devastating since it’s pretty cheap. 

Available at Walmart ($11) | Also available at Target and Walgreens