9 Best Eyeshadow Palettes For 2026, Tested & Reviewed

How I test eyeshadow palettes:

Testing a product doesn’t mean swiping it on my face once and calling it a day. It means weeks, months and sometimes even years of testing to properly get a feel for how something performs and whether I’d genuinely recommend spending your money on it.

When it came to testing the best eyeshadow palettes, the main things I looked at were pigmentation, blendability, staying power and fallout – because no one wants to spend 20 minutes perfecting their eye makeup only to find half of it sitting underneath their eyes an hour later. A good eyeshadow primer definitely helps, but the best formulas shouldn’t need too much work to look good.

I also paid attention to how wearable the shades actually were, how easy they were to work with and whether I found myself reaching for the palette again once testing was technically over.

Oh, and because my skin tone, makeup preferences and eyelids obviously aren’t representative of everyone’s, I also roped in other members of the Glamour team to test palettes across different skin tones, eye shapes and makeup styles. If a palette has made it into this guide, it’s because it genuinely impressed all of us – and, most importantly, it’s one we’d happily use again.

Why you can trust me:

As a beauty writer, it’s actually in my job description to test products – from the best vitamin C serums and LED face masks to hair growth serums and pretty much everything in between. No two days look quite the same. So, after six years in the beauty industry, I’ve tried more eyeshadow palettes than I could ever realistically get through. Creamy neutrals, everyday browns, glittery shimmers, colourful mattes, chromes – you name it, it’s probably been on my eyelids at some point. You can trust my recommendations more than your average beauty fan.