Matte eyeshadows are great and certainly deserve a round of applause for the heavy lifting they do, but there’s something extra special about applying a shimmering eyeshadow. It feels like sprinkling diamond dust, or depending how heavy you like to go on the glimmer, like rubbing molten metal on your lids. These pearlescent shadows are universally flattering, making everyone look a little more special. Shimmer shadows still can be occasionally disappointing, like when the fallout from the eyeshadow makes you look like a fairy that escaped from Midsummer Night’s Dream—in a bad way—or the shadow fades and rubs away within hours of applying. When you put on a particularly shimmery look, you want that to look flawless. You want it to look as good as it did at 8 p.m. as it does at 3 a.m. Any good shimmering eyeshadow should be able to survive a night of dancing.
We found the best shimmer eyeshadow palettes for you. From a powerful single luminescent shadow to a shimmery palette that gives you plenty of options, we’ve got shimmer shadow for you. From bright blue to the more common bronze, there are shimmering shadows of every shade below for all of your needs. These highly pigmented shadows claim to be long-lasting, creamy and easy to apply.
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1. NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette
There are seven luminescent shimmery eyeshadows in this palette of 16, ranging from your basic beige to a royally reddish-brown. These creamy shades are highly pigmented and easy to apply. This palette is a great choice if you want to create a whole look, because there are matte shades to complement your shimmer. In addition to this palette, NYX also has some great shimmery shades in other palettes such as Ash, Brights, Color Neutrals, Phoenix and Smokey and High.
Image: Amazon
2. Mallofusa Single Shade Baked Eye Shadow Palette
The single shimmer palettes from Mallofusa sure do pack a punch. These baked eyeshadows are highly pigmented and go on smoothly, without looking like you took a bath in gold dust. There are even different gold options, ranging from Copper to Sunshine Gold. If you aren’t a gold gal, there’s also Ice Silver, Rose Pink, Rose Purple and other metallic-y shades to choose from.
Image: Amazon
3. COVERGIRL truNAKED Eyeshadow Palette
These fun little palettes from COVERGIRL feature plenty of gorgeous shimmery shades. These glittery shades are also mixed in with some mattes to complete your look. These creamy eyeshadows are highly pigmented and in wow-worthy shades. If you want something a little different than the pictured palette, there’s also Roses, Nudes, Peach Punch, Smoky and Dazed to choose from.
Image: Amazon