The 10 Best Eyeshadows for Blue Eyes in 2024

Top 10 Best Eyeshadows for Blue Eyes 2024

1. Best Overall Eyeshadows for Blue Eyes: Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: 12
• Color Story: Warm-Leaning Nudes
• Finish: Varied
• Pigmentation: Medium and High
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

Every blue-eyed beauty needs a warm, nude eyeshadow palette in their makeup bag, and this one is the ideal choice!

The palette has 12 eyeshadow shades that go together easily in hundreds of different ways, so you can create eyeshadow looks to fit every situation. You can use it for natural-looking makeup, smokey eyes, and soft-glam looks. Because of the versatility, it’s great for travel, and since it’s affordable, it’s not a big deal if it gets lost.

The best shades in here for enhancing blue eyes are warm gold, peachy champagne, and bronze, while taupe, black, beige, and gray are perfect for deepening the crease or adding a smokey effect. There is also a Blushed version of this palette with a cool, pink-leaning color story that looks softer against blue eyes.

Some of the matte shades in this palette are not extremely pigmented, but they’re still workable and beginners will find them forgiving. If you’re a fan of intensely dark, matte looks then we’d suggest picking up the Milani Most Loved Mattes Palette, instead.

If you prefer traditionally flattering and easy beauty looks, this will be the only palette you’ll need. If you also like to experiment, you can supplement it with single eyeshadows or with a colorful palette like the NYX Ultimate Brights Palette.

2. Best Budget Eyeshadows for Blue Eyes: Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Palette

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: 10
• Color Story: Warm Nudes, Peaches, and Blue
• Finish: Varied
• Pigmentation: High
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: It’s Complicated/No

This is a quintessential eyeshadow palette for blue eyes, but with a really fun twist. Palettes like Maybelline’s The Nudes are an easy and safe choice for anyone, but there’s something exciting about an affordable, wearable palette like this one that does things a little differently.

This palette includes the basic matte nudes for a no-makeup look, stunning mattes and frosts in the orange/peach family for colorful looks that bring out blue eyes, and the pièce de résistance: a shimmery blue-teal that mimics your eye color, adds refreshing contrast to a warm eyeshadow, and makes your entire look more compelling and unique.

We love that Wet n Wild took into account how eyeshadow colors are actually used! The medium transition shades, which normally get panned a little faster than vivid colors, come in larger sizes! The deeper transition color could easily double as a bronzer for some shoppers, which is a nice bonus.

The brand took the same approach with their more neutral-cool Rose in the Air and classic nude Nude Awakening, which have the same high-quality formulation but with more traditional color stories.

One thing to note is that the frost shades are a little fussier than the mattes, so we suggest using a tightly-packed brush or even fingers to get the nicest coverage out of them.

If you’d prefer a more subdued little palette that’s still affordable, you might prefer the Revlon Colorstay Quad, instead.

3. Best Premium Eyeshadows for Blue Eyes: LORAC PRO Palette 2 Eyeshadow Kit

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: 16
• Color Story: Cool and Neutral
• Finish: Varied
• Pigmentation: High
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Unclear/No

Not many brands can beat Lorac for eyeshadow quality. With any of their eyeshadow palettes, you know you will receive buttery and pigmented shades that will be incredibly easy to blend or buildup.

This palette has a color story based on cool and neutral shades, so it’s a little softer against blue eyes. This makes it very easy to work with if your skin also has cool undertones!

The shade that excites us the most is Rosé, a soft golden-pink shade that has the same brightening effect on blue eyes as a copper, but without that ultra-warm intensity that can clash against cool skin. Half the palette is frosted for a touch of glam while the other half is matte. There are some fun but easily wearable colors in the mix, like plum, jade, and navy.

If you like to go smokey, the palette includes deep shades like black and charcoal, and there are a few earth tones for natural, no-makeup looks. If you’re serious about your eye makeup, we know that you’ll love this palette because there’s a lot of room to play.

As a major bonus, the palette also comes with Lorac’s fantastic eyeshadow primer, which we think adds a lot of value to this premium purchase.

The only shade that’s missing for us here is a dark chocolate brown or espresso, although others might wish for more highlight shades. It probably won’t work as the only palette in your arsenal the way Maybelline’s The Nudes could, but it’s a very sophisticated addition to an existing eyeshadow collection.

If you’re a premium shopper looking for a more basic eyeshadow palette for blue eyes, Lorac’s Unzipped or the original Pro Palette might be more to your liking.

4. Most Colorful Eyeshadow: NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: 16
• Color Story: Vivid Colors
• Finish: Matte and Satin
• Pigmentation: High
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/No

Anyone can rock bright and colorful eyeshadow, including those with blue eyes! Throughout this article, we mostly focus on conventional colors that make blue eyes pop, but we wanted to give you the option to go all-out with color as well.

This palette offers all of the bright eyeshadow you could possibly want without being overwhelming the way a Morphe palette can be, and with very consistent quality for each shade.

Some of the brights in this palette are more matte while others have a subtle satin sheen. It’s not too detectable on the eyes, but we like that it gives the shadows a bit more dimension. If you blend them out a little, they soften up nicely and can look great with more metallic shades without a massive contrast in texture.

There are so many ways to use this palette, whether alone or with other palettes, to create anything your heart desires. You can add just a pop of neon to a neutral look with a palette like Maybelline’s The Nudes, create a vivid rainbow look, or go for an editorial monochromatic look. We’re getting excited just talking about it! The NYX Instagram page is a fount of inspiration if you want more ideas.

As is true for many other more affordable eyeshadows, we do find that these don’t work great over bare skin. You have to use them over an eyeshadow primer to get maximum intensity and pigmentation.

5. Best Eyeshadow for Mature Blue Eyes: Milani Bold Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: 12
• Color Story: Cool & Warm Earth Tones
• Finish: Matte
• Pigmentation: High
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/No

Before we start recommending this palette, we want to make a very clear caveat: just because your eyes are starting to show signs of your wisdom, it doesn’t mean that you have to do your makeup a certain way–as long you have fun with it, you’ll look gorgeous!

However, with age, you might find yourself contending with a few added concerns: you might want to obscure fine lines or to stick to more subdued colors that won’t raise an eyebrow at the office.

We picked this palette because matte eyeshadows are less likely to emphasize a “crepey” eyelid texture compared to their frosty counterparts. The shades in it are earthy but not overly neutral and they’re incredibly wearable.

The range features plums and pinks for softly flattering looks, as well as peaches and burnt oranges that emphasize blue eyes. The only complaint we’d have (and it’s minor) is that we wish the palette included a few more light shades that could work for highlighting.

All of the shadows in the palette are well-pigmented, which is rare with mattes, especially at this price point. Just as importantly, they have a very soft, creamy texture that’s more appropriate for mature skin which tends to be more delicate.

Finally, you don’t have to have mature skin to rock matte eyeshadows! This matte palette can be awesome alone, or you can use it to round out makeup looks with shimmers or other textures.

6. Best Stick Eyeshadow: Julep Eyeshadow 101 Crème to Powder Stick

Quick Facts:

• Format: Cream-to-Powder Sticks
• Shades in Palette: Singles (24 Shades)
• Color Story: N/A
• Finish: Varied
• Pigmentation: Medium
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Depends on Shade

Powders are what usually comes to mind when we think of eyeshadow, but cream eyeshadows also deserve some attention! These sticks are a fantastic choice if you lead a busy lifestyle and want to glam yourself up quickly.

Their pigmentation isn’t intense, which is nice for a softer makeup look. You can build them up with added layers, but when you’re in a rush it’s convenient since you won’t have to blend much (if at all). However, if you want a creamy eyeshadow with the intensity of a powder, you’ll prefer the L’Oreal Infallible 24HR Shadows, instead.

They come in 24 shades, with both shimmer and matte options. Copper Shimmer is our favorite for blue eyes because it has that orangey tone that emphasizes like no other. Champagne and Warm Gold are two other lovely options for highlighting blue eyes, while matte neutrals like Putty are universally flattering.

The longevity of these eyeshadow sticks is quite good, although it also depends on your point of comparison. If you compare them to wearing powder eyeshadow alone, they hold up significantly better, but they don’t beat the longevity of a primer and powder combination.

Since they’re super effective as eyeshadow primers, they have added utility. They can also double as eyeliners, especially if you want a soft smokey look.

The packaging is perfect to use on the go! The pencils have a shiny finish that looks luxurious, and they roll up on their own, so you don’t need to fuss with a sharpener. The end has a smudger that you can use to blend or smoke things out.

7. Best Eyeshadow for Beginners: Revlon ColorStay 16hr Eyeshadow Quad

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: 4
• Color Story: Neutral
• Finish: Frost
• Pigmentation: Low
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

We think this is a fantastic eyeshadow choice for anyone with blue eyes who is new to makeup, although pros might find it disappointing. The little compact comes with 4 powder eyeshadows that have a pretty frost finish.

The color story is quite light, with two highlight shades, a gold shade that’s perfect for the lid, and a medium brown that’s an easy choice for the crease. Most of the shades in this palette are neutral so they can be worked into any number of makeup looks, but the gold is quite warm and will do a wonderful job of softly emphasizing blue eyes.

This palette is not as dramatically blue-enhancing as the warmer Wet n Wild Not a Basic Peach, so it’s a better choice for those who prefer more subtle looks.

Because the colors are frosted, this quad won’t work for a totally natural makeup look, but the shades don’t have enough color payoff to create a dramatic effect. It’s the kind of palette that adds a bit of “oomph” and polish without ever veering into boldness. The colors come together easily, and they can be used to create a few different looks, from soft smokey eyes to classic eyeshadow shapes.

Newcomers to makeup often struggle with over applying and blending. Thankfully, the low pigmentation makes these shadows impossible to overapply and very forgiving of inexperienced blending. If you’re new and still a little nervous about working with eyeshadow, or if you’re looking to gift makeup to someone in such a situation, this is an excellent choice.

8. Best Eyeshadow Singles: Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Singles

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: Singles
• Color Story: N/A
• Finish: Varied
• Pigmentation: High
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Depends on Shade

The Anastasia Beverly Hills eyeshadow singles are not very famous, especially if we compare them to iconic products like the brand’s Modern Renaissance Palette (which almost made it on this list). What many don’t know is that the eyeshadow singles are often the same shades found in the palettes!

Palettes offer better value, but sometimes you’d rather spend a little more to get exactly what you want. If that’s your situation, we think these are the best eyeshadow singles you can find.

They’re not cheap–a single shadow costs about the same as some of the budget palettes on this list, but their quality is immense and consistent. The matte shades stand out in particular. It’s usually difficult to find pigmented and blendable matte eyeshadows, so they are truly unique.

Realgar is a special favorite because it’s almost a neutral brown, but with a strong orange undertone that complements blue eyes and that pairs well with other flattering shades like peach, or rose gold. However, you can’t go wrong with any of the colors!

Just be aware, these are technically eyeshadow refills that are meant to be pressed into an existing palette or compact. It’s very eco-friendly, but it’s not convenient if you don’t have a refillable or magnetic palette like this one.

9. Best Cream Eyeshadow: L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24HR Shadow

Quick Facts:

• Format: Cream
• Shades in Palette: Singles
• Color Story: N/A
• Finish: Varied
• Pigmentation: High
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: No

This is a slightly more intense cream eyeshadow option for those with blue eyes. Calling them “cream eyeshadows” is not quite right, since the formula is a true powder-cream hybrid (more so than the Julep Eyeshadow 101 Sticks).

The formula is incredibly soft and velvety, but not overly creamy. The shadows dry down and self-set beautifully, so they have better longevity than the Julep sticks.

Endless Sea is the standout color in the range. It’s the kind of iridescent teal that’s very striking as an accent on blue eyes, especially as a cool touch when the rest of the eyeshadow is warm-toned. We suggest applying it with a thin angle brush, like eyeliner!

There are other shades here that suit blue eyes particularly well, like the coppery Amber Rush and Glistening Garnet which is a warm magenta.

Aside from pigmentation, the major difference between these shadows and the Julep Sticks is the application method. Since the 24HR Shadows come in a jar, they’re not as quick or easy to apply. The best way to apply them is directly with fingers or with a very firm brush, and while they blend easily, they do require a bit more effort than the Julep sticks.

In general, we find that all of the metallic shadows in this range are stunning, while the matte shades are a little harder to work with. Their texture is a little too dry, so they’re difficult to build up and blend.

10. Best Vegan Eyeshadow: Pacifica Pink Nudes Mineral Eyeshadows

Quick Facts:

• Format: Powder
• Shades in Palette: 10
• Color Story: Cool Nudes and Pinks
• Finish: Matte and Satin
• Pigmentation: Medium
• Cruelty-Free/Vegan: Yes/Yes

Vegan eyeshadows are hard to find, especially if you’re looking for a palette with warm tones that’ll emphasize blue eyes. This palette from Pacifica is the best option we’ve seen. It’ll also appeal to clean beauty lovers since the formula is free from talc and other controversial ingredients.

As you can tell from the name, pink shades rule this palette, although there are also two earthy peaches that are great with blue eyes. Makeup minimalists will really like the neutral browns in this palette, which could work well to fill in the eyebrows. This palette can be used for no-makeup makeup, ethereal, and matte glam looks without any issue, and it’ll be nice both for beginners and for those with a bit more experience.

As can be expected from a clean formula, the pigmentation on these shadows is a little low. You can build them up for more drama, but none of the shades have that easy one swipe opacity that most of the other shadows on our list have. The texture is a little chalky, so you’ll also have to be careful when applying not to end up with fallout under the eyes. For many, it’s a small price to pay for a clean, vegan formula.

If you also want some frosted eyeshadows with a formula that’s true to your ethos, check out the Crystal Matrix palette from the same range. The color story isn’t as cohesive, especially for those with blue eyes, but we think it complements the Pink Nudes palette quite well.

If you’re strictly interested in vegan eyeshadows, but ingredients like talc aren’t a concern and you’d rather have fierce pigmentation, then quite a few of the ABH Eyeshadow Singles are vegan, though you’ll have to check each color’s ingredient list to verify.