One thing we know for sure is the right foundation and concealer are essential to building the literal foundation of a makeup look. However, the eyes are where a blank, even canvas comes alive. Unfortunately, so much of the time, I am guilty of using the same old eye products to create my looks because the color of my eyes doesn't necessarily pop. But lucky for me (and anyone else with brown eyes), I enlisted the advice of expert Fatima Thomas, senior national makeup artist at MAC Cosmetics, to help narrow down how to select the best eye shadow palettes for brown eyes.
For starters, Thomas shares that highlighting brown eyes is all about contrast. "Brown eyes look fantastic in colors that give them contrast," Thomas says. "Colors like deep blues, greens, and teals [work well]. Plums and violets are great as well." For extra oomph, she also recommends rimming the waterline with MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline. "It's an intense carbon black that makes brown eyes look like chocolate drops."
With that sound advice in mind, keep reading for our top picks of eye shadow palettes for beautiful brown eyes.
1. Victoria Beckham Beauty Smoky Eye Brick in Royal
The Victoria Beckham Beauty Eye Brick is beloved. Rightfully so. With four rich shades in satin-matte finishes packed into one palette, what's not to love? I am usually tempted to reach for more neutral shadow colors. However, the rich blue shadows in Marine and Cerulean are perfect for making brown eyes pop.
2. Pat McGrath Labs Mothership IX Eyeshadow Palette: Huetopian Dream
Pat McGrath—and her palettes—are legendary. Curated with colors spanning nude, rose, coral, gold, and bronze, this 10-shade palette allows you to go as simple or bold as you desire.
3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Eyeshadow Palette
Designed by Norvina, the president of Anastasia Beverly Hills, this 14-piece palette is packed with bold, bright mattes and shimmery pastels that can be applied both wet and dry.
4. Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Eyeshadow Palette in African Violet
With this bright, luxe four-pack palette, you can create a vibrant eye look with bursts of violet, copper-gold, brown, and orange.
5. MAC Size of the Prize Eyeshadow Palette
This holiday exclusive filled with 25 eye shadows in both matte and blingy finishes gives you all of the hues that best complement brown eyes along with some wild cards to experiment with when your inner artist is ready to shine.
6. Nars Climax Eyeshadow Palette
This palette has nine smoky shades—including a stunning moss green—ranging from silky-matte to metallic. These lightweight, creamy formulas can take you from day tonight.
7. Byredo Eyeshadow in Sciomancer
Just because this five-pan eye shadow palette is compact doesn't mean it can't deliver a meaningful color payoff. The pressed-powder eye shadows have matte, metallic, and ultra-glitter finishes.
8. Urban Decay Naked Wild West Eyeshadow Palette
This vegan eye shadow palette has 12 desert-inspired neutral eye shadows, from pale peach and metallic bronze to deep blue-green, which can be worn solo or layered to create looks inspired by Mother Nature.
9. Uoma Beauty Black Magic Poise Color Palette
With a deep blue, nude brown, and deep coral taking center stage, this 10-shade, fragrance-free, water-resistant palette is made for creating moody, elegant event-ready looks that will last all night long.
10. Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in Green Lights
With neutral yet impactful colors—gold, olive, and khaki-green, to be exact—this palette will make brown eyes come to life.
11. Glossier Monochromes in Mist
Housed in a refillable, reusable, and recyclable compact, the lilac trio has three finishes: matte, satin, and metallic.
12. Givenchy Le 9 de Givenchy Eyeshadow Palette in Glimmering Emerald
Planning a look for an event that requires long-wear formulas? Givenchy's eye shadow palette filled with nine high-pigment hues with matte, satin, glitter, and metallic finishes offers up to 12 hours of wear. If that's not enough to draw you in, the gorgeous metallic emerald green and gold shadows will make you hit "add to cart" instantly.
13. Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Blurry Green
Inspired by threads of Chanel tweed, this four-hued palette offers neutral-toned shades with finishes that range from matte to satin to shimmer that add color, contour, and highlight in one compact.
14. Buxom Ash K Holm Eyeshadow Palette
Developed by celebrity makeup artist Ash K Holm, this 12-shade primer-infused eye shadow palette has deep matte and metallic purples alongside rich colors that will make the eyes the focal point of your next makeup look.
15. Fenty Beauty Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette
This customizable palette filled with matte, shimmer, and glitter finishes offers an opportunity to "snap" any two palettes of your choice together, giving you 12 shades to work with if you choose. Our picks for brown eyes are Smoky and Cadet.
Next, 7 Iconic Eyeliners and the 7 Affordable Dupes You'll Love Even More
