Eye Shadow Was Always the Most Intimidating Part of My Makeup Routine—Until Now

Welcome to Internet Famous, a monthly series in which we ask our Instagram followers to vote on a viral beauty product that's taken social media by storm. Then the beauty team will take the winning pick for a spin and share their reviews—pictures included.

I can count the number of times I've worn eye shadow in 2023 on one hand. I typically reserve that part of my beauty drawer for the rare occasions when I want to show up in full glam (e.g. concerts, birthday parties, and work events). There's just something so intimidating about blending multiple colors with a brush. While my eye shadow palettes are collecting dust in the back of my drawer, I'm still achieving that eye shadow look with blush. I'm a huge proponent of dragging my leftover blush onto my lids after blending the product into my cheeks. It's been my low-effort cheat code for the past year, but in an effort to avoid creasing and oily lids, I'm listening to the masses and giving the widely loved Dior Backstage Eyeshadow Palette ($52) a try. Luckily, I'm not alone on this journey. My co-workers have seen the stunning looks created with this palette in real life and online, so they're giving their eye shadow sticks a break and going back to the OG formula.

Like the 229,000 people who gave this palette a heart on the Sephora site, our editors believe it's worthy of all the praise. In this luxe compact, you'll find one primer and eight neutral shades in both matte and shimmer finishes. The inclusion of a primer in the palette immediately raised our brows—and this product's overall rating. (We seriously love an all-in-one palette.) Dior's sleek and lavish packaging never fails to have us swooning, but it's even better when the product is just as good as the packaging. Buttery, easy to blend, and buildable are just some of the key ways to describe it. But wait—there's more. Our editors tried this palette for themselves, and their honest reviews are below, including the products you need to re-create their looks. Keep scrolling for all of the juicy details.

"I feel like lately, I haven't been opting for eye shadow palettes when I want to do my eye shadow—I usually go for cream sticks or just use one color. This palette is a good reminder that eye shadow palettes are still very worth my attention. The colors are so pigmented and buttery, and I felt like they really made my green eyes stand out. My only qualm is that I wish there was a better balance of cool to warm tones in the palette because I have cooler undertones!" — Katie Berohn, beauty editor

"I'm not usually one for wearing eye shadow on a daily basis, but when I do, It's in the hope that I can bring a little light to my eyes with a natural-looking flush of color. I started with 'ochre' across the entire lid and then added 'red copper' in the middle for some shimmer. I finished off my look by adding 'pearly' to the inner corners of my eyes. While I think the shades may appear incredibly pigmented on some skin tones, it wasn't as bold or noticeable on mine. However, I believe that if I took a few extra minutes to build up the color, it would have stood out more. All in all, I love this palette for a super-sweet, wearable look." — Maya Thomas, assistant beauty editor

"When I tell you that this eye shadow palette has completely changed the way I do my makeup, I'm not exaggerating. I used to be (and still slightly am) afraid of eye shadow, but this palette is so undeniably natural-looking and wearable that I lose all fear while using it. Each shade perfectly accentuates the natural shadows and highlights of my lids and can easily be built upon and played up for nighttime. I have absolutely no notes—it's a must-have!" — Emma Hughes, associate social media editor

"I don't wear eye shadow all that often, but when I do, it's usually in stick form, and I always opt for warm shades because they make my hazel eyes pop. This is a more traditional palette than what I'm used to, but the outcome was equally as satisfying. To no one's surprise, I went for the shade 'red copper' in a shimmer finish and added a dab of 'pearly' to the inner corners of my eyes. The shades are super pigmented and buttery, and my final look is a little messy and undone, just how I like it." — Caitie Schlisserman, senior beauty director, branded content

"This palette is a thing of beauty. The mix of matte neutrals and shimmery metallics kind of had me drooling. I don't usually opt for sparkly eye shadow, but this definitely made me fall in love. I used the beige as a base on my lid and the matte taupe and brown to deepen the crease. The star of the show was the glimmering gold shade that I applied all over my lid. (Pro tip: Gold makes blue eyes pop.) I finished by highlighting my brow bone and inner corners with the pearlescent white. Each of the shades had gorgeous color payoff, and they stayed all day despite the 85° heat and the fact that I didn't wear eye shadow primer. It's safe to say this is my new go-to." — Emma Walsh, associate beauty editor

"I honestly can't remember the last time I used an eye shadow palette. Usually, I use high-pigment shadow sticks or cream formulas. Even though I felt out of practice, I forged ahead with this all-powder palette, and I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Each one of the silky powders blended easily for a subtle, smoky look. My eyes were defined, and I didn't have to deal with touch-ups all day. I do wish there were more cool-toned shades, though. My cool-toned complexion could have used them!" — Kaitlyn McLintock, associate beauty editor