The Best Drugstore Eyeshadow Palettes

The drugstore world is painfully slow right now in terms of new releases, so this month I thought I'd talk about all-time favorite drugstore products to help us pass the time until December when the Spring launches start arriving in stores.

Today's post will be about the best drugstore eyeshadow palettes (in my opinion), and I plan to do another one on blushes, foundations, mascaras, etc. Let me know in the comments below which one you'd like to see next! :)

Also, I decided to stick with drugstore products that you can actually find in your local stores, so you won't see palettes from brands like bh Cosmetics or City Color in this post (even though I love them too!).

Let's get started!


First up is the New York Color Lovatics by Demi Lovato Palette ($6.99 at Target, $4.92 at Walmart). I haven't been too impressed with N.Y.C eyeshadows in the past, so I wasn't expecting too much when I purchased this palette. Turns out, it's amazingly soft and pigmented. The color selection is very close to the original Urban Decay Naked palette and the shades apply just as easily (and just as pigmented) on the eyes. If you don't have the original Naked palette, pick this one up instead...the colors are warmer-toned neutrals that you'll wear every day! You can see my review here (the swatches are a bit washed-out looking but it's the photo...they look darker in real life).
I was in love with the Milani Everyday Eyes Palettes ($9.99 at Target, $9.99 at Walgreens, $9.99 at CVS (currently $5.99 on sale) as soon as I saw all of the gorgeous color selections (there are 6) and pretty gold packaging. I was hoping they would apply as well as they looked and thankfully they delivered! They apply almost as well as higher-end eyeshadows and come with an actual double-ended brush rather than those useless sponge-tipped ones. There is definitely some fallout with these since they're so soft, but if you don't mind that, the Milani Everyday Eyes are a great find. You can see my reviews on two of the shades here and here.
When Cover Girl launched the TruNaked palettes last fall ($8.99 at Target, $8.98 at Walmart, $12.99 at Walgreens) I was sucked in by the claim that they would perform as well as a $54 eyeshadow palette (Naked palettes?). I have never really thought much of Cover Girl's eyeshadows in the past but holy cow...I was totally blown away when I tried these! They are super smooth and buttery with great pigmentation. They come in a warm-toned Goldens shade, a cool-toned Nudes shade and a rosy-toned Roses shade. If you haven't tried these yet, I think you'll be really surprised at the quality...they're definitely right up there with higher-end palettes. See my reviews here and here.
I first grabbed the NYX Cosmetics Go-To Palette in Wanderlust ($16.99 at Target and Ulta) a few months ago and it's been one of my favorite fall palettes! In the past, I wasn't crazy about NYX's eyeshadow singles and was hesitant to try this one but the formula has definitely been upgraded since then! All of these shades are soft and pigmented, and I would say they could easily compete with higher-end formulas. I love that this palette also contains highlighter, blush, and bronzer/contour shades! You can see my swatches in this post here.
The e.l.f. Mad for Matte palette ($10 at Target & Ulta) definitely has its pros and cons but there aren't a lot of matte eyeshadow palette options at the drugstore so I wanted to include it in this list. The first time I used it I was a bit disappointed in the pigmentation, especially in the darker shades. However, when I used it over primer, it came to life, so this is one of those cases where using a base makes all the difference (check out my review to see what I mean). Overall, it's nice to have an all-matte option at the drugstore, even if it does need a primer.
The NYX Cosmetics Avant Pop Palette in Nouveau Chic ($16.99 at Ulta & Target) is another fantastic option with a soft, buttery texture and great pigmentation. I love the warm neutrals with pops of jewel tones...they're not too bold that you couldn't wear them every day and I love using one all over my lid (like that olive green!). Check out my review here.
Finally, the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone Palette ($4.79 at Walgreens, $4.68 at Walmart) is an oldie but goodie. It's still one of my go-to palettes after all these years and the pigmentation is amazing. I honestly wish that Wet n Wild would release more of these palettes because the newer 10 pan palettes and Au Natural palettes don't really compare to these older ones. (You can see my swatches on Instagram here).

Well there you have it! My favorite drugstore eyeshadow palettes! What are your favorites?

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13 comments

  1. I LOVE posts like this! I agree on so many, like the WnW Comfort Zone, elf Mad for Matte and Milani Everyday Eyes. Now you convinced me I need to get the Lovatics palette and those NYX ones. I'd love to see a blush post next!

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    1. Yay! Thanks I will definitely keep that in mind! :)

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  2. For eye shadow palettes, I really only have high end palettes.....I do have singles of a variety of shadows though. That being said, the best drugstore eye shadow palettes are WnW....I love the palettes with the 3 colors. Those are simply amazing. I buy and buy more $$$ palettes bu I always end up using these because they are pretty, easy to use, all in one, and travel-ready/ mobile as anything.

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    1. I agree...the 3 color WnW palettes are awesome as well! :)

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  3. Like Claudia just said I only have high-end palettes because of some bad drugstore experiences years ago. I buy everything else at the drugstore but have stayed away from eyeshadow. It looks like I'm going to have to give some of these another try. Great post!

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    1. I used to be the same way but they've really gotten SO much better! It's a great feeling not having to spend so much. :)

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  4. Totally agreed on W&W Comfort Zone and NYX Avant Pop. I also love Nyx's Adorable and Natural palettes, which are particularly awesome because they each have a really good matte highlight color.

    Seconding the WnW triples as being fantastic. I just got one of the fall limited editions yesterday with a deep burgundy color and they were buy 2 get 1 free at CVS so I grabbed two of the neutral palettes to have some more shades for blending and transitions.

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    1. I agree...I totally forgot about those! I guess my mind was thinking about larger palettes but you're right those are really good. :)

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  5. I have basically no high-end palettes and think they're a waste of money. The Physicians Formula matte quads (Canyon Classics and 2 others) are fantastic for neutrals. I love Catrice Absolute Rose and Absolute Matte palettes, though I'm pale and they may not work for people with darker skin tones. The Makeup Revolution and I Heart Chocolate (MUR spinoff) palettes are really great, also.

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    1. I'm going to have to try those PF quads...thanks for the tip! And yes...I totally should have included Makeup Revolution in my post. I keep forgetting they're at Ulta and since I don't have an Ulta near me (yet) they're not always in the front of my mind as being at a local "drugstore". I have several MR palettes (all the Iconics, Pro and a few Chocolates) and they're fantastic for the price!

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  6. I *love* the L'Oreal La Palette Nude 2 (Nude Intense now, I guess). The mattes are amazing for drugstore, and the shimmers are a buttery dream. It is really pigmented, blends well, and when used with a primer lasts all. day. long. It is definitely on par with my higher end palettes! It's a bit more expensive than most drugstore palettes, but at Walmart or on sale/with a coupon at Ulta it is very affordable, and worth every penny. Love it!!

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  7. I have the NYX Wanderlust Palette and I love it. I need to get the NYC Lovatics! would love to see drugstore foundations and face primers for your next blog topic like this.

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  8. I have quite a tanned skin tone and I think NYX Cosmetics Wicked Dreams 24 Colour Palette is quite pretty and complement my skin preference. Your Cover girl and Milani Palettes look good to me, maybe I should give it a try. I prefer drugstore eye shadow brands not only because it is affordable, it is also because it comes in many more shades I could choose for different seasons and occasions. Thanks for sharing these beautiful palletes. Sharon Elsie | diva-in-me.com

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I love getting comments from you and hearing about your experiences with the products, whether you agree with me or not. It's the best way other readers can get the best information before they buy, so keep the comments coming! :)

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