17 best eyeshadow palettes for beginners you can use without pro techniques

So you’ve decided to take your makeup to the next level and add some sparkle to your eyes? If you’re a beginner in the realm of eyeshadow, we understand that picking out that first eyeshadow palette can be intimidating.

A beginner-friendly eyeshadow palette usually contains shades that are more wearable and has textures that are more forgiving (easier to blend and easier to remove).

Not sure which ones fit the description? We’re going to help make your job easy. Here are the 18 best eyeshadow palettes for beginners (tips included!) to help get you started.

(By the way, if none of these options is up your alley, you may want to consider the winners for best eyeshadows at the Daily Vanity Beauty Awards 2021.)

Milani UnGilded Most Loved Mattes Eyeshadow Palette

Available at a very affordable price point, the Milani UnGilded Most Loved Mattes Eyeshadow Palette is a budget-friendly option that offers 12 versatile shades. These shades are highly-pigmented that allows you to vibrant looks with just one swipe. Plus, they compliment a wide range of skin tones.

You can count on this to be your go-to palette for daily use and for every occasion, from work to brunch and family outings.

Where to get it: Watsons for S$43.90.

NYX Ultimate Warm Neutrals Shadow Palette

When it comes to quality drugstore makeup, NYX takes the cake for having an array of quality products. For starters, it’s good to have a palette that has a mix of matte and shimmer shades, and NYX’s Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals offers just that. With 16 shades ranging from neutrals to plums, this palette makes a great first palette for beginners that you will have fun with!

DV Tip: Apply shimmer shades all over or in the centre of the lids and use the matte shades in your crease, above it, or under your bottom lashes to blend the colours together!

Where to get it: Lookfantastic for S$29.

Nature Republic Pro Touch Color Master Shadow Palette (Best deal alert!)

If you are feeling adventurous and want to experiment with many different colours, you have to check out Nature Republic’s most popular eyeshadow palette.

With thirty (yes!) colours and three finishes to choose from, you can create various eye makeup looks as you master the art of applying eyeshadow. For those just starting out, you can go with the “safer” brown shades, and then eventually work your way up with bolder accents using the red colours. All these with just one palette – what a steal!

Where to get it: Shopee for S$27.20 (discounted at the time of writing).

L’Oréal Paris La Palette Nude

Another beginner-friendly palette from the drugstore has got to be this nude one from L’Oréal Paris, which comes in Beige and Rose. For more neutral shades, the La Palette Nude in Beige is your definite go-to.

It’s been compared to the famous Urban Decay’s Naked 2 palette – but a lot more affordable. So before you decide to splurge on the latter, why not experiment with some looks with the L’Oréal Paris first if you are still a beginner to eyeshadow?

DV Tip: Check out the four simple step-by-step tutorials we’ve created to help you achieve different looks with this palette.

Where to get it: Carethy for S$40.93 (but it is currently on sale at the time of writing).

Etude House Play Colour Eyes #Caffeine Holic (Coffee to Go)

Brown is usually regarded as the safest and easiest eyeshadow colour to start off with for beginners. This is why any beginner to eyeshadow should definitely add Etude House’s Play Colour Eyes #Caffeine Holic (Coffee to Go) in their collection. This palette contains ten varying shades of brown, which closely resemble brown coffee, hence the name.

To add some oomph to an otherwise basic look, there are five glitter and shimmer textures that you can play with as well. It is easy to get a smooth application without getting a colour payoff that’s too intense, making this eyeshadow palette easy to manage even if you are not adept at blending yet.

Where to get it: Lazada for S$35.90.

CLIO Pro Eye Palette Botanic Mauve

 

The CLIO’s Pro Eye Palette Botanic Mauve contains a mix of ten basic but trendy shades for you to practise with. 

These eyeshadows are easy to apply and blend without pro techniques, making it a great eyeshadow palette for beginners. Even if you don’t have an eyeshadow brush yet, you can simply use your fingers to apply the base colours around the eye area, then apply the glitter for point makeup.

Where to get it: Watsons for S$49.90. 

Zoeva Naturally Yours Palette

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If you haven’t checked out any of Zoeva’s eyeshadows, walk into Sephora and swatch them right away! Zoeva has a range of palettes that are known for their buttery textures and affordable prices. There are palettes to pick out, but we recommend the Naturally Yours as the best eyeshadow palette for beginners.

DV Tip: If you’re willing to spend a little more for additional shades in one palette, you may want to check out the Zoeva Nude Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette.

Where to get it: Sephora for S$45.

Too Faced Natural Matte Eye Shadow Palette

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If you’re not ready to get creative with multiple shades on your lids, you may want to opt for the Too Faced Natural Eyes palettes, which come with a manual that suggests several eyeshadow combos. The Natural Matte palette is great for creating simple yet sultry looks. Check out the following tutorial from Kathleen Lights!

Where to get it: Sephora for S$58.

Stila Matte ‘n Metal Eyeshadow Palette

If browns and darker neutrals aren’t for you, try this mauve-themed palette to create soft, daily looks. The 12 matte and shimmery shades may not be as pigmented as other brands, which makes it less intimidating for you to slowly build up the intensity if you’re just starting out with eyeshadows!

Where to get it: Sephora for S$69.

The Balm Nude Dude Palette

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Don’t mind the name and graphics, but this palette has colour choices that are appropriate for eyeshadow newbies. Its 12 versatile shades include both mattes and shimmers, which can be used to create natural to smokey eye looks that would suit almost any skin tone.

Where to get it: Sephora for S$75.

Tarte Tartelette In Bloom Clay Palette

In comparison to the original Tartelette palette, Tarte’s Tartelette In Bloom offers a better range of light to dark shades. It notably has more shimmer than the first one, which gives you more options for an all-over shimmer on your lids. With softer matte shades, this palette would be good for you to have a go at blending your eyeshadow with different shades as the transition.

DV Tip: Check out this basic eyeshadow tutorial by Shannon Harris a.k.a. Shaaanxo on YouTube!

Where to get it: Sephora for S$61.

KVD Vegan Beauty Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette

No other palette doubles up as an eyeshadow and contouring palette better than the KVD Vegan Beauty Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette. In a review, Kathleen Lights noted that the colours will come off as “bold” and “intense”, so remember to use them with a light hand!

Despite the intensity of the eyeshadows, the colours on the palette are generally basic shades (with browns and black and white shades), which makes it one of the best eyeshadow palettes for beginners who prefer neutral but bold looks.

Where to get it: Sephora for S$73, but it’s currently out of stock at the time of writing. You can submit your email address to have them notify you when it’s back in stock.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette (Highly recommended!)

This popular neutral palette (rated by over 300 reviewers on Sephora!) has 14 shades ranging from warm and cool mattes to glamorous shimmers – perfect if you just started out and are still trying to create a look that suits you.

The highly pigmented, easy-to-blend formula is well-loved by beauty junkies, and we are sure they will be very useful for any makeup amateur. Plus, the palette includes a dual-ended brush and large mirror in travel-friendly packaging, so you can bring this along while travelling to create the perfect travel photos!

Where to get it: Sephora for S$81.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palettes

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These palettes smell as amazing as they look! The Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette is a popular must-have palette for any beauty lover. Consider the semi-sweet version has more browns and neutrals than the original chocolate bar palette, which has more colours that may be too bold for even amateur makeup enthusiasts looking for a beginner-friendly eyeshadow palette.

Where to get it: Sephora for S$76.

Urban Decay Naked Palettes

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This list would not be complete without the glorious mother of all eyeshadow palettes – the Urban Decay Naked palettes. Dubbed as “The iPhone of Makeup” by Forbes, the Naked palettes do not only offer some of the best quality, but also the best shade combinations that are essential for every occasion.

The OG Naked 1 palette was sadly discontinued in 2018 (there was even a funeral for it!), but its successor Naked 3 also has the best selection of shades and comes equally as recommended as a newbie’s first palette.

There are endless tutorials with these palettes on YouTube, so have fun recreating the looks!

DV Tip: Watch DV review Urban Decay’s Naked Heat Palette and create looks with it!

Where to get it: sephora.sg for S$83.

NARS Skin Deep Eyeshadow Palette

Worried that you can’t find an eyeshadow palette suited to your skin tone? This palette from NARS will definitely dispel those fears.

The Skin Deep Eyeshadow Palette has a wonderful range of subtle and smokey eyeshadow shades with a silky finish and high colour payoff that most beauty junkies dream of. You can opt to wear just one shade for a simple, everyday style, or mix & blend for the ultimate #makeupinspo. No one will believe that you are new to using eyeshadow!

Where to get it: Sephora for S$90.

Huda Beauty New Nude Eyeshadow Palette

Nudes are the top choice when it comes to beginner shades, but they don’t necessarily have to be boring. The New Nude Palette by Huda Beauty makes nude sexy (pun intended!) to wear again, with super versatile and wearable shades for you to express yourself with.

With 18 highly pigmented shades in variations of mattes and shimmers for you to try out, you will absolutely love how flattering every shade looks on you, making it a perfect eyeshadow palette for beginners.

Where to get it: Sephora for S$105.

(By the way, if none of these options is up your alley, you may want to consider the winners for best eyeshadows at the Daily Vanity Beauty Awards 2021.)

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