Smokey eye makeup is every girl’s go-to beauty look. Universally flattering, easily adaptable, and forever chic, swipe a few flicks of an eyeshadow blush and a smokey eye can take you from day to night. One of the best things about a smokey eye is that it suits every age, face, and eye shape. It’s also one of the few shadow techniques that works well on hooded lids because it doesn’t rely on the crease line.
However, between choosing colors, finishes, placement, and technique, creating the perfect smokey eye can be a science. Enter smokey eye makeup palettes; they’ve got everything you need from shadows to brushes in one convenient place.
Urban Decay Smoked Eyeshadow Palette US $20; AED/SAR 73
This 10-shadow palette includes traditional black and gray, as well as contemporary-colored hues that are perfect for creating a range of smokey eye makeup looks. It also comes with a comprehensive how-to booklet by the brand’s co-founder, Wende Zomnir, which is ideal for smokey eye newbies. A full-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion and travel-size Eyeshadow Primer Potion are also included.
Smashbox Full Exposure Palette US $52; AED/SAR 190
The Full Exposure Palette was created because the pros at Smashbox Studios needed it. On-set, they work with every skin tone and eye shape imaginable, and so they wanted a universal, straightforward palette that could work on anyone. This versatile palette includes 14 must-have neutral shades—from nudes to blacks—in longwearing shimmers and velvety smooth mattes. The kit also includes an eye shape chart, along with a dual-ended brush to use with both formulas, and a bonus 24-Hour Shadow Primer sample.
BareMinerals READY 8.0 Power Neutrals in The Posh Neutrals US $40; AED/SAR 146
Offering pigment-packed color with a seamless blend that lasts up to 12 hours, these original shades are the ultimate versatile staples for your eyeshadow wardrobe. Powered by their proprietary SeaNutritive Mineral Complex, these shadows also deliver anti-aging benefits such as helping to reduce the appearance of puffiness for a softer, smoother, revitalized eye area.
Ciaté Olivia Palermo x Ciaté London Smokey Suedes Eye Palette US $39; AED/SAR 143
This fabric-inspired eye palette features nine decadent hues in matte and pearl textures to create a rich smokey eye. Each shade is blended with a pure color concentrate for a high impact, full-coverage finish. To use, simply sweep the lightest shade from your lash line to your brow bone. Next, dust any of the medium shades onto the lower lid. If you choose to layer more than one shadow on the lower lid, begin with a matte shadow and then top it off with a shimmering or metallic shadow. To finish, use the darkest shade to line your eyes.
Lancôme Color Design 5 Shadow & Liner Palette in Midnight Rush US $50; AED/SAR 183
Lancôme epitomizes the French touch with feminine, effortless, Parisian-chic beauty in this sleek palette. It features five complimentary shades that can be worn dry to contour, sculpt, and lift with soft day colors, or worn wet to intensify your look with dramatic evening hues or smokey effects.
Burberry Beauty Complete Eye Palette in Smokey Grey US $60; AED/SAR 220
Designed for effortless application, each Burberry Beauty Complete Eye Palette contains an illuminating base, two blendable shades to add structure, and a liner to define and enrich. The lightweight, natural formula allows you to create a customized smokey finish, while the spectrum of textures blended with silicones makes for a smooth glide and easy application.
Yves Saint Laurent Couture Variation 10 Color Eye Palette in Couture Variation Tuxedo US $95; AED/SAR 348
From pale and deep, to matte and shimmery, this 10-shade palette from YSL will help you create a multitude of easy-to-achieve looks. Just remember that the darker shades work to shape and intensify the eyes, the medium shades add color and contrast and help to shape or design peepers, and the lighter shades create volume and illuminate the eyes by adding light to the inner corners and brow bones.
Laura Mercier Eye Art Artist’s Palette US $55; AED/SAR 202
Enclosed in a luxuriously textured, chocolate brown case, this complete compact includes a large mirror and 12 shadows. The top row is organized into cool colors, while the bottom row features warm colors. Both rows are arranged in light to dark shades from left to right making application a breeze.
Bobbi Brown Sterling Nights Eye Palette US $75; AED/SAR 202
Boasting shades hand-selected by Bobbi Brown herself, this palette pairs iconic neutrals with light-reflecting metallics and pearl-infused shimmery shades. Layer these complementary hues to create a classic nude, smokey eye. The silky powder formulas go on smooth without creasing, flaking, or fading.
Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill 4 Color Eyeshadow Palette in Maestro US $60; AED/SAR 220
Designed by Linda Cantello, the four shades can be used alone for a nude look or layered together for a sophisticated, smokey eye. The velvety matte powders are heat-resistant, which enables an easy blend and ensures a crease-proof eye that lasts and lasts.
—Gracie Stewart
