Party Of One: The Only Eyeshadow Palettes You Need This Season

Whether you’re the IRL version of Instagram's ‘that girl’ or just can’t do without your hour-long glam routine, the party season can feel like a never-ending series of 10-minute makeup challenges. 

This makes for the perfect opportunity to reach out for your hero products, the easy and effortless one-and-done stars that you know and love, which promise minimal fuss and maximum impact.  

Here are five eyeshadow palettes that will have you covered, no matter your style.

If you’re a total Y2K baby

Christina Aguilera’s baby blue and silver eyeshadow is the pinnacle of Y2K beauty – her glimmering aquamarine look from the 2001 Radio and Records Convention was on every millennial's beauty mood board. 

Consider this palette your own personal ‘Genie In A Bottle’ to channel this nostalgic look but with creamier, more modern formulas. Use your finger to apply the shimmery shadows for full opacity and blend till your eyebrows for a frosty finish.

If you love the night luxe aesthetic

A blown-out smokey eye is a staple in arsenal of those who don’t play by the rules. Just look at Skins’ Tumblr-esque femme fatale Effy Stonem and Gossip Girl’s benevolent queen bee Jenny Humphrey on screen, to the ever-elusive Olsen twins off screen. 

Want to make this look your own? Turn up the glam factor by swapping the usual matte black for a sparkly, unexpected gunmetal instead with this eyeshadow duo.

If you have that je ne sais quoi

Think neutrals are boring? Our favourite French it girls like Lily-Rose Depp and Jeanne Damas would disagree. Over the last decade, the definition of ‘neutral’ in makeup has evolved from basic browns to warm oranges, and now, they’re all reminiscent of your favourite, familiar shades, but slightly elevated. We’re talking about light washes of colour with a glass-like sheen. 

We love this palette because each colour can be worn on its own, or layered together. The compact size is also great for when you’re on the go, or don’t want airport security to get their hands on your makeup bag.

If you want more sparkle

With over 72,000 posts under the #DouyinMakeup hashtag, it’s safe to say that soft, iridescent eyeshadows that mimic the trending doll-like look are having a major beauty moment right now. Apply it all over your lids, on your lower lash line, near the arch of your eyebrows, or even as a highlight on your cheeks – when it comes to glitter, more is more. 

This palette makes it easy to rock the trend without any fallout to clean up after – the glitter particles are suspended in a tacky base, so you can skip the glue without a second thought.

If you’d give anything to be in Euphoria

You might have to wait till 2025 for the new season, but luckily, there’s no dearth of beauty inspiration in the show’s archives. Case in point: Drawing inspiration from Jules’ messy yet playful approach to wearing colour on her eyes may just be the easiest way to have fun with your makeup look.  

This ultra-pigmented palette has all the colours of the rainbow and then some, so you’ll never run out of ideas. If you want to play with negative space and create a graphic liner look instead, just spray an eyeliner brush with setting spray to turn your powder eyeshadow into a liquid formula.

By Khanak Mehta