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Winning eyeshadow palettes of 2020, from beginner's picks to all-time favorites.

The beauty of eyeshadow palettes is the ability to create various looks from one compact of colors in a range or matte, satin and metallic finishes. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to properly apply eyeshadow: You've got the power to unleash your inner makeup artist right at the tips of your makeup brush.

We asked the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab pros, editors, and celebrity makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff (who's done carpet-ready makeup for Rihanna and Alicia Keys) for their personal tips and recommended eyeshadow palettes, from high-end brands to top-rated drugstore finds with shades that you'll actually use.

Not sure where to start? "Browns and beiges are easier to learn with instead of jumping head first into bold colors that might take practice blending together seamlessly," Sheriff says. Plus, neutral shades are foolproof and look great on anyone. You can also use a color wheel to help find the right shade for your eye color. This old school trick is about seeing which hue sits opposite your eye color to make the iris pop. Here's a cheat sheet:

Here are the best eyeshadow palettes of 2021:

While it's small and great for travel, the Naked2 Basics palette contains six full-sized, neutral eyeshadows. The selection of nude and brown shades provide endless possibilities from an everyday look to a smokey eye. "Since the shades are natural and subtle, it's foolproof for those who aren't as skilled in applying eyeshadow," says senior chemist of the Beauty Lab, Sabina Wizemann. The shadows are also pretty well-pigmented and provide a velvety matte finish that's easy to layer.

Beauty Director April Franzino raves about these Maybelline palettes because the shadows are silky and pigmented, but don't cost much. "You get much more high-end quality for a bargain price of less than $10 for six shades," she says. She also loves that it's compact and easy to stash in a makeup bag. This particular palette contains the perfect balance of neutral and smoky shades in both matte and shimmer finishes, the essentials for any eye makeup wardrobe. You can also purchase the palettes in brighter color options.

The light berry shades in this palette make for a romantic daytime look, while the darker plums are perfect for creating a lavender smokey eye. "Some of the shades have a little bit of shimmer, which I must confess I love," says Wizemann. Nearly 2,000 online reviewers gave this palette a five-star rating, raving about the blend-ability and high pigmentation. 

Product and reviews editor Jessica Teich says this palette makes her green eyes pop. "Pinks and reds are opposite of green on the color spectrum, so it complements this eye color well," she says. The bright tones and muted everyday colors come in creamy mattes and shimmery finishes that can create wearable, romantic looks. Teich also loves that the palette is split into four categories, one for daytime, one for work, one for date night, and one for glam.

Orange and coral shades are popular choices to complement a range of blue eyes. This palette contains a mix of matte desert shades and metallic browns that bring light and warmth to the eyes at the same time. While online reviewers say they wish the palette was a little less pricey, they rave about the high color payout and little fallout. 

Inspired by Paris during its "Golden Hour" (twilight!), the brand says its nine-color palette is made without parabens, sulfates or phthalates. Reviewers love that the shadows are easy to blend and show up nicely even without eyeshadow primer. "For an extra pop of sparkle I like to spray my brush with some setting spray to apply," says one reviewer. "Cannot recommend enough!"

Several YouTube videos and online reviews point to Black-owned beauty brand Juvia's Place for its line of cosmetics that suit any skin tone, but particularly darker skin tones. The Magic palette has a mix of matte and shimmer shades that range from light beige to sparking gold to deep navy. Sheriff loves that the brand's palettes are perfectly coordinated and pigmented at a low price point. "They are good quality and inexpensive, so you can easily reorder them again and again," she says.

Morphe is well-known among the YouTube community, and several influencers recommend the brand for their low-cost, large, assorted palettes. This particular Morphe palette bares warm orange and brown tones, mixed with bronze and gold metallics that work beautifully with medium or olive skin tones. Online reviewers appreciate that the colors blend smoothly, though some warn that the glitter shades require extra effort to apply.

Tarte is known for making quality eyeshadows, and this palette is no exception. Made with the brand's signature Amazonian clay formula for long wear, this palette offers a mix of mattes and metallics. The price point is nice too, offering 12 pigmented shades that last. "I’ve regularly used this palette for about two years, and it looks like I’ve barely made a dent in it. Worth every penny!" says one satisfied reviewer.

This cult-favorite boasts over 9.5k reviews and a 4.4 star rating, and Amazon reviewers compare this palette to higher-end brands like Urban Decay and MAC. It has 16 shimmery, matte, and satin shades from soft beige to chocolatey brown. Reviewers say they like to apply the colors wet and dry and note the high pigmentation. At the price, this one's a steal — just keep in mind that some reviews complain about minor fallout. 

According to Franzino, this palette is universally flattering on any skin tone. "Its bronze, champagne, and rose gold shades really illuminate the eyes and look amazing on anyone," she says. Online reviewers appreciate that the ivory and rose colors blend effortlessly into each other and stay on the lid all day. Plus, the light colors and specks of glitter help the eyes appear wider and lifted. 

RELATED: 10 Best-Selling White Eyeliners That’ll Make Your Eyes Pop

Many online articles, reviews, and our own editors adore NYX and say the drugstore beauty brand is comparable to higher-end brands in terms of quality and performance. These NYX palettes come in several color variations, from bright rainbow shades as pictured to cool neutrals. Each palette contains 16 eyeshadows, and according to reviewers, each color is highly buildable.

This Good Housekeeping Beauty Award winner earned praise from testers due to its long-lasting color, which stayed put during workouts, gardening, and more. One tester who reported having sensitive skin said the shadows didn't irritate her eyes, even during allergy season. 

This Chanel shadow palette is a bit of a splurge, but Franzino says it's a sophisticated way to experiment with color. It features dusky cobalt and sea green shades carefully paired with a neutral champagne and gray. Though each color is daring in its own way, all shades are subtle and muted and will prevent you from going overboard.

Amazon reviewers give this beauty best-seller a high star rating and claim that it's a wonderful, cheaper alternative to the James Charles Morphe Palette — plus, you get double the colors. Note that you will have to layer and build the shadows to get the most pigmentation, but for the price, color variation, and array of finishes, you're getting a great bang for your buck.

Some of the colors on this palette might look bright or intimidating, but when blended together, you can create multiple wearable looks. "I get so many compliments every time I wear these colors," Teich says. She loves the included dual-ended brush for packing on and blending out colors, but recommends using your fingers to get the highest color pay-off (and lowest fall-out). Several online reviewers with light or porcelain skin reported seeing the best results.

The sky-high price is because you're paying for 10 shades made of real crushed pearls that are said to blend like silk. "The best shimmers around!" one Sephora reviewer assures. Another major bonus: "Doesn't crease on the eyes, even when a primer isn't used," says another.