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Stunning colors and finishes at an affordable price.
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The palette includes six shimmery finishes, which resist creasing and maintain vibrancy throughout the day.
You dont have to splurge on a high-end price point, says New York City-based professional makeup artistMaria Gianno.
Drugstore makeup is competitively priced, has excellent formulation, and comes in a wide variety of products.
PHOTO: Ulta
But dont be fooled.
Just because the shadows look pretty in their pans doesnt necessarily mean they will perform well.
So, wetestedsome of the most popular drugstore eyeshadow palettes to find which ones areactuallyworth spending money on.
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Ahead, check out the palettes that won over our testers and editors.
Kelsey, tester:I found the range to be a perfect complement for fall and winter clothing aesthetics.
However, this may not be ideal for those who are sensitive tofragranceor prefer fragrance-free makeup.
PHOTO: Jason Wu Beauty
The colors build well on each other with smooth transitions and an array of combinations to fit any event.
Its an ideal pick if youre looking for an all-matte palette featuring versatile shades that are easy to apply.
Ashley, tester: It was very easy to stack the shades and build the pigmentation.
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Theres a good chance youll actually use every shade in this classic compact.
They can all be used with each other to create cohesive and dimensionaleveryday looks.
Thanks to the shadows highly pigmented formulas, you dont need to layer a ton on your lids.
PHOTO: Ulta
Even after 18 hours, our tester didnt experience any color fading or creasing.
Samantha, tester:This product is the Crayola kit of eyeshadows, and the colors are not basic.
No matter your motivation, the ColourPop That’s Taupe Pressed Powder Palette will come through.
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However, every shade still appeared true to its pan color once on her eyelids.
Best Monochromatic
e.l.f.
Cosmetics famous bite size eyeshadow palettes.
PHOTO: Ulta
Best Smoky
e.l.f.
Ashley, tester:I was extremely impressed by the wear of these eyeshadows.
The finishes did not change as the day progressed and the formula never broke apart on my lids.
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Our tester was impressed with the color options and said they blended well together.
However, the lighter shades were easier to blend and offered a more seamless transition than the darker shades.
Despite some initial fallout when applying, the eyeshadows dont fade or crease.
PHOTO: Ulta
Each palette features eight shades in multiple finishes, but most of them are metallic and matte.
Our tester didnt experience any fallout (a major win with glitter shadow!)
and felt that the buildable shades stayed vibrant throughout the day.
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Thanks to their buttery texture, theyre also easy to apply with a brush or your fingers.
Our tester did experience minor creasing and product break up on some oilier areas of her eyelids.
However, aneyeshadow primercould help prevent this.
PHOTO: Amazon
Katie, tester:The powders were just perfect, especially the glitters.
I expected a bit of fallout when applying the glitters, but was pleasantly surprised with no fallout.
It depends on what pop in of makeup looks you want to create.
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It may come as a surprise that makeup should generally be used within months of opening it.
Check the period after opening symbol on your palettes packaging, and never useexpired makeup.
Look for the little canister icon on the back or bottom of your palette or its packaging.
PHOTO: Ulta
The icon should feature a number and a letter inside of itfor example, 12M or 24M.
The M translates to months.
This is the amount of time since you fire up the product seal until it expires, explains Sewell.
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Sewell personally likes Maybellines palette selection.
I use the Nudes of New York Palette a lot to this day!
It has great neutral colors that work on all skin tones, she says.
PHOTO: Amazon
Some other drugstore brands to look at include BLK/OPL, e.l.f.
Cosmetics, Essence, and CoverGirl.
She is a firm believer that a product doesnt have to be expensive to deliver amazing results.
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In fact, some of her favorite makeup discoveries of all time have come from the drugstore.
From the list above, Victoria has tried the Maybelline The Nudes Eyeshadow Palette and the e.l.f.
Cosmetics Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette.
PHOTO: Amazon
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PHOTO: Ulta
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