Violet, lilac, lavender, and plum — every possible shade of purple is taking over the latest palettes in packs. Brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills, Morphe, Huda Beauty, and MAC have all touted the regal hue, often pairing the cool-toned shade with soft neutrals that make experimenting easier than ever.
And listen, we love those neutral eye shadows — mainly for the versatility — but purples can also work surprisingly well as a base for a wide range of makeup looks. “Purple is a very versatile color, it looks great on everyone in my opinion,” says makeup artist Lennie Billy. “I love how the pastels look on fair skin tones and how the deeper plums and violet shades look on deeper skin tones.” We couldn’t agree more.
Before laying down your powder, Billy says to start with an eye shadow primer. “Purple is a very difficult shadow to blend sometimes and tends to get patchy easily. Creating a foundation will make for a more uniform finish,” she says. Another trick from Lennie is to use an eye pencil in a similar shade of purple shadow you plan to apply, as a base, in order to make the powder look even and bright. If using a mid-to-deep purple shade, you can even use black as a base to make the violet more vibrant.
To help you do a little more than just dip a toe into the plum pond, we gathered up the best purple eye shadow palettes with a few recommendations from the experts, including a bold option from BH Cosmetics, more neutral plums by Tom Ford, and a universally beloved Anastasia Beverly Hills compact. In the mix, you’ll find both show-stopping brights and more subtle everyday tones that come in shimmer, matte, and satin finishes. What may be even more appealing is that there’s a range of both drugstore buys and worthwhile splurges to dabble in.
Ahead, find the 15 best purple eye shadow palettes to add to your repertoire.
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