Allure/Soleil Summer
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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Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Pro Palette Vol. 5
One of our first hints that purple is a not-to-be-slept-on shade was the viral, inaugural iteration of Anastasia Beverly Hills' Norvina Palette. Five volumes later, the mix of plums is still just as mesmerizing. Filled with 25 pans, the Pro Palette Vol. 5 is a top pick among our experts. Lennie Billy explains that while the compact itself is gorgeous, the squares inside feature "a wide range of pastels, shimmers, mid and deeper purples" and great pigment payoff. Plus, the color combinations to play with are nearly endless.
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BH Cosmetics Trendy in Tokyo
You won't find any neutral tones in this bright and bold palette. While the rainbow mix is a departure from other palettes on this list, the creamy, pigmented, and buildable shades are too good to ignore. All 16 pans in BH Cosmetics's Trendy in Tokyo compact are made to be seen. The pick is a staple in makeup artist Katherine Smith's kit. She cites the colorful pick as one of her favorites, using the combination of the grape, deep purple, and pink shades to get this lilac look on model Ebonee Davis. She also has a pro-tip for getting the most vibrant color payoff: "I love layering concealer that is about two shades lighter all over the lid before applying shadow," says Smith.
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Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Eyeshadow Palette – Virgin Orchid
Small but mighty, this quad from Tom Ford is another pigmented favorite from Smith. The neutral tones in this Virgin Orchid version of the compact let the aubergine shade shine, but also balance each other out into a versatile metallic base that you can layer with taupe and cream colors.
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Jane Iredale Eyeshadow Kit in Purple Rain
Makeup artist Min Min Ma lists this palette from Jane Iredale as one of her go-to products. Not only are the powders buildable, but the Eyeshadow Kit in Purple Rain is small enough to toss in your purse for quick changes and touch-ups. "What I like about the Jane Iredale palette is that it offers a range of purple shades in different textures," she explains. While you're mixing up different shade combinations she also suggests playing with the sheer and matte finishes. "You can mix and match the eyeshadows [into] a smoky eye, or apply just one shade with mascara [for a] cute daytime look." There's also a highlighter, which you can apply at the brow bone to tie the look together.
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Juvia's Place The Violets Palette
Although Juvia's Place The Violets Palette isn't as extensive as some of its eye makeup counterparts, these shades pack a punch. The deep rich eggplant hues can be used to create a dramatic smoky eye look, while the lighter lilac shadow is soft enough for every day. The six-pan compact is a favorite among makeup artists; Smith, in particular, loves how the velvety collection of matte and shimmer shades look on deeper skin tones.
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Colourpop It's My Pleasure Shadow Palette
Lennie also loves this nine-pan pick from Colourpop. The It's My Pleasure palette is an affordable option that includes one of the most wearable combinations of deep-to-light purples we've ever seen. Although we're partial to the grape "Chick Lit" shade, this isn't one of those palettes where you'll wear out a single color and leave the rest untouched. Each hue works just as well on its own as it does when mixed together. The under-$20 price tag is a nice bonus, too. If this shade mix isn't quite your speed Lennie also recommends another Colourpop option, Lilac You A Lot, which has a brighter range of purples.
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Ace Beauté Paradise Fallen Palette
Makeup artist Robert Sesnek recommends this moody Paradise Fallen Palette from Ace Beaute. Of the 12 shades in the compact, five of them are true purple tones. The rest are complementary neutrals to assist with smoking. The tools you use alongside this palette will make your creation easier to apply. Flat eye shadow brushes are ideal for packing on these pigmented colors — and to get a more foiled finish, lightly wet your brushes before layering on the metallic options.
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Milani Gilded Luster Eyeshadow Palette in Twilight
If shimmer is more your speed, Milani's Milani Gilded Luster Eyeshadow Palette in Twilight will tickle your fancy. The 15-pan lineup comes with an almost even split of lighter beige and taupe shades and medium-to-deep plums. Even the more velvety shadows have a slightly shiny finish and the glitters glisten without being overly chunky.
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E.L.F. Cosmetics Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette in Açai You
Coming in at just $3, this mini palette from drugstore brand E.L.F. Cosmetics features four purple shades in matte and metallic finishes. Each shade leans more on the cooler side, which can read a bit ashy on certain skin tones — so folks with warmer complexions might want to skip this one. For everyone else, mix and match the violet shades to your liking — and if this option isn't your jam, the line of Bite Size palettes comes in seven other color options, too.
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Rimmel London Magnif'eyes Eyeshadow Palette Electric Violet Edition
Rimmel London's Magnif'eyes Eyeshadow Palette Electric Violet Edition turns the vibrancy volume all the way up. The color intensity appears just a vivid on eyes as it does in the package. In addition to the light and dark purples, there's also a pearlescent cream for highlighting and a near-black which can be used as an eyeliner — just wet the tip of your brush before applying.
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Huda Obsessions Palette in Amethyst
Huda Beauty's Obsessions Palette in Amethyst is a swoon-worthy selection of purples that take inspiration from the quartz stone that it's named after. Not only is this compact proof that you don't need a gigantic array to meet your color needs, but the rich tones feature a mix of nine highly pigmented berry mattes, lilac shimmers, and violet metallics, all suited for day-to-night wear.
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Violet Voss Sweet Violet Fun Sized Eyeshadow Palette
This Violet Voss Sweet Violet Fun Sized Eyeshadow Palette may be short on inches, but the range of electric shades makes a big impact. Of the 10-pan shadows, we're drawn to the prettiest soft lilac on the far left of the bottom row and a shimmery plum with a subtle pink tint on the top far right. There's even a neutral cream shade in the bunch, which can be used as a base or to soften some of the bolder shades.
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Morphe Lavendaze Artistry Palette
This lavender palette from Morphe features variations of the pastel hue in a mix of matte and shimmer finishes. Blend out the violets with the neutral shades, layer on the lighter metallic hues for a shiny topcoat, or keep your look soft and with a tap of the champagne shimmer shade at the inner corners of the eye.
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Maybelline New York The City Mini Eyeshadow Palette Skyscape Dusk
We love an easy-to-use palette as much as we love an affordable one and this Maybelline New York The City Mini Eyeshadow Palette Skyscape Dusk delivers on both fronts. The six dusk-inspired shades are simultaneously buildable and bold, with a matte finish that makes them infinitely more versatile. Placement suggestions on the back of the compact make the shades even easier to master. It's basically paint-by-numbers for a no-fail eye shadow look.
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Natasha Denona Lila Eyeshadow Palette
We'll admit, the Natasha Denona Lila Eyeshadow palette is a bit of splurge, but the velvety soft shadows are worth the extra coin. Billy cites the mix of colors as one of her all-time favorite palettes because of the shade range and the staying power. These shadows won't budge or crease so you can skip the primer. We're sold.
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