Eyeshadow can make or break a particular makeup look – a light, shimmery powder over the whole lid can create a fresh, put-together look for running errands, while a dramatic smoky eye really pumps up the volume on a date night outfit.
Some people have a whole host of palettes for different moods, while others find one that can fit seamlessly into any look.
When you begin to phase out traditional makeup for cruelty-free alternatives, it can be daunting to have to replace old faithful like your favorite eyeshadow palette. However, thanks to the nearly countless brands offering high-quality eyeshadow sets, you needn’t fear – the only thing better than a perfect palette is one that wasn’t tested on animals.
The brands below are our Top 8 favorites for eyeshadow palettes – each brand is vegan and cruelty-free, and offers an impressive selection of products.
Read on to discover which brands deserve a space (or two) in your makeup bag.
1. BH Cosmetics
The cruelty-free eyeshadow palettes from BH can be summed up with a single adjective – bold. These shadow sets are for people who aren’t afraid to make a statement with their makeup, and who want to have a little fun with their eyeshadow.
For the best bang for your buck, look to BH’s impressive 120-color shadow set. With every color under the sun, from deep browns to electric green and hot pink, as well as matte and shimmer options, this is a perfect buy for someone who enjoys a full, dramatic daily look, or for professionals who need a wide variety of colors for their clients. The colors come in a 9 x 6-inch case with two levels and a mirror, for easy application no matter where you are.
Want a palette but not looking to commit to 120 colors? BH’s “Wild Child” and “Galaxy Chic” palettes also contain bold, beautiful colors, but in a slightly more compact version, at about six to twelve colors each.
2. Too Faced
Whether you’re a fan of subtle neutrals or big, bold color, Too Faced offers at least one vegan eyeshadow palette that will give you what you need. From palettes in themes like “natural matte” to “peanut butter and jelly,” you have no shortage of options.
The most popular palette from this brand is the Natural Eyes palette, which features rich, luxurious neutrals that teeter on the line between subtle and dramatic. The set comes with detailed step-by-step instructions so you can create beautiful looks with just a few different colors. The colors in this palette blend smoothly and look great on medium to dark skin tones.
Another well-loved palette from this company is the Boudoir Eyes set, which includes eight soft, sexy colors with maximum blendability and great staying power. Despite the name, this palette is extremely versatile, transitioning easily from the office to happy hour.
Too Faced tends to be on the more expensive side, but in this case, you get what you pay for – no dull colors or midday smudging here!
3. Pacifica
Pacifica products are long-time favorites in the cruelty-free beauty scene, and the eyeshadow palettes are no exception. These palettes are perfect choices for people who want beautiful neutrals and colors that are made from wholesome, natural ingredients instead of hard-to-pronounce chemicals. Because they’re natural, they’re good for people with sensitive skin, too.
If you’re going to try a single palette from Pacifica, go for the Enlighten Eye Brightening Shadow Palette. Consisting of three iridescent shades in warm, brightening tones, this set looks particularly stunning with blue eyes. It is a subtle, natural color set for people who are looking for a “less is more” approach. The colors are smooth enough to be applied with the fingertips.
In addition to being a good choice for people with sensitive skin, these palettes are also good for older skin – because they’re light and natural, they won’t crease in wrinkles and fine lines and will nourish skin instead of dry it out.
4. 100% Pure
Looking for a gorgeous cruelty-free eyeshadow but want it to be made from 100% natural ingredients? Look no further than 100% Pure’s wide array of palettes, which can be used on cheekbones as well as eyelids.
100% Pure’s Pretty Naked palette is all-around goodness. Featuring five colors in subtle neutrals and soft shades of pink and brown, these colors go with any outfit or makeup look, and have a soft, pearly luminescence that looks downright ethereal. Even better than the colors, though, is the ingredient list – the eyeshadow is pigmented with fruits, so you’re using only natural ingredients on the delicate skin around your eyes.
The shadows contain antioxidants so that whole foods can nourish your body outside, as well as on the inside. Ingredients like rose petal, raspberry, cocoa butter, and flax seed sound like they could be in any food product as well as an eyeshadow, so you don’t have to sacrifice your clean lifestyle.
The natural ingredient lists of these vegan eyeshadow palettes are perfect not only for people who follow a clean, whole-food lifestyle but also for those with sensitive, delicate skin that is easily irritated by harsh chemicals.
5. Zuzu Luxe
Available in fiery color collections like Amazon Glam, Pompeii, Lava, and Plume, Zuzu Luxe’s eyeshadow palettes make it easy to create a smoldering look that is unique to you. The variety of shades work well with an array of eye colors and skin tones, so they are incredibly versatile and appeal to many types of customers.
The Lava palette is a crowd favorite, combining dark, dramatic colors with a modern metallic finish. These colors can be blended easily and layered for just the right amount of drama, and the variety of color choices means you can easily create a subdued look for the office, then add a little smokiness for dinner and drinks. The deep purple tones of this palette make it a perfect choice for accentuating brown eyes.
For those with a more wild side, the Amazon Glam palette contains four colors that are inspired by the wild lioness – perfect when you need to inject a little ferocity into your look. This is a perfect choice for people who like to get a little theatrical with their makeup, and aren’t afraid to take risks. The peach and copper tones make blue and hazel eyes pop.
Zuzu Luxe makeup is all-natural and perfect for sensitive skin and eyes.
6. Colourpop
The first thing you notice about Colourpop’s vegan eyeshadow palettes is the beautiful packaging they arrive in. The “Where the Night Is” collection comes in a sleek black box with individual pots of shadow, while “Zingara” features a fuchsia box emblazoned with an orange fan pattern. The boxes themselves are too beautiful to hide away in a makeup bag – they’re beautiful to keep out on your shelf or counter.
“Where the Night Is” is a gorgeous collection of colors that can be worn during the daytime, with a single bold color for more adventurous evenings. Each shadow has its own name – telepathy, weenie, porter, and midnight – and comes in its own individual pot, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally mixing shadows like you might in a swatch.
Colourpop’s shadows are true to their name – they are highly pigmented, and are a good choice for someone who wants to use their eyeshadow to make a statement. Even their “Where the Light Is” collection, a set of warm, bronzy gold colors makes a beautiful smoky eye.
7. E.l.f.
E.l.f. Is a favorite of any beauty product lover who also has to stick to a budget. This company’s products are simultaneously high-quality, affordable, and 100% vegan – a trifecta that can be hard to find! Additionally, e.l.f. Products are easily found, as they are sold at nearly every drug and convenience store.
The Baked eyeshadow palette is a perfect one-stop shop for day makeup, as well as powder that can be layered and blended for a bold evening look. The Baked palette comes with ten colors in varying shades of neutrals and purples, which look gorgeous with nearly any skin tone or eye color.
For those who like a little more color to work with, and enjoy blending lots of different colors to create a signature shadow, e.l.f.’s 32-piece natural palette has enough shadows to keep you busy blending until your heart’s content. The set comes with a double-sided shadow applicator and built-in mirror, so you can apply wherever you go.
E.l.f.’s products can be found at your neighborhood drugstore, but you get the best deals on them through online retailers like Amazon.
8. Antonym
If you’re someone who looks for sustainability and eco-friendliness in a product as much as quality and allure, Antonym’s vegan eyeshadow palettes are for you.
In addition to containing four beautiful colors that contain no animal products and have never been tested on animals, each pack is made from sustainable bamboo, and the product is natural and organic cosmetic certified by Ecocert greenlife. The palettes are available in peach and brown to accommodate a wide variety of skin tones and shades.
The blends can be evenly applied to the eye for shading, highlighting, and lining, so you can keep a more minimalist makeup bag and know that your makeup is sustainable and environmentally friendly as it is beautiful and easy-wearing.
Vegan Eyeshadow Palettes
Eyeshadow palettes are the ultimate convenient product to keep on hand – with little to no guesswork; you can be assured that each color coordinates well with the others.
By purchasing a palette with more colors, you can have ultimate customizability regarding blending your own colors, or you can keep things more simple with a set that features just two to three powders.
Living a vegan lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to forego the convenience of eyeshadow palettes – you just have to make sure you’re choosing a set that does not contain animal products, made by companies who do not engage in animal testing.
With so many products from so many animal-free companies, you can try out different palettes and have a color collection perfect for any look, outfit, or special occasion.
This is nice but Too Faced is owned by Ester Lauder and they’re not cruelty free so giving your money to TF is supporting animal cruelty
Hey Jillian,
Thanks for your comments and that’s certainly one perspective.
We look at from the lens that we are supporting the off-brand and not the Parent. It would be like punishing the child for having a bad parent. Unfortunately, the cosmetic industry isn’t going to change overnight, but we hope that we can show these Parent companies that the only brands that we will support and have a chance at surviving are the ones that are vegan/cruelty-free. If that off-brand starts to engage in animal testing or includes animal ingredients in the future, then at that point we would stop supporting them.
not to mention, by buying the vegan child brand, the regular parent brand is sent the message that vegan makeup does sell. They keep track of what sells how much, so even though we would be supporting the parent brand, we send a message that vegan makeup is profitable, too, and so they’d be a lot more likely of making more of their inventory vegan/cruelty free.