13 Best Eyeshadow Singles That Will Become Your Go-Tos In 2023
Glam up your eyes with stunning shades and add radiance and intensity to your eyes.
Expertise: Makeup
Experience: 25 years
Kerrin is a 4-time Emmy-nominated film and television makeup artist. She has worked on TV shows, such as The Walking Dead, The Mandalorian, and Our Flag Means Death, and films, such as Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars - Attack of ... more
Expertise: Makeup & Fashion
Baishali is a beauty and lifestyle writer and holds a master's degree in English from Assam University. She specializes in makeup and fashion and is also a certified Style and Image Consultant. Prior ... more
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Singles eyeshades are the new rage among makeup enthusiasts, and for good reasons. The best eye shadow singles in our list are not only convenient but also offer stunning shades to glam up your eyes. These products are easy to carry and can be applied on the go. So, explore our list and pick the suitable shades that add depth and drama to your eyes. Swipe up for more.
In This Article
13 Best Single Eyeshadows To Buy
1. Best For Daily-Wear: Maybelline Eyestudio ColorTattoo Metal 24HR Cream Gel Eyeshadow
This is a daily-wear long-lasting eye shadow. It is developed with Maybelline’s exclusive ink technology that gives you super-saturated color and the most intense color saturation. This cream-gel formula glides on smoothly without creasing to provide you with a polished and sophisticated look. This eyeshadow has a subtle shimmer and comes in multiple shades. If you are still unsure, check out this honest review.
Pros
- Intense color
- 24-hour stay
- Cream-gel formula
- Shimmers
Cons
- Not suitable for sensitive skin.
2. Best Crease-Proof: L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24HR Shadow
The Infallible 24HR eye shadows glide effortlessly on your eyelids, giving you an intense color that lasts 24 hours. It is a powder-cream formula and is available in multiple colors. Each of the colors has a matte, glittery, or shimmery finish. It is waterproof and crease-resistant. The velvety formula is highly pigmented.
Pros
- Crease-resistant
- Velvety formula
- Waterproof
- Fade-resistant
- 24-hour stay
- Pigmented with metallic shine
Cons
None
3. Best Cruelty-Free: Covergirl Eye Enhancers Eyeshadow Kit
This eyeshadow has a silky, sheer formula that blends easily to give you the desired look. It is available in multiple shades, and you can pick colors as per your mood. It has shadows in matte, pearly, and sparkly finishes, and each shade comes with a double-ended applicator with soft sponge tips. Click this video to learn more about the product.
Pros
- Available in multiple shades
- Cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified)
- Smooth application
- Good coverage
Cons
- Not all shades are deeply pigmented.
4. Best Long-Lasting: NYX Professional Makeup Single Eyeshadow
These pressed single eyeshadows by NYX give you a blendable and super intense color in matte, metallic, and shimmery finishes. These highly pigmented eye shadows are long-lasting and come in 162 shades, giving you ample choices to pick from.
Pros
- Highly pigmented
- Multiple color options
- Easy application
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Less quantity for the price.
5. Best Waterproof: Revlon ColorStay Crème Eye Shadow
This is a luxurious and vibrant creme eyeshadow and is developed with the ColorStay technology. It has strong, flexible polymers that form a waterproof layer after application. This makes it last longer and allows for easy, mess-free application. It is available in 12 different shades and four different finishes (matte, metallic, satin, and pearl). Learn more about the product in this video.
Pros
- Long-lasting
- Waterproof
- Easy to blend
- Built-in brush
Cons
None
6. Best Velvety-Matte Finish: Milani Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow
This eyeshadow has a unique formula – it starts as a gel and transforms into powder once you apply it. This product comes in multiple vibrant shades, each of which is easy to apply and gives a velvety-matte finish.
Pros
- Blends easily
- Unique powder-gel texture
- Long-lasting
- Velvety matte finish
Cons
- Color is lighter than it appears.
7. Best Pigmentation: stila Eye Shadow Compact
These eyeshadows are available as single-pressed compacts and come in a wide range of options, right from neutrals to shimmers. They have a high-intensity formula that delivers long-lasting and smooth colors and can be applied both wet and dry.
Pros
- Available in matte and metallic shades
- High-quality formula
- Smooth texture
Cons
None
8. Best Affordable: ISMINE Single Eyeshadow Powder Palette
This powder eyeshadow is available in a wide range of colors and has a matte and shimmery finish. It is highly pigmented and is meant for party or professional use. It stays for long and is easy to apply. However, compared to the lighter shades, the darker shades are more intense and highly pigmented.
Pros
- Highly pigmented
- Blends easily
- Affordable
- Long-lasting
- Waterproof
Cons
- Not easy to take off.
9. Best For Contact Lens Users: ProBeautyCo Matte EyeShadow Single
This crease-resistant eyeshadow glides smoothly on your eyelids. It gives you a high-impact color and has a soft-matte finish. The eyeshadow is highly pigmented and available in multiple shades. It is safe for your eyes even if you wear glasses, contact lenses, or have sensitive eyes. This product contains vitamins C and E that protect your eyelids.
Pros
- Hypoallergenic
- Mineral oil-free
- Paraben-free
- Safe for contact lens/glass wearers
Cons
- Expensive
10. Best Hypoallergenic: Almay Shadow Softies
This product is as light as air. It has a whipped powder texture that glides smoothly on your eyelids to give sheer coverage. It is crease-free and has a cushiony-soft feeling. If you want intense color, swipe a second layer of the product on your eyelids. The eyeshadow is made of high-quality ingredients and available in 12 shades.
Pros
- Dermatologist-tested
- Ophthalmologist-tested
- Hypoallergenic
- Intense shimmery color
- Lightweight
- Crease-free
Cons
- Might not blend evenly.
11. Best Creamy Formula: Eddie Funkhouser Hyperreal Eye Color
The Eddie Funkhouser Hyperrea eyeshadows are made with premium micro-milled pigments. These are incredibly vibrant and ultra-smooth. They blend like silk and last long. The versatile range of trendy shades is available in multiple finishes, such as matte, shimmer, and pearl.
Pros
- Intense pigments
- Extended-wear formula
- Blendable texture
- Creamy formula
Cons
None
12. Best Travel-Friendly: Neutrogena Shimmer Eye Shadow
This shimmer eyeshadow by Neutrogena is a highly pigmented shade in burnt sienna color. Apply it using a brush or with your fingers and see the color bloom in just a single swipe. It is formulated with vitamin E, an antioxidant that keeps your skin safe. This eyeshadow provides a true color and you can use this alone or pair it with a matte eyeshadow to have a beautiful effect.
Pros
- Highly pigmented
- Buildable
- Long-lasting
- Blends easily
- Crease-resistant
- Easy to use
- Paraben-free
- Travel-friendly
Cons
None
13. Best Blendable: Rimmel London Magnif’eyes Mono Eyeshadow
The Magnif’eyes Mono Eye Shadow by Rimmel has an ultra-blendable formula. It is available in different shades and finishes like high glitter, shimmer, and matte. It has a silky, smooth finish and stays on your eyelids for the entire day or night without budging.
Pros
- Ultra-blendable formula
- Smooth texture
- Silky finish
- All-day wear
- Highly pigmented
Cons
None
Before you pick any of these single eyeshadows, you need to be aware of the colors that will suit your skin tone. Here are a few tips to achieve this.
How To Choose The Right Eyeshadow
1. Pick As Per Your Skin Tone
If you have cool undertones, go for mauves, lavender, pinks, and purples. You can also buy shades that are close to these shades. Try lighter shades, including cream and beige to brighten up the eye area.
If you have warm undertones, go for coppers, rose gold, bronzes, and browns that lean towards yellow, orange, or light gold to open up your eyes.
If you have neutral undertones, you are lucky to experiment with any color you like.
If you have olive undertones, use shades that suit both cool and warm undertones. However, be careful with shades of pink, red, and purple as these colors may make your skin appear green. On the other hand, any earthy and green tone will suit your skin.
2. Pick As Per Your Eye Color
If you have brown eyes, play around with colors, especially those with metallic and shimmery finishes. Brown is a neutral color. Dark brown appears almost black, while light brown eyes have a golden-green tint. Hence, you can use blues and mauves to enhance the golden and green tints, respectively.
If you have green eyes, coppers and earthy greens are appealing shades. You can also try red, mauve, and purple as these colors will enhance green eyes.
If you have blue eyes, try cool tones like mauve and pink to enhance the blue color. You may also try neutral tones like browns, taupe, bronze, peach, and rose gold.
Now once you have picked your single eyeshadows, here are a few tips for using them.
How To Use A Single Eyeshadow
- Apply eyelid primer from your lash line up to the place below the eyebrow. Blend properly.
- Use a flat eyeshadow brush to pick some product from the container. Tap off the excess eyeshadow from the brush. Apply it by tapping the eyeshadow on the eyelids.
- If you are using a cream or liquid eyeshadow, apply it with your fingers or blend it with a sponge. Apply the eyeshadow on your crease with a round eyeshadow brush. Tap the shadow on the corner of your eye and drag the brush inwards.
- Use a blending brush to blend the edges.
- Apply mascara to finish off the look.
Makeup enthusiasts love adding the best eyeshadow singles to your collection. The listed eyeshadow shades help glam up your eyes and offer stunning results each time. In addition, they help in improving your confidence levels and make you feel like a star. These products are available in various shades to suit all skin tones. The highly pigmented shades offer intense color payoff that easily blends with the skin and other makeup products. In addition, these eyeshadow singles are waterproof, hypoallergenic, and provide long-lasting results. However, some products may not suit sensitive skin types. Always do a patch test to check for reactions.
Kerrin Jackson, 4-time Emmy-nominated film and television makeup artist, says, “Eyeshadow singles are perfect to carry with you when you’re on the go. If you have your favorite staple eyeshadow, then I’m sure you carry it as an individual color as well as in a palette! Particularly cream eyeshadows, which I love, are invaluable. When you find the shade you love, stick with it!”
Why Trust StyleCraze?
Baishali Bhattacharya, the author of this article, is certified in makeup artistry. She knows how the perfect eyeshadow can glam up your look in a matter of seconds. To help you out, she has tried out several eyeshadow singles, checked online reviews on trusted platform, and come up with this list of the best ones out there. They are easy to use, affordable, and stay put for a long time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it ok to only use one eyeshadow color?
Yes, it is perfectly okay to use one eyeshadow color. You can either apply one versatile shadow to make it look more than a single color or do a flat wash on the eyes. A one-eyeshadow look is ideal if you want a textured, dazzling shimmer.
How do I remove eyeshadows?
• Wash your hands to prevent any dirt or impurities from entering your eyes.
• Soak a cotton ball or pad in a dual-phase (a combination of water and oil) eye makeup remover.
• Press the cotton pad gently on your closed eye and let it sit for 10 seconds.
• Swipe over your eyes in a gentle downward motion without harsh rubbing or pressure.
• Use repeated downward sweeps until your eye is free of makeup.
• Rinse your eye area, especially the lash line and inner corners, to cleanse any traces of makeup.
How long do eyeshadows last?
The shelf life of a powdered eye shadow is 36 months. If it is a cream-based formula, it will last nine months. After this period, the chances of germs and bacteria harboring are higher.
Is a highlighter the same as a single eyeshadow?
No, they are not the same. However, your highlighter can double up as an eyeshadow if you want to keep your makeup bag lighter. A highlighter will impart a subtle, natural effect and create a glossy, iconic eye look without creasing.
Does single eyeshadow look good on mature eyes?
Yes. A single shadow will offer statement-making eye looks on mature people if the formula is cream-based. Cream eyeshadow is hydrating and provides a smoother finish without accentuating wrinkles, fine lines, or streaks.
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