The best nude lipsticks for dark skin tones; Tattoo tips for dark skin tones; 7 of the best foundations for darker skin tones; Pretty tattoos on dark skin tones; This MAC makeup mixture guarantees. MAC Eyeshadows for Dark Skin. For dark skin, we would avoid any pale eyeshadow, as you may end up looking ashy. It all depends on how dark your skin is, actually. Amd a10 7870k dual graphics compatibility. We would recommend MAC eyeshadow in dark or neutral shades. Not only does it show on your eyes, but it makes your skin pop as well.
Read ALL about my review process including how I take swatches, photos, and more here.
Heyyyy, party people!
Today we're getting into the best neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin. I'm contemplating making a makeup basics video on how to nail your eye makeup every time—if you'd be interested in seeing that, leave me a comment—make sure you're subscribed to my Youtube channel!
Which Eyeshadow Is Best For Dark Skin
Now let's get into this post!
The BEST Neutral Eyeshadow Palettes for Dark Skin
Pre-arranged eyeshadow palettes can be awesome because they can save you time, space, and in some cases money. Neutral eyeshadow palettes can be even more attractive since many of them can go with a multitude of makeup looks. BUT when you have a gorgeous, deliciously rich chocolate complexion an eyeshadow palette that doesn't contain a majority of shades that show up well and can be used in a variety of your makeup looks, it's useless and a waste of money. And what we NOT gone do is waste money.
Over the years I've tested a gazillion makeup products and the shadow palettes in this post are among the BEST neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin.
NOTE: Should you come across neutral eyeshadow palettes that have very similar colors to the palettes shown in this post, there's a chance those are amazing for dark skin, too.
Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
I have a love-hate relationship with the brand due to their lack of deeper complexion products for deeper skin tones. They can also do a much better job of showcasing deeper skin tones in their social media posts and campaigns. But I'd be lying if I told you I haven't been using the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette HEAVILY over the last maybe 2-3 years since the brand sent the palette to me in a press mailing…lol. I LOVE this eyeshadow palette and use it VERY often when I do my makeup.
What makes it great is there are a good amount of medium-toned and deeper-toned matte neutrals mixed in with beautiful golds, bronzes, and plums. There isn't a single color in here that wouldn't work well on darker skin plus you can create a myriad of both day and night looks from this palette. I also especially love this palette because I don't have to reach for any other eyeshadows when I use it (except I dropped mine and the matte beige shade broke so I *do* use MAC Tete-a-Tint eyeshadow to replace it). The shadows also have great pigmentation and yes, it really does smell like chocolate—ok, more like hot cocoa powder…lol.
See swatches of this palette here
NYX Cosmetics Warm Neutrals
This is another amazing palette that I can get many great eyeshadow looks from without reaching for any other shadows or palettes. It has a great amount of medium-toned and darker-toned neutrals that are on the warmer side. I could basically copy and paste all the reasons why I love the Too Faced Chocolate Palette and put them here…lol. Of course the NYX palette has warmer neutrals and if you're conscious about space either for vanity or travel reasons, this one is smaller and more portable. Parasyte season 1 download.
See swatches of this palette here
Urban Decay Naked
Naked 1, 2, AND 3 are all great neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin. Out of the three I personally love Naked 3 the most. Naked 3 contains rosy neutrals and while some of the shades are lighter in this palette than in the previous two from this list, they're pigmented enough to work on dark skin (and plus I'm hoping you would use colors like that in an eyeshadow combo—please don't wear for example, a shade like Strange from Naked 3 as a single wash of color—I mean, nobody's stopping you from doing that, but please know a color like that looks more amazing when paired with another deeper color).
See swatches of Naked 1, 2, and 3 here
MAC Burgundy Times Nine
This palette offers nine gorgeous shades that lean more on the pinkier side. Quickly eyeing it, you might think it looks like the NYX Warm Neutrals palette since it has similar colors, but the MAC palette swings closer to the cooler side. It's like a second cousin of the Naked 3 but with deeper shades.
Like the other palettes I mentioned here, this one also has pigmented shadows, and you can also use this ONE palette without having to reach for any other shadows.
Honorable Mention: Sleek MakeUP Au Naturel Palette
So I LOVED this palette and it met all the criteria I described above to make it great for dark skin. I hit pan on a few shades and bought a new palette to replace it/have a back up when I visited London back in 2014. The new palette didn't seem to be the same—not sure if Sleek MakeUp sells a different version on the US site as what's stocked in London stores or if they changed the formula or what happened. You can see more about this palette including pics and swatches here and here.
So these were my picks for the BEST neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin! I included pre-arranged palettes here, but don't forget you can create your own custom eyeshadow palettes from brands like MAC, NYX Cosmetics, Make Up For Ever, etc.
See more eyeshadow posts, reviews, and swatches here
Eyeshadow Palette For Dark Skin
Follow me on social:
Subscribe to my Youtube channel
Snapchat
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What are YOUR favorite neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin? Tell me in the comments!
You may also enjoy:
Ok ladies, how many of you obsess over MAC eyeshadows? Personally, I think MAC has some of the best shadows out there because they are super pigmented and stay on till you take them off! I have made a list of what I think are the top 21 MAC eyeshadows every girl should have. So whether you have been buying MAC products for years (in which case, you probably already own most of these), or you are just starting your own MAC collection, here are my ultimate faves and must-have shades.
Table of contents:
1 VANILLA
Starting off the list for must-have MAC eyeshadows is MAC Vanilla. This is definitely a holy grail for MAC lovers. It is an ivory shade with very slight pink undertones. It has a velvet finish, so it is more matte type of shadow. However, this shadow specifically has a teensy bit of shimmer in it, but not too much. Perfect for a natural highlight, and can brighten up any look.
2 SHROOM
This shadow is a lovely light beige with hint of shimmer. It has a satin finish, which means that it is not too frosty or too matte. It is a happy medium between the two, and gives a beautiful finish. It's common for satin shades to vary in finish, so just be mindful when buying. It is also a very neutral shade, so it doesn't really have any undertones, unlike it's sister shade Nylon, which has gold undertones.
3 MYSTERY
Another staple satin shade is MAC Mystery. This is more of a muted black-brown color, and doesn't have too much of a sheen to it. MAC satin shades usually range from more frosty to almost completely matte finishes. In this case, Mystery is wonderful to use for a smokey eye because it leans more to the matte side. It is easier to blend with other shades, and gives you the perfect smoky effect. Although it is almost identical to MAC Brun, I find Mystery to be the softer shade, as well as the easiest to work with.
4 NYLON
Moving on, we have Mac Nylon. This is a pale gold shimmery shadow, and is very pigmented! It is considered a frost finish, which means it contains small shimmery particles that give it a shiny, metallic appearance. Use it in the inner corners of your eyes and it's sure to make your eyes pop.
5 NAKED LUNCH
This is a minimal pink with a hint of shimmer. It is a frost finish, like the MAC Nylon. I love this as a lid shade because it is subtle and sweet, so it's great if your going for a minimal look. It is a neutral color you can pair with with various other shades.
6 PATINA
The BEST Neutral Eyeshadow Palettes for Dark Skin
Pre-arranged eyeshadow palettes can be awesome because they can save you time, space, and in some cases money. Neutral eyeshadow palettes can be even more attractive since many of them can go with a multitude of makeup looks. BUT when you have a gorgeous, deliciously rich chocolate complexion an eyeshadow palette that doesn't contain a majority of shades that show up well and can be used in a variety of your makeup looks, it's useless and a waste of money. And what we NOT gone do is waste money.
Over the years I've tested a gazillion makeup products and the shadow palettes in this post are among the BEST neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin.
NOTE: Should you come across neutral eyeshadow palettes that have very similar colors to the palettes shown in this post, there's a chance those are amazing for dark skin, too.
Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette
I have a love-hate relationship with the brand due to their lack of deeper complexion products for deeper skin tones. They can also do a much better job of showcasing deeper skin tones in their social media posts and campaigns. But I'd be lying if I told you I haven't been using the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette HEAVILY over the last maybe 2-3 years since the brand sent the palette to me in a press mailing…lol. I LOVE this eyeshadow palette and use it VERY often when I do my makeup.
What makes it great is there are a good amount of medium-toned and deeper-toned matte neutrals mixed in with beautiful golds, bronzes, and plums. There isn't a single color in here that wouldn't work well on darker skin plus you can create a myriad of both day and night looks from this palette. I also especially love this palette because I don't have to reach for any other eyeshadows when I use it (except I dropped mine and the matte beige shade broke so I *do* use MAC Tete-a-Tint eyeshadow to replace it). The shadows also have great pigmentation and yes, it really does smell like chocolate—ok, more like hot cocoa powder…lol.
See swatches of this palette here
NYX Cosmetics Warm Neutrals
This is another amazing palette that I can get many great eyeshadow looks from without reaching for any other shadows or palettes. It has a great amount of medium-toned and darker-toned neutrals that are on the warmer side. I could basically copy and paste all the reasons why I love the Too Faced Chocolate Palette and put them here…lol. Of course the NYX palette has warmer neutrals and if you're conscious about space either for vanity or travel reasons, this one is smaller and more portable. Parasyte season 1 download.
See swatches of this palette here
Urban Decay Naked
Naked 1, 2, AND 3 are all great neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin. Out of the three I personally love Naked 3 the most. Naked 3 contains rosy neutrals and while some of the shades are lighter in this palette than in the previous two from this list, they're pigmented enough to work on dark skin (and plus I'm hoping you would use colors like that in an eyeshadow combo—please don't wear for example, a shade like Strange from Naked 3 as a single wash of color—I mean, nobody's stopping you from doing that, but please know a color like that looks more amazing when paired with another deeper color).
See swatches of Naked 1, 2, and 3 here
MAC Burgundy Times Nine
This palette offers nine gorgeous shades that lean more on the pinkier side. Quickly eyeing it, you might think it looks like the NYX Warm Neutrals palette since it has similar colors, but the MAC palette swings closer to the cooler side. It's like a second cousin of the Naked 3 but with deeper shades.
Like the other palettes I mentioned here, this one also has pigmented shadows, and you can also use this ONE palette without having to reach for any other shadows.
Honorable Mention: Sleek MakeUP Au Naturel Palette
So I LOVED this palette and it met all the criteria I described above to make it great for dark skin. I hit pan on a few shades and bought a new palette to replace it/have a back up when I visited London back in 2014. The new palette didn't seem to be the same—not sure if Sleek MakeUp sells a different version on the US site as what's stocked in London stores or if they changed the formula or what happened. You can see more about this palette including pics and swatches here and here.
So these were my picks for the BEST neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin! I included pre-arranged palettes here, but don't forget you can create your own custom eyeshadow palettes from brands like MAC, NYX Cosmetics, Make Up For Ever, etc.
See more eyeshadow posts, reviews, and swatches here
Eyeshadow Palette For Dark Skin
Follow me on social:
Subscribe to my Youtube channel
Snapchat
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
What are YOUR favorite neutral eyeshadow palettes for dark skin? Tell me in the comments!
You may also enjoy:
Ok ladies, how many of you obsess over MAC eyeshadows? Personally, I think MAC has some of the best shadows out there because they are super pigmented and stay on till you take them off! I have made a list of what I think are the top 21 MAC eyeshadows every girl should have. So whether you have been buying MAC products for years (in which case, you probably already own most of these), or you are just starting your own MAC collection, here are my ultimate faves and must-have shades.
Table of contents:
1 VANILLA
Starting off the list for must-have MAC eyeshadows is MAC Vanilla. This is definitely a holy grail for MAC lovers. It is an ivory shade with very slight pink undertones. It has a velvet finish, so it is more matte type of shadow. However, this shadow specifically has a teensy bit of shimmer in it, but not too much. Perfect for a natural highlight, and can brighten up any look.
2 SHROOM
This shadow is a lovely light beige with hint of shimmer. It has a satin finish, which means that it is not too frosty or too matte. It is a happy medium between the two, and gives a beautiful finish. It's common for satin shades to vary in finish, so just be mindful when buying. It is also a very neutral shade, so it doesn't really have any undertones, unlike it's sister shade Nylon, which has gold undertones.
3 MYSTERY
Another staple satin shade is MAC Mystery. This is more of a muted black-brown color, and doesn't have too much of a sheen to it. MAC satin shades usually range from more frosty to almost completely matte finishes. In this case, Mystery is wonderful to use for a smokey eye because it leans more to the matte side. It is easier to blend with other shades, and gives you the perfect smoky effect. Although it is almost identical to MAC Brun, I find Mystery to be the softer shade, as well as the easiest to work with.
4 NYLON
Moving on, we have Mac Nylon. This is a pale gold shimmery shadow, and is very pigmented! It is considered a frost finish, which means it contains small shimmery particles that give it a shiny, metallic appearance. Use it in the inner corners of your eyes and it's sure to make your eyes pop.
5 NAKED LUNCH
This is a minimal pink with a hint of shimmer. It is a frost finish, like the MAC Nylon. I love this as a lid shade because it is subtle and sweet, so it's great if your going for a minimal look. It is a neutral color you can pair with with various other shades.
6 PATINA
Depending on your skin color, this can be a very neutral shade, almost skin tone shade. MAC describes it as a taupe brown with a gold pearl finish. It is yet another one of the frost finish shadows. But again, depending on your skin tone it can appear more or less shimmery.
7 SATIN TAUPE
This shade is a dark taupe color with a metallic frost finish. It can be a great day shadow, AND a night shadow, depending on what you pair it with. Also, depending on your skin tone it may look lighter or darker. Nonetheless, it is a beautiful shade overall, and a good one to have.
8 AMBER LIGHTS
This is probably one of the frostiest Mac eyeshadows. It is a beautiful peachy-brown color with lots of shimmer. This is great to wear if you are going for a more vibrant and intense look, rather than a soft neutral look. This looks amazing on brown eyes because of how bright and pigmented it is. The gold in this shadow really compliments the eyes, and brings them a lot of attention.
9 CORK
Dubbed a medium matte finish brown, this is a great basic shade. It is great for blending in your crease, or for filling in in your eyebrows (for which I only recommend matte shades, because they look the most natural)… This is definitely one to have if you are going for a natural look.
10 WOODWINKED
This lovely shade a veluxe pearl finish, meaning it is very buttery and pigmented, and looks quite metallic. It is one of my favorites! It's bronze brown, so it is great for a day look, or a night look. For a day look, you can pair it with other subtle shades. As for a night look, you can pair it with darker tones. Either way, it is a fabulous shadow, and an absolute must-have.
11 EXPENSIVE PINK
Now I have never been much of a pink girl, but I have fallen in love with this shade! It is a can be worn day or night, because it is a versatile shade. It is a shimmery warm pink with a veluxe pearl finish. It has tiny hints of gold in it, but nothing too crazy. It looks great blended with darker pinks, plums, and browns. But there are plenty of other combinations that would look amazing.
12 TWINKS
Another one of my favorites, is MAC Twinks. It is a beautiful deep plum shade with a veluxe pearl finish. It is great for blending, and not as metallic as other deluxe pearl shades. I love to wear this during the fall season because it is a great color with a soft, subtle sheen. Perfect as an all over lid color, or great as a transition shade.
13 KNIGHT DIVINE
Yet another veluxe pearl finish shadow? My, my, my! This sultry, deep, shimmery grey is another fabulous shadow to have on hand. This looks stunning when worn with MAC Electra in the inner corner, and smudged out with MAC Carbon in the outer corner. These three together make a killer smokey eye, and make for a very mysterious and sultry look.
14 TEMPTING
Declared a luster finish, this lovely, rich, dark cocoa gives some warmth with a bit of shimmer. Now, any die-hard MAC lover will advise you to steer clear of Luster eyeshadows. They tend to have a bad rap because their dry, chunky glitter texture can cause a lot of fallout. Still, this is the one Luster shadow that is a must-have. Still worried about fallout? Use a fixing spray to keep the powder in place, and to make it easier to apply to your eyes.
15 All That Glitters
I love shimmery eyeshadow! It makes your eyes glow and pop, plus, since its MAC, the sparkle lasts for hours! All That Glitters will provide your eyes with a sultry, enticing look as well as bring out the color in your eyes.
16 Kid
A simple staple for ladies with a light brown complexion is MAC's, Kid eyeshadow. You can use it by itself to create a natural look, or in combination with a dark smoky eye to smooth out the creases and blend it into your natural skin tone.
17 Ground Brown
Ground Brown is the ideal brown eyeshadow! Brown eyeshadow belongs in every girl's makeup collection, so you might as well choose the best! This deep, warm color makes your lashline look thicker and your eyes look sexier. It's perfect for both a night out, or a day at the office.
18 Trax
Trax is MAC's super pink, super sparkly eyeshadow designed for the bold at heart! It's definitely noticeable, and looks spectacular paired with other colors or blended into the crease.
19 Goldbit
The classic gold shadow has an element of glamour unmatched by any other eye shadow color! Among many beautiful gold eyeshadows, I would say that one of the best comes from MAC. It's natural enough so that you don't look like a circus performer, but daring enough so that people will notice your shimmering eyelids with every bat of your eyelashes!
20 Rose Gold
This eye shadow looks different from the rest because it IS different! It is a combination of rosy and gold pigments that looks stunning on every skin tone and type! Pigment adheres to your skin better than most eyeshadows, doesn't streak or cake, and is easy to blend. MAC's Rose Gold pigment is certain to change the way you think about makeup.
21 CARBON
And last but most certainly not least, we have the matte Carbon shadow. You really only need one black eyeshadow in your collection, and this has to be the best. Because it is a matte eyeshadow, it is perfect for blending and wonderful for a smoky look. It is similar to Nehru, however is doesn't seem to have the same subtle blue tint to it.
So there you have it ladies. These are the 21 basic must-have MAC eyeshadows that will make a perfect starter palette. Yes, they are pretty neutral tones, but that is what makes them so versatile and great! What are some of your favorite shades and finishes?
