If you’re not feeling entirely confident in your decision-making methods when it pertains to eye shadow palettes, you may find some expert advice to your benefit. We reached out to celebrity makeup artist Rachel Goodwin, who has been the creative mind behind makeup looks for everyone from Emma Stone and Lana Condor to Rose Byrne and Selma Blair.
For Goodwin, choosing which eye shadow palettes to work with isn’t a complicated process, as it’s all based on the overall look she would like to achieve. “I choose based on the look I am trying to create. If I am doing editorial, I break out the color palettes. Day looks or press days with clients, I typically stick with neutrals and soft browns,” she continues. Eye shadow palettes come in all shapes and sizes, each one possessing a unique formula that can either make or break your makeup look. The key is to hone in on your specific needs and desired finished look.
“I normally separate my eye shadow palettes by color. Neutrals in one and bright colors in another,” explains Goodwin. “I prefer to have mixed textures in each palette, meaning a blend of shimmers, mattes, and satins, organized by hue.” It could also be incredibly helpful to pay attention to the longevity of the eye shadow shades, potential product fallout (what happens when shadow migrates from the lid to the under-eye area), and the ability to build and blend pigments. Skin types also come into play, especially if you happen to have oily skin that can limit the wear time of certain formulas.
