Four Brands That Do Customizable Eyeshadow Palettes Well

Being the slight control freak I am when it comes to eyeshadow palettes, I often find pre-designed options have shades that might be curated beautifully but aren’t always what I want in terms of wearability.

There always seems to be a split of shades I know I’ll love, and shadows I know I’ll never touch, and it irks the side of me that yearns for colour aesthetic. So naturally, I love when I get full control of the shadows I put in a palette, and with so many brands doing customization I thought I talk about four that I think are great value, quality and variety.

Now it wouldn’t be a post about custom eyeshadow palettes without one of the originators of the idea, MAC. Most of their extensive range (and Pro range) are available in single pan with magnetic backing minus the signature black compact for a reduced price. The brand also makes empty palettes available in several different multiples making it great if you just want a couple, or a whole collection laid out in visually appealing colour coding (see my ‘Purple Palette’ pictured above).

Naturally, these are great options for makeup artists and consumers alike because of their sleekness, portability and sturdy packaging. I might own several…. don’t judge…

A few years back Urban Decay got into the custom palette game when they redesigned their entire shadow line packaging so that it could easily be converted from single to a palette without any tedious depotting or buying separate eyeshadows in a pan form.

These palettes only come in fours, but are super sturdy, come with a mirror and the shadows pop in and out effortlessly. I would say a downside is that because these fit into the palette with a plastic ‘holder’ for lack of a better term, they can’t be put in magnetic palettes like Z-Palettes. A fantastic option for someone who likes to pop different colours in and out depending on their mood!

Inglot has had its Freedom System for ages. Their impressively large line features empty palettes of different ‘pan’ amounts, and then you choose the shadows you want to fill it.

The palettes work on an incredibly strong magnet system that holds the square shadows in place (or blushes, powders, bronzers… pretty much any powder product can be put into a palette in the Inglot line).

These are super chic, and the small palettes are very portable, but my only downfall is that once you pop a product in, it seems next to impossible to get it out! (it isn’t, but it isn’t easy)

Finally the new kid on the custom palette scene is from Buxom, which I did a  of their Customizable Eyeshadow Bar recently. Also with a great mirror, these single shadows come in a plastic rectangle that you pop into a carrier and slide into the palette. These can be adjusted in and out super easy and the housing is really sturdy given it is kept relatively chic and simple.

These are perfect to keep in a makeup bag or to travel with; Housing up to six shades can easily cover all your shadow needs!