Eyeshadow palettes can make the eyes more attractive and gorgeous, adding several layers of color or creating alluring gradients with only one product! However, with a variety of palettes available at varying price points, such as from brands like Jill Stuart, Shiseido, MAQuillAGE, Kosé, Albion, and more, it can be difficult to know which one to choose.
To figure out which were the best Japanese eyeshadow palettes, we ordered the 76 most popular products from Japan’s e-commerce giants (such as Amazon, Rakuten, Yahoo! Shopping, @cosme, etc.) and tested them all based on the following three points:
We tested each product for the following:
Naoko Shinohara is a hair and makeup artist who has worked on several Japanese TV commercials, advertisements, and TV shows and has worked with several actresses, entertainers, musicians, comedians, voice actors, and athletes. She's aspired to become a hair and makeup artist since she was in her teens, and studied under the tutelage of a popular hair and makeup artist until she eventually became independent. Today, in addition to her hair and makeup career, Naoko is also actively engaged in training the next generation of hair and makeup artists, teaching valuable technical skills. Additionally, she also frequently appears in various forms of media, making appearances on TV, writing for magazines, and hosting talk shows, garnering a massive following of young fans in Japan.
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Makeup trends and the things people place emphasis on can differ depending on the region, and Japan is no exception. Japanese eyeshadow palettes are known to offer relatively neutral colors like pinks and browns, often with a fine glitter that creates a more subtle shimmer than their western counterparts, which tend to offer louder, more vibrant colors in matte or metallic finishes.
While there's little evidence to 100% back up this claim, some online sources claim that Japanese people prefer more neutral colors that accentuate their eyes in order to make them look bigger, and applying bold colors can actually make your eyes look smaller than they actually are.
In any case, Japanese makeup generally tends to lean more towards subtle finishes, and Japanese eyeshadow palettes are no exception.
In this section, we'll go over the points to keep in mind when looking for a Japanese eyeshadow palette.
Broadly speaking, there are two types of eyeshadow palettes: those that feature similar colors in order to make it easy to create a nice gradient, and those that feature a plethora of colors. We'll break down the pros and cons for both types below!
Palettes with three to four colors allow you to create a natural gradient. These products often have a highlight color and a color to blend it all in, which means you can complete most of your eye makeup with a single palette!
Since these palettes feature colors that complement each other, they're easy to make beautiful eyes. Additionally, there are even some products where you can create a neat gradient in just one swipe, as well as products that have detailed instructions, similar to a paint-by-numbers kit, making them great for novices.
Palettes featuring similar colors make it easy to create well-balanced eyes.
However, there are some palettes that feature opposing colors; these require more skill and aren't the best for those new to makeup.
Multicolored palettes can have anywhere from nine to even 16 colors, featuring a wide array of colors, such as blues, pinks, and beiges. These palettes are versatile since you can use each individual color separately or combine them to let your creativity flow.
However, since they include eyeshadows of all kinds of colors, shades, and textures, they're better suited for those with more skills. If you're looking to craft a more on-trend look, then these palettes are for you.
The texture of your eyeshadow, whether it's glittery or matte, can greatly alter the finish of your makeup. Choose a texture based on your desired finish.
Glitter
Glittery eyeshadow adds a shimmer to your eyes as well as creates an attractive sheen. When going to a party or social event, choose an eyeshadow with large speckles of glitter to further emphasize your eyes.
Matte
If you seek a more natural and subtle look, consider a matte eyeshadow. Matte eyeshadows can create a more mature, subtle look, making them perfect not only for daily use, but also for the office.
Eyeshadow palettes are offered in various color variations. How are you supposed to know what color to choose? Well, according to artist Robert Dorr, who invented the yellow/blue base color system in the early 20th century, noticed that all colors basically have either a blue or yellow undertone.
He then tested out his theory when applied to people, and found that regardless of race or ethnicity, our skin either has yellow or blue undertones, which explains why some of us look good in some colors while the same colors just don't work for others!
If your skin has yellow undertones:
Choose a palette with warmer colors like oranges, yellows, golds, and browns.
If your skin has blue undertones:
Choose a palette with cooler colors like purples or blues. When choosing a palette with pinks and reds, look for colors with a hint of purple in them.
You can also look for trending colors as well as match your palette with your hair color or eye color!
Eyeshadow palettes that come with an applicator or brush are great for carrying around and for quickly fixing your makeup on the go.
The type of accessories each palette comes with can vary, so it's important to look at their length and shape. For applicators, consider how soft the sponge is and choose one that is capable of picking up enough eyeshadow powder. For brushes, choose a brush that feels soft on the skin and whether or not it can offer enough vibrancy in color.
Eyeshadow palettes come in all sorts of sizes, so it's only natural that the length of the brush differs depending on the product, too. Brushes with handles that are longer than the first knuckle on your thumb are relatively easier to use.
Longer handles make it easy to maintain a good grip. With handles that were too short, it makes it that much easier to get the eyeshadow on your fingers or other places where you don't want it.
When choosing an eyeshadow palette, it's a good idea to not only pay attention to the color and texture of the eyeshadow itself but also the shape and size of the brush and applicator.
Kosé's Jill Stuart Eternal Couture Eyes Velvet comes in an adorable container that contains glossy eyeshadow colors that are capable of adding a luxurious sheen to the eyes.
In our finish test, we found that all the colors were vibrant and adhered well to the eyelids. They also had a moist texture and didn't get flaky or powdery.
The applicator had a great length that offered a stable grip, making it easy to apply eyeshadow to the outer corner of the eye. We also found that this eyeshadow has great smudge resistance, with hardly any smudging occurring at all.
This product also earned full scores on both our finish and feel tests, delivering a trendy look with an ideal finish. We think that even makeup beginners would be able to make a beautiful gradient on their eyes with this palette.
Kao's AUBE One-Stroke Shadow N allows you to create a gradient with one stroke of the brush. The brand even claims that you can add depth to your eyes in just 10 seconds.
We gave it a full score on the finish since we were indeed able to create a beautiful gradient as the manufacturer claims. We were also fond of the included brush and how it felt to use. Moreover, the applicator, which was fairly skinny, made it easy to apply and is perfect for applying eyeshadow.
While the eyeshadow did get ever so slightly smudged in our smudge resistance test, the color didn't completely rub off, earning itself an average score.
Considering how quick and easy this was to use, we think this product is best for those who don't have time to sit down and spend precious minutes doing their makeup.
Shiseido's MAQuillAGE Dramatic Styling Eyes D includes a glossy base that helps add depth to the eyes, making them look bigger.
In our finish test, we found that this eyeshadow palette featured larger speckles of glitter which resulted in a cute finish. We were also happy to find that the glitter nor the powder itself would flake everywhere.
Although the applicator was fairly average in terms of its feel, we found the smudge resistance of this eyeshadow palette to be fantastic, with great adherence to the skin.
Visee My Nudy Eyes has a moist texture that prevents the eyeshadow from flaking off everywhere, in colors that work for most Japanese skin tones.
This product earned high marks in our finish test for its range of color depth and how easy it was to spread. We also liked how the texture of the eyeshadow itself was a bit moist, allowing us to create a beautiful glossy finish.
The included applicator had just the right length and size. As for the smudge resistance test, while there was a very minor amount of smudging, it only lost a touch of color, earning it a decent score.
Kao's Sofina AUBE Designing Impression Eyes allows you to easily create a beautiful gradient by applying the colors in order from top to bottom, following the shape of the palette itself. It even contains an eyeliner color to further accentuate the eyes.
Although some of the powder flaked a bit in our finish test, we found that the color itself was strong and vibrant, earning an average score.
Both the brush and applicator were easy to use and fit our eyelids well, which earned it a high score in the feel test. Additionally, while there was a minor amount of smudging in our smudge resistance test, we didn't see any color loss.
Kanebo's LUNASOL Sparkling Eyes is an eyeshadow palette that contains five colors that add an attractive shimmer to your eyes.
In our finish test, we found that the eyeshadow itself was smooth and easy to spread on the eyelids, allowing us to create a beautiful gradient.
The included brush was velvety and soft to the touch. As for the applicator, we found the larger size to be easier to apply the eyeshadow on our eyelids. However, this wasn't the most smudge-resistant product out there, with the colors bleeding out a bit.
Kanebo's Coffret D'or Nudy Impression Eyes is an eyeshadow palette that features colors that adds depth to the eyes to create an impressive look.
We liked this eyeshadow's finish, with its fine, pearly shimmer that added a sense of mature elegance to our eyes.
We also liked the accessories, which could also be used as a highlight brush and had a soft feel to them. However, this product suffered a bit in the smudge resistance test, since its colors bled out.
E'quipe's SUQQU Designing Color Eyes is an eyeshadow palette that has a smooth texture, adding an extra layer of depth to the eyes.
We thought that any of the colors in the palette could be used in combination with each other since the base color has a great vibrancy and was easy to apply.
The palette comes with an eyeshadow brush and applicator: we recommend using the brush for highlight colors, and the applicator for the glittery eyeshadow. In the smudge resistance test, the color slightly faded but didn't run off, so it earned an average score.
Shiseido's MAQuillAGE Dramatic Styling Eyes S claims to easily create a gradient with one stroke.
However, we found that this wasn't exactly the case; not only were we were unable to create a gradient in one stroke, but it also applied the eyeshadow to a larger area than we wanted, earning it a low score in the finish test.
The shape of the brush made it hard to create a gradient and was overall difficult to use. We also didn't feel like this eyeshadow adhered well to the skin, where it lost color in our smudge test.
Still, it earned a good score for its vibrancy and texture, making it better suited for those with advanced skills and their own tools.
Elegance Harmonie Eyes contains two colors that are designed to match most Japanese skin tones and create a gradient with one stroke.
This eyeshadow palette offers a luscious sheen with vibrant colors, earning it high marks in the finish test. We also liked the texture of the eyeshadow itself, which made for a neat finish that is great for daily use and for the office.
The feel of this product was great, thanks to the applicator's supple texture that picked up plenty of pigment.
We gathered the most popular Japanese eyeshadow palettes from Amazon, Rakuten, and @cosme and tested them all.
We tested each product for the following:
Next, we tested to see how each eyeshadow palette felt to use; specifically, how easy it was to use the included brushes.
We again asked hair and makeup artist Naoko Shinohara to test each product herself and had her evaluate each product based on how easy it was to apply the eyeshadow and how it felt to hold the brushes.
Finally, we tested to see how each eyeshadow palette held up to smudging.
To test this, we selected one main color from each eyeshadow palette. We then applied the eyeshadow to a piece of synthetic leather and sprayed artificial sweat, a mixture of water and horse oil, and then evaluated to see how well the eyeshadows withstood moisture and smudging.
We asked hair and makeup artists for tips on how to apply eyeshadow like a pro. Follow these steps to make the most out of your eyeshadow palette!
Instructions:
The key to having a neat, smudge-free finish is in the foundation, so make sure you thoroughly apply your eyeshadow primer before you layer on the colors.
Use a brush in areas where you want a more gentle, subtle finish, and use an applicator for areas where you want a more defined finish.
Now that you've gotten your eyeshadow palette, why not complete the J-makeup look with these other great products? Check the links below for more products and buying guides for Japanese eye makeup.
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