Eyeshadow palette

Written by Lamyaa Aissi, professional makeup artist, Casablanca. Part of the Eyes: Shadow, Liner, Mascara & Lashes guide.

When to use it

When the shades genuinely relate — undertones controlled across the set so any shade can go over any other.

On Moroccan skin, in a Moroccan climate

Check the matte shades before buying. If they are all cool greys and taupes, the palette was not built with your skin in mind.

The rule that runs through every product on this site: check undertone, not just depth. Most Moroccan skin is olive or golden, and a neutral or pink-based product greys within the hour however precisely the depth matches. And for any long event, set in thin successive passes rather than one heavy layer — accumulated product slides in coastal humidity, while product laid down thinly stays.

What it will not do

Being a substitute for technique. A good palette makes a bad blend easier to fix, not unnecessary.

The most common mistake

Buying thirty pans as a first palette. Six to nine is the range that teaches you something.