Editor Tip: You can apply this stick closer to your lash line as you would with a regular liner.
Who It’s For: Makeup newbies | Available Shades: 9
Most Unique Shades: Colourpop Shadow Stix
Why It’s Worth It: Another affordable hit is the Colourpop Shadow Stix, which New York City-based makeup artist Amrita Mehta loves for its “great color payoff.” At $8 a pop, these creamy sticks offer a unique shade range across metallic and matte finishes, including Surf Sesh (the metallic teal shown above), Cold Girl (metallic icy white), and Friday Feels (metallic peachy coral).
Editor Tip: You can buy a 16-stick set if you’re ready to commit to becoming a shadow pro, or simply shopping for a gift.
Who It’s For: People who like to blend using their fingers | Available Shades: 22
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best eye shadow sticks, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and professional makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: wear, longevity, color variety, and ease of use. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors — in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon — is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.