A versatile eyeshadow palette offering easy-to-use combinations and a stunning look for nearly all users.
It has 18 highly pigmented shades, including flattering mattes and shimmer-drenched hues, and 10 highly pigmented eyeshadows formulated with high-quality ingredients such as aloe vera and coconut oil. Plus, the 2 glitter formulas are infused with innovative silicones and provide a radiant appearance.
Some reports that the colors don't blend well.
Affordable, vibrant assortment of colors ideal for creating bold nighttime looks with high-impact glitter shadows.
Easy to build and blend color, especially with other Huda Beauty shadows. Travel-friendly compact makes touch-ups easy on the go. Unique collection includes teal and blue tones, which are also flattering to blue eyes.
All 9 shades are bright and glittery, so they're a bit too bold for daytime wear.
A warm palette with several different finishes in a range of pink, purple, copper, and coral shades.
Includes 18 eyeshadows with matte, shimmer, and glitter finishes. Mattes are very creamy and easy to blend. Duo-chrome shimmers are meant to be used as toppers.
Not as pigmented as some of Huda Beauty's other palettes.
An update of the popular Rose Gold palette that includes new, more intense shades.
Features 18 eyeshadows, including mattes, melted metals, a pressed pearl shade, and a dry or wet black shade that can be used as an eyeliner.
The shimmer shades are gel-like and dent easily, making it appear like the pan wasn't filled all the way.
Based on our test, this palette with bold and neutral shades delivers infinite possibilities.
Easy to blend and work with. Very versatile palette, with great staying power, and minimal fallout. Providing great texture and unique options.
A few have had challenges with the glitter shadows staying in place.
After going through an intensive research process to narrow down our short list of top products in this space, we tested Huda Beauty Mercury Retrograde Palette to be sure that it’s worthy of our recommendation. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter and test to verify manufacturer claims.
Huda Beauty hit the market less than a decade ago, and since then it’s been nothing short of a roaring success. Founder Huda Kattan, first known for her popular beauty vlog, now has an extensive line of cosmetics, skincare products, and fragrances. If you’ve been intrigued by Kattan’s tutorial videos, then it’s time to buy a Huda Beauty palette.
Each shade collection is curated to deliver the best in pigment, finish, and formula. These high-impact colors turn up the volume of your look in person and in photographs. Palettes typically include a combination of matte, shimmer, or glitter finishes, all of which are well-liked for their blendability and lasting color.
With a Huda Beauty palette, it’s easy to create any look you can imagine. Stick with understated shades for everyday wear or go for a glammed-up look that’s red carpet ready. If you’re already thinking about the possibilities, keep reading our buying guide featuring some of our favorite Huda Beauty palettes to find one you love.
Eyeshadow: The vast majority of Huda Beauty palettes are eyeshadow collections. These are available as compacts featuring 9 or 18 shades. Quad compacts come with oversize colors, whereas the colors in 9- and 18-shade compacts are much smaller.
Highlighter and bronzer: There is a modest assortment of Huda Beauty highlighter and bronzer compacts, which are only available in quads. These can be used on the face as well as the body and are intended to accentuate your best features.
Huda Beauty has a solid reputation for showcasing a vibrant variety of shades, and the line’s compacts are just as colorful. Many cases feature bold colors and metallic detail or lids that echo the palette theme or inspiration. The compacts are also equipped with a large mirror, so they’re ideal for travel or touch-ups on the go.
You’ll be spoiled for choice with Huda Beauty palettes, so you might be wondering which one is best for you. While you can select any of them and have fun with color, some shades are more flattering than others based on your skin tone, eye color, or hair color.
To help you imagine what certain colors might look like on your face or body, you can head to a retailer to examine the palettes in person. You can also explore Huda Beauty palettes at online retailers. They often feature product images directly from Huda Beauty that display how the shades appear on several skin tones, something consumers say plays a major role in their decision to buy.
While Huda Beauty compacts are well made, it’s best to leave them home if possible. If they get jostled around too much in your handbag, you may end up with shattered eyeshadows.
If you’d like to explore Huda Beauty palettes by category, you’d be hard-pressed to compartmentalize them, given their diversity in shades and finishes. After all, they’re dynamic and edgy by design.
Some palettes are ideal for everyday wear and can be classified as more traditional or neutral in orientation. Other palettes have richer, louder shades with bold colors or glitter finishes that are better suited to special events. If you’d like the best of both worlds, your best bet is to choose an 18-shade Huda Beauty palette with an extensive roundup of colors and finishes to cover day and evening looks alike.
Huda Beauty palettes typically include some combination of matte, shimmer, iridescent, satin, or glitter finishes. There are also some marbled shades, which leave a unique finish with each application.
Even with a variety of finishes and varying textures, Huda Beauty shades are formulated to blend easily. No matter which look you want to create, you’ll end up with a professional, smooth appearance in which the colors naturally combine with one another.
Eyeshadow brush set: Sephora Ready to Roll Brush Set
You need the right tools to effortlessly apply eye makeup, so invest in a quality set of eyeshadow brushes. We like this Sephora exclusive that has ten brushes to cover all your shading needs. The set comes with a bonus roll-up case that’s perfect for travel.
Kabuki brush: EcoTools Retractable Face Brush
A kabuki brush is essential for applying all-over glam from a highlighter or bronzer palette. This one from EcoTools has soft bristles that spread pigment evenly across skin. It comes as a retractable brush encased in a durable aluminum barrel.
False eyelashes: Huda Beauty Lottie Classic False Eyelashes
Huda Beauty’s first product was lashes, so definitely use one of its signature pairs to top off your look. We’re big fans of this set, which strikes a balance between thickness and wispiness to create a luscious lash look.
Huda Beauty palettes cost between $18 and $70, depending on the size and the newness of the collection.
Inexpensive: You’ll find some Huda Beauty 9-shade palettes for less than $25, but these are low priced because they’re usually discontinued. The majority of 9-shade palettes cost between $25 and $29.
Mid-range: Highlighter and bronzer palettes typically cost $45, but they’re occasionally priced closer to $30. These are only available in quads, and the selection is somewhat limited compared to Huda Beauty’s eyeshadow palettes.
Expensive: If you’d like to invest in an 18-shade eyeshadow palette, expect to spend close to $70. These extensive collections are the crown jewel of Huda Beauty’s line, and while they’re expensive, you get the most bang for your buck with these.
To preserve color integrity during application, you may wish to use more than one eyeshadow brush. This keeps the shades separate instead of darkening or lightening them unintentionally.
A. Huda Beauty palettes are designed for everyone to enjoy. The brand also shares online tutorials geared toward novice makeup wearers to level up their application techniques. After all, founder Huda Kattan began as a beauty vlogger on YouTube, so she continues to embrace sharing information to help women develop their style and confidence in applying makeup.
A. Unfortunately, Huda Beauty only sells its shades as part of palettes, so you’ll need to replace the whole thing. With that said, if it’s an 18-shade palette, you might want to see whether there’s a similar shade available in one of their 9-shade palettes. The much larger shades in these will last longer, so you’ll need to replace it less frequently.
A. You could, however, consistency and formula vary considerably between beauty brands. This affects the overall blendability, which could result in applying too much color when shading. While you might find some success blending Huda shades with those from other brands, it’s no guarantee. That’s why it’s best to try a practice session first before winging it for an event, especially one where you expect your photo to be taken.