15 Eyeshadow Sticks Makeup Artists and Our Editors Swear By (2024)

Looking for a way to simplify your makeup routine? Meet the easy-to-use eyeshadow stick. It's intended to make eyeshadow application a breeze with its swipe-and-go application and stay-all-day creamy formula. "I often use eyeshadow sticks because they are so quick and convenient," says makeup artist Suzy Gerstein. "I love that you can sketch on the color without worrying about perfection, and you don't have to worry about fallout or creasing." You can swipe on an eyeshadow stick all over the lid for a wash of color or layer it with other hues to create a multidimensional look. While you can apply it with a brush, eyeshadow sticks tend to be effortlessly creamy, so "you can blend it with your fingers as they melt into the skin," says Tayaba Jafri, Laura Mercier global beauty director.

What to look for in eyeshadow sticks

Eyeshadow sticks are available in many colors and finishes, so choosing a formula is up to personal preference. You'll want to go for a crayon with beautiful pigmentation and a smooth texture for the easiest application. Some formulas also have skincare benefits, like hydrating ingredients for dry eyes or mattifying options for oily lids, says Jafri. Ahead, shop the best eyeshadow sticks—they might make you forgo your palettes for good.

Available in 12 pearl and matte shades, this formula glides onto lids without tugging or pulling. It's a great option for those worried about fine lines or other signs of aging because the formula contains peptides, hydrolyzed collagen, and caffeine to brighten eyes and smooth texture.

Want intense pigment that doesn't budge? This shadow stick gets the job done. "I swiped this formula on the back of my hand and was excited by how smooth and creamy it felt," says Oprah Daily beauty editor Genesis Rivas. "Even more impressive: its ability to stay in place even when I tried to rub and smudge it. It only came off after I used a makeup wipe." It comes in 16 matte and shimmer shades, from wearable neutrals to vibrant hues.

This dual-ended eyeshadow stick won a 2023 beauty award because it's a wand that does it all. One end offers a matte shade that you can draw along your lash line and lids. The other side has a complementary shimmer shade you can apply on the inner corners or center of the lid to highlight and make your eyes pop.

This eyeshadow stick is so good and budget-friendly that you won't feel bad about stocking up on two or three of them. The formula is creamy, blendable, and stays put, so no need to worry about creasing, smudging, or fading. It comes in four metallic shades.

Jafri loves this eyeshadow stick because hyaluronic acid and raspberry stem cells help provide hydration. So, while it has a matte finish, it isn't overly drying or uncomfortable to wear. "It's also crease-proof, waterproof, and transfer-proof, offering all-day wear," she says. It comes in 13 wearable shades.

If oily eyelids tend to wreak havoc on your eyeshadow looks, you'll love this long-wear waterproof, tear-proof, and smudge-proof formula. It swipes on creamy and smooth but dries quickly to stay put for hours. Shop it in nine neutral shades, from black to cream and gray.

Get that "I got eight hours of sleep" glow with this eyeshadow stick. Its ring light technology contains light-reflecting pigments that help diffuse the look of imperfections and offer a shimmery veil of color that boosts radiance. Macadamia and meadowfoam seed oil hydrate and smooth the look of fine lines. It comes in 16 gleaming shades.

Shine bright with these dazzling eyeshadow sticks. They're only available in shimmery shades, from sparkling purple to metallic bronze. The formula infused with caranuba wax glides onto lids effortlessly, regardless of skin type and texture.

You'll barely notice you have makeup on when using this formula. It's very lightweight and seamless in application. The pointed tip and smooth consistency allows you to line, fill, smoke out, and highlight the eyes with a single stroke.

Gerstein loves to use these sticks as both eyeshadow and eyeliner. They're also great for "creating depth underneath powder shadows," she says. "Layering a cream stick with a powder shadow is a red carpet trick that makes eyes pop and increases the longevity of makeup." The shadows are available in four neutral shades: a light beige, cool-toned taupe, chocolate brown, and a black/brown shade.

The slim tip of this eyeshadow stick makes precise application effortless, whether you're using it as an eyeliner or concentrating color in one specific area. It comes in 16 shades with matte and shimmer finishes. The formula is incredibly pigmented but easy to blend, making it difficult to mess up.

For the ones who aren't afraid of color, you'll love these intensely pigmented sticks. They come in fun hues, like chartreuse, teal, pink, and pastel blue, and are available in matte and pearl finishes.

One of beauty director Kate Sandoval Box's go-tos, this two-in-one pencil offers a creamy, sweeps-right-on shadow on one end and a matching shimmery powder shadow on the other. "I like to blend the cream shadow all over my lid, and then tap the shimmer powder in the inner corners of my eyes, blending it up to the crease," Box says.

Create bold and pigmented looks or sheer no-makeup makeup with these eyeshadow sticks. The creamy formula is pigmented but buildable so you can customize your makeup to your liking. It's available in seven shades, from a bright pink and yellow to a warm matte caramel and brown.

To level up your night-out look, glide this shimmery crayon across your lower and upper lashes then tap the glittery liquid in the center of your lid and blend. Choose from seven glam metallics.