The 13 best eyeshadow sticks for super-speedy eye makeup looks

The best eyeshadow sticks may be just the thing to refresh your makeup routine with minimal effort. One swipe for an instant eye look? Sign us up. 

Nailing the perfectly smoky eyeshadow look or razor-sharp eyeliner is no easy feat. It can take years of practice and lots of experimenting with new products to master the art. Even then, we don’t always have the time or effort to painstakingly paint our eyelids with the best eyeshadow palettes. On those days, we turn to the best eyeshadow sticks. 

We’re big fans of high-impact, low-effort looks that take a maximum of 10 minutes. And solid formulations like sticks, crayons, and pencils help speed up every area of your makeup routine, whether that's eyeshadow or your best cream blush. 

Makeup artist Cassie Lomas swears by them too. "I love using eyeshadow sticks rather than powder, especially on mature skin,” she says. "They go on quicker, need less building up, and are so much easier to blend and leave a professional finish." Who wouldn't want that? As well as testing and selecting the very best eyeshadow sticks on the market, we quizzed three makeup artists for their expert application tips and how to make sure you’re picking the best eyeshadow sticks for you. 

The 13 best eyeshadow sticks, picked by our beauty editor

This was the first option that came to mind when I started thinking about the best eyeshadow sticks and having done a very official straw poll of the woman&home beauty team, these beat all the others to the top spot. 

The reason why? Where to begin? Every time we use these they glide on smoothly, never tugging or pulling and they offer truly impressive staying power without smudging or smearing. The colors are highly pigmented, and the rounded nib makes for a pretty foolproof application. Personally, I couldn't live without the neutral tones - I use them almost every day. Plus, the brand just launched a bunch of new shades to add to its already incredible line-up of hues. 

After Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier was the second notable eyeshadow stick that each of the beauty team mentioned. Both of our top two are pretty closely matched when it comes to pigment, longevity, and ease of application – you can't really go wrong with either buy.

The advantage that this buy has over Bobbi Brown, however, is the breadth of shades in the range. They have classic neutrals that we love using for every day, sure, but they also have a great selection of more vibrant shades like lilac for on-trend purple eyeshadow looks. If you're looking for more vibrancy without sacrificing a flattering texture, and the ultimate way of creating bright eyeshadow looks with your eyeshadow stick - Laura Mercier is probably the way to go.

The only downfall is that whilst it is long wearing, there are others in the line-up that last much longer. But, this does mean you're not scrubbing to remove at the end of the night, so it's all down to personal preference for longevity. 

People often see Pixi as more of a skincare brand, thanks to the success of the cult Pixi Glow Tonic - but don't underestimate the brand's makeup selection. It has gorgeous, skin-soothing buys, and has actually carved out a bit of a niche in solid makeup, with bronze and blush sticks among the brand's best-loved buys.

On to the eyeshadow sticks - they're lovely, shimmery shades that we found feel very comfortable on the eyes. We love the pointy tip that makes precise application easy and the kind formula. Blended with aloe vera and chamomile, they'll also help hydrate and soften skin. If I'm being picky, a bigger color range would be great, but if you’re looking for bronze and metallics, they have brilliant options here. Because they are all fairly neutral, these colors would complement another bold choice, such as your best pink mascara, very well. 

This cruelty-free and vegan-friendly company is slowly becoming one of my most-recommended brands. Hardworking buys and smart ingredients at incredibly affordable prices – what could be better?

I really enjoyed using these, and I love that they have a mix of bold, out-there brights as well as useful neutrals. The staying power is also notable, as the name suggests –the color saw me through an 11-hour day without smudging or smearing. Even though it's a twist-top stick, it still comes with a hidden sharpener at the bottom, to help give you that precise point to apply. I had to double-check the price of these twice - I just couldn’t believe how affordable they are for the quality, and staying power they offer. These are without a doubt the best eyeshadow sticks I tried under $10/£10. Top marks to e.l.f.

Charlotte Tilbury is the queen of date night makeup, so it's no surprise that these are the ultimate tool that makes siren eyes, doe eyes or any sultry smoky eye so effortless. Buttery-soft, and available in nine pretty, suit-all shades, these work just as well blended together as they do on their own. 

We love how easily these glide onto the lids and are very smudgeable if you want to create more of a sooty smoky effect than a sharp precise one. The only slight downside is that these are traditional pencils, that you have to sharpen with a sharpener. But to be honest, it’s quite a fun, wholesome little chore to have to do. An IRL pencil sharpener? How quaint. 

Because of the nature of the packaging, you do need to make sure it's well-sharpened because otherwise, you might find that the color drags and looks quite patchy. 

A new launch from the drugstore brand, I was impressed by the color payoff from this affordable option. Not surprising, considering that the brand's dazzle dust has been a mainstay for glitzy Christmas makeup looks and festival looks of mine for years. 

Unusually, they’re only available as a set of three, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as they're two sets of three complimenting shades. Plus, they're still cheaper as a trio than many other single pencils. Once applied, I found that they have an iridescent, metallic finish on the skin that's lovely and shimmery without looking too glittery. A great affordable option if you're looking to overhaul your makeup kit.

Another one of legendary makeup artist Bobbi Brown’s creations. She's the ultimate champion of fuss-free, easy makeup application, so it makes sense that she's such a fan of crayons, sticks, and pencils. These aptly-named sticks are clever little multitaskers - although they’re eyeliner-sized, they still work as well as any of the other best eyeshadow sticks on this list. And they double as eyeliners that way, too. So think of it as getting more bang for your buck. 

I particularly love the navy shade, which works well with my blue eyes but would also be a great eyeshadow for brown eyes. They smudge just the right amount without smearing, so they're a great alternative to kohl too. If you have minimal space in your makeup bag, this pencil will really earn its spot. 

I’m a fan of all forms of the chubby sticks – the pleasingly named crayons are available as blush, eye, and lip colors, and are one of the first products that taught me how to contour. So, it makes sense that this style of product also functions really well as an eyeshadow stick.

Some may find the chunkiness offputting, but I think that's part of the appeal. If you’re not looking to create a particularly detailed look, they’re great for speeding up your routine even further. The colors are great too – a mix of elevated neutrals that would suit occasions and mother of the bride makeup looks, and flattering colors including a pretty lilac, and a stylish emerald. It's worth mentioning that these are labeled as eyeshadow tints and I find the color does go on a bit sheerer than many other sticks on this list. But if you're looking for mega-speedy, wearable color - look no further. 

IT Cosmetics' makeup range isn't massive, but it is perfectly formed. The Superhero mascara is often touted as one of the best mascaras out there, and I'm always raving about their cult CC cream.

As with the rest of the brands' range, this is an incredibly hardworking, efficient product. Not only is it formulated to prevent tugging at the delicate eyelids (which is one of the reasons why we get wrinkles around the eyes), but it's also impressively long-wearing. I applied the Tenacious Tawny shade at 7am, and it still looked pristine when I left the office 11 hours later. Impressive.

I'm always slightly wary of beauty products launched by influencers. Call it pessimism, call it jealousy for those mega-bucks paydays, but there's always an air of unease when someone with a humongous social media platform launches a brand. 

The thing that sets Vieve aside, is that it was launched by a genuine makeup artist, Jamie Genevive (who also happens to also have a casual 1.3 million followers on Instagram). I've particularly been impressed by the makeup brushes and concealer, but the eyeshadow sticks are also worth a mention. I find the texture silky-soft and they blend like a dream, with or without a makeup brush. The shades look beautiful on the skin too. If you're looking for easy eyeshadow for blue eyes, you can't go wrong with warm browns and beiges, and these are the perfect, fuss-free way of wearing the shade. 

There's a great selection of shades that are all wearable and not intimidating in the slightest. They glide on, easy to maneuver and then set in place without creasing once you've finished your makeup. A huge thumbs up for Vieve. 

I'm an enthusiastic fan of Stila's Magnificent Metals, which are one of the best cream eyeshadows in my kit. I reach for them constantly for an everyday, pretty hit of glitter, so I had high hopes for these pencils. 

I was most wowed by the staying power – I swatched a couple of colors onto my hand and noticed hours later that the lines were still sharp and the color vibrant. Stila’s Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks are also brilliant long-lasting lipsticks, so actually staying power really is something the brand excels at. They do go on very shimmery, so that might not be right for you. But if you're looking for fuss-free, high-impact glitter that really won't budge – these are the best eyeshadow sticks for the job.

If you aren't a glitter fan (the photo doesn't capture just how glittery this stick is!), then don't reach for these; the shimmer will stay put all day long, which isn't ideal if you want to stick to mattes. For glitter lovers, though, these are brilliant. 

If shimmer is the aim of your game, Hourglass is the one. These are some of the most unique yet wearable metallic hues in the list with a heavy gold shift in the sunlight. 

For me, the magic of these sticks is that they truly are crease and smudge-proof. There's just about enough time to blend and work them into your lid but once they're dried down, they aren't budging. This makes them a great option for those all-day events like weddings where you don't want to have to spend time touching up. 

One of the biggest let-downs with this product was the packaging. Typically Hourglass nails the gorgeous, weighty packaging but so many of the sticks were broken. For the money, I'd definitely wouldn't have expected clunky packaging. 

Sometimes long-wearing eyeshadow sticks can be difficult to use because there's not much time before they set to blend out. At first the Beauty Pie formula was so buttery and blended out so nicely, I thought it was never going to dry and be a smudged mess everywhere. Turns out, they just need a minute to dry down. Once set, they're not budging or creasing. And yet they don't feel the least bit heavy on the eyelid either. The brand has a nice mix of mattes and metallics and you can mix-and-match and layer to create beautiful eyeshadow looks. 

However, with Beauty Pie, don't forget that you have to have a membership to buy the products at the discounted price. The membership is absolutely well worth it if you like your beauty products and are often searching for the best deal, but if you just want a one off product, this might not be worth it. 

View the latest Beauty Pie discount codes from woman&home's vouchers team.

How we tested the best eyeshadow sticks for this guide

Every product in this guide has been tried and tested, either by myself or a member of the w&h beauty team. We assessed the ease of application, looking for smooth, easy-gliding formulas that didn't drag on the lids. We then took into account how the shadow looks on the lids, is it sheer, opaque, sheeny, or matte? Lasting power played a part, as even the best cream eyeshadow has a tendency to sink into the eye crease after a long day's wear. Finally, we weighed up our favorites on value for money, shade range, and any extra benefits they boast. 

How to choose the best eyeshadow sticks for you

• Finish: First you need to decide whether you want a matte or metallic finish (or both, which you can blend together). “Mattes are evergreen and classic, whereas the light reflection from metallic shades have a beautiful and diffused finish,” explains pro makeup artist Amanda Bell. 
• Shade: Next up is the shade, have a think about whether you like to go bold or stick to neutrals when it comes to your eyeshadow shade. If you’re new to eyeshadow sticks, we’d recommend starting off minimal with a neutral palette and moving towards color once you’re comfortable. 
• Budget: Finally is your budget. Gone are the days when expensive means better when it comes to beauty. Some of our favorite eyeshadow sticks in this guide are the cheapest. There’s no right amount to spend on an eyeshadow stick but most sit in the $20 range. 

Are eyeshadow sticks better than powder?

Neither is better than the other but they’re very different products. Some might argue that sticks are slightly more versatile as they can be used in a bunch of different ways to create various finishes. “ All shadow sticks are more emollient (because of the nature of formulations), which means they can be used in different ways to sheer out or maximize color payoff,” Bell says. 

Are eyeshadow sticks worth it?

Absolutely! If you want to liven up your makeup routine, a few swipes of an eyeshadow stick can work wonders. The key is choosing shades that you’ll actually wear because products aren’t worth it if they’re going to sit in your make up bag collecting dust! But that’s where we’ve called in the help of makeup artists to give some top tips so that you get the most bang for your buck. 

Top makeup artist tips for using eyeshadow sticks

When it comes to application, the good news is that eyeshadow sticks are totally easy to use and are best applied however you feel most comfortable. But if you’re looking for some tips, follow these three tips and you’ll have a perfect shadow look every time. 

Consider your finish - and apply accordingly 

Bell explains that there are three main finishes you can get with shadow sticks. Starting with a sheer veil, “Apply the stick directly to the pad of the finger and pat onto skin.” Followed by a medium veil of color, which works best when you “sweep a nylon shadow brush over the shadow stick and apply to the lid,” she says. And finally, maximum payoff, “apply the stick directly to the skin and blend out (slightly if needed). 

Know your placement:

Next up is considering placement, although you can easily smudge out your mistakes, shadow sticks work best if applied in a considered way and then not manipulated too much. 

"Placement is everything. Depending on the texture you may opt for a matte shade in the crease or smudged in the water line for soft definition,” says Bobbi Brown Editorial Pro Artist Amalie Russell. "Any shimmering shade should be placed where you want the light to catch and open the eyes."

Using eyeshadow sticks are also a great way of applying color on the lower lash line, which is an especially useful beauty trick for makeup for hooded eyes. 

Work on that blending: 

Finally is the all-important blending. You don't technically need to reach for your best makeup brushes to use alongside your crayons and pencils, but it can help give a more elevated finish. According to Russell, "Blending with a brush will always give a seamless finish. The magic behind cream shadow sticks is that you can get away with mistakes. Blending with fingers is just as good - even if it’s your first time using them!"

Lomas explains that the type of brush you use makes all the difference too, if you do decide to use one. "It’s important that your brushes are the right texture to blend your eyeshadow without pulling the cream away from the skin", she says. "Go for something soft and fluffy."