Best Eyeshadow Palette? 862 Reviews of ABH, Urban Decay and NYX

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Review-analysis guide: 862 customer reviews read on Ulta (October 29, 2026), sorted and counted by us; product details from Amazon listings checked October 29, 2026.

By The Beauty Read · Checked October 29, 2026 · AI-assisted research and editing · Contains Amazon affiliate links

No eyeshadow palette here won on everything. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam (paid link) palette drew the most pigment praise (33% of 293 usable reviews, mostly from 2018 to 2021) and the most fallout reports (19%). The Urban Decay Naked3 (paid link) drew the most repurchase mentions (21% of 278) and patchy or chalky reports (19%). NYX Warm Neutrals (paid link) drew the most value mentions (15%) from just 101.

Best eyeshadow palette: what 862 reviews say

Shopping for an eyeshadow palette usually comes down to a few questions: will the color show up, will it blend, and will you actually wear the shades. We read 862 Ulta reviews of three popular neutral palettes to see how often reviewers praised payoff, blending and wearable shades, and how often they reported fallout, patchy color or a price or size drawback: the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam palette, the Urban Decay Naked3 and the NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX] [A1] [A2] [A3]

ABH Soft Glam drew pigment praise from 33% of 293 usable reviews and fallout reports from 19%; 4% gave one or two stars. Naked3 drew repurchase mentions from 21% of 278 and patchy or chalky reports from 19%; 19% gave one or two stars. NYX Warm Neutrals drew pigment praise from 25% of 101 and good-value mentions from 15%; 23% gave one or two stars. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX]

Which reviews we read, and the 190 we set aside

Ulta's review pages serve only about the newest 300 reviews per product. They served 300 of 9,090 shown for ABH Soft Glam, 292 of 5,607 for Naked3 and 270 of 577 for NYX Warm Neutrals, and we read every one on October 29, 2026. We kept 672 and set aside 190. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX]

What we set aside: 160 NYX reviews posted from May 27 to June 29, 2023, the earliest five weeks we could read on Ulta's page and 59% of the NYX reviews we read. 22 of them said the product was free or came from a review program, and only 2 of the 160 gave one or two stars (1%), against 23% of the NYX reviews we kept, so we treated the stretch as a sampling wave. We also set aside 11 reviews repeated on the same page, 11 mostly about another product or another Ultimate palette, and 8 not yet used, about shipping only or with no text. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX]

Some cautions. 236 of ABH's 293 usable reviews are from 2018 to 2021, and only 57 are from 2022 on. Ulta's Naked3 page mixes reviews of the full-size palette and the Mini (about 15 name the Mini), and we kept both. With 101 usable reviews, a few can move NYX's shares. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX]

ABH Soft Glam palette review: rich color, some fallout

On Amazon, the Soft Glam option sits on a page titled Essential Palette - Mattes & Metallics, while Ulta calls it the Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette. The listing describes 14 shades, 9 ultra-matte and 5 high-shine metallic, in a velvet case with a large mirror and a dual-ended brush. We link the Soft Glam option sold by Anastasia Beverly Hills, LLC and shipped from Amazon. [A1]

Across 293 usable Ulta reviews, 109 (37%) called the shades wearable or versatile, 97 (33%) called it pigmented, 85 (29%) said it blends easily and 48 (16%) would buy it again or call it a staple. The main complaint was fallout or kick-up: 55 (19%), against 12 (4%) who said it had little fallout. Only 9 (3%) called it patchy or chalky. [R-ULT-ABH]

Of the 57 usable reviews from 2022 on, 23 called it pigmented and 9 mentioned fallout, a sample too small to show a trend. [R-ULT-ABH]

See Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the Soft Glam option sold by Anastasia Beverly Hills, LLC and shipped from Amazon; the Amazon page title reads Essential Palette - Mattes & Metallics, while Ulta calls it the Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette.

Urban Decay Naked3 drew the most repurchase mentions, and the most patchy reports

Urban Decay's listing describes Naked3 as 12 rose-toned neutral shades in matte, satin, shimmer and metallic finishes, with a full-size mirror and a double-ended brush. It says to prep lids with Primer Potion, put a light shade on the lid, a medium shade in the crease and a deeper shade on the outer corner, and it claims wear of up to 12 hours. We link the 12-shade Naked3 palette sold by Urban Decay and shipped from Amazon. [A2]

In 278 usable Ulta reviews, 102 (37%) called the shades wearable or versatile, the same share as ABH, and 58 (21%) would buy it again or call it a staple, the highest of the three. 34 (12%) said it lasts all day. On the other side, 52 (19%) called it patchy, chalky or not pigmented enough and 29 (10%) said the price or size was a real drawback. [R-ULT-UD3]

Newer reviews were kinder. Of 103 usable reviews from 2020 and 2021, 24% called it patchy or chalky and 26% gave one or two stars; of 175 from 2022 on, 15% and 14%. 3 said the formula changed for the worse. We cannot tell the cause of the shift. [R-ULT-UD3]

See Urban Decay Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the 12-shade Naked3 palette sold by Urban Decay and shipped from Amazon.

NYX Warm Neutrals palette review, from a smaller sample

NYX's Amazon listing names it the Ultimate Shadow Palette in Warm Neutrals, and Ulta calls it the Ultimate Color Shadow Palette Warm Neutrals. The listing describes 16 vegan shadows in matte, satin, shimmery and metallic finishes, calls it an updated palette that is ultra blendable with no fallout, and suggests wearing it over an NYX eyeshadow primer. We link the Warm Neutrals option shipped and sold by Amazon.com. [A3]

Of 101 usable Ulta reviews, 30 (30%) called the shades wearable, 25 (25%) called it pigmented, 15 (15%) said it blends easily and 15 (15%) called it good value, the highest value share of the three. 10 (10%) called it patchy or chalky and 6 (6%) mentioned fallout. These are small numbers. [R-ULT-NYX]

Anyone reading an NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette review should know that Ulta's Warm Neutrals page also shows reviews of other Ultimate palettes. We set aside those that named another palette, but 19 of the reviews we kept (19%) had a shade complaint, and about 15 of all the NYX reviews we read said some shades are not meant for the eye area, which fits the brighter Ultimate palettes. Read NYX's shade-complaint share with that in mind. [R-ULT-NYX]

See NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Shadow Palette, Warm Neutrals on Amazon (paid link) · This link opens the Warm Neutrals option shipped and sold by Amazon.com; Ulta names it the Ultimate Color Shadow Palette Warm Neutrals, and the listing has several shade options.

How each eyeshadow palette feels on the lid

Blending and fallout pulled in opposite directions. ABH drew the most blends-easily praise (29%, against 15% for NYX and 13% for Naked3) and the most fallout reports (19%, against 6% and 6%). Hard-to-blend or muddy complaints stayed at 4% or less for all three, and creasing or fading complaints at 3% or less. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX]

For a neutral eyeshadow palette for fair skin, the only group large enough to look at is Naked3: 11 of 16 reviewers who said they have fair or pale skin called the shades wearable and 5 called it patchy or chalky. Only 3 ABH and 2 NYX reviewers said so. No usable review said the reviewer has hooded eyes, and only 7 usable reviews said they have medium, tan, brown or dark skin, too few to compare. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX]

Eye reactions were rare: 7 Naked3 reviewers (3%), 2 NYX and 0 ABH reported itching, burning, watery or red eyes. Palettes that arrived broken or with a packaging problem: 7 ABH, 5 Naked3 and 5 NYX. [R-ULT-ABH] [R-ULT-UD3] [R-ULT-NYX]

Keep reading

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Frequently asked questions

Which is the best eyeshadow palette for daily use?

By everyday-wear praise, it is close. ABH Soft Glam and Naked3 tied, with 37% of usable reviews each calling the shades wearable or versatile, and NYX Warm Neutrals followed at 30% of a smaller sample. Pick by the trade-off you mind more: ABH drew more fallout reports (19%), and Naked3 more patchy or chalky reports (19%).

Is there an ABH Soft Glam palette dupe here?

We cannot call any palette here a dupe, since we did not compare formulas. Next to NYX Warm Neutrals, the ABH Soft Glam palette drew more pigment praise (33% against 25%) and blending praise (29% against 15%), but more fallout reports (19% against 6%) and fewer one- and two-star ratings (4% against 23%). NYX's shares come from 101 usable reviews.

Looking for an Urban Decay palette 3 dupe?

We cannot call either palette here a dupe. Urban Decay's listing describes Naked3 as 12 rose-toned neutrals, while NYX's shade is Warm Neutrals. On the reviews alone, NYX drew fewer patchy or chalky reports (10% against 19%) and ABH far fewer (3%), but Naked3 drew the most repurchase mentions (21%).

Which neutral eyeshadow palette for fair skin did reviewers like?

Only Naked3 had a group worth looking at, and it is small: of 16 reviewers who said they have fair or pale skin, 11 called the shades wearable and 5 called it patchy or chalky. Just 3 ABH and 2 NYX reviewers mentioned fair skin, too few to say how those palettes suit it.