The 10 Best Eyeshadows

The party season demands dramatic make-up...These shimmering and smoky shades help you make an entrance

1. Smokey Eye Palette in Smouldering

£10, Topshop, topshop.com

This grungy palette incorporating shades of the purple spectrum is flattering for blue and green eyes.

2. Eye Studio Colour Explosion duo in Green/Gold

£6.99, Maybelline New York, Boots nationwide

This looks intimidating in the pack, but is easy to use. Layer gold over the green to make it sparkle.

3. Metal-X eyeshadow in Venetian Tarnish

£15.50, MAC, maccosmetics.co.uk

Use your fingertip to build up an intense smudge of this rich bronze shade on your upper eyelid.

4. Pure Pigment in Ore

£15.50, Illamasqua, Illamasqua.com

A rich bronze shot through with multicoloured microscopic flecks of glitter to catch the light – add to bronzer to highlight cheekbones.

5. Les Oeillades in Blondette Fatale

£33, Lancôme, available nationwide

These flattering shades range from bronze to rose gold, with taupe for a rich, smoky base colour.

6. Eyes to Kill

£24.50, Giorgio Armani, available nationwide

This high-shine silk formula can be blended to leave a sheer sheen or built up to achieve something more akin to molten metal.

7. Ombre Essentielle in Blazing Gold

£21, Chanel, available nationwide

Part of the Christmas collection, this limited-edition shade from prestige brand Chanel is a lovely pale gold with a fine iridescence.

8. L'Ombre Noir

£34, Givenchy, 01932 233 824

This multi-purpose brick of intense blue black can be applied either wet or dry with one of three brushes to achieve different, dramatic effects.

9. Palette Noir Terriblement

£39, Yves Saint Laurent, available nationwide

The spirit of YSL's Le Smoking is distilled into the five shades in this gold palette – which comes with its own pin-tucked cummerbund.

10. Eye Shadow Quad in Cocoa

£36.50, Dolce & Gabbana, harrods.com

The biscuity shades in the palette look good enough to eat, and even better when applied with a delicate touch.