Beauty
The 13 Best Cream Makeup Palettes, According To Experts
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by Audrey Noble
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A good makeup palette can cover so many of your needs at once. But nothing seems to do the job quite like a cream makeup palette, though — and there are a few reasons for that.
According to celebrity makeup artist Neil Scibelli, cream makeup products in general give you a more natural, skin-like finish. Scibelli explains that they bind to the skin more easily than their powder counterparts, and many have skin care properties — like hydration — that will target skin concerns along with providing coverage and color.
Celebrity makeup artist Brittany Whitfield adds that cream makeup products tend to be more forgiving, as you can manipulate their intensity and opacity to get the exact amount of coverage you want. Cream makeup palettes work for most skin types, though Scibelli says that those with oily skin may find some cream products will be tricky to set if they’re too oil-based. In those cases, he advises adding some powder to help set your glam in place.
To help you narrow down some of the best options on the market, there are plenty of palettes for your cheeks, lips, and eyes below. Scroll down to see 13 of the best cream makeup palettes that should be on your radar.
1
The Under $10 Option
Whitfield says that these palettes come in great color ranges and are compact enough to carry around with you wherever you go. You can create your own custom contour shade when you mix and match these four colors that go on smoothly for a seamless finish.
2
The Ultimate Concealer
Studio Fix Conceal + Correct Palettes
M.A.C. Cosmetics
“In terms of eye makeup and concealers, I have personally been using M.A.C.'s Conceal + Correct palettes for years. They come in a great range of undertones and are convenient for travel, and the coverage is buildable,” says Scibelli.
3
The Rich Option
Whitfield recommends all Danessa Myricks’ cream palettes, as they are multi-use and long-lasting. “They [also] come in bright pops of colors and even double as gel liners,” she adds. This cheek and lip palette also contains nourishing ingredients like shea butter, vitamin E, and jojoba oil to soothe and hydrate.
4
The Multi-Tasker
A great two-in-one product, this NYX palette has everything you need to conceal, correct, and contour. “This one's great for camouflaging dark circles, hyperpigmentation, and any discoloration,” says Scibelli.
5
The All-Natural Pick
To give your lip and cheeks that royal flush, turn to this creamy multi-palette. You get six shades that range from neutrals, purples, and rosy pinks that you can layer for buildable coverage.
6
The Splurge-Worthy Palette
Conceal, contour, and add a pop of color with the ultimate all-in-one face palette. It comes with six shades that cover all your makeup needs for easy and buildable coverage.
7
The Gleam Team
This cheek duo contains a highlighter and a blush to give you a dewy, iridescent glow. It blends in so easily and has buildable coverage if you really want a pop of color. It’s also made with ingredients like jojoba, rosehip, and apricot seed oil to soothe and balance the skin.
8
The Color Corrector
For easy color-correcting, this is the ultimate cream makeup palette. It houses five buildable creams that neutralize dark circles, dark spots, redness, and hyperpigmentation. The cherry on top is the two finishing powders that set the creams in place and even out your complexion.
9
The Universal Contour
This five-shade cream stack was created with different undertones in mind. It covers warm, olive, and neutral undertones so that you can highlight, conceal, and contour with zero grey casts or unnatural-looking coverage. It glides on smoothly and has a nice, second-skin-like matte finish.
10
The Everyday Glow
This sculpting trio includes a creamy bronzer to give you a nice warm glow that is paired with a powder blush and highlighter for added color.
11
The One For The Eyes
Another pick from Whitfield, Patrick Ta’s Major Dimension Palette has two cream eyeshadow shades to create the base for one of the many shimmery and matte powders.
12
The Sun-Kissed Option
For the ultimate “I-just-got-back-from-a-tropical-vacay” glow, reach for this palette. You get three of Physicians Formula’s rich, cream-meets powder bronzers that are so velvety smooth.
13
The Pop Of Pink
Theses balm-to-gel cream blush and lip colors are super lightweight and buildable to give your cheeks and lips a pretty, non-greasy pop of color.
