Subtlety is Cancelled: MECCA Tries the Palettes Bringing Bold Eyes Back
August 31 | 5 minute read
Words by Madeleine Boles de Boer and Georgia Middleton
A recent scroll through any beauty-adjacent algorithm will reveal a kaleidoscope of colour and smorgasbord of textures gracing eyelids the world over. After a few years of more muted and restrained looks (don’t get me wrong – these still have a well-deserved spot in our beauty rotation), the attitude is becoming less ‘clean girl’ and more, well, more: more glitter, more colour, more shimmer, more personality and – most importantly – more fun.
Thanks in part to cultural moments like Zara Larsson, #EuphoriaMakeup, and ubiquitous blues, bold eyes is now the makeup look du jour – spied everywhere from runways at fashion week to your local supermarket aisle. As I write, I’m wearing a duo-chrome shimmer swept casually (read: slightly messily in a 7:00am rush) across my lids, paired with a pink inner corner (see my previous point – more really is more).
If you’re ready to embrace maximalism but haven’t dusted off your palettes since watching a 20-minute ‘How to Do a Cut Crease’ tutorial on YouTube, consider this your sign to upgrade your kit with some of the latest and greatest additions to the world of eyeshadow.
Tested, tried and verified by the people who know them best: our very own MECCA store team.
While ’90s beauty may have had its share of questionable trends (I’m looking at you, slimy body glitter), cool-toned eyeshadow is making a welcome comeback in 2026. With its soft matte browns and greys, moodier depths and slightly grungy, slightly goth energy, it’s a look that feels very chic and still very current. Look no further than It-Girls Gabbriette, Euphoria’s Maddy or MECCA Colour Specialist Aleksi, who have all made a convincing case.
Using the Urban Decay Naked Shaped Palette in ‘Cool’, Aleksi carved out a smoky eye that made up for its muted colours with plenty of attitude. “Initially, I just had those more neutral, lighter browns to shape the eye, then I popped a little bit of the black and the charcoal and it gave it a whole different level,” she said. Aleksi particularly liked the option to use cream formulas as well as powder to give the look dimension and depth: “The cream’s really nice. It’s like an eyeshadow base, and great to add a bit of contouring with some of the darker shades. I literally took it from zero to 100 very easily with the cream shades.”
If straying from warm browns and bronzy hues feels a little out of your comfort zone, Aleksi thinks this palette would be a great starting point: “Yes, it’s a cool-toned palette, but there’s also a neutral aspect to it. So even if you want something that’s not warm, but you don’t want it to go into that grey cool, you can still really get that from it as well.”
2016 called, and it wants its eyeshadow palette back! MECCA Makeup Specialist Carmen was thrilled to keep it peachy with the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette. While many shades of the noughties icon will be familiar to the YouTube beauty generation, the new formulation is very much 2026: creamy, rich, blendable and long-wearing. What hasn’t changed, however, is that distinctly sweet, fruity scent – nostalgia wafting as soon as you open the (squishy!) packaging.
The nine warm shades were the perfect contrast to Carmen’s biker jacket, and the range of colours and textures impressed; while many palettes can lean on shimmer, Carmen appreciated the abundance of mattes, as well as cream and powder formulas. “I love the diffusion of colour. It’s so creamy and doesn’t drag. That makes blending a total dream,” she said.
Beating the ‘blondes have more fun’ allegations, Carmen commends this palette’s versatility: “It gives an almost cranberry look and feel. You can confidently figure out a great look – blonde, red, brunette or otherwise.”
If ‘cool girl’ was a palette, she would be this one from ISAMAYA. Chrome, luxe and shaped like a bean (in a cool way), this is your Pinterest board brought to life – chunky glitter, multidimensional metallics and unexpected colour pairings that somehow just work.
MECCA Makeup Specialist Nedi tried the ‘2.0’ shade of the Core Palette, leaning on mermaid-esque blues, purples and silver to create a mesmerising look.
While the highly pigmented shades and bold chrome finishes may seem intimidating, this is a palette that rewards creativity over technique: “Don’t overthink it,” Nedi advised. “Choose your favourite colour first, then build it up from there.”
The soft, creamy textures make experimenting easy, whether you’re going full editorial or keeping things more subtle. “You don’t need to have particular skills to do it – even just your hands are great. Sometimes the skin of your finger is the best tool,” she added.
As an artist, Nedi was particularly impressed by the strong colour payoff, even without concealer or primer underneath. Less lid prep means less time spent building the look, while the mix of statement and subtle shades gives her plenty to play with: “I'm honestly obsessed. I can't wait to put it in my kit!”
