Eyeshadow Insights

Eyeshadow sits at the intersection of artistry and habit — a category that spans everything from a two-second swipe of a nude shimmer to a fully architectural evening look. Kaidron's community, a group with strong aesthetic opinions and a clear sense of what they expect from their colour cosmetics, gave us an unambiguous picture of how they interact with this category today.

The findings reveal a community grounded in wearable craft: the vast majority use eyeshadow regularly, overwhelmingly favour powder palettes and neutral colour stories, and make their decisions around performance credentials — blendability, longevity, and pigmentation — above almost anything else. Discovery happens everywhere at once, with in-store, Instagram, beauty apps, and TikTok all playing meaningful roles within the same community.

For brands, the data offers a sharp brief. The Kaidron community is not chasing novelty for its own sake — they are building considered collections and returning to the products that perform. What earns repurchase is excellent performance, full stop. Understanding what that means in eyeshadow — in formulation, in shade range, in the tactile experience of blending — is the insight that matters most here.

57% use eyeshadow on most days
76% reach for a powder palette most often
63.5% are drawn to neutral shades above all others
66% cite excellent performance as their repurchase driver
55% own four or more palettes currently
Chapter 01 — Usage & Format

How the Community Shows Up for Eyeshadow

Regularity and format preferences paint a picture of a community that has settled into a clear, practised relationship with the category — one built around the tactility and versatility of powder.

How often do you use eyeshadow?
Regularly 57%
Few times a week 23.5%
Occasionally 16%
Rarely / Never 3.5%
Preferred eyeshadow format
Powder palette
76%
Shadow sticks
10.5%
Cream shadow
6%
Single powder
4.5%
Liquid shadow
2.5%
Loose pigment
0.5%

"Eight in ten use eyeshadow at least a few times a week — this is a daily-ritual category, not a special-occasion one."

80.5% use eyeshadow several times a week or more
76% rely on a powder palette as their primary format
55% own four or more palettes in their current collection
Chapter 02 — Finish & Shade

Finish Preferences and the Colour Story

From the finishes they gravitate toward to the shade families they return to, the community reveals a consistent aesthetic intelligence — balanced between wearability and dimension.

26% Matte
25% Shimmer
16% Satin
12% Metallic
11% Glitter
9% Chrome / Duo-chrome
Colour shade families that appeal most
Neutrals (brown/beige)
63.5%
Pink / Rose
14%
Deep / Smoky
10%
Warm tones (orange/copper)
8%
Bold / Colourful
3%
Cool tones (grey/taupe)
1.5%
Chapter 03 — Purchase Priorities

What the Community is Actually Buying For

Purchasing decisions in this category are driven by a clear performance hierarchy. The community knows what they value — and they are not easily swayed by brand prestige or marketing alone.

Most important when choosing an eyeshadow
Long-lasting wear
34.5%
Blendability
28.5%
Pigmentation
28.5%
Minimal fallout
4%
Price
2.5%
Brand reputation
2%
What drives repurchase?
Excellent performance 66%
Unique colour story 16%
Affordable price 8%
Other reasons 10%
91.5% cite long-lasting wear, blendability, or pigmentation as the single most important purchase factor — performance, in all its forms, is the deciding credential.
Chapter 04 — Collection & Spending

Palette Collections, Sizes, and Price Expectations

The community is experienced and deliberate in how they build their collections. They own multiple palettes, favour mid-size formats, and are willing to invest meaningfully in quality — with a clear concentration in the £10–£50 range.

How many palettes do you currently own?
4–6 palettes
29.5%
2–3 palettes
25.5%
More than 10
25.5%
7–10 palettes
12%
1 palette
6.5%
Singles only
1%
Preferred palette size
Mid-size (6–9 shades)
37.5%
No preference
24%
Large (10+ shades)
19.5%
Small (3–5 shades)
17.5%
Typical spend on a palette
£21–£35
28.5%
£10–£20
27.5%
£36–£50
24%
£50+
14.5%
Under £10
3.5%

"Discovery is everywhere — this community is not waiting to be found in one channel. They are moving fluidly between in-store, social, and peer recommendation."

21.5% discover via in-store browsing
21% discover via Instagram
19% discover via beauty apps
17.5% discover via TikTok
Chapter 05 — Discovery & Cadence

Where They Find Products, and When They Buy

Purchase frequency tells an equally deliberate story. This community is not impulse-buying — they are replacing and adding to collections with intention, on a cadence measured in months.

Where eyeshadow products are discovered
In-store browsing
21.5%
Instagram
21%
Beauty apps
19%
TikTok
17.5%
Friends / Word of mouth
12.5%
YouTube reviews
8%
How often new eyeshadow products are purchased
Every 6 months
36%
Every 3–4 months
28.5%
Once a year
14%
Less than once a year
6.5%
Rarely purchase
6%
Every 1–2 months
9%

Kaidron Community Survey — Eyeshadow Preferences. Data reflects percentage distributions across all responses. Multi-select questions may exceed 100% in aggregate. Percentages rounded to one decimal place.

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Want to reach an audience that actually acts on what they see?

This data belongs to a community of active beauty consumers — people who save, share, and recreate content daily. If you're a brand or creator looking to connect with them, let's talk.

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