The most common question I am asked as a beauty editor is always some variation of: How can I get better at eye makeup? What’s the best eyeshadow palette? How can I do makeup as a beginner? I fend off these questions on the daily it seems, and tbh, I usually always just say, “Haha, years of practice! A simple, neutral palette! Lots of makeup brushes!” So when I saw Kosas—a favorite brand amongst celebs like Hailey Bieber and Gwyneth Paltrow, all of team Cosmo, *and* some of my favorite makeup artists including Ash K. Holm—was finally launching their highly anticipated first eyeshadow palette in eight neutral shades, it seemed like the perfect new answer to all of the above.
Immediately, our beauty team wanted to give it the ol’ college try. And luckily, being editors at Cosmo and all, we got an early preview of the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette to test it out and give our honest reviews before the official launch. Four editors (all with very different eyeshadow ~vibes~) tried out the palette on their eyes, snapped some pics, and shared their full review and a rundown of their go-to look. Keep scrolling for our editors’ reviews plus all the details on the new palette.
Kosas Undressed Talc-Free Neutral Eyeshadow Palette
Kosas Undressed Talc-Free Neutral Eyeshadow Palette
About the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette:
After years of blessing us with natural and easy-to-use makeup products like their OG Tinted Face Oil Skin Tint and Cloud Set Powder, Kosas finally launched the Undressed Eyeshadow Palette. It’s got eight talc-free shades (reminder: Talc can potentially sometimes contain trace amounts of asbestos, a known carcinogen, so some people choose to avoid talc altogether in their makeup products) including seven mattes ranging from off-white to beige to deep brown plus one shimmery peachy champagne. Kosas founder Sheena Zadeh-Daly shared via Zoom that she loves how “approachable” the shades are: “Every time I open the palette, I get a sense of calm almost.”
The powders are very soft and blendable, thanks to moisturizing shea butter, cucumber extract, squalane, and vitamin E in the formula, which is meant to give the shadows a creamy, not chalky, feel. They’re also hypoallergenic, vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free. And it comes in a recyclable cardboard (just make sure to remove the mirror beforehand) case.
How to apply the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette:
To apply the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette, there aren’t really any rules. While you could definitely try to pat the shades on with your finger (especially the shimmer shade), you’ll get the most pigment payoff by using a slew of fluffy blending brushes.
For a simple eye look, you can try patting one of the light shades all over your lid and brow bone with a shader brush, then blending a deeper shade through your crease and outer corner to add dimension. And for some brightness and shine, dab the shimmer shade Strip to the center of your lids with your finger or a flat brush. But, tbh, our team found a bunch of other ideas and looks to create with this palette (including one I tried after a Zoom call with makeup artist Ash K. Holm, so you should def keep scrollin’).
Swatches of the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette:
Sure, this is a basic neutral palette, but it actually has a pretty good mix of truly neutral shades along with warm and cool tones. So no matter what undertone you like in your look, you’ve got some options (I actually have been using Whisper as a nose contour, per Holm’s recommendation).
Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette reviews:
Cosmo HQ is filled with Kosas stans, so obviously, we had to get our hands on the brand-new palette first to test things out. Does the Kosas palette stand up for creating simple, everyday looks as easily as you can pile it on for a nighttime smokey eye? Does the Undressed Eyeshadow Palette fare well with beginners? Four Cosmo editors put it to the test, from warm neutral looks to smoked-out cat-eyes and more. Catch our reviews—plus a final verdict on if the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette is worth it—below.
The Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette for a soft cat-eye:
“I showed up to my very first day as beauty editor at Cosmo wearing shimmery, bright-green eyeshadow, mmk? So the whole soft, natural look doesn’t necessarily come...well, natural, to me. To me, it feels easier to smudge a wash of vivid color across my lids than play around with the blending and pairing of light shades. But I’ve actually really been drawn to the simple, neutral looks I’ve seen on Lori Harvey and Hailey Bieber lately.
I was going for this soft cat-eye look I saw on Hailey Bieber that Holm actually explained how to achieve in a recent Zoom about this palette. I brushed Peek all over my lids and through my crease with a fluffy brush for a pink-toned look (but I’ve also tried it with Gaze for a peachy, warm option too). Then I grabbed a small, crease brush and swirled Untie in circular motions upward and outward to elongate my eyes, following the natural shape of my eyes, per Holm’s recommendation. Then I dipped an angled-liner brush in Flaunt and drew a teeny-tiny flick from my outer corner, pointing to the tail of my brow.
Immediately, I was blown away by how soft and smooth the powders were. They blend into each other with such ease that you can create a look in about two seconds—no Van Gogh level blending chops necessary. And the mix of tones is truly *chef’s kiss*. I love being able to create a warm-toned smokey eye and a gray, ’60s-inspired cut-crease, all with the same palette.” —Beth Gillette, beauty editor
Final Review: 3.5/5
“Overall, I really enjoyed this palette and fully intend to bring it with me while traveling because I can do so much with it and the shadows are very easy to use. But I do wish there was maybe one deeper shade, as I can imagine a lot of these mid-tone beige-y shadows could look chalky on deeper skin tones. But I’ll definitely just pack it with a couple of cream eyeshadows to supplement for some ✨sparkle ✨.” —BG
The Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette for smokey eyes:
“Back in high school, I was a major eyeshadow lover, as in...was that girl who would show up in a full face of glam. Over the years I’ve opted for a slightly more no-makeup makeup approach and thus the level of eyeshadow lewks has faded. I received this palette right before I jetted off on a two-week trip abroad traveling across Europe, so I knew I needed to pack light—which is already impossible for me—and carry only the essentials. I was really, really excited to try this Kosas palette out, as it has a ton of neutrals and muted shades that feel perfect for an everyday type of vibe that can easily translate over to nighttime fun for Europe—and it definitely did just that!
“I first applied a base color of Peek all over my eyelid, then went around my outer lid and crease with the shade Flaunt to form a smoky eye. For some added oomph, I dabbed on some of the shade Strip on the middle of my lid.
“Overall, I think this is a great palette to mix and match with, but its true power lies in elevating your day-to-day makeup. While you’ll probably find yourself gravitating toward more neutral aesthetics, there’s def some room to go bold!” —Daisy Maldonado, associate shopping editor
Final Review: 4/5
“One thing I wish I could have changed with this palette was adding a lighter glitter shade so that creating some contrast along the inner corner could have been possible. It’s not a huge deal to have to reach for another eyeshadow palette that has a shade like this, but had the Kosas palette included this, I would have rated it 5/5. Aside from this, for the price, it really is such a stellar no-nonsense and compact palette to have in your makeup bin—or while you’re traveling as I did! If you’re someone who likes channeling their inner Hailey Bieber, this is for you.” —DM
The Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette for warm looks:
“I’ve been a fan of Kosas’s 10-Second Liquid Eyeshadows for years, so when I heard the brand was launching an eyeshadow palette, I immediately called in a sample for testing.
“At first glance, I was a teeny bit bummed to only see one shimmer shade in the mix—I love the way the 10-Second Liquid Shadows reflect light and illuminate my eye area—but otherwise, I loved all the neutral options. None of the shades felt unusable or intimidating for anyone who, like me, has elementary makeup application skills.
“I ended up testing the palette for a friend’s wedding in Virginia on a steamy 85-degree day. I forgot eyeshadow primer in my makeup bag, so I blended a mix of Drape and Untie as my base color on bare lids and then tapped Peek on my inner corners for a little brightness. For some shine, I pressed Strip in the center of my lids and ran it along my lower lash line as well. The result was a v subtle smokey eye, and it lasted me through a teary ceremony, sweaty outdoor cocktail hour, and reception full of dancing and drinking—with zero creasing or fallout. I was impressed.” —Lauren Balsamo, deputy beauty director
Final Review: 4/5
“Sure, using this palette takes a bit more effort than just swiping and blending the 10-Second liquid shadow that I love. All in all, it took me five minutes and two eyeshadow brushes to nail down my look, but the overall effect is worth the extra time and energy, IMO.” —LB
The Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette for beginners:
“I’m pretty obsessed with my Kosas Revealer Concealer, so I was immediately intrigued by the Kosas Undressed palette. I wear eyeshadow regularly—basically whenever I have a social event or go to into the office—and I like shadows that have good color payoff, are easy to blend, and will be easy to fix if I make a mistake because I tend to always run late (sorry friends!) and don’t have time to redo a whole look from scratch. I also prefer a lighter shimmer shade to go in the center of the eyelid or allover, so darker shimmers tend not to be my thing.
“At first glance, I loved that it’s a neutral brown palette that’s not too cool or warm-toned, so you can really sculpt out your eye or create a smokey look. After testing it out, I think it’s a good one-and-done palette for beginners. The shadows are very smooth with minimal fallout when you actually place them on the eye, but you really have to build it up if you want more color. And in my experience, I absolutely had to smooth on an eyeshadow primer beforehand with these shadows to make them last all day—prob bc they’re so soft.
I love that I can use many of the colors to deepen my crease, but I’m honestly not sure how well this would work on those with a darker complexion. Also, if you are sensitive to scents, beware. This palette smells like the Kosas concealer x10. It disappears pretty quickly, but if you’re holding up the palette to your face to use the mirror, it can be overpowering.” —Olivia Truffaut-Wong, shopping editor
Final Review: 3.5/5
“Overall, I think the palette is super convenient. It is small and has a mirror, so you can easily take it on the go, and the neutral color palette is great for my skin tone. The shadows are easy to work with and would be great for a beginner, but if you like a bit more color upon first swipe—or if you have a darker complexion—this might not be for you.” —OTW
Is the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette worth it?
Based on our editors’ testing and reviews, the Kosas Undressed Eyeshadow Palette is definitely worth it as an everyday, go-to neutral brown eyeshadow palette. Our team fell in love with the mix of warm, cool, and true-neutral shades in matte finishes, but we did wish it had one more shimmer in the mix to give some variety for smokey eyes and shiny looks.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan where she writes about hair, skin, makeup, and nails. She’s written hundreds of articles in her five years in the industry, like the best setting powders, magnetic lashes, and bronzing drops.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
