The Best Clean Eye Color Products of 2025

Your eyes are not only your most expressive feature – they're also surrounded by your most delicate skin. The eye area's skin is about 0.5mm thick (compared to 2mm elsewhere on your face) and has the highest absorption rate of any facial zone. This makes the ingredients in your eye makeup particularly important to consider.

The journey to truly clean eye makeup is ongoing, with each year bringing new understanding of ingredients and their impacts. It's a category where the pursuit of "clean" requires careful navigation – identifying which chemicals to avoid first, finding safer alternatives that still perform, and continuing to refine formulations as new research emerges.

Take heavy metals, for instance, which appear in conventional eye shadows from three main sources: natural mineral pigments used for color (like iron oxides and ultramarines), the manufacturing process itself, and raw material impurities such as those found in mica for shimmer effects. While some level of heavy metals may be unavoidable even with good manufacturing practices, clean beauty brands are setting new standards through rigorous testing of raw materials, carefully refined ingredients, and strict quality control measures.

Similarly challenging are PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often called "forever chemicals." These compounds, which can make eye products more durable and water-resistant, are particularly difficult to avoid because they're not always listed on labels – they can be present as manufacturing byproducts or from packaging materials. Recent studies have detected PFAS in numerous conventional eye makeup products, particularly those marketed as "long-wearing" or "waterproof."

The complexity continues with ingredients like talc, a common base ingredient in powder shadows that has been under FDA investigation due to potential asbestos contamination risks, and synthetic pigments used for intense colors that have raised concerns among researchers about long-term use around the sensitive eye area.

When you consider that the average person applies eye makeup five days a week and keeps products for up to two years (well beyond recommended use periods), the importance of continuing this journey toward cleaner formulations becomes clear. It's not about finding perfect solutions immediately, but about making informed choices and supporting brands that prioritize safety while continuing to innovate.

As part of the 10th annual Clean Beauty Awards program, our independent panel of clean beauty experts conducted extensive testing of eye colors across multiple formats – from shadows to cream pigments. The evaluation process recognizes products that are leading this journey toward cleaner eye makeup, ensuring that products deliver exceptional performance.

Evaluation Criteria

Performance

• Color payoff
• Blendability
• Wear time
• Creasing resistance

Ease of Use

• Application ease
• Tool compatibility
• Buildability
• Packaging functionality

#1: Zakiella - Sand Dunes Eyeshadow Palette - $52 (USD)

Zakiella Sand Dunes Eyeshadow Palette is inspired by the serene beauty of sun-kissed deserts, offering a range of rich, velvety mattes and shimmering metallics in warm, neutral tones. This palette includes soft beiges, sunlit ambers, and sultry browns, providing a versatile selection for both everyday looks and dramatic evening styles. Formulated with natural and organic ingredients, free from talc, PFAS, and microplastics, it delivers exceptional color payoff while supporting your values. The magnetic base allows you to replace empty pans, making it a sustainable and long-lasting beauty essential.

Expert Notes: 

"What I love about this eyeshadow palette, including the cute case with a mirror, is that it's clean beauty but still feels luxurious. The shadows apply so smoothly and have great staying power throughout the day. The neutral palette is perfect for everyday use. Love!" - Jessica Brown, @thejesslbrown

"The eyeshadow palette I received is the Sand Dunes which is filled with metallic and matte shades in a range of warm neutral hues. My favorites are the metallics which are super buttery soft, clean ingredients, highly pigmented, long lasting and so pretty! I love the shimmer and the way it blends. The mattes - I love the packaging; it's sturdy and well-made, giving the product a high-end feel. This would be a great palette to travel with it. Because it is made so well, it would be great if it could be refillable. I especially love the attention to detail as it has an expiration date on the back. Overall, these eyeshadows are suited for anyone with any skintone. I like how the range of shadows can be used for those looking for a minimal, natural look or a night out."  - Dana Fong, @ecoartsy

"This pallet was great and the colors glided beautifully. Very pigmented." - Crystal Pena, @cleanbeautycraze