Suede Eye Shadow Is the Coziest Makeup Trend to Try This Fall

Lips and cheeks have been hogging all the attention recently, while lids and lashes have been going nearly naked. Not for much longer: The suede eye shadow trend has been quietly building momentum and is about to change all that.

Heading into fall, we can already feel a mood shift towards introducing a little extra definition and glamour back into our beauty looks. Statement eyes are back on the agenda, only this time they’re slightly softer, sheer, and smoked out with soft, matte suede shadows that are sultry but also so wearable.

What is suede eye shadow?

Essentially, suede eye shadow refers to a soft, matte finish (we’re skipping shimmer on this one). It includes the typical shades we associate with suede—browns like tan, buff, or chocolate as well as navy, mole, and greige.

Unlike the heavy smoky eyes and cut creases of the 2010s, this trend is throwing it back to the 1990s when smoky eyes were more minimalist. It’s a sheerer version of a smoky eye that shows a bit of skin. You can get the effect by diffusing to a really gentle finish at the edges, or by applying the shadow semisheer all over. However you do it, the overall finish feels softer—just like suede.

Why choose suede eye shadow?

This is 2026’s answer to a minimalist smoky eye. It’s perfect if you want to make your eyes the feature without doing too much. We love it worn as a wash all over the lid in a single color such as chocolate or buff. The simplicity helps it feel cooler and less complicated. That said, a couple of shades worn softly work well too.

How to get suede eye shadow?

There are lots of brands that have worked to give us beautiful soft mattes that glide onto lids and don’t feel patchy or heavy like their previous counterparts. Makeup by Mario is a great example, MAC is forever reliable, and Nars has some great quads too.

One of our favorite newcomers is Saie, which has just launched an edit of SuperSuede eye shadows in 11 delicious individual autumnal shades. There are a few low-lit shimmers in the mix, but we’re gravitating toward the buttery demi-mattes in beautiful chocolate shades like Cannoli, Biscotti, and Dolce. And to reinforce that ’90s feel, the brand called upon OG supermodel Helena Christensen as muse. These shadows are great whether you’re a beginner or advanced, and they diffuse across lids quickly and effortlessly for one of the easiest ways to tap into the trend.