I prefer matte eye shadows, but can get by with a very tiny amount of shimmer. I don't like shimmer in my lip products either. I've had some very good luck in the past with NYX matte eye shadows and have a pretty big collection of them. Even so, I've also purchased several IT Cosmetics Eye Shadow Trios and both last year's and this year's Naturally Pretty Matte Luxe Palettes and find myself reaching for them most of the time. They apply easily and you don't need much to get nice coverage. I believe a good brush is important for the right application though, too. For me, that's an IT eye shadow brush. Sometimes I'll grab a Laura Geller eye shadow brush, which works alright, but I prefer the IT brushes - they're they best.