Picking the Best Makeup for Your Eye Color

Selecting the right eye shadow need not be a confounding  affair; you simply need to understand which colors best complement your eye color and skin tone. Since within each eye color there exists a range of intensity and nuances, you’ll need to consider your individual features to find the right shades for your peepers.

Accentuate brown eyes with Estee Lauder’s Blue Dahlia palette (Photo: Makeup and Beauty Blog)

Brown eyes

This broad category includes everything from dark, nearly black irises to light brown, amber shades. Brown eyes are a combination of all the primary colors, so brown-eyed ladies have many options.

If your eyes are dark brown you’ll want to make them pop with vivid tones such as deep plums or bold blues. Brilliant hues look especially lovely on darker complexions. Enliven medium brown eyes with copper and olive greens. Light brown eyes, with their flecks of gold and hazel, stand out with metallic brown and gold shadow. If your skin is fair, stick to brown or olive green eyeliner to avoid a harsh look.

Make your baby blues glow with Color Tattoo Tough as Taupe by Maybelline (Photo: Maybelline)

Blue eyes

Accentuate blue eyes with heather gray, gray brown and taupey plum shadow. For a bolder look, try orange; though it may sound a bit extreme, the contrast will set your blue eyes ablaze. Unless your eyes are deep blue, avoid blue eye shadows, which will detract from the intensity of your eyes. Instead, use a touch of blue mascara and eyeliner as accents.

Green eyes will glisten in Shiseido’s Luminizing Satin Color Trio in VI 308 (Photo: Shiseido)

Green eyes

Green eyes smolder in shades of purple, plum and lilac — just stay away from purples with a strong blue undertone and blue shadow and liner (i.e., green eyes look best in warmer shades). If your eyes have gold and hazel flecks try burnished shades of gold, bronze and copper to make them sparkle. Deep green, brown or slate gray are your best eye liner choices.

Bring out your hazel eyes with Spice Trio by Meet Mark (Photo: Meet Mark)

Hazel eyes

Hazel eyes are between light brown and green and so look fabulous in many of the same colors. Hazel eyes — with their multicolor flecks of green, gold and gray — glow in shades metallic brown, gold and olive green. Since hazel eyes encompass such a range of colors, feel free to experiment with shades of taupe, mocha brown and lavender-purple to find the right combination for your eyes.