I’m excited to show you how a little bit of the right makeup can make your unique eye color POP!
Just a touch of complementary color will showcase your eyes better than the most dramatic makeup looks. (Contrary to Instagram, it doesn’t take a pharmacy's-worth of makeup to have beautiful eyes.) That’s a fun look if you want to glam it up now and then.
The idea here is more like, “You have beautiful eyes!” instead of, “I love your eye makeup!” Do you see the difference? If that’s your goal, then read on. ;)
First, it's important to know that the colors directly opposite each other on a standard color wheel are called complementary colors. And they work like magic in makeup to enhance each other! Here's how...
Green Eyes
Red shows off green eyes
Think of a Christmas poinsettia. Or ruby ornaments strung over pine branches. The vibrant impact of red and green as complementary colors is well known! This is also true in eye makeup.
Any red-based pigments will make green eyes pop.
Your eye shadow shouldn't be fire engine red! Warm shades like bronze, mahogany, or caramel eye shadow or eye liner will do much better.
Also, your eyes don’t have to be true green to benefit from this effect. If you have little flecks of green in your eyes, like in hazel eyes, then a shade of red-based eye shadow will enhance that green.
It's too limiting to stick to one color family forever, I know. The great thing about this rule of red enhancing green is that it translates to other colors too. Let’s say you’re looking to wear purple eyeliner. It will suit you better to chose a red-based purple pigment instead of a blue-based purple, because the underlying red will still play up your green eye color a little bit.
Green showcases green eyes
Another way to bring out green eyes is to surround them with a similar green.
If you’re cringing at the thought of the matchy-matchy eye shadow of the 80s, you should be! The idea with this technique is to lend a subtle hint of green, maybe with a thin line of green eyeliner.
Red Skin Beware!
This is an important caveat for people with green eyes. If you have any redness in your skin or around your eyes that you wish to conceal, don’t overdo it on the red or green eye makeup. Focus instead on concealing the redness in your skin. That will do more for the appearance of your eyes than piling on more red or green.
Blue Eyes
Orange brightens baby blues
Complementary colors are often used on sports jerseys and national flags for good reason. Blue and orange were my high school colors (Wildcat Pride!!) And, as complementary colors, they work beautifully in eye makeup.
Orange brings out blue eyes. Keep in mind that you don’t need to wear bright orange for this to work!
Shades like gold, bronze, copper, caramel, and honey are staples for blue eyes.
You’ll notice there's a crossover between the colors that enhance green and blue eyes. This is because green and blue are next to each other on the color wheel, as are red and orange.
So we could streamline this rule even more. Simply put, green and blue eye colors will stand out with warm, red-based eye shadows, period.
Blue enhances blue eyes
Another way to bring out the blue in your eyes is to surround them in a similar blue. This creates the illusion that your eyes are the same shade as the blue around them.
This is an age-old trick that rarely backfires. Just be sure to use a hint of blue instead of a broad sweep of electric blue eye shadow across your eyelid! That look is fun, but it’s more about the eye shadow than about your beautiful blues.
Gray Eyes
If you have gray eyes, you’re in luck! You can make your eye color appear blueish or greenish by trying out the techniques above. Not everyone has that kind of versatility.
I have dark gray eyes that can’t really be called blue or green. And I have to say, it’s pretty fun! Depending on the day and my mood, I can bring out the blue or green in them. I just use the techniques for blue and green eye colors. The small hints of blue or green in my iris are instantly enhanced.
Another option is to wear a steely gray eye liner and gray eye shadow to really underline the grayness of your eyes. This is a great way to own your gray.
Here’s a question for my gray-eyed beauties... Have you ever tried violet eyes?
Yellow enhances purple eyes?
Say what?
Honestly, I think Elizabeth Taylor’s violet eyes were the only purple eyes ever known. And, in truth, they weren’t purple or violet. They were a stunning grayish blue. But Ms. Taylor’s makeup artist knew every trick in the book to make them appear violet.
Elizabeth Taylor also draped herself in lilac and violet fabrics to bring out her striking gaze even more and earn the nickname “violet eyes”.
Does yellow enhance purple? Well, yes, technically it does. The color wheel doesn’t lie. But there’s so little purple in most people’s eyes! Not only that, but yellow can make most pale-medium skin tones look sallow. That's not much payoff so let's just not go there!
Purple on gray eyes à la Elizabeth Taylor
If you have gray eyes, try Elizabeth Taylor’s bag of tricks. Wear a purple top, or drape yourself in a violet scarf and see what results you get. Also, try a hint of lilac eye shadow with a darker purple eyeliner along the lid.
Your eyes won’t turn purple without colored contact lenses. (Sigh!) But you can create a beautiful illusion that they have a touch of violet.
Brown Eyes
Soulful Dark Brown Eyes
I’m always drawn to the mystery of dark brown eyes. As a kid, I had a friend who hated her dark brown eyes because, to her, they had no life or pizzazz.
If you’ve felt that way about your eyes, no matter their color, then girl... it’s time to start fresh! You have no idea how many strangers might have admired your eyes from a distance. It’s time you admired them too!
If you have very dark brown eyes, you may not be able to bring out any color in them other than brown. So, I say, dive in!
A brown eye liner with brown eye shadow that matches your eye color will bring out their soulful depth.
Pale Brown Eyes
Pale brown eyes have a bit more versatility. If your iris has any other color in it, then you can experiment with the techniques for green and blue eyes. Chances are you won’t get your eyes to look completely green or blue. But why would you want to?
Try choosing a shade of eye liner and eye shadow that is a close match to your eye color. This is the best way to bring out the warmth of pale brown eyes.
A Few Things to Remember...
Less is more!! My mother imparted this wisdom on me early in life. It just makes sense. If you want your eye color to be noticed, you can’t compete against it with heavy, overdone eye makeup. The dramatic look has it’s time and place. But, no matter what, drama will always leave your beautiful eye color in second place.
Quality over quantity. Following up on the less is more thing a little bit. When using bright color, aim for precision. For example, if you're adding a touch of color, try to do one well-drawn line of eye liner rather than dusting a broad sweep of opaque eye shadow all over your eyelids. This takes some practice but is well worth it.
Have fun! It’s just makeup, after all. It washes off.
I love wearing makeup because every day is a new beginning. I’m the artist and my face is the canvas. And any artist will tell you that creativity comes from embracing mistakes!
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