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The right eyeshadow can make your eyes look brighter, more awake and bring out the best in your peepers. But the collection of colors on display at your local beauty store can be overwhelming--it isn't always easy to figure out which shades are going to complement your eye color. To make shopping a little simple, here's a complete guide to the eyeshadow hues that work wonders on each eye color.
Brown Eyes
Dark eyes are mysterious and sexy — and girls with this beautiful hue are fortunate because they can experiment with an array of bright shades that their light-eyed friends can't get away with. Electric-blue shadow, like Nars Matte Eyeshadow in Outremer might make others look like they belong in a disco, but on a dark-eyed color, it looks cool and futuristic. The hazel/green in light brown eyes can be emphasized with a swipe of green eyeshadow like Make Up For Ever in Emerald. Purple contrasts with brown, which means a shade like Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow in Eggplant will make brown eyes look intense. And, if you just want to look natural and office-ready, forego brown eyeshadow, which tends to disappear on dark eyes, and choose a peachy-brown hue like the ones found in Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette.
Blue Eyes
Think warm, sunny colors when you want to bring out the cool tones in your blue eyes. A rich gold like Dior Limited Edition Fusion Eyeshadow in Mirror looks stunning on blue peepers, as do deeper, bronze shades like Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Shimmering Nudes Eyeshadow Palette. When the makeup artist in you yearns to come out, resist the urge to use blue on your eyes (it will do very little for you) and turn instead to a deep plum like Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Last Call.
Green Eyes
This warm and lovely eye color looks amazing when you contrast it with purple, a complementary color. Try a palette like Sephora Collection MicroSmooth Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Ultraviolet so you can experiment with both violet and plum shades on your lid and lash line. Silver shadow like Estée Lauder Pure Color Gelée Powder EyeShadow in Cyber Silver looks totally glam on green-eyed girls, and for those days when only a natural look will do, a shimmery taupe like Bobbi Brown Sparkle Eye Shadow in Taupe brightens the whites of your eyes.
Grey Eyes
This rare eye color needs very little to make it pop. Your best options if you possess grey eyes (which can appear to be a steely blue) are to stick with orange/coppery tones like those found in Nars Duo Eyshadow in Mediteranee or to brighten your eyes with a grey shade slightly lighter than your iris like Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Smokey Blue Grey. This is one eye shade that can pull off a dramatic black/white/silver look, so don't be afraid to experiment with a palette like Smashbox Photo Op Eye Shadow Trio in Dark Room.
Hazel Eyes
Women with hazel eyes get to have the most fun when it comes to makeup because we can choose shadows based on the tones in our eyes, which can range from green or grey to brown to yellow and gold. With its rose-hued neutral shades, Urban Decay Naked3 is a killer palette to use if you want to bring out the green in your eyes. Buxom Eyeshadow Bar Single Eyeshadow in Mink Magnet is pretty, subtle, but striking enough to illuminate copper/light brown hues in your eyes. And an earthy combination of green and brown, like Dolce & Gabbana The Eyeshadow Smooth Eye Colour Quad in Mediterraneo, always looks stunning and natural on hazel eyes.
