These Are The Best Eye Shadows For Every Eye Color
Choosing the right eye shadows can be a tricky business. When we buy an eye shadow palette, we tend to gravitate toward the shades we like without considering whether they will complement our eye color.
Have you ever ended up with a final makeup look that seems off? As if, despite your best efforts, something is missing? We then blame the formula and give up on the eye shadow palette altogether. But before you do that, let us help you figure out where it might have gone wrong.
It all starts with understanding how certain eye shadows look with our eye color. Since each of us has a unique eye color, certain hues that work on someone with brown eyes may not look good on people with hazel or blue eyes. This is why you should look for an eye shadow shade that complements your eye color and makes your eyes sparkle rather than look dull and washed out.
We created this thorough guide of eye shadow shades for each eye color so that you can better understand which hues to go for the next time you're choosing your eye shadow palette.
Evie's product selections are curated by the editorial team. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
Best Eye Shadows for Brown Eyes
Brown is the most common eye color, so it's no surprise that finding the perfect eye shadow for brown eyes is a breeze. Whether your brown eyes are deep and dark or light and golden, there's an eye shadow color to bring out their beauty.
Here are some of the best eye shadows for brown eyes:
Green: Brighter shades like Girl Scout green and pear will accentuate the gold flecks in brown eyes, giving them an extra sparkle. Product To Try: HipDot Girl Scout Thin Mints Pigment Palette, $16
Plum: Dark purples and plums can give brown eyes a dramatic look, while lighter shades like lavender and violet will provide a natural hint of color. Product To Try: HipDot Girl Scout Coconut Caramel Pigment Palette, $16
Light Blue: Washed denim blues and grays can give your brown eyes a subtler and softer look. Product To Try: Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Denim, $62
Bronze: This rich shade will warm up the lids, bringing out the gold flecks in brown eyes. Product To Try: Rms Beauty Eyelights Cream Eyeshadow in Spark, $28
Brown: Any brown shade, from a light taupe to a deep espresso, will give your brown eyes that perfect, natural look. Product To Try: Makeup Forever Artist Color Eye Shadow in Red Brown, $19
Copper: Perfect for a glam look, copper eye shadow will bring out the gold and amber tones in brown eyes. Product To Try: ROSE INC Satin & Shimmer Duet Eyeshadow in Satin Copper, $30
On the other hand, if you have brown eyes, stay away from white, silver, and black eye shadows, as they can make your eyes look washed out and flat.
Best Eye Shadows for Blue Eyes
Blue eyes are bright, captivating, and mysterious, making them an excellent canvas for most eye shadows.
However, here are a few that will really make your blue eyes pop:
Orange: Orange and coral will bring out the blue hues in your eyes, giving them a vibrant and eye-catching look. Product To Try: Anastasia Beverly Hills Primrose Palette, $55
Mauve: For a subtler day look, mauve shades will give your blue eyes a warm and soft appearance. Product To Try: Smashbox Always On Cream Shadow in Rose, $28
Brown: A brown detail like eyeliner or a transition shade can add depth to blue eyes and make them stand out. Product To Try: Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in Roasted Chestnuts, $10
Rose: Light pink or soft purple has a way of showcasing blue eyes. Product To Try: Sephora Colorful Eyeshadow in Lazy Afternoon, $10
Champagne: A beautiful glam shade that will make your blue eyes sparkle. Product To Try: Natasha Denona Mini Nude Eyeshadow Palette, $27
Terracotta: For a smoky look, terracotta can make blue eyes pop. Product To Try: Pat McGrath Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Midnight Voyage, $29
On the other hand, avoid using opaque yellows and greens on blue eyes.
Best Eye Shadows for Gray Eyes
Gray eyes are a combination of blue and green, and they often have prominent gold specks, so finding the right eye shadow will pretty much depend on which color you want to accentuate most.
Here are some excellent options for this ultrarare eye color:
Yellow: A perfect way to accentuate the gold specks in your eyes, yellow eye shadows will give gray eyes a touch of warmth. Product To Try: Smashbox Always On Cream Shadow in Ochre, $28
Peach: A peachy hue will bring out the subtle greens and blues of gray eyes. Product To Try: Fenty Beauty Snap Shadows Palette in Peach, $28
Teal: A vibrant teal will bring out the blue in gray eyes and make them sparkle. Product To Try: Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Eye Pigment in Mermaid, $18
Silver: An excellent shade for evening glam, silver eye shadow will make your gray eyes look mesmerizing. Product To Try: Hourglass Curator Eyeshadow Singles in Ice, $29
Burgundy: This beautiful deep shade will bring out the warmth in gray eyes and make them look greener. Product To Try: Natasha Denona Retro Eyeshadow Palette, $69
Magenta: This rich hue will make your eyes pop by bringing out the shades of green. Product To Try: Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette, $45
If you have gray eyes, stay away from very warm shades like gold, orange, copper, and red.
Best Eye Shadows for Green Eyes
Green eyes are one of the rarest eye colors out there, and they typically do well with rosy, purple, and warm shades.
Here are a few eye shadow options that will make your already striking green eyes look even more mesmerizing:
Dusty Rose: Soft pink with a hint of plum will look stunning on green eyes and make them pop. Product To Try: Patrick Ta Major Dimension Rose Eyeshadow Palette, $68
Berry: A bold and daring shade, berry eyeshadow will make green eyes stand out. Product To Try: Juvia's Place The Berries Eyeshadow Palette, $15
Lilac: Soft, feminine, and romantic, lilac eye shadow will bring out the subtle blues in green eyes. Product To Try: Huda Beauty Lilac Obsessions, $29
Rose Gold: A glam shade that will warm up green eyes without taking away from their beauty. Product To Try: Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerize Cream Eyeshadow in Rose Gold, $34
Bronze: A rich, warm shade that will superbly accentuate green eyes. Product To Try: Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow in Burnish, $30
Rust: Like bronze, this color will warm up the green hues and make your eyes pop. Product To Try: Melt Cosmetics Rust Eyeshadow Palette, $58
Avoid shades like blue, orange, yellow, red, and silver.
Best Eye Shadows for Hazel Eyes
A combination of brown and green, hazel eyes are the perfect middle ground between the two shades and can pull off a wide variety of eye shadows.
Here are some stunning shades that will accentuate your hazel eyes and make them stand out:
Lavender: This cool-tone shade will bring out the subtle green hues in hazel eyes, making them look brighter. Product To Try: Morphe Ultralavender Artistry Palette, $27
Burgundy: A touch of burgundy will make hazel eyes look sultry, warm, and mysterious. Product To Try: Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam II Mini Eyeshadow Palette, $29
Emerald: A beautiful cool-tone shade perfect for an evening glam, shiny or matte emerald eye shadow will make hazel eyes sparkle. Product To Try: Buxom Customizable Eyeshadow Bar in Money Maker, $12
Gold: Warm and perfect for a summer or fall look, gold eye shadow will make hazel eyes look even more striking. Product To Try: Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow in Foil, $30
Pink Champagne: Soft and feminine, pink champagne is a perfect shade for a day look that needs a touch of sparkle. Product To Try: Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerize Cream Eyeshadow in Champagne, $34
Copper: A warm, earthy shade perfect for hazel eyes, copper will bring out the brown hues and make them look even more beautiful. Product To Try: Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eye Shadow in Blaze, $30
Avoid using blue and silver eyeshadows.
Closing Thoughts
Finding the perfect eye shadow shade can be challenging, but with some practice and knowing which color group to gravitate toward, you will quickly figure out which colors make your eyes sparkle!
Love Evie? Sign up for our newsletter and get curated content weekly!