Remember the color wheel? Maybe you are familiar with it or maybe you are staring at the screen thinking “the what?” (I like to imagine a blank stare, and maybe a little bit of drool). Well, the color wheel tells us a lot. It gives us the foundation for color theory. It tells us which colors cancel each other out, which colors will make other colors look brighter, or richer, and so on.
So, here’s the basics: The primary colors are blue, red, & yellow. They are the foundation for all other color. When you mix two primary colors you get secondary colors such as orange, purple, and green. And when you mix two secondary colors you get tertiary colors like blue-green and red-orange.
Another color group is the analogous colors. They are three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. One will be the dominant color (typically a primary color), a secondary color, and a tertiary color.
I’m sure some of you are thinking “there’s no way I’m wearing red eyeshadow!” but calm down there is a way to use the right colors without looking cray cray.
For green and blue eyes you will find that by using complementary colors you’ll be able to achieve a natural look, and by using analogous colors you will be able to get more glamorous looks. The reverse is true for brown eyes — analogous colors will be easier to achieve natural looking makeup and complementary colors will be more dramatic for you.
If you have mixed eye color such as hazel eyes or blue-green eyes, then the first thing to do is decide if you have a dominant color. If yes, then just choose the corresponding category. However, if you have an even mix of color in your eyes, then you get to choose from two categories below as they will both work for you (hooray!)
BLUE EYES
Find blue on the color wheel. You can see that orange is your complimentary color. You’ll also see that blue, purples, and blue-green are your analogous colors.
Make your blue eyes pop — if you’re ok with straight orange on your eyelid by all means rock it, but if you’re a little more conservative with your makeup then that means you are looking for neutrals with an orange base color. I’m talking the bronze, copper, and warm browns.
|
|
Photo Credit: makeupbykatie.com
|
|
|
|
|
Try something like this:
|
  |
GREEN EYES
When you find green on the color wheel, you’ll see that red is your complimentary color. You’ll also see that, along with green, teals and limes are part of your analogous colors.
Make your green eyes pop — I haven’t seen anyone who can pull off pure red eyeshadow yet, so you’ll have to be a little more creative. A great option is neutrals with a red base.
I’m talking rich browns, burnt coppers, burgundy, and rose tones.
|
|
|
|
|
Try something like this:
|
  |
Where is brown on the color wheel? (I bet that was what you were thinking just now.) Well, technically it could be in many different places, but typically brown eyes are going to have either a red, orange, or yellow base to it — and that’s the important part.
Make your deep brown eyes mesmerizing — A great option is neutrals with a red base.
I’m talking rich browns, burnt coppers, burgundy, and rose tones (yep, you and the green eyes can share eyeshadow palettes).
|
|
|
|
|
Try something like this:
|
  |
Make your golden brown eyes sultry — A great option is brown neutrals with a blue-purple base. I’m talking deep browns, dusty purples, grays, and orange-based browns tones (the blue eyed gals are your new eyeshadow BFFs since you can use the same eyeshadow colors).
|
|
|
|
|
Try something like this:
|
  |
|
|
|
|
|
Try something like this:
|
  |
Now that you are a pro on the right eyeshadow colors, learn what your true eye shape is!
As always, if you loved this and you don’t want to miss out on great posts like this, join the tribe.
Other People Also Like…
Illuminator Product Review | Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow
|
What’s your True Eye Shape? | The 5 Golden Metrics
|
Your Roadmap to Choosing Better Makeup Brushes
|
I loved this artical. I hate my brown eyes and have been wearing colored hazel green contacts, I am a pro doing makeup for my hazel green eyes but when I want to wear my normal eyes I don’t feel so great and makeup which I love for my brown eyes I’m still learning but I have tryed blue colors and they make my eyes look horrible. green eye liner makes them look the best I swear. How do you know what undertone of brown eyes you have?i would love to get better at doing great makeup for my brown eyes instead of pooping my color lenses in all the time.
Yes! I would definitely feel the same way about always having to wear contacts. I think in part, you probably have to get used to your eyes being “different”, much in the same way a new haircut can feel. However, one of the easiest ways to tell what your undertone is, is to go out side and take a picture of your eye. The sun should reveal the truest tone, and that way you will at least know what color family you should be in.
You said green is the best, so sounds like you probably have rich deep brown eyes. So follow the tips in that section! A little bit of playing with color, and I’m sure you’ll have it in no time!
I have somewhere in between hooded and monolid eyes (no browbone), so from your tips I think I’ve figured out to put shadow in an upward angling 7-shape from my outer eye. My eyecolor is definitely on the hazel side of honey brown. Since I have hooded-monolid eyes, I have always been one of those people who thought I couldn’t wear eyeshadow–I’ve just used it to embiggen the upper lid eyeliner. Therefore, without much eyeshadow history, purple, yellow-orange, and lime sound full-on clown-makeup crazy. Really? You know, I’ve found over the years that using a thick dark blue or gray eyeshadow pencil to embiggen my black liquid eyeliner isn’t so bad, and it’s not wacky. Do you think I’m really underselling the hazel this way?
Hi Hamingja!
I definitely feel yah on color being intimidating, especially when there’s no eyeshadow being used.
While I do think that there’s a time and place for lime, I would personally reach for purple for daily use if I was going to use color.
The good news is that there are MANY different shades of purple. Some are more subtle (like plum), and still a great option for you.
Since it sounds like you’ve got eyeliner down, why not try using a plum liner vs the navy? This will make the color of your eyes stand out more since purple enhances the yellow in your eyes. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with using navy or gray, but if you really want to make your eye color pop then the plum liner will do a better job of that!
You could even try using a warm-brown colored pencil (remember the brown will have a yellow undertone) to use in place of the gray. Prestige cosmetics used to have a cream eyeliner in “sable” that would be a good example of what I’m talking about; hopefully, they still have that color. lol
And on the days where you feel like rock’n some eyeshadow go for golds, sandy brown, green browns, and warm tones. They’ll look more natural but still enhance that lovely eye color of yours. 🙂
It sounds like you’re already on the right track with application (you definitely want the upwards 7). Just remember, it takes practice so don’t get discouraged!