We’ve all seen her before: the blonde-haired woman with bright blue eyes and matching bright blue eyeshadow and eyeliner. Or the green-eyed woman with jet black, smudgy eyeliner and eyelashes.  For many years, conventional makeup advice dictated that women match the color of their eyes to the color of their eyeshadow: blue with blue eyes, green with green eyes, etc. Then top off the look with black eyeliner and mascara. But to enhance the highlights of each eye color calls for using colors with opposite undertones to complement rather than overwhelm, to draw attention and emphasize eyes but not with bright, dramatic technicolors. To focus on each eye color, follow the advice below on eyeshadows, eyeliners and mascaras.

Blue Eyes – Brown Undertones

Eyeshadow - avoid the obvious use of blues and purples and focus on warm browns and taupes and soft peaches and pinks.

Eyeliner – try soft browns and taupes.

Mascara – brown (for daytime) or brownish black (for nighttime).

Brown Eyes – Blue Undertones

Eyeshadow – brown-eyed women can experiment with more colors than blue or green eyes, but look best in rich plums and blues, warm browns, shimmery caramels and taupes, mahogany and charcoal.

Eyeliner – dark brown, navy, charcoal gray or soft black.

Mascara – brownish black and soft black.

Green Eyes – Red Undertones

Eyeshadow – soft purples and peaches, warm, golden browns and taupes.

Eyeliner – taupe, soft red-brown and some purples.

Mascara – brown or brownish black

Hazel Eyes

Depending on whether you want to highlight the green or blue of hazel eyes, follow the above rules accordingly.

Very Dark Brown/Black Eyes – Neutral Colors

Eyeshadow – navy, plums, charcoals browns.

Eyeliner – navy, dark plum, charcoal gray, dark black.

Mascara – soft or dark black.

Of course you can slip on the occasional green or blue shadow, but limit them to special occasion or nighttime looks when you really want to make a dramatic statement.

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