How to Bring out the Color in Your Eyes

Co-authored by Nine Morrison

Last Updated: March 1, 2023

The eyes are the most central feature of the face, and learning how to feature your eyes will make any make-up look more effective and memorable. There are many techniques to featuring the eyes, and while some of them require some make-up expertise, many are simple to employ. For most, it’s simply a matter of finding the right products and perfecting the placements of highlight, shadow, and color on the face.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Eye Makeup

1
Apply pink, purple, silver, or gold for brown eyes. In particular, pinks, purples, and silvers tend to accentuate the warmth of the brown tones. Gold or bronze shades increase color clarity, and green shades lighten brown eyes. For brown eyes, the possibilities are nearly endless. Since brown is a neutral, nearly every color goes with it.

EXPERT TIP

Nine Morrison
Professional Makeup Artist
Nine Morrison is the owner of WedLocks Bridal Hair & Makeup, the largest bridal beauty company in Colorado. Her work has been featured in Brides Magazine, The Knot, and by Moroccanoil, and her company replicates this standard across 400+ weddings per year. She has been in the beauty industry for over 10 years, and also travels as a beauty educator and business consultant.

Nine Morrison
Professional Makeup Artist

Use purple liner for a subtle take on this look. While the exact shade you use will depend on your skin tone, lavenders and purples usually look great on brown eyes. If you're going for a more subtle look, like for bridal makeup, you could keep your eyeshadow neutral, then use a dark purple liner on top to bring out your eyes.
2
Apply violet and plum shades to accentuate green and hazel eyes. Pink and purple will create the best contrast, since red is the contrasting color to green, and the purple will accentuate any gold strands in the eye.

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3
Apply rich brown shades and metallic neutrals for blue eyes. Orange is the opposite of blue, so the more bronze, the better for creating contrast. A matte gray may also allow a bright blue shade to “pop” against the neutral.
4
Define the eye with liner and mascara. Once the color is applied to the eyelid, lining the eyes will give dimension and definition to eyes. There are many options for both these products and for techniques of application, such as the winged liner, the smokey eye, and the graphic line. Choose a technique that makes your eyes seem bigger and more alert so the color can be most noticeable. With the right color choice and with these finishing touches, the eyes will have the perfect frame to present your unique hue to the world.
- Brown eyes are also defined best with black liner since there is already a depth of color saturation present on the face.
- Green and hazel eyes will benefit from a less intense liner color, like a purple, charcoal, or silver.
- Blue eyes look best with a bronze or brown liner since black may prove to harsh against a light colored eye.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Wearing Clothes to Brings Out Your Eyes

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Choose colors that contrast and complement your eye color. Similar to the eye makeup rules, clothing colors can give your eyes extra vibrancy through contrast. Consulting the color wheel will give you a basic idea of contrasting colors. You’ll want to wear the color that is the opposite of your eye color on the color wheel.
2
Wear orange, bronze, red, or gold to give emphasis to blue eyes. If your eyes are a lighter blue, intensify the redness in your clothing to bring out the hue. If your eyes are a darker blue, near to gray, lean toward a more yellow or golden tone to bring out the purple and blue tones in the eye.
3
Wear red or more subtle mauve and burgundy to contrast a green eye. A lighter green eye may be better contrasted by a purplish shade of red. If you’ve got a hazel eye that leans more green, choose these colors as well to accent those shades.
4
Wear brown purple and pink if your brown eyes are more golden than warm in hue. If your brown eyes are warmer, green would oppose the redder shades on the eye. For complementary colors to brown, true gold is a safe choice. If you’ve got hazel eyes that lean more brown, wear these colors to create contrast.
5
Choose accessories in the right colors as well. When choosing jewelry, ties, hats, etc., the colors should a) coordinate with the outfit and b) contrast or complement the eye color. Be particularly attentive to accessories that will be worn near the face.
6
Simplify the outfit in order to bring emphasis to the face. Do not over-accessorize when trying to emphasize a natural feature, such as the eyes. Too much jewelry, too large of a hat, or too many colors will distract others from noticing the eyes. Make selective color choices and keep the look free of distracting features.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Considering Hair Style and Color

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Choose a haircut or hairstyle that draws attention to your eyes. This may include several different looks, and you should choose whichever look fits your lifestyle, hair texture, and maintenance routine. Short hair makes the face stand out, and longer hair can frame the face well, especially with well trimmed bangs or layers that fall around the eyes or cheekbones. ^{[1]
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Choose a hair colour that will intensify the eye color. If you are willing to dye your hair, you have many options to consider. There is no need to go drastic or permanent if you don’t want to Consulting a professional may prove useful and informative about your options since skintone and hair health may also be factors in your hair dye. ^{[2]
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- If you are not looking for a permanent color application, consider a semi permanent dye that will enhance or tone your natural color. These applications are less intense and easier to maintain.
3
Keep hair healthy and tame. Just like a busy outfit can distract from the eyes, unruly hair or intense colors can distract as well. This is not to say that your hair cannot be funky, beachy, or styled uniquely. Just be attentive to styling and color choices, checking if the choices become distracting at any point during the process.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I bring out the yellow in my eyes?

Community Answer

The best way to bring out any color in your eyes is to wear things in that or a contrasting color.
Question

What can I do if I cannot wear makeup to school? My eyes are blue.

Community Answer

You don't need to wear makeup. Blue eyes look beautiful on their own. Although, you can highlight your your eyes and wear compact. Remember that being simple is the best.
Question

I have really dark brown eyes, but some people think they're black, which is why I want my eyes to stand out. Is there a way to bring out the brown in my eyes?

Cecilia Flores

Top Answerer

It depends on how you want to bring them out. Brown eyes are very versatile, and it's very easy to make them pop. Because you want to bring out the brown and not an undertone, try wearing either a navy blue or burgundy mascara. I would also recommend using a gold liner pencil on your waterline.

Warnings

Be sure to remove makeup well at the end of the day to keep skin fresh and free from oils and leftover powder on the face.

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Don't use too many chemicals in hair when dying. If you are new to dying, consult and expert for advice on process and color. Too much dye or bleach can permanently damage hair.

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Make sure to update your makeup every 6 months or so and be careful not to share your eyeliner or mascara, as it carries the possibility of eye infections.

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