The Best Eyeshadow Colors For Green Eyes

by Jessica Alberto
Published: Last Updated on
Best Eyeshadow For Green Eyes

One of the best things about makeup is getting to explore your creativity. This includes everything from choosing the color of your lipstick down to your eyeshadow. There are infinitely many ways to create a makeup look, but with so many possibilities, it can get pretty overwhelming.

Makeup is all about enhancing beauty, so what better place to start a makeup look than by playing up your natural features?

For eye makeup, it’s all about framing the eyes. A good way to do this is by choosing eyeshadow colors that complement your eye color.

Some hues will accentuate the eyes more than others. If you have green eyes, consider yourself lucky! Green is the rarest eye color in the world, and this stunning shade contrasts beautifully with many hues.

So which colors will make your eyes pop? Grab your eyeshadow palette and get ready for a bit of science.

In this article, we’ll discuss the color theory for green eyes and show you which shades pair the best with this mesmerizing color.

Factors to consider when choosing eyeshadow

Eye color

The color of your eyeshadow can impact the appearance of your eye color; some colors will bring out their natural hue, whereas others will make them look washed out and dull.

Green eyes typically have golden brown or blue specks that affect their tone. This makes them versatile in terms of color options.

Warm-toned or dark green eyes go well with warm shades because they brighten up the eyes.

Cool-toned or light green eyes pair well with other cool tones that bring out their hue.

Undertone

Your skin tone can range from light to dark, whereas the undertone is the underlying color beneath the skin’s surface that affects your skin’s overall hue.

The three types of undertones are warm, cold, and neutral. Your undertone will determine how colors will appear on your skin.

To get the best results, match the tone of your makeup products to your undertone. For example, those with a warm undertone can use warm shades, such as beige and mauve, whereas those with a cool undertone look better with cool shades like taupe and ivory.

Those with a neutral undertone can use a combination of warm and cool-toned colors but should experiment to see what looks most natural on your skin.

Using makeup that doesn’t match your undertone will either make you look pale or sallow.

Hair Color

Like your skin tone, your hair color can also affect your overall makeup look. If you want to make your green eyes pop, it’s important to take your hair into consideration.

Green eyes can look washed out against lighter hair, so use warm eyeshadow colors to make them more prominent. If you have dark hair, use cool eyeshadow colors to brighten your eyes. Those with brightly colored hair can opt for natural shades that won’t clash.

The best eyeshadow colors for green eyes

Green

Green Eyeshadow for Green Eyes
PHOTO BY INSTAGRAM/josecorella

Perhaps you’ve been told to avoid using eyeshadow that’s the same color as your eyes. Contrary to popular belief, matching your eyeshadow to your eye color is actually one of the easiest ways to enhance their color. The right green hues will bring out the radiance and intensity in your irises.

A soft, pale green color is great for adding a subtle pop of color, whereas jewel-tone eyeshadow will give you modern sophistication.

Use cool-toned greens like sage or mint to bring out the blue flecks in your eyes or warm-toned shades like an emerald to play up golden green eyes.

Red

Red Eyeshadow for Green Eyes
PHOTO BY INSTAGRAM/juliaadamsmua

Red and green sit directly across from one another on the color wheel. This combination of hues is called complementary colors, which means that they perfectly contrast with one another and make both colors appear brighter and more vibrant.

Red is a pretty intimidating color — not to mention that most people are put off by this festive combination of colors. But trust us, this hue will definitely make green eyes pop. The trick is to choose eyeshadows with red undertones, such as coral, maroon, and mauve.

For a natural look, go for reddish earth tones or deep pinks. For a statement eye, sweep a rich jewel tone like ruby or garnet on your eyelids. You can leave it as-is for a monochromatic look or tone it down by blending a matte brown shadow onto the crease.

If you’re not ready for a bold red eyeshadow, start small and use it as an accent color. One fun look you can try is a winged eyeliner look using eyeshadow. Take an angled brush and dampen it with water. Load it up with your red eyeshadow of choice, then draw your wings. Pair it with nude lipstick for a more subdued look.

Copper

Copper Eyeshadow for Green Eyes
PHOTO BY INSTAGRAM/hindash

Warm metallic eyeshadows are great alternatives to red eyeshadow because they’re sort of a combination of red and earth tones.

Eye shadows like copper, bronze, and rose gold are incredibly flattering on green eyes because of the red undertones that bring out the golden flecks in green eyes.

These dreamy, shimmery shades can be used to create a glamorous smokey eye look, but they also work wonderfully as an all-over shadow or highlight. Be sure to sweep some shadow on the lower lash line for a more mesmerizing look.

Want to switch up your makeup routine? Swap out your black eyeliner for a warm metallic liner to make your eyes sparkle.

Purple

Purple Eyeshadow for Green Eyes
PHOTO BY INSTAGRAM/olya_tokarenko

Just like earth tones, purple eyeshadow is flattering on every eye color. But they’re especially gorgeous on green eyes because it highlights the gold or yellow flecks in your irises.

Going back to color theory, any eye shadow with red undertones makes green eyes pop. This includes basically every purple hue out there.

Light purple eyeshadows like lilac or lavender are perfect for a subtle daytime look, while darker shades like violet, magenta, or plum are ideal for a sultry evening look. For added drama, sweep a dark shade of purple on your lower lash line.

You can create an elegant smokey eye by applying an amethyst shadow to your lids and blending it out with a brown shade. Finish the look with a few coats of mascara. Add a pair of falsies for extra glam!

Silver

Silver Eyeshadow for Green Eyes
PHOTO BY INSTAGRAM/ira_gelevey

Some green eyes have a cooler hue, almost veering toward grey-blue territory. Silver is an excellent color for those with cool-toned green eyes because it brings out their icy pigments. This metallic shade catches the light and is perfect for a fun night out.

Blend it with dark grey and black shadows for an intense smokey eye look. For a daytime look, dab a bit of shimmery silver shadow on the inner corner of your eyes or opt for a matte grey shadow.

Taupe

Taupe Eyeshadow for Green Eyes
PHOTO BY INSTAGRAM/taniellejaimua

If you’re in need of something a little more muted, you can’t go wrong with taupe. This cool-toned neutral has a mix of pink and ash-brown undertones that will give you the benefits of color theory without being too loud.

This subdued hue will make green eyes pop. It’s great for adding a touch of color for a natural look while making your irises stand out. It also works as an excellent base that you can blend more colorful shadows on.

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