The best eyeshadow for your eye colour

The basic rule is simple: colours that sit opposite your eye colour on the colour wheel make it stand out. That doesn't mean wearing loud shadows — very often it's just a matter of picking the right brown, bronze or taupe.

Brown eyes

Brown eyes are the most versatile: almost everything works.

• To make them pop: bronze, gold, copper and plum.
• For daytime: warm browns and golden beiges.
• To be bolder: navy, olive or burgundy.

Green and hazel eyes

Red is the opposite of green, so red-based shades make green eyes glow.

• To make them pop: plum, burgundy, mauve and reddish brown.
• For daytime: warm browns and soft coppers.
• Avoid: greens that match your eyes exactly — they flatten them.

Blue eyes

Orange is the opposite of blue, so bronzes, coppers and peaches intensify blue eyes.

• To make them pop: bronze, copper, peach and champagne.
• For daytime: soft browns and taupe.
• For night: chocolate brown instead of black, which can look harsh.

Grey eyes

Grey eyes change with what surrounds them.

• With taupe and silver, they look greyer and cooler.
• With plum or purple, they can look almost green.
• With bronze, they look bluer.

Beyond colour: style

The same shade changes a lot depending on how you apply it:

• Soft wash: one shade on the mobile lid. Natural and quick.
• Defined: one shade on the lid and a deeper one in the crease. Adds depth.
• Smoky: a deep shade blended upwards and along the lower lash line. For night.

In the eyeshadow try-on you can switch between all three styles with one tap and compare them on your face.

What if I have hooded eyes?

Apply shadow with your eyes open, looking straight ahead, and take the colour slightly above your natural crease so it stays visible. Avoid chunky glitter on the mobile lid — it disappears when your eyes are open.

Quick summary