How to Choose Eyeshadow Color Combinations

Co-authored by Yuka Arora and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: January 31, 2023 References

Eyeshadow is a big part of a makeup look, but it can be overwhelming to pick the right shade when you have so many color options! Don’t panic—instead, take a moment to decide what kind of look you’d like to go for. If you’d prefer a look that blends well with your skin’s undertones, opt for shades that go well with your skin tone. You can also cater to your eye color and choose combinations that play off of your natural beauty! If you’re aiming to make a statement with your makeup look, try pairing more noticeable shades. If you’d rather create a subtle look, opt for muted tones instead. Have fun experimenting with different color combinations until you find a makeup look that best suits your style!

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Pairing with Your Skin’s Tone and Undertone

1
Use earth tones for light skin with warm undertones. Apply a base layer of cream-colored eyeshadow, working it up to your brow bone.^{[1]
X
Research source} Next, pack a warm, creamy bronze over the base of your eyelids if you have a pale complexion. Take the edge off of the browns by blending the shadow into the cream on your brow bone. To add another layer to your look, try layering a darker metallic brown over the crease of your lid, then blending it with the base color.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- You can also experiment by using cream-colored eyeshadow in the inner corners of your eyes.
- Feel free to experiment with different looks! Try out different shades of metallic brown until you find one that best suits your complexion.
2
Use bold greens and blues if you have fair skin with cool undertones.^{[3]
X
Expert Source

Yuka Arora
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 30 August 2018.} Pack a deep emerald and sapphire shade around onto your lids, blending the color out to your crease and brow bone to create a bold and beautiful look. Stick with cool tones, and try to avoid reds, oranges, and yellows as you go.^{[4]
X
Research source}

Did you know? Combinations of pastel shades work well on fair complexions with both warm and cool undertones!

Advertisement
3
Try pairing different shades of teal eyeshadow if you have an olive skin tone. Balance the warm undertones of your skin with cool teal tones. Apply a muted teal up to your brow bone, then pack a deeper shade onto your base eyelid. Blend both shades together to create a smooth, elegant look!^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Try making a gradient with multiple shades of teal.
- If you’d like to go for a bolder look, opt for metallic teal shades instead.
4
Go for any color combination if you have brown or dark tan skin. Gravitate toward your favorite colors, using new palettes or makeup products that you already have on hand. Dark tan and brown skin tones have neutral undertones, so you don’t have to focus on certain colors to get the look that you want!^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If you aren’t a fan of colorful eyeshadow palettes, try using neutral tones to create a natural look instead.
5
Highlight cool-toned dark skin with a mix of purples, dark blues, and teals. Celebrate your complexion with a variety of cool color combinations. If you have a preference for teal, midnight blue, or purple, opt for those colors first. If you’re feeling especially bold, try mixing all 3 colors into a single look.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- You can also try a monochromatic look with multiple shades of dark blue, purple, or teal (e.g., baby blue, azure, indigo).
- If your skin has naturally cool undertones, don’t apply too much product.
- Try experimenting with brightly colored eyeliner, as well.
6
Accent warmly-toned dark skin with soft reds and pinks. Keep your look subtle by pairing coral and rose gold shades around eyelid, crease, and brow bone. Try blending both colors together to give your complexion a warm and rosy appearance.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Selecting Combinations Based on Eye Color

1
Bring out your blue eyes with soft corals and champagnes. Keep your blue eyes as the focal point of your appearance by complimenting them with muted, sunny colors. Aim for your eyeshadow to be noticeable in the light, but not so overpowering that it takes away from your natural complexion.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- If you have a specific color preference, choose the softest, most muted shade.
- Try to avoid any shade of blue makeup, or your eyes may end up looking washed out.^{[9]
  X
  Research source}
2
Combine smoky gray and purple to make your green eyes pop. Don’t seek out excessively bright colors when looking to try out new combinations. Keep your green eyes as the focus on the look by building a mixture of purple and smoky gray along the lid and brow bone. If you want to add in some extra tones, try including silver instead.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Be on the lookout for eyeshadow palettes with lots of grays, as well as different shades of purple.
- Don’t go for especially bold colors, since your eyes are bright enough on their own.
3
Highlight gray eyes with a mix of faded violet and muted gray. Choose a smoky gray that blends easily, focusing the shade around your crease and brow bone area. Match this muted tone with a steely blue or violet, which helps to create a subtle but striking like.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Gray eyes aren’t always as noticeable. Because of this, you don’t want your eyelids and brow bone to steal the attention away from your eyes.
4
Mix light and dark browns to complement your brown eyes.^{[12]
X
Expert Source

Yuka Arora
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 30 August 2018.} Pursue a monochromatic look by combining light and dark browns in a blended, natural look. Try smudging a small amount of rust-colored eyeshadow along your lash line to create a warm, balanced complexion. When you add this smudge, you make the subtle flecks of color in your brown eyes more noticeable.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- Try adding some definition to brown eyeshadow by using liquid eyeliner.
5
Blend out earthy shades if you have hazel eyes. Don’t be discouraged if you have hazel eyes—despite all of the natural colors in your eyes, you have many color options for effective eyeshadow looks. Try mixing soft, light and dark green shades with brown and metallic gold colors.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- If you’d rather go for a less flashy look, opt for a matte gold shade instead.
- You can also add brown into the mix to complement your eyes even more.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Picking Bold Colors

1
Use at least 2 shades of the same color for a cohesive look. Think about your favorite eyeshadow colors: do you prefer cool blues, teals, greens, and purples, or do you gravitate more towards warmer tones? Pick a color to experiment with, opting for a palette that includes at least 1 shiny shade of the same overall color. Blend the matte shade into your brown bone and inner corners, while focusing the metallic shade onto your lid.^{[15]
X
Research source}
- Don’t be afraid to experiment! Try using a thin brush to line your eyes with metallic eyeshadow.
- For example, try pairing light green eyeshadow with forest green shadow.
2
Mix teal and peach together for a colorful twist on a smokey eye look. Create your own take on the smokey eye look by coating your lids in a bold, sultry teal shade. Blend this color out before using a thin brush to add pigment to your lower lash line. Include a splash of brightness by applying a light peach or gold shade on the surface of your lid.^{[16]
X
Research source}
- Ideally, start applying the peach shade from the center of your upper lash line, working the product to your inner corners.
3
Combine complementary colors to give off an edgy, powerful vibe.^{[17]
X
Expert Source

Yuka Arora
Makeup Artist
Expert Interview. 30 August 2018.} Play around with the color wheel by matching up opposing colors like orange and blue. While some complementary colors tend to clash more than others (e.g., red and green), other hues can bring out the best of one another when paired properly. To add some extra depth to your look, try pairing a bright matte orange shade with a navy metallic blue.^{[18]
X
Research source}
- To keep the colors from clashing, pat the orange onto your lid, and stop at the crease. Apply the blue shadow above the orange, working it into the browbone. Finish off the look by blending the 2 colors together!
- Since this look uses both warm and cool colors, it’s especially good for people with neutral undertones.
4
Try a warm make-up style by mixing bright yellow and orange together. Use a matte orange tone as a base, packing over your base eyelid, crease, and brow area. Once you’d blended the orange, apply a layer of bright yellow eyeshadow along your eyelids, which provides contrast to your upper lash line. Blend both colors along the crease to create a vibrant, warm look.^{[19]
X
Research source}
- If you want, you can also apply a thin layer of matte orange beneath your lower lash line.
- This warm look looks best on individuals with cool undertones in their complexion.
5
Create a wash of bright, cool tones like teal and purple. Choose a dark metallic purple shade to apply to the center of your eyelids. Next, pack on metallic teal eyeshadow on the inner third of the eyelid, working the product along the upper curve of the eye. Blend both of these colors together to create a beautiful, cool look.^{[20]
X
Research source}
- You can complement the purple by lining your lower lash line with a small amount of metallic purple product.
- Black mascara helps provide a nice contrast to this look.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Deciding on Muted Shades

1
Go for a softer look by pairing rosy and champagne-tinted eyeshadows. Pack a large amount of champagne colored eyeshadow onto your lids. Next, take a small amount of rosy-pink product and apply it in the center portion of the eyelid, working your way up to the crease. Blend the rosy shadow into the champagne-colored product to create a subtly elegant look.^{[21]
X
Research source}
- Feel free to experiment with both of these colors until you find a ratio that works best for you.
2
Mix a creamy tone and taupe to create a more subtle look. Embrace a neutral palette by patting cream-colored eyeshadow all over your eyelids. Once the eyeshadow is set, use a tapered brush to apply the taupe-colored product into your creases. Continue applying the eyeshadow in back-and-forth motions, working to blend it thoroughly.^{[22]
X
Research source}
- This is a good color combination for a day out, or if you’re wearing a casual, lowkey outfit.
3
Create a new take on smokey eyes with taupe and charcoal tones. Add a splash of color to a tried-and-true makeup look by applying a taupe eyeshadow over your lids. Use a smaller brush to work charcoal shadow into your crease. After blending the colors together, consider adding a dash of purple eyeliner across your upper lash line.^{[23]
X
Research source}
- If you use purple eyeliner, feel free to pair it with a dusting of olive eyeshadow.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I choose an eyeshadow based on my eye color?

Yuka Arora
Makeup Artist
Yuka Arora is a self-taught makeup artist who specializes in abstract eye art. She has been experimenting with makeup art for over 5 years, and has amassed over 5.6K Instagram followers in just 5 months. Her colorful and abstract looks have been noticed by Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Kat Von D Beauty, Sephora Collection, among others.

Yuka Arora

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Try to find a color that's complementary to your eye color. So if you have blue eyes, something like orange would make your eyes pop. If you have brown eyes, use a gold or purple.
Question

How do you make your eyeshadow look bold?

Yuka Arora
Makeup Artist
Yuka Arora is a self-taught makeup artist who specializes in abstract eye art. She has been experimenting with makeup art for over 5 years, and has amassed over 5.6K Instagram followers in just 5 months. Her colorful and abstract looks have been noticed by Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Kat Von D Beauty, Sephora Collection, among others.

Yuka Arora

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Try combining two complementary colors to create a bold look. For instance, blue and orange look great together!
Question

What color eyeshadow goes with brown eyes?

Yuka Arora
Makeup Artist
Yuka Arora is a self-taught makeup artist who specializes in abstract eye art. She has been experimenting with makeup art for over 5 years, and has amassed over 5.6K Instagram followers in just 5 months. Her colorful and abstract looks have been noticed by Jeffree Star Cosmetics, Kat Von D Beauty, Sephora Collection, among others.

Yuka Arora

Makeup Artist

Expert Answer

Try combining light and darker browns together to create a beautiful eyeshadow look for brown eyes.