The most important thing to know about choosing eye colors is that there are no rules. Lots of people never met a color they couldn't wear, and look fabulous in everything. With that in mind we encourage you to take everything we say with a grain of salt. Experiment, have fun, and remember eyeshadow is easy to wash off.

Still, there are some colors that really bring out your eyes. Remember the color wheel? Complementary colors (the ones across from each other on the wheel) look gorgeous together, while similar colors can be a bit dull. Of course you'll look for appealing versions of the complementary colors. Most of us would be frightened away by bright orange or red eyeshadow.


Here's what to look for:

  • Blue eyes are complemented by orange tones - look for warm browns, camels, apricots, and golds.
  • Green eyes are complemented by red tones - look for pinky browns, plums, lilacs, and soft rosy colors (if they complement your skin tone).
  • Brown eyes are complemented by everything - blues, plums, greens, greys, and most vibrant colors look terrific.
  • Violet eyes (lucky you) are complemented by green - look for smoky greens, soft sage greens, and just about anything else that appeals.