GET FREE SAMPLES

sign up for our newsletter to get free sample alerts

15 Killer Makeup Looks for Green Eyes

What makeup shades flatter green eyes? We asked four celebrity makeup artists how to make emerald eyes sparkle
Photo 1/16
You can change your nail color in five minutes. You can change the hue of your hair in as few as 10. But -- unless you want to start wearing contacts -- your eye color is with you for life. Not that that's a bad thing. The intensity of their color is, arguably, the hallmark of beautiful eyes. And the right makeup for green eyes can make them look especially dazzling.

To explain the prettiest eye makeup for green eyes, we turned to makeup artist Kristee Liu, who has worked with Miranda Kerr, Kathy Bates and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. "First, let's determine the type of green eyes you have, whether it's true green, golden green or hazel," she says. "Then, let's take a look at the color wheel." If you've ever taken an art class, here's when that lesson on color theory comes into play. "Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered complementary colors and provide the highest contrast to each other," Liu explains.

"If you have true green eyes, colors with red undertones will contrast or complement them the best," Liu says. The ideal eye makeup for green eyes with gold or yellow flecks are berry eye shadows. The best makeup for green eyes with brown or amber highlights -- also known as hazel eyes -- are cool purples and blues.

Green is the rarest eye color in the world, and yet green eyes come in a wide variety of hues, which means that subtle nuances in green eye makeup colors can make your particular shade of emerald eyes pop. To figure out which shade will flatter your peepers, read on to see the 15 best makeup looks for green eyes.

Image via Getty

Photo 2/16
Makeup for Green Eyes: Purple
"Traditionally, the best colors to feature green eyes are in the purple family," says Toby Fleischman, makeup artist to Evan Rachel Wood, Ruby Rose and Anna Kendrick. Eye makeup shades from lilac to eggplant flatter green-eyed babes like Scarlett Johansson, whose eyes look arresting in this icy violet shadow.

If you're wondering which eye shadow for green eyes will also complement your skin tone, Liu says not to fret about it. "I personally don't think undertones make a huge difference when it comes to eye makeup colors," she says. "Undertones matter more with foundation matching and blush colors."

Fleischman agrees. "I don't believe there are rules," she says. "If pushed, I would say lighter complexions [look better with] cool tones that have a bit of gray or silver to them. For those with a darker complexion, I suggest colors that read a bit warmer."

Image via Getty

Photo 3/16
Makeup for Green Eyes: Purple
For a subtler take on purple eye makeup, give Camilla Belle's pretty eggplant cat eye a whirl. Try Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Pencil, $7.99, in Polished Amethyst.

Image via Getty

Photo 4/16
Makeup for Green Eyes: Burgundy
Wine-y lip colors have been all the rage for several seasons, and now the trend has extended to eye makeup -- which is great news for green-eyed women. "Many people may shy away from [burgundy], but used as a wash of color on the lids, these tones can be really modern and gorgeous, and look especially amazing with green eyes," says Fleischman,

To get Gigi Hadid's look, apply a deep red shadow like Surratt Beauty Artistique Eyeshadow, $20, in Renard Roux all over the lid, extending the color above the crease. Dust a bit of the same shadow on the lower lash line.

Image via Getty

Photo 5/16
Makeup for Green Eyes: Burgundy
Emerald-eyed Kristen Stewart models intense burgundy eye makeup that complements her deep red gown. Add definition to a burgundy eye by rimming your waterline with black liner and applying plenty of black mascara.

Image via Getty

BY KATIE MCCARTHY | NOV 7, 2016 | SHARES
VIEW COMMENTS
Full Site | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
TotalBeauty is a property of Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. © 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Affiliate Disclosure: Evolve Media Holdings, LLC, and its owned and operated subsidiaries may receive a small commission from the proceeds of any product(s) sold through affiliate and direct partner links.