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Best Eyeshadows to Enhance Blue Green Eyes

ByPhyrra

PR + purchased by me.
Best Eyeshadows to Enhance Blue Green Eyes

Happy Makeup Wars Monday! I’m back from visiting my grandma. Today I’m sharing the best eyeshadows to enhance blue green eyes. My eyes are blue green, so depending on what I wear they’ll look more blue or more green. Ray claims that they sometimes look grey or teal, but I think it’s all in what I’m wearing. As you know, I don’t normally worry about enhancing my eye color when I wear eyeshadow because I typically prefer to go for fun or bright shades.

Check out my new tutorial the Pale Girl’s Guide to Highlighting where I show you how to highlight, the tools to use, and the best products! If you love contouring check out my step-by-step video, the Pale Girl’s Guide to Contouring!

Eyeshadows to Enhance Blue Green Eyes

Here’s a basic color wheel to refresh your memory on color theory. The primary colors are blue, yellow, and red. Secondary colors are orange, violet, and green. You mix primary colors to make secondary shades. So you would mix blue and yellow to make green, red and yellow to make orange, and blue and red to make violet (purple). To create a tertiary shade you mix a primary color with a secondary color. Tertiary colors are yellow orange, red orange, red violet, blue violet, blue green, and yellow green. When you think of the colors on the color wheel, I think it’s pretty easy to see that the warmer shades are red, orange and yellow, while the cooler shades are blue, green and purple.

Some Color Theory Definitions

  • Hue – another name for color
  • Tint – any color plus white
  • Tone – any color plus grey
  • Shade – any color plus black
  • Cool colors – violets, blues and greens
  • Warm colors – reds, oranges and yellows

There are three main ways to pair colors that I’m going to share with you – complimentary, monochromatic and analogous.

Complimentary colors are two colors that are roughly opposite to each other on the color wheel. Since my eyes are blue green, their opposite would be reddish orange. Some other complimentary color combinations would be pink and green, blue and orange, violet and yellow. This is the way that I think most people are taught to make their eyes pop. If you have green eyes, for example, you’re told to reach for red violet or plum eyeshadows.

Monochromatic colors share a single hue and they vary in tint and shade. So if I want to enhance my blue green eyes, I stick to a silver and grey palette. If I want to create a fun monochromatic look, I’ll use teal, navy and icy blue. Monochromatic color palettes are my favorite way to wear eyeshadows lately. The Urban Decay Spectrum palette really lends itself to monochromatic looks. (See my review.)

Analogous colors are groups of three (sometimes four) colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. This usually involves one dominant color and two secondary colors. So for example red, red orange and orange would be one palette. Blue, blue green and green might be another.

While I’ve mostly focused on blue green eyes (my eye color) I’ve got tips for other eye colors too!

For Brown Eyes

  • blues, teals, greens, greenish golds and golden greens, purples, golds, deep cobalt blue (liner)

For Hazel Eyes

  • rich golds, greens, browns, bronze, eggplant, purple, deep navy (liner)

For Green Eyes

  • purples, plums, reds, dark pinks, warm pinks, darker greens (liner), coppers, burgundy, maroon, wine

For Blue Eyes

  • golds, light bronze, dark bronze, browns, copper, orange, terracotta, purple, light pinks, deep navy (liner), bright turquoise (liner)

 

My Lash Extension Experience
My eyes.

Here are my eyes. They’re more blue (or maybe blue grey) at the outside with some green at the inner ring. They’re cool toned.

Valentine's Day Tutorial featuring Melt Cosmetics and Darling Girl Cosmetics
Melt Love Sick Stack. See the tutorial. (red orange) Check out my Melt Love Sick & Dark Matter review.

According to the color wheel and complimentary color theory, cool blue green is best enhanced by warm reddish orange. In the above look I used the Melt Cosmetics Love Sick Stack to bring out my eyes with Amelie (peachy gold) on the lid, Love Sick (burgundy red) in the crease, and Blurr (pale neutral from Dark Matter) to blend out the edges of shades. I feel like peaches, corals, coppers and burgundies work for this. True reds really bring out the blue. I also think orangey-bronzey-golds work well for warm shades too.

Purple Kat Von D Eyeshadow Tutorial
Kat Von D Danzig, Sugarpill Frostine, Poison Plum. See the tutorial. (purple)

Purple is supposed to bring out the green tones in eyes. It’s also supposed to help accentuate blue eyes.

Urban Decay Spectrum Look
Navy on the waterline, teal on the lower lid. See the look. (navy and teal)

While so many people say that blues and teals are a no-no for eyeshadow, especially if you have blue eyes, I do think that navy and teal liner can really enhance them.

Kat Von D Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette and Urban Decay Zodiac Tutorial
Urban Decay Zodiac. See the tutorial. (blue green gold glitter liner)

I also really like blue-green-gold eyeshadows like Urban Decay Zodiac or deep blue-black iridescent glitter like Urban Decay Spandex.

Taylor Swift Bad Blood Cat Eye Makeup
Colour Pop Deck on the lid with the tarte Tartelette palette. See the tutorial. (silver and grey)
#Redcoat Tuesday Bad Blood Tutorial
Notoriously Morbid Cermet and Paesh (LE) on the lid. See the tutorial. (silver)
Silver Holiday Tutorial
Makeup Geek Mercury & Graphite, Sugarpill Soot & Stars. See the tutorial. (silver)

I find that silvers and greys seem to make my eyes pop better than anything else. I think they’re the most flattering. So in my opinion, if you have blue-green eyes, you should try silvers and greys to bring them out.

I swatched some eyeshadows below for you. All shades are swatched on my bare skin (no primer) with a finger.

Silver Eyeshadow Swatches
L to R – Sugarpill Soot & Stars – MUG Galaxy – MUG Graphite – MUG – High Wire – MUG Mercury

Sugarpill Soot & Stars – metallic gunmetal with prismatic sparkle
Makeup Geek  Galaxy – metallic gunmetal
Makeup Geek  Graphite – graphite grey with flecks of silver
Makeup Geek  High Wire – bright medium silver with blue undertones
Makeup Geek Mercury – metallic medium silver

Grey and Copper swatches
L to R – Blackbird Fiction – Blackbird Whisper – MUG Steampunk – MUG Secret Garden

Blackbird Fiction – dark grey matte (vegan)
Blackbird Whisper – light grey matte (vegan)
Makeup Geek  Steampunk – black base with copper reflects
Makeup Geek  Secret Garden – deep espresso brown base with teal blue reflects

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatches
L to R – UD South – UD Rock – UD Desperation

Urban Decay South – warm grey shimmer with silver micro-glitter
Urban Decay Rock – light oyster grey taupe (LE, discontinued)
Urban Decay Desperation – grayish taupe brown (vegan)

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Swatches
L to R – UD Gunmetal – UD Mushroom – UD Pistol – UD S&M

Urban Decay Gunmetal – dark metallic grey with silver micro-glitter (vegan)
Urban Decay Mushroom – warm pale grey (vegan)
Urban Decay Pistol – light greyish brown
Urban Decay S&M – steel grey shimmer with subtle taupe shift

Silk Naturals Swatches
L to R – Silk Naturals Scene Stealer – SN Doubloons – Darling Girl Break The Internet

Silk Naturals Scene Stealer – deep burnished copper (vegan)
Silk Naturals Doubloons – light grey base with copper, gold and red iridescence (vegan)
Darling Girl Break The Internet – peachy brown matte. I use this as a crease shade. (vegan)

Darling Girl Eyeshadow Swatches
L to R – Darling Girl Hell’s Belles – DG There is No Dana – DG The Tragic Death of Mr. Stay Puft – Silk Naturals Scout

Darling Girl Hell’s Belles – blue-toned red with golden iridescence
Darling Girl There is No Dana – bright coppery orange with gold shift and sparkles (vegan)
Darling Girl Tragic Death of Mr. Stay Puft – light tan with blue, red and gold iridescence (vegan)
Silk Naturals Scout – deep shimmering copper with hints of gold, similar to Urban Decay Smog. Amazing on a black base. (vegan)

Darling Girl Eyeshadow Swatches
L to R – Darling Girl the Tragic Death of Mr. Stay Puft – Silk Naturals Scout – SN Meteor – Makeup Geek Wild Fire – SN Astral

Silk Naturals Meteor – metallic bronzey-gold (discontinued) A good alternative would be Urban Decay Half-Baked.
Makeup Geek Wildfire – red-coral with gold reflects
Silk Naturals Astral – peach with pink-purple interference (vegan)

Best Ways to Make Blue Green Eyes Pop

Make blue-green eyes pop with
– warm shades like peach, copper, reddish-orange, bronze, golden-bronze
– cool shades silver, lilac, grey, slate, charcoal
– neutral purples
– navy and teal liner on the waterline and lower lid.

Be sure you check out the 10 Life Changing Beauty Hacks You Need to Know!

Looking for more?

How do you make your eyes pop? Let me know!

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60 Comments

  3. You have my eye color! This article is EXACTLY what I was looking for, everywhere I looked people were talking about what colors to use for blue, or green, or grey, but not a combination of them all. I figured I should start trying to experiment with silvers and greens, and your looks in those colors are gorgeous. Very informative and helpful. Thank you so much!

  4. That color wheel is so neat. I struggle with knowing what eyeshadow will look good with my hazel eyes. Thanks for the tips.

  5. Love the tips and inclusion of the color wheel. I need a better understanding of the color wheel to step up my eyeshadow game.

  6. My eyes are blue with green around the pupil. I LOVE reds, reddish coppers, and golds on my eyes. 🙂

  7. I think there is a need to balance enhancing your eye colour and complexion, I tend to find if I go for warmer tones on my blue eyes, it can totally wash out the rest of my pale cool toned skin, then I’m going mad with blush and bronzer to try and look alive again, I absolutely prefer cool toned browns greys and silvers and they looked amazing on you too xxx

  8. Loved all these tips! I always heard purple is the bets color to wear with brown eyes. Or in my case brown eye, since I have one eye that is brown, and the other is black.

  9. I have green eyes and have always loved these colors for eye shadow shades. Although, I so cannot do red/oranges. I don’t know why but they make me look sick. This was a super cool post!

  10. I love your eye colour! I usually just wear whatever colours I like since most everything goes well with dark brown.

    1. I typically wear whatever I like too, rarely worrying about making my eyes pop, but it’s good to understand what colors can help with that. I bet gold looks amazing on you.

  14. I have blue green eyes, and my favorite liner to enhance is UD Junkie. I get lots of compliments when I wear it!

  16. I have really light grey eyes, so they sort of reflect whatever shadow I wear. Which is handy, but kind of annoying, as when I want them to “pop” I can’t reach for an opposite shade, it muddies them up :/

    1. Have you tried Sugarpill Soot & Stars (dark sparkling charcoal), a dark blackened teal blue, or a dark blackened navy? I’m wondering if that would make them stand out more.

  18. We have the same eye color just about. I have blue-grey eyes with an inner greenish hazel ring.

  19. Thank you for the informative post – this is really helpful. As I have grey/blue eyes, most of your comments also related to me. I have always thought that the purple, grey and blue/green eyeshadows suited you best. Especially that wonderful eye look you did with the UD Naked Smokey palette. I wear these colours as well, except for purple. For some reason, purple does not really work for me – although I do use this colour occasionally because I want a change. I am not really a great fan of red, peach and orange eye shadows and whilst in theory they should work, in practice I think it can easily look as if the wearer has an eye problem… The range of UD greys was great. I have been loving UD’s Derailed from my Vice 2 palette – such a versatile colour.
    I was also wondering – where do the brown shades fit on the colour wheel – I am thinking they must be tertiary colours – is that so?
    A really great post Phyrra.

    1. Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear that you found this post helpful. I think I own every single Urban Decay grey that’s currently out there. I wish i knew why purple didn’t work, does it help if you go cooler or warmer with the purple? I know I feel awkward in orange / red / brown, but I like true red + black. I need to go see if I have a dupe for Derailed!

  20. This is a great post! First off your eyes are just mesmerizing- GORGEOUS! I have hazel eyes. I struggle with my creativity in my eye looks. This will come in very helpful! Thanks!

  21. I wish I had your eye color. Eye looks just POP on you and always look so beautiful! I know people say brown eyed girls can wear anything but seriously… mine are boring. I wants yours!

  22. Can I have your eyes?! lol My boring brown eyes are versatile with shadows, but definitely not as pretty! The warm reddish tones are truly meant for you, they make me look sick, but you they just pop and look fabulous!

  23. Great post; I’m so glad you included a color wheel and talked about color theory. I love how the Melt stack looks on you, but it seems like you have the perfect coloring to pull off anything. A lot of these are the same kinds of colors I wear with my hazel/green eyes. I don’t think the grays and silvers are as flattering on my eyes as yours, though. I’m more likely to go gold and brown. I’m heavily into purples, plum, burgundies, pinks, reds, coppers, dark greens, khakis and olives to bring out the green in my eyes.

    I’d never heard of Blackbird Cosmetics. Now I have to check them out. 😉

    1. I actually love color theory and keep that color wheel in my makeup room. Glad you liked hearing about it! I think I can pull off a lot of things because 1. pale neutral skintone 2. blue green grey eyes 3. naturally dark hair. I think the high contrast between my dark hair and pale skin gives me a lot of leeway.

  26. Your picks are amazing. Even with brown eyes I know that I can find so many choices in your post.

  29. This is awesome, thank you. I have the exact same color eyes so this is super helpful for me, now if only I had your talent with application, lol.

    1. Aw thank you! Practice practice practice! 7.5 years after I started, I’m still practicing and trying to improve 😉 I did link tutorials for a lot of these looks if that helps!

  31. Such an wonderful and informative post! I love the look of UD Zodiac. I need that one! Although my eyes are blue-grey, I use the same shades you suggested most often though I often go with pinks and purples even if they’re not on my chart

    1. For brown eyes, I think purple, gold, greenish gold, and rich cobalt blue help to make them stand out 🙂 I bet copper would look great too.

  33. I absolutely love that you did a post featuring how color wheel theory works, and how to apply it to the selection of shades for your eye color! Brilliant!

    1. Thanks! I’ve read so many ‘how to make your eyes pop’ posts that always feature blue or green eyes, but never my specific eye color, so I decided to write one myself!

  34. Amazing post! I really love using coppers on blue green eyes. I also really love the stark contrast between black kohl liner around the eye to really bring out those light eyes.

    1. Black is always my favorite liner shade these days. I typically tightline and smudge at the roots of my lashes because of my hooded eye shape.

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