4 Eyeshadow Colors That Complement Green Eyes

As a green-eyed person, you probably have some clue as to how unique you are. Unless you live in Ireland and Scotland, where green eyes are common, you may have experienced complete strangers staring at and remarking about your emerald eyes because they see them so rarely. In the United States, where brown eyes dominate the landscape, only about 9% of people have green eyes (via Medical News Today).

But there's a downside to reveling in exclusivity. As fellow members of the green-eyed club know, your eye color can flip from being a source of pride and joy to a source of frustration. One look in the mirror after a botched makeup session can confirm how tricky it can be to find a complementary eyeshadow color.

So imagine what a relief it must be to learn there are certain eyeshadow colors that makeup artists frequently recommend for their ability to make green eyes like yours stand out (via Youniquelly Beautiful). But before you get excited, brace yourself, because their choices may be surprising.

Makeup artists are very much like graphic artists and interior decorators; their work is rooted in color theory. As illustrated by the color wheel — a circular arrangement of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors – one of the fundamental rules of color theory is that "complementary colors are hues that contrast with each other and are positioned exactly opposite one another on the color wheel" (via Maryville University).

The operative word here is "hue," meaning colors aren't meant to be taken literally, at least when it comes to makeup. This gives you an enormous amount of latitude when you learn that four of the most complementary eyeshadow colors for green eyes are: red, yellow, purple, and silver.

When considering hues or shades, red can include burgundy, wine, and auburn, according to experts at Ipsy. It can also veer into the realm of pink and fuchsia. It does not mean primary-color red, though it could if you're feeling bold and adventurous. And yellow leans more toward gold, copper, and bronze. A touch of gold eyeshadow above the top lash line can "bring out the gold pigments in green eyes," according to MasterClass. 

If you're looking to experiment with one of the four colors, make it purple. According to MasterClass, you should find success with this color family, which includes shades of lavender, lilac, violet, and magenta. If you're mixing colors (pros do it all the time), start with a light purple shade as a base, which makes it easier to add darker shades on top. And silver, and its natural companion gray, can include enough purple undertones to beautifully highlight the brow area. If you'd rather make the gray more prominent, apply it to the crease or the outer corners of your eyes (via Youniquelly Beautiful).

While the quartet of red, yellow, purple, and silver could begin a new chapter in your makeup routine, remember that an eyeshadow color may look fantastic on a fellow green-eyed person but do little to nothing for your own peepers. That's okay. Keep trying combos of hues and shades until you find what works for you. It may also help to know that colors with warm tones complement dark green eyes, while cooler tones like silver do the most for light green eyes (via MasterClass).

With practice, you'll figure it out — and maybe even turn your friends green with envy over your eye-catching makeup looks.