How To Choose an Eyeliner For Your Eye Color

The right shade of eyeliner has the power to make your eyes even more mesmerizing than they already are. It’s all about finding complementary colors that play up your natural eye color and make them pop. 

Using the concept of color theory, we’ve created the ultimate guide on how to find the best eyeliner for your eye color. It’s the tried-and-true expert method for creating eye-catching makeup looks. 

What are Complementary Colors?

Let’s talk about color theory. Colors that are opposite of each other on the color wheel are considered complementary. They enhance each other. Think: purple and yellow, blue and orange, and red and green. When paired together, these colors create a striking contrast that instantly draws you in.

Makeup artists are experts at color theory, especially when it comes to the eyes. 

What Colors of Eyeliner Look Best on Brown Eyes?

Because brown eyes are neutral, they’re notoriously able to pull off a variety of eyeliner colors. You can’t go wrong with jewel tones like emerald green, dark purple, and rich berry shades. But if you want to get even more specific, you can use color theory to find your own unique match.

Take a look at your eyes, and identify the more dominant color. If you have brown eyes with a golden-orange hue, reach for eyeliner colors that are opposite the orange shades in the color wheel: blue and blue-green. Alternatively, if your eyes lean towards a lighter brown with hints of yellow, play with purple tones.

What's the Best Eyeliner Color for Green or Hazel Eyes?

Green lies across from red and red-purple on the color wheel, so green eyes shine in shades of deep berry, wine, magenta, rust, burgundy, and deep, warm-toned browns. 

There’s a bit more nuance with hazel eyes. Again, it all comes down to the dominant color you see in your eyes—or the color that you’re trying to bring out. To highlight the green tones in hazel eyes, follow the green eye recommendations above by adding red and warm purple eyeliners to your makeup kit. For hazel eyes with more of a yellow tint, you can also try a warm purple (such as magenta), as well as a cooler purple shade (such as violet). 

What Eyeliner Shades Make Blue Eyes Pop?

Bring an extra glimmer to your baby blues by experimenting with sophisticated shades in the orange color world. Warm browns and deep rust eyeliners are stunning on blue eyes. For a touch of shimmer, warm metallic shades like copper and bronze are an especially beautiful choice.

What's the Best Eyeliner Color for Gray Eyes?

Gray eyes are gorgeous and rare, often featuring a grayish-blue or green tint. Make everyone look by using complementary colors that bring out the dominant underlying hue.

If you have gray eyes that lean more blue, add contrast by using bronze, copper, warm brown, or rust eyeliner. If you have a green tint, you can try wearing wine, magenta, deep berry, or a rich warm brown. Both gray-blue and green-blue eyes stand out in royal blue or cool purple eyeliner, which show off their cooler side. 

Whether you choose to follow color theory or not, it’s fun to expand your collection of eyeliner colors by exploring new shades that make your eyes shine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does eyeliner color change based on your skin tone as well as your eye color?

Yes, your skin tone affects how an eyeliner shade reads against your face, so you'll want to factor in both: cooler skin tones tend to look stunning with jewel-toned or cool-hued liners, while warmer skin tones are elevated by earthy shades like copper, rust, and warm brown.

Is pencil or liquid eyeliner better for making your eye color stand out?

A pencil or kohl formula is your best tool for maximizing color impact because you can smudge and diffuse the pigment along the lash line, which creates a soft wash of color that lets the complementary shade do its work without a harsh edge competing for attention.

Can you wear black eyeliner and still make your eye color pop?

Black eyeliner defines the eye beautifully, but it works by creating contrast with your lash line rather than pulling out the specific tones in your iris, so layering a complementary colored liner underneath or along the waterline on top of black will give you both definition and that eye-color-enhancing effect.

What eyeliner color makes eyes look bigger and brighter at the same time?

Apply a nude or white liner to your waterline to open up the eye, then use your complementary shade along the upper lash line to add color payoff and make your natural eye color read more vivid.

How do you keep colored eyeliner from fading or transferring throughout the day?

Set your liner by pressing a matching or coordinating eyeshadow directly on top of the line with a small brush, which locks the formula in place and intensifies the pigment so your color stays true from morning to night.

Should you match your eyeliner to your eyeshadow or choose a contrasting shade?

Use a liner in the same color family as your shadow to create a seamless, polished look, or choose a contrasting liner shade based on color theory to make your eye color the focal point rather than the shadow itself.