Have you ever wondered how celebrities get their makeup to look so good? Or, more specifically, how they get their makeup to make their eyes look so good? Look at any red-carpet photo, and you’ll notice their eyes are bright and sparkling. In other words, they pop. So, how do they do this? It’s simple. Their makeup artists choose eyeshadow colors that complement and accentuate their eye colors. Take hazel eyes for instance. Celebrities like Kristen Stewart, Zendaya, and Rihanna have this eye color. And according to Katie Mellinger, Fashion & Celebrity Makeup Artist, “Hazel eyes mainly consist of a combination of green, brown, and/or gold.” When you want this eye color to pop, Mellinger says you have to keep the color wheel in mind. “The color opposite of the color you want to emphasize is the shade of eyeshadow you want to use,” she says. “When colors that are opposites on the color wheel stand side by side, it makes both shades seem more vibrant.” Keep scrolling to see what colors those are for hazel eyes, according to three top makeup artists.
Mellinger says this is one of her favorite cream products that make hazel eyes—specifically the green in hazel eyes—pop. “It’s the perfect shade of cranberry red with just a touch of shimmer, and the texture is gorgeous. You can use it as a base for powder eye shadow or on its own.”
If you’re looking for a palette, Mellinger recommends this one from ColourPop. “The reds in this palette lean on the warmer side of red, which will make the green in hazel eyes pop more,” she says. “This palette has a wide variety of warm reds for any occasion including mattes and shimmers.”
This deep-red eyeshadow also doubles as a blush.
Mellinger says shades of berry accentuate all the colors that make up hazel eyes, and this berry-colored product is one of her absolute favorites. It’s “super easy to use cream eyeshadow in a stick form (obviously),” she says. “You can blend out the shade all over your eye or use the pointed end as an eyeliner. It even has a built-in brush for blending.”
Mellinger says this palette “not only has the most adorable packaging you will ever see, but it really packs a punch. Trixie Cosmetics makes some of my favorite mattes, and this one has two matte berry shades. There’s also a berry shimmer if you want something with more shine and a neutral gold tone to highlight the brow bone or the inner corner of the eye.”
A berry palette that costs less than a latte? Yes, please.
Mellinger says purple eyeshadows tend to make gold pop. Since hazel eyes have a lot of gold in them, this color is sure to brighten and define your gaze. “Good things come in small packages, especially if it’s Pat McGrath Labs,” she says. “The Midnight Voyage Mini Eyeshadow Palette is absolutely stunning. The deep eggplant color (Xtreme Aubergine) is beautiful on its own or in the crease, and the sparkly purple (Night Creature) is perfect for a party. The bonus is the added neutrals for use along with the purples or on their own.”
“For something more unconventional, I love Sultan Single Eyeshadow from NARS,” Mellinger says. “Few shades bring more attention to your eye than neon, and this neon purple makes a statement.”
This frosty purple looks so good against hazel eyes.
Patrick Ta is a celebrity makeup artist and founder of Patrick Ta Beauty. His clients include the likes of Gigi Hadid and Camila Cabello. His go-to shade for hazel eyes is a warm brown tone. “Warm brown tones compliment hazel eyes so beautifully, softly diffusing them onto the eye and underneath the lash line will make the eyes POP,” he says. He recommends his namesake eyeshadow palette since it’s “perfect for making hazel eyes stand out, but also a variety of different eye colors as well.” He loves the shades “Absolutely,” “Transition,” and “Mother.” The first is a “beautiful warm bronze shade that compliments the eyes so well. It’s one I use in my kit every single day,” he says. As for the second, “the name truly speaks for itself. It’s a gorgeous velvet-matte shade that works across all eye colors, especially for those with hazel hues.” Finally, he applies the third right on the waterline and/or the lash line to “really make the eyes pop.”
Sabrina Bedrani, ambassador for Dior Makeup, is also a fan of warm brown tones. She recommends this five-color palette to make hazel eyes stand out, saying the peachy brown color is perfect for a soft, everyday look. “Mixed with the darker maroon color, it will make the perfect soft, smokey eye.”
We’re obsessed with the six silky shades in this palette.
Bedrani also reaches for shades of green when she wants to accentuate hazel eyes—specifically the shades of green in this palette. “With this palette, you can achieve so many different looks,” she says. “You can just bring out your eye in a very natural way with the brown/bronzy color and push it a little more with the khaki, and for those who are a little more adventurous, you can use the bright green to make more of a statement.”
This three-shade palette will match the olive in your dirty martini (and yes, that’s a good thing).
We love this eyeshadow duo that combines a silky dark green that has a satin finish with a sparkling gold that has a shimmer finish. It’s so complimentary.
Next, 2023’s Color of the Year is Viva Magenta—Here are 15 Matching Beauty Products.
