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When it comes to finding the perfect eyeshadow for your eye color, you want to find the one that truly makes your eyes pop. We want to enhance our already beautiful natural features, not hide them. But, depending on your eye color, eye shape, and skin tone, specific shades can truly make all the difference.
You know what I’m talking about—that day you spent fielding compliments of how pretty your eyes look in a specific eyeshadow color. Or, when you try a new makeup technique and everyone seems to notice it. These are the days we’re talking about; when you truly felt confident in yourself for letting your natural features shine.
While green eyes can truly wear any color, they look particularly striking in reds and purples, explains Kelli J. Bartlett, NYC-based makeup artist. We’ve talked about the best shadows for brown eyes and blue eyes, but now it’s time to find the best shadows for green eyes.
From mattes to shimmers, read on to find the best shadows for green eyes that’ll really make your eyes stand out.
Best Palette: Byredo Eyeshadow 5 Colours
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Composed of metallics and lightly colored hues, every shade in this Byredo eyeshadow palette is perfect for green eyes. Aside from its lightweight, easy-to-blend formula, the shadows can be worn together or apart to create endless eyeshadow looks. Plus application is a breeze—apply with your fingertips or a brush with a beautiful eyeshadow look guaranteed every time.
Best Palette, Runner-Up: Fenty Beauty Snap Shadows Mix and Match Eyeshadow Palette in Cool Neutrals
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Just snap your fingers and a gorgeous eyeshadow look will appear—or so we wish! Similar to its name, this Fenty Beauty eyeshadow palette will allow you to create breathtaking eyeshadow looks for your green eyes in a snap. Its six shades—a combination of browns, metallics, pinks, and purple—will all look stunning on green eyes. And, its range of matte and shimmer finishes will literally stay on all day.
Best Multitasking: Range Beauty Golden Hour Dual Eye/Highlight in No Shade
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This shimmery bronze-gold is great for creating a multitude of looks that flatter green eyes, and we love that its multitasking formula doubles as a highlighter for a seamless monochromatic look. This silky, pigment-rich powder literally melts into the skin for a natural-looking glow that shows up on all skin tones. It’s also clean and free from fragrance and talc, to boot.
Best Metallic: Pat McGrath Eyedols Eye Shadow in Sextrovert
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Not only does this metallic eyeshadow have an incredible color payoff, but it also applies velvety-smooth and creamy. Infused with vitamin-enriched emollients, it’s formulated to keep your eyes hydrated while looking fabulous. Since it’s a gel-powder formula, it’s super simple to apply with your fingers or a brush and can be thrown into your bag for on-the-go application. Warning: it’ll truly captivate with its iridescence regardless of what light you’re in.
Best Iridescent: Danessa Myricks Beauty Colorfix Eye, Cheek & Lip Cream Pigment in Alien
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For an eye look that's truly otherworldly, this multidimensional cream pigment from Danessa Myricks Beauty is an absolute must. When this pigment-rich liquid hits the light, it captures all of the pinks, browns, and molten golds and bronzes that make green eyes pop. It’s also smudge-proof, waterproof, long-wearing, and can be used anywhere on the face, allowing for an infinite amount of head-turning looks.
Best Gold: Chantecaille Mermaid Eye Color in Seashell
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Creaseless and waterproof, this eyeshadow will become your go-to for everything from virtual meetings to date nights. Creating any look with your green eyes is easy—it can be worn wet or dry or as an eyeshadow or eyeliner. It's also infused with silk-tree extract so you’ll get skincare benefits, too.
Best Purple: NYX Professional Makeup Baked Eyeshadow in Violet Smoke
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Any shade of purple will truly make green eyes pop—and this one is our favorite. Silky and lightweight, it blends easily to create a natural or dramatic finish while remaining highly pigmented. For maximum impact (while still looking understated), Bartlett recommends using a purple shadow very close to and blended into the lash line. “The color is concentrated close to the iris of the eye, so it makes the green pop!”
Best Dark Pink: Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Shadow in 630 RO!SE Marc Jacobs Beauty O!Mega Shadow in 630 RO!SE
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There is a reason this eyeshadow is a bestseller—it’s incredible. Aside from its smooth application, its color payoff is unreal and it has minimal fallout when applied. Known as the cashmere sweater of eyeshadows, this beauty repertoire essential looks fabulous with all green eyes.
Best Copper: Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Copper Sunrise
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Want your green eyes to truly mesmerize? Try this Charlotte Tilbury cream eyeshadow. The pink-toned copper shade will truly leave your green eyes shimmering while blurring any imperfections on your lids. Gliding on seamlessly, its lightweight formula locks onto lids with zero creasing whatsoever.
Best Lavender: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Singles in Asphyxia
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Since purple looks so incredible on green eyes, we simply had to include a lavender shade. This one—with its rich color, velvety texture, and uniform pigment distribution—is at the top of our list for green eyes. Remarkable qualities aside, it’s also unparalleled for blending—meaning it can be paired with any color and leaves no harsh eyeshadow lines.
Best Light Pink: Alima Pure Pressed Eyeshadow in Isla
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While you might not think of pink as a color to enhance green eyes, it’s definitely a must-try. Weightless and long-lasting, you’ll have no problem wearing this in a snowstorm or while lounging by the pool. Bonus: its silky-smooth powder formula can be worn as eyeshadow, eyeliner, or blush.
Best Brown: Cle De Peau Eye Shadow in 210 Graceful Dark Brown
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If you prefer a more subtle eyeshadow look for your green eyes, try a shade of brown. Aside from being our favorite shade for green eyes, this eyeshadow will really make your eyes pop and are versatile enough for those of us who don’t feel comfortable wearing bright colors every day. In addition to its exquisite color, its dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested making it safe for sensitive skin and eyes.
Best Burgandy: Kosas 10-second eyeshadow in Fahrenheit
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Always running late? Try this Kosas eyeshadow that can be applied in 10-seconds or less—zero brushes required. Dubbed as a watercolor for your lids, its color is both buildable and blendable to help you achieve your desired eyeshadow look with minimal effort.
Best Red: Haus Labs Glam Attack Metallic Creme in Glamour Puss
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Reds—although unexpected—will truly make green eyes pop. With its all-day wear, this one won’t smear, smudge, or transfer regardless of how long it’s worn. Its opaque coverage is truly mesmerizing and can be built upon for a more intense look. It’ll become your absolute favorite—we know it.
Final Verdict
Whether you’re looking for a bold or subtle way to make your green eyes pop, these eyeshadow colors will truly be game-changers. With its five blendable shades, the Byredo Eyeshadow Palette in Syren provides endless eyeshadow looks for green eyes. If you’re looking for the perfect purple to make your eyes pop, try NYX Professional Makeup Baked Eyeshadow in Purple Smoke or Urban Decay Eyeshadow Singles in Asphyxia. For a more subtle option, try Cle De Peau’s Eyeshadow in Dark Brown or Charlotte Tilbury’s Eyes to Mesmerise in Copper Sunrise. Regardless of what color you choose, your green eyes will most definitely be a showstopper.
To get the highest color-payoff, explains Bartlett, begin with an eyeshadow primer. “Not only will your shadow last longer and “grab” in the right spots, but the color will also be more vibrant on your lids.
What to Look For in an Eyeshadow
Color
Look for contrasting eyeshadow colors when searching for complementary eyeshadow shades, explains Bartlett. “For example, red-based browns and purples are across from green on the color wheel—which would make them stand out.”
Finish
To experiment with different looks, try choosing different eyeshadow finishes. “Look for a variety of finishes—from matte to shimmering—to give you a range of color options to suit your mood,” explains Bartlett.
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How do you make green eyes look brighter?
Red-based shades can make green eyes look greener, but also play with smoky grays and deep navy blue, especially on your waterline. These shades can make green eyes pop and also make the whites of your eyes appear whiter, giving you a boost in brightness.
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Which color mascara is best for green eyes?
Traditional brown, black, or brownish-black mascaras frame green eyes nicely, as well as colored options like red and purple mascara. It depends on the rest of your makeup and if you're going for a natural look or want to play around with extra pops of color.
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Which color eyeliner is best for green eyes?
You can match your eyeshadow to your eyeliner—so a burgundy or rust shade, for example—or go with a slate gray or black for added drama. If you don't like red-based eyeliner shades, try a smoky purple or deep gray to set off and complement green eyes nicely.
Why Trust Byrdie?
Byrdie contributor Rachel Dube has written for a wide array of digital publications. Along with writing about beauty, she has also tested hundreds of beauty products and is constantly researching the latest trends. Although she doesn’t personally have green eyes, she spoke to friends, industry experts, and makeup artists to discover the best eyeshadow shades for green eyes for this article.
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