How To Choose Eyeshadow Color Like A Pro

Choosing the right eyeshadow color can elevate your makeup look to a professional level. My name is Karyna Yevsieieva, and I have more than 10 years of experience in the makeup industry. As a makeup teacher and artist, I am excited to help you! In this guide, we’ll show you how to choose eyeshadow color based on various factors to ensure you achieve the perfect look every time.

What Determines The Choice Of Eye Shadows

I always select eyeshadows based on the individual characteristics of each person! I want to highlight three main criteria for you. The most important criteria are skin tone, eye color, and hair color. You should always consider all of these factors together! You can’t choose eye shadow color based only on eye or hair color! Your uniqueness is reflected in all elements of your appearance. There’s also a fourth, additional criterion—your clothing. What are you planning to wear for a photo shoot, concert, wedding, etc.? This criterion is additional, something you can play with to add accents! This way, you’ll achieve the perfect eyeshadow selection.

I categorize people’s appearances into four color types: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. This classification is based on the dominance of cool or warm tones in skin, hair, and eye color, as well as the saturation and brightness of these colors. Before determining your color type, you should identify your appearance type. To do this, examine your natural skin color and hair shade. If your palette leans towards bluish-pink, you have a cool color type; if it leans towards golden-peach, you have a warm color type.

Winter

 

Winter is a cool, clear color type. Representatives of this color type are easiest to identify because of the strong contrast between their hair and skin color.

Typical characteristics of Winter:

Hair: Jet black with a bluish tint or dark tones: brown, chestnut, ash. Winter can also have light hair, but it must be of cool shades (for example, gray, but without yellowness).

Skin: Light and even snow-white with a bluish or pinkish tint. Southern women may have an olive-tan complexion, which tans well.

Eyes: Black and blue, brown and hazel, violet and green. They always contrast strongly with the pure, dazzlingly bright whites of the eyes.

Winter types suit silver and silver-tinted shades of other colors: purple, blue, brown, green. Pastel tones should be avoided.

Spring

 

Spring is a warm color type, recognizable by its delicate appearance, naturalness, and freshness.

Typical characteristics of Spring:

Skin: Light and transparent, may have a gentle golden-peach tint or ivory with a pinkish hue. Tans well.

Hair: Usually light brunettes and natural blondes, or those with light red and light brown, light brown, and straw-colored hair. The key feature is a warm brownish tint, without ash or smoky shades. Gray hair tends to have a yellowish tint. Even if the hair darkens with age, the golden tint remains.

Eyes: They can be turquoise, sea green, blue, or cornflower blue, greenish-amber, and rarely, golden-brown, but never too dark. For daytime makeup, pastel eyeshadows (beige, sand, cream, gold) are used, while for evening, bright shades like lilac, purple, and coral are recommended. Dark tones should be avoided as they can make the face look older.

Summer

 

Summer is a cool color type and is the most common in Europe. Depending on the contrast between skin and hair color, there are three subtypes: high contrast, low contrast, and medium. All Summer types are characterized by muted tones that create a sense of calmness and serenity.

Typical characteristics of Summer:

Skin: Pale, light, and transparent with a pinkish tint and visible blood vessels. The skin may have an earthy tone, with ash-colored freckles. Tans well (and can even burn in the sun), turning into a brownish-olive color. Since the skin is thin and transparent, like porcelain, redness and a light blush are instantly noticeable.

Hair: Usually has undefined shades, ranging from light straw to dark brown. The color is not saturated, but has a cool ashy tone. Hair may become slightly reddish when exposed to the sun.

Eyes: Can be greenish, blue, or gray, blue, or brown. However, they never stand out as the first noticeable feature—they seem veiled and do not contrast with the misty, milky whites of the eyes.

Summer types suit calm, soft, blurred tones in a cool palette (gray, light blue, purple from light to rich plum). Dark and warm shades (especially orange, which gives the face an unhealthy tone) can age the face.

Autumn

 

Autumn is a warm color type, characterized by muted, complex tones that create a sense of luxury and nobility.

Typical characteristics of Autumn:

Skin: It may seem pale and can have any shade from light to dark: ivory, peach, beige-gold, bronze, olive, often with reddish freckles and moles. The skin easily reddens and burns in the sun. In some ways, Autumn resembles Spring, but Autumn types do not have a blush, and their skin tans poorly in the sun, reddening from prolonged exposure.

Hair: If nature has blessed you with fiery red hair and freckles, you are almost certainly an Autumn type. This color type also includes women whose hair naturally has a rusty, golden-chestnut hue with a honey or warm reddish tint.

Eyes: They can be brown and topaz, green and turquoise, hazel, and blue. The distinguishing feature is the bright, dazzling white or bluish whites of the eyes.

We are all unique

You may argue that this division is not entirely accurate and point to statistics showing that only a quarter of the population fits these criteria. This is true—you can't fit 7 billion people on our planet into just four color types. However, if you at least try, we are sure the results will exceed your expectations. By determining your color type, you can outsmart nature and find your tones, refresh your face, and highlight its beauty.

We are all unique! Of course, each color type can have different hair colors or combine several color types in one! The most important thing is to find your brightest qualities, the ones that make you who you are! And add a little magic with eyeshadows and glitters from KARYSHA Cosmetics.

Then, we can combine skin types into two categories: warm and cool.

How To Match Eyeshadow Color To Your Skin Tone

Choosing eyeshadow color according to your skin tone is crucial for a harmonious look. We’ve selected and perfectly distributed the colors from KARYSHA Cosmetics for you:

For warm skin tones:

KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #01, #02, #08, #09, #11, #18, #19, #21, #23, #26, #27, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #37, #45.

For cool skin tones:

KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #03, #04, #05, #06, #07, #10, #12, #14,#17, #20, #22, #28, #30, #38, #36, #40, #41, #43, #44. 

Very popular question: how to choose perfect eyeshadow color based on eye color?

Choosing An Eyeshadow Color Based On Eye Color

Knowing how to choose eyeshadow color based on your eye color can make your eyes pop.

Brown Eyes:

Brown eyes can wear almost any color, but shades of gold, copper, and bronze enhance their warmth. Recommended: KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #01, #04, #11, #15, #17, #27, #40. 

Blue Eyes:

For blue eyes, warm tones like orange, coral, and bronze create a stunning contrast. Recommended: KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #21, #23, #29, #31, #32, #33, #42, #45.

Green Eyes:

Green eyes shine with purples, mauves, and deep greens. Recommended: KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #02, #16, #18, #21, #23, #37, #42.

Hazel Eyes:

Hazel eyes look great with earthy tones and metallics, highlighting their multi-dimensional color. Recommended: KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #03, #09, #10, #11, #16, #22.

Amber Eyes:

Amber eyes pop with shades of gold, copper, and rich brown. Recommended: KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #16, #20, #28, #40, #44.

Gray Eyes:

Gray eyes are complemented by cool tones like silver, charcoal, and blue. Recommended: KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #01, #04, #05, #08, #13, #26, #40.

Heterochromia:

For heterochromia, play with a mix of shades that enhance both colors of your eyes. Recommended: KARYSHA Cosmetics Glitter Shades #02, #13.

How To Choose Eyeshadow According To Hair Color

Choosing eyeshadow colors based on hair color is another factor to consider. Blondes often look great with pastels and cool tones, brunettes with warm browns and golds, and redheads with greens and neutrals.

How To Choose Eyeshadow Color According To Dress

To choose eyeshadow color according to your dress, match or complement your outfit. Pay attention to the color in your clothing that you want to accentuate. 

Monochromatic Look

Match your eyeshadow to your dress color for a cohesive and stylish appearance. For example, if you’re wearing a blue dress, you can use blue eyeshadow in a similar shade. Try mixing Glitter Shades #04 and #28.

Complementary Colors

Choose a complementary color to make your eyes pop. For example, a red dress pairs beautifully with green or gold eyeshadow, creating a striking contrast. KARYSHA Cosmetics offers the perfect Gold Loose eyeshadow Shade #11.

Bright and Bold Dresses

If your dress is vibrant and bold, opt for neutral or subtle eyeshadow shades to avoid an overpowering look. Nude, beige, or soft pinks work well in this scenario. Try Low Radiant Pigment Shade #06.

Neutral or Pastel Dresses

With a neutral or pastel dress, play up your eyes with bold and vibrant eyeshadow color combinations. Experiment with rich hues like emerald green, deep purple, or metallic shades. We have prepared new green Glitter Shade #42, which you can combine with Glitter Shades #08 or #26.

Casual Daywear

For a casual daytime look, keep your eyeshadow natural and light. Soft browns, peach, and light shimmer shades are perfect for a subtle, everyday look. Recommended: Peachy Glitter Shade #21 and Gold Peach Shade #31.

Evening Events

For evening events, go for a more dramatic look with smoky eyes, glittery shades, and bold colors. Try Glitter Shades #24 and #29.

Patterned Dresses

If your dress has a busy pattern, stick to neutral eyeshadows to avoid clashing. Shades like taupe, beige, and soft browns are ideal.

Solid Color Dresses

Solid color dresses give you more freedom to experiment with eyeshadow color ideas. You can choose to either match or contrast your eyeshadow with your dress color.

Choosing Eye Shadows Depending On The Face Shape

I’m often asked, "Does picking eyeshadow colors also depend on your face shape?" or "Can you choose according to eyebrow shape?" I don’t determine eyeshadow color based on face shape or eyebrow shape! Instead, you can choose how to apply eyeshadow and what technique to use to best highlight your features.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right eyeshadow color can be transformative. Remember, the key is to understand how different elements like skin tone, eye color, and even your dress can influence your choice.

Practice how to choose eyeshadow color like a pro and experiment with different eyeshadow color combinations to find what works best for you. By mastering these tips, you’ll never again wonder, "What color eyeshadow should I wear?" You’ll know exactly how to pick eyeshadow colors for your skin tone, how to choose eyeshadow color combinations, and how to choose an eyeshadow palette that enhances your overall look.

Whether you’re looking for the best base eyeshadow color or exploring new eyeshadow color ideas, this guide will help you make informed decisions and elevate your makeup game. 

Empower your beauty journey with KARYSHA Cosmetics.

Author: Karyna Yevsieieva