The Prettiest Eye Makeup For Blue Eyes To Pop

Calling all blue-eyed beauties, from soft turquoise to moody grey, we have all the eyeshadow tips, tricks and looks to make those peepers pop. Much coveted and immortalised in countless songs. Even Helen of Troy — the face that launched 1000 ships — was said to have an azure-striking gaze. So, if you want to stop traffic with nothing more than a flutter of those lids and find the best colours to make blue eyes pop, read on.

What colour makes blue eyes pop

When confronted with the plethora of choices that make-up counters offer, picking a flattering eyeshadow colour can feel like an overwhelming task. However, the best place to start is with colour theory, which is a set of rules and guidelines on how colour can be used and interpreted.  

Most of us are familiar with the colour wheel, a visual representation of the relationship between different colours, first developed by Isaac Newton in the late 1660s. (That’s right, Isaac Newton will help you select the best eyeshadow for those blue eyes.) The colour wheel lets us know which colours will play well together.  

Analogous colours (the hues that sit next to each other on the wheel) will flatter one another, while colours on opposite sides of the wheel are said to contrast in a complementary fashion. Generally speaking, using colour in these two ways will provide colour harmony. 

Colour theory dictates that the eyeshadow you opt for will affect how the blue of your eyes is perceived. We now know that orange will boost the vibrancy of blue, but don’t panic and reach for the neons just yet. There are so many gorgeous tones and hues that come under the banner of orange, including crisp coral and pastel peach.

Orange Eyes  

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Putting colour theory into practice, what lies directly opposite blue? Rich, glorious orange. Orange is probably one of the top choice to create the best makeup for blue eyes. When used together, they provide a harmonious clash and boost the brightness of both colours. 

Blend the orange eyeshadow with a light beige to dilute its intensity but keep its warmth. Also, welcome metallics with open arms — flecks of something sparkly will reflect the glints in your own eyes, making them appear more ethereal. Paler blue eyes should befriend a slick of silver, while darker and warmer blue eyes will benefit from glimmering gold.  

Purple Eyes

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Purple sits next to blue on the colour wheel and is an analogous colour match, meaning that both shades reflect similar light waves.  

Blues and lilacs are your friends if you want to firmly stick your flag on one side of the colour wheel only. Look to the tones in your own eyes; those with lighter, cooler blue eyes can steer towards paler hues and silvers. Those with green-blue eyes could try turquoise or teal but don’t neglect yellow, which sits next to orange on the colour wheel and complements blue.

Green Eyes

Also adjacent to blue on the colour wheel is green. Naturally warmer in tone, shades of green will have the effect of breathing warmth into cooler blues.

Try Clarins' Ombre 4 Couleurs in Jade Gradation shade, containing green tones in both matte and glitter textures that will complement your eyes.

Red Eyes

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Red and blue are both primary colours that don’t sit opposite each other on the colour wheel. Hence, the combination feels quite loud and jarring. That’s not to say they couldn’t be used together (after all, our perceptions of colour will always be subjective), but perhaps this particular duo is better for flags than faces.  

Natural makeup to make blue eyes pop

If coloured eye make-up isn’t your thing, you can still make the most of your blue eyes with a more natural colour palette. For example, shades of beige and brown will work the same way as vibrant orange but with a much more natural finish. Essentially, it is a grown-up approach to enhancing blue eyes that might be appealing in certain situations — like job interviews.  

There are a plethora of beautiful browns to choose from, delicate beige and robust chocolate, to name just two. Use your complexion as a guide if you need a little help when selecting. Our skin tone can have three types of undertones: warm, cool, and neutral. Those with a cooler tone to their skin should steer towards paler tones like taupe.  

Those with warmer skin tones suit richer browns and neutral undertones in their complexion are the luckiest of all and can opt for whichever shade tickles their fancy. (A good way of deciphering your skin tone is to look at the veins inside your wrist. If they are blue-ish, that’s a sign that you have a cool skin tone; green-ish indicates a warmer skin tone.) 

Clarins Ombre 4-Colour Eyeshadow Palette has two options with brown colours: Bronze Gradation and Brown Sugar Gradation. The intensely pigmented eyeshadows have everything needed to prime, shade, line, and define. Its formula, with vitamin E and antioxidants, takes care of the skin around your eyes.

Apply the same principles to your eyeliner. Forget black and try a blue or brown pencil, such as Waterproof Eye Pencil in Chestnut or Blue Orchid shades, to enhance blue eyes. Apply to the upper waterline to make your lashes look fuller and create a perfect picture frame for your peepers.  

A smokey eye is a classic and timeless staple — but black and very dark colours can be overwhelming on blue eyes. So why not apply the principles above and steer towards brown smoke instead? It’ll give a less jarring finish that’ll do those baby blues justice. Apply with a dry blending brush for a more pared-back final effect or a wet brush to boost intensity.  

Natural makeup for blondes with blue eyes

Firstly, congratulations! Both blonde hair and blue eyes are recessive genes, meaning the chance of having the coveted combination is 0.017%.  

When approaching makeup for blonde hair and blue eyes, much like how we looked at our skin tone, the tone of your hair can also work as a guide. For example, golden blonde hair is warm, while ashy platinum is cool. So plump for makeup within the same family, pairing the cool undertones of your hair with cool shadow and vice versa. To finish the look, those with cool skin tones look glorious with a swipe of pink lipstick, while those with warm undertones will look striking with a classic red lip. Try our Joli Rouge in Rasberry or Pink Petunia for pink shades, or Cherry Red for classic red. 

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