The 10 Best Eyeshadows for Green Eyes, According to Makeup Artists

Stop and stare.

Rihanna wears eyeshadow on her green eyes as she attends the "Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets" European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 24, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It brings me a small amount of smug satisfaction to say that I am part of the 2 percent of the world's population with green eyes. Thanks to my mom's deep brown eyes and my dad's bright blue-green peepers, I've inherited a unique blend of both: an olive green shade with an inner ring of bright copper. Weird, I know, but that's genetics for you. And with the power of makeup, it's so easy to make my green stand out from a mile away. A little brown eyeliner here, a flick of mascara there, and I'm all set with my everyday look. When I really want my eye color to pop, though, I reach for the very best eyeshadows.

Not just any shade of eyeshadow will do the trick, however. No, as you will see ahead, the eyeshadows that emphasize green eyes are different from say, brown eyes or blue eyes. To get the lowdown on the exact shades to reach for, we turned to the pros. Makeup artists Vincent Oquendo, Tonya Riner, and Emily Gray all weighed in on the secret to achieving a supermodel smize with green eyes as well as their favorite products to use on green-eyed beauties. With liquids, sticks, and palettes of all different price points on the lineup, these are the best eyeshadows for green eyes. 

What to Look For in Eyeshadow for Green Eyes

To make your eyes pop, all you have to do is reach for complementary eyeshadow colors. In the case of green eyes, both Riner and Gray agree that every shade of pink and red suit green eyes the best, and it all boils down to the color wheel. “On the color wheel, colors opposite each other are called complimentary colors or sometimes ‘opposite colors,’ explains Gray. “These colors when put next to each other bring the most contrast, thus making the color pop.” Because pink and red are directly across the color wheel from green, these shades are going to make green eyes appear the most vivid. And Gray adds not to be shied away from red hues. “It does not have to be a bold red color for this to bring out the green in your eyes,” she says. “It can be light pink or even a touch of rose sparkle.”

Additionally, Oquendo suggests playing into the undertones of your eyes with purple, gold, and grey tones. For example, a deep purple can bring out the brown in green eyes, while gold will make any yellow tones stand out. 

The Best Eyeshadows for Green Eyes

Meet the Experts

Tonya Riner headshot makeup artist
Tonya Riner

Tonya Riner is a beauty expert and makeup artist with thirty years of experience in the industry.

Tonya’s work has been featured prominently in the media, including Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue and Paper City among other publications and destinations and Allure Magazine has named her one of the best makeup artists in the United States.  Her backstage work has included being a member of the renowned styling teams of Frederic Fekkai and Ted Gibson. Her bona fides in the entertainment industry include work on Beyonce’s chart-topping video for "Blow".  And her long list of celebrity and bold print clients includes Kate Upton, Simone Biles, Heidi Klum, Elle Macpherson and Annie Leibovitz among others. 

Portrait of emily gray pro makeup artist
Emily Gray

Emily prides herself on a balanced skill set of bold glamour, flawless editorial, and clean natural looks. However, her true gift is making her clients realize their most beautiful selves while simultaneously putting them at ease with the entire process. Emily's background studying classic art combined with her relentless quest for staying current with the freshest styles and latest techniques makes her the celebrated artist she has become. Emily splits most of her time bouncing back and forth between Nashville, Detroit, and Los Angeles. Some of her clientele include Kristin Cavallari, Maren Morris, Lily Aldridge, and Leann Rimes, 

portrait of vincent oquendo pro makeup artist
Vincent Oquendo

Vincent Oquendo is a globally recognized makeup artist, known for his bold aesthetic and creative vision. A “make-up maestro,” according to ELLE, Vincent’s red carpet clients include Lily Collins, Janelle Monae, Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Hailey Bieber, Diane Kruger, and Jessica Biel. Vincent emulates Old-Hollywood glamour with a dash of modern flare. In addition to the red carpet, Vincent works with photographers such as Alexei Hay, Zoey Grossman, Miguel Reveriego, and Ben Watts, and his work has been featured in Vogue, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, W, and more. Vincent is the Brand Ambassador for LUMIFY Eye Drops.

Brooke Knappenberger
Associate Commerce Editor

Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she writes across the board from fashion and beauty to books and celebrities. As a pop culture junkie, Brooke obsessively consumes and writes about the latest movie releases, streaming TV shows, and celebrity scandals. She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.

With contributions from