If you are new to makeup application, or if you are just looking for new ideas and ways to be creative, start using the colour wheel when selecting which eye shadow shades to apply. Colour wheels come in many shapes and forms but this is the one we find most useful. You could search the web for others if this one doesn’t suit you:
If you have access to a colour printer, we suggest you print a colour wheel out so you can keep it in your make up kit. It’s useful when trying to choose colours which compliment or contrast with your clothing, as well as your eyes.
First, lets cover off the basics of colour theory in a nutshell:
- Primary colours are colours which can’t be created from other colours. These are yellow, red and blue
- Secondary colours are created when you mix two primary colours together. These are orange, violet and green
- Tertiary colours are created when you mix a primary colour with the secondary colour next to it on the colour wheel. These are yellow-orange, red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue green and yellow-green.
On the colour wheel above, you have lighter and darker variations of each colour. This is called the tint (adding white) and shade (adding black).
Complimentary colours are those on the opposite side of the colour wheel. For example, green and red, blue and orange, yellow and violet. When these colours are placed next to each other, together they intensify both colours.
The important thing to remember is that you really can wear any eye shadow colours you want. The point of applying colour theory, is to make your eye colour stand out. At the end of the day, we want our eyes to be the focus, not necessarily our eye shadow. You will know that sometimes when you wear a certain colour, people mention how it brings out the colour in your eyes. This is because you are wearing a colour which compliments them (or, a complimentary colour). This is called colour theory and it’s used to enhance colours. In this example we are applying it to our eyes, and we are using our eye make up as our tool.
So, if you have blue eyes and wear colours in the orange, gold, brown family, they will make your eyes look more blue. If you have blue eyes, and you wear blue eye shadow, it is not wrong, it simply won’t have the ‘popping’ effect that you would get if you used a complimentary colour. Similar colours to your eye colour will make your eyes fade out. If you have green eyes, your complimentary colour is red, so tints and shades of red (including pinks and burgandys) will make your green eyes stand out. There are a number of different shades of brown eyes. Those with warm browns, generally have complimentary colours of greens and blues. Have a play around with these colours to see which works best for you. Dark brown/almost black eyes, work well with pretty much every colour – lucky you! Hazel eyes can be fun as they are generally made up of flecks of brown, gold and green. Wearing red toned eye shadows will make the green stand out. Wearing purple toned eye shadows will make the gold stand out, wearing blue toned eye shadows will make the brown stand out. Again, have a play around with these colours to see which looks you prefer.
True complimentary colours should be used as a guide only. In fact, you can choose any colours in the opposite half of the colour wheel, the intensity just won’t be as strong as with the true complimentary colour. Play with tints and shades of complimentary colours, to find which ones work the best with your eyes. But remember to choose appropriately for the occasion. Whether you are aiming for a wearable look, or something a bit more dramatic, we have some suggestions below.
| Eye Colour | Complimentary Colour | Wearable Colours | Dramatic Colours |
| Blue | Orange | Golds, soft browns, greys. Even violets and greens can be worn (try wearing these as a complimentary eye liner colour) | Red, burnt orange and yellow blended together. Fushia pink, bright purples and silvers |
| Green | Red | Earth tones with hints of gold. Apricots and peaches. Golden browns with hints of violet. | Violets, bright purples. Burnt orange and copper shades. |
| Brown | Blue, Green, Violet ranges | Tones of green, blue and violet | Lime greens, pinks, tangerine and bright blue |
After you have selected the complimentary colour you want to use, select colours that sit next to this colour on the colour wheel (up and down, or side to side). These will provide you with good colour matches for blending (lighter colours in the inner corner of your eye, blending to darker colours in the outer corner). For a bit more of a dramatic look, try selecting colours two positions away from your complimentary colour (side to side) on the colour wheel. Or try adding one of these colours as eye liner on your upper lid, close to the lash line. For example, for brown eyes try shades of light green blending to darker green in the outer corners. Add a line of light blue or light violet to the upper lash line.
To add even more complexity, consider your clothing colour in your colour selections. Try to keep eye colour and clothing in the same colour family (for example, for brown eyes try different tints and shades of green for your clothing and eye shadow). If you are really trying to make a statement with your eye shadow, you could intentially choose to wear clothing in the same colour as your eyes, to compliment your eye shadow instead. The simple option is to wear black! But it’s always nice to team black with a splash of colour. This will work well if you match this splash of colour to your eye shadow colour.
For more information, and to get some ideas on how to create eye shadow looks which compliment your eye colours, have a look at our upcoming blogs specific to blue, brown and green eyes.
Tags: blue eyes, brown eyes, colour theory, Colour-wheel, complimentary colours, green eyes, hazel eyes, Make up
