Enhancing Blue Eyes

With hundreds of shades available in drugstores and department stores, choosing the right eye shadow shade for blue eyes can be a daunting task. The most important thing to remember is that contrasting colors will enhance your eye color.

Rich tones of brown, taupe and copper look great on everyone, but they will make blue eyes look especially striking because of the contrast they create. The easiest way to apply eye shadow for blue eyes is to brush a light-to-mid toned shade of brown onto the lids and blend up into the crease.

Ever hear of people wearing dark colors because they're slimming? The same idea stands when choosing makeup shades because dark colors will minimize. This is great when you're shopping for a pair of pants, but it's not what you're looking for in an eye shadow. It's best to avoid colors that are too dark and matte because this will make eyes look smaller.

Shades of brown and taupe are classic and appropriate for everyday wear. A champagne tone will sparkle on light blue eyes, while a coppery tone will smolder on deeper blues. Cover Girl Eye Enhancers Trio Eye Shadow in Shimmering Sands (about $5.00, drugstores) contains three neutral shades of shimmering brown that can be blended together or worn alone.

Using a brown liner and mascara will also intensify the look of blue eyes. Warm coppery eyeliner such as Almay's Intense i-Color Bring Out the Blue eyeliner ($6.99 at drugstores) will look lovely smudged along the upper and lower lash lines. Clinique's High Definition Lashes Brush Then Comb Mascara in Chocolate Lustre ($13.99 at department stores) will make blue eyes stand out.
Blue eyed girls can venture away from basic brown and experiment with more colorful makeup. Shades of purple can be surprisingly flattering, as long as they are applied carefully. A sheer lilac shade brushed over the lid provides a unexpected yet flattering wash of color. For a more dramatic look, deeper shades of plum can be blended into the crease on top of the lilac shade. Darker shades can also be applied as liner with a wet eyeliner brush. L'Oreal Hip High Intensity Pigments Concentrated Shadow Duo in Charisma ($7.00 at drugstores) has two shades that can be used to create a variety of looks.

Blue eye shadow has a retro reputation, but it can look stunning on blue eyes when applied in a modern way. Rather than applying a baby-blue shade over the entire lid, use a lighter touch. With an angled eyeliner brush, shadow can be applied around the lash line for an sophisticated splash of color. The thickness of the line is up to you. A thinner line will mimic the understated look of liner while a thicker line will have a bolder look.
The shade of blue shadow is also important because using a shade that's too similar to your eye color will look monotone and bland. A denim hue will make baby blue eyes look even brighter while a shimmery robin's egg blue will make darker eyes look deeper. Pop Beauty's Eye Cake in Bright Blues ($19 at Sephora) gives you all the shades of blue you need to create a dramatic look. If you are timid about trying blue eye makeup, using shimmery navy eyeliner is a classic way to experiment with color.

Anyone can wear any shade when the application is sheer. However, remember that contrasting colors are the most important factor in creating a gorgeous eye shadow look.