Green eyes are the rarest eye color, with an estimated 2% of the population lucky enough to have them. They are naturally striking, so it would be easy for green-eyed beauties to keep their eyeshadow looks minimal, but learning which eyeshadow shades will enhance your eye color can elevate your makeup game to the next level.

“When choosing a shade to compliment green eyes, look for anything that will serve as a contrast to the green. Lilacs, purples, browns, and gold tones compliment green eyes and enhance the little glints in them,” says global makeup artist Ruby Hammer.(opens in new tab) If you’re stuck in a makeup rut, we’ve selected the most flattering colors and easy-to-achieve looks that will make your eyes stand out in a whole new way.

We have made a list of the best neutral eyeshadow for green eyes, best eyeshadow palette for green eyes and fair skin, and best neutral eyeshadow palette blue eyes.

best eyeshadow palette for green eyes and fair skin

 Red

Since red and green are complementary colors (remember, that means they sit across from each other on the color wheel), opting for a red eyeshadow is guaranteed to make your eye color look as bright and vivid as can be. “If you’re bold and daring, a flat-out red would be very fun,” says Kastuk, who also recommends colors like burgundy, wine, and auburn for more everyday wear.

ESTATE COSMETICS Eye Shade in Smash

Easily blendable, buildable, and smooth like buttah, this brick-red eyeshadow gives green eyes a sultry look that’s customizable for any occasion. If you aren’t sure about applying this all over your lid solo, try blending it with gold, or using the eyeshadow in your crease and along your lower lash line.

MAX FACTOR MASTERPIECE NUDE EYESHADOW PALETTE

The best makeup palettes aren’t always expensive, this affordable option is packed with purple-based shades that are fantastic for blending across the lids and making green eyes pop. (Its price tag also makes it one of the best beauty gift ideas too)

While the formula may not be as pigmented as some high-end alternatives, it is easy to build up in layers for more color pay-off if you need it. We love the mix of shimmers and matte plum shades for creating pretty daytime looks and more sultry evening eyes. If you’re nervous about the punchier shades, apply one light layer and create a sheer wash across the lids instead. 

 VISEART PARIS MINXETTE ETENDU

Not only is this palette from Viseart Paris incredibly pigmented and easy to blend, but it’s also great for travel as the packaging is light enough to throw into a bag. The shades are generally copper and bronze-hued, which is a perfect combination for emphasizing green eyes or bringing out jade flecks in hazel eyes.

For daytime, stick with shades from the top row in a single layer. For evening, layer up two tonal colors from the middle and bottom row, using the deeper one as an accent around the socket line. All you need is the best lengthening mascara to complete your eye look and you’ll be set!

TOM FORD EYE SHADOW QUAD PALETTE

Tom Ford always serves up the most luxurious versions of staple products, and this quad eyeshadow palette in Visionaire is no exception. The packaging is beautifully made and will last you years. The lovely mixture of copper, bronze, and plums truly has everything you need to bring out emerald tones, making it a must for green eyes.

Learn how to apply eyeshadow in layers and you’ll be able to create a soft smoky look or something a bit more natural. Nervous about color? Draw a little of the deeper brown shade along your lash line then smoke it gently out with a cotton bud for a flattering, soft eyeliner effect.

NARS COSMETICS EYESHADOW QUAD

If you like to keep your makeup simple this eyeshadow quad, in the shade Singapore might be for you. You can create a plethora of bright eyeshadow looks with this orange, bronze, and plum palette, from smoky and intense to soft and shimmery. Try one shade at a time for a color-block look or all at once for a statement eye.

Despite having fewer shades than some other palettes on this list, NARS values quality over quantity. The intensely pigmented formula lasts all night on the lids and produces minimal fall-out onto cheeks as you apply.

IBY BEAUTY Lush Eyeshadow in Cinnamon Roll

If you’re looking for that one all-flattering gold eyeshadow to add to your collection, look no further. This shimmery metallic copper eyeshadow is made with blendable powder pigments, moisturizing vitamin E, and rosehip seed oil that softens lids and glows like it’s golden hour, every hour.

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Pillowtalk Luxury Palette

Green-eyed beauties will have an infinite amount of eye makeup combinations to choose from when using this palette packed with nude-pink shadows. Enriched with pearl pigments, these silky-smooth shadows shimmer beautifully and go on like a dream. Blend these together for a neutral smoky eye, or apply one color on its own for a wearable pop of color.

VIEVE THE MUSE EYESHADOW PALETTE

This palette from VIEVE has been curated with 10 pigmented shades that can be worn separately or together depending on the type of look you’re going for. The palette includes gold, purple and brown hues that are smooth, creamy, and easily buildable.

While the palette doesn’t feature a lot of darker shades, it does include a variety of matte and shimmery purple-based tones shades that are perfect for green-eyed beauties. We liked how easy it was to customize our own shades and experiment with a variety of combinations from soft and sultry to bold and vibrant. If combining different shades isn’t your thing, these are pigmented enough to create one color-pop sweep.