Tap the shade closest to your eyes on the chart: see the eyeshadow colours that make that eye colour stand out, the liner, what to skip, and how common your eye colour is, from makeup artists’ and eye-health sources. Add your outfit’s colour for our makeup post for it.
Brown · 45% of Americans
Bronze, gold and plum bring out brown eyesLiner: navy or eggplant for a softer line, or black on the waterline for definition. To skip: nothing, brown suits almost any colour.
How common: more than half the world, 79% in a 2020 study; 45% of Americans.
What the makeup artists say
Eyeshadow and liner quoted from jane iredale, Rose Inc’s makeup artists, e.l.f. Cosmetics and Ogle School; how common each colour is from Cleveland Clinic, Medical News Today and the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s US survey. Checked 2026-09-27. Ours: the twelve drawn shades and which family each belongs to.
Quick answer: pick shadows from the opposite side of the colour wheel. Brown eyes: bronze, gold and plum. Hazel: gold, warm brown and plum. Green: plum, rust and rose gold. Blue: copper, peach and warm brown. Gray: silver, charcoal and icy blue. Brown is the most common eye colour, more than half the world; green the rarest, about 2%.
How to use it
Tap the shade on the chart that is closest to your eyes in daylight. The answer is the eyeshadow colours that make that eye colour stand out, drawn on an eye and as swatches, the liner, what to skip, and how common your eye colour is. Pick your outfit’s colour to get Needle Style’s makeup post for that dress. Not sure whether your skin is warm or cool? Our colour season quiz tells you.
The eye colour chart, from most to least common
| Eye colour | Worldwide | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Brown eyes | more than half the world, 79% in a 2020 study | 45% of Americans |
| Blue eyes | 8 to 10% of the world | 27% of Americans |
| Hazel eyes | about 5% of the world | 18% of Americans |
| Green eyes | about 2% of the world, the rarest of the main colours | 9% of Americans |
| Amber eyes | rare; some experts count it as a shade of brown | part of the 1% of Americans whose eyes are not brown, blue, hazel or green |
| Gray eyes | rare worldwide | part of the 1% of Americans whose eyes are not brown, blue, hazel or green |
“More than half of the world’s population has brown eyes”, and green is “the rarest of the main eye colors … About 2% of people worldwide” (Cleveland Clinic). Medical News Today gives 79% brown in a 2020 study, 8 to 10% blue and about 5% hazel. The US figures are the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s survey of more than 2,000 Americans, as AARP reports it. The twelve shades on the chart, and which family each belongs to, are ours.
Eyeshadow and liner, by eye colour
| Eye colour | Eyeshadow | Liner |
|---|---|---|
| Brown eyes | Bronzy gold, Plum and eggplant, Champagne, Navy and deep blue | navy or eggplant for a softer line, or black on the waterline for definition |
| Amber eyes | Bronzy gold, Plum and eggplant, Champagne, Navy and deep blue | navy or eggplant for a softer line, or black on the waterline for definition |
| Hazel eyes | Metallic gold, Warm brown, Deep plum, Moss and khaki | charcoal, silver or purple instead of black |
| Green eyes | Plum and lavender, Rust and mahogany, Pink and rose gold, Warm gold | bronze or wine, or charcoal instead of black |
| Blue eyes | Copper and terracotta, Peach and coral, Champagne and gold, Warm brown | brown, bronze or gray, softer than black |
| Gray eyes | Silver, Charcoal smoky, Icy blue, Warm brown, for blue-gray | charcoal, silver or mink gray |
- Brown eyes: “try deep purple or bronzy golds” (jane iredale); “a simple champagne wash”, or for a sultry look “plum and eggplant shades” (makeup artist Ma, Rose Inc); “Brown eyes work nicely with navy or eggplant liners.”
- Hazel eyes: “Hazel and light brown eyes play well with hues from the gold and light warm brown families” (Rose Inc); “Soft golds, purply roses, and deep matte plum” (e.l.f. Cosmetics). Ma warns off orange and peach, which “can make hazel eyes look red”.
- Green eyes: “Try shades of cranberry and purple to make the eyes pop”, and “pastel pink and rose gold” (Rose Inc); “From deep plum to light lavender, purple offers a contrast to green that won’t look like it clashes” (Ogle School). Skip green and blue shadows: they make the eyes blend in.
- Blue eyes: “try eye shadows with orange undertones such as rich browns and terracottas” (jane iredale); “Blue eyes look striking against peachy, light coral and bronze colors” (Rose Inc). For liner, “Gray eyeliner works beautifully with blue eyes” (Rose Inc), and brown or bronze is softer than black (jane iredale).
- Gray eyes: “silver, mink gray, or icy blue” (jane iredale), or “a dark charcoal smokey eye”; for blue-gray, “warm browns, golds, and oranges” (e.l.f.). Keep it light: strong colour can wash gray eyes out (Ogle School).
Four worked examples
Brown eyes with a navy dress: bronze, gold and plum bring out brown eyes; navy or eggplant liner. Our post on makeup for a navy blue dress and brown eyes has the full look.
Hazel green eyes: gold, warm brown and plum bring out hazel eyes; charcoal, silver or purple liner, and no orange or peach.
Light blue eyes: copper, peach and warm brown bring out blue eyes; brown, bronze or gray liner.
Green eyes: plum, rust and rose gold bring out green eyes; bronze or wine liner.
Common mistakes
- Matching the shadow to the eyes. Blue on blue eyes or green on green eyes makes them blend in; the opposite side of the colour wheel makes them stand out.
- Harsh black liner on light eyes. Brown, bronze, gray or charcoal define blue, green and gray eyes more softly.
- Going heavy on gray eyes. Strong colour can wash them out; keep it light or smoky gray.
- Judging your eye colour indoors. Check it in daylight, and pick the chart shade it is closest to.
More on Needle Style
Makeup for a navy blue dress and brown eyes, eyeshadow for brown eyes, makeup for a sage green dress, mother of the bride makeup and makeup for every dress colour.
Eyeshadow and liner quoted from jane iredale, Rose Inc’s makeup artists, e.l.f. Cosmetics and Ogle School; how common each colour is from Cleveland Clinic, Medical News Today and the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s survey via AARP. Checked 2026-09-27.
FAQ
What are the eye colors, from most to least common?
Brown (more than half the world), blue (8 to 10%), hazel (about 5%) and green (about 2%), with amber and gray rarer still. In the US it is 45% brown, 27% blue, 18% hazel and 9% green.
What is the rarest eye color?
Green, of the main colours: about 2% of people worldwide. Gray and amber are rare too, and red or pink eyes come with conditions like albinism.
What is the most common eye color?
Brown: more than half of the world’s population, and 45% of Americans.
What eyeshadow color makes brown eyes pop?
Deep purple, plum and eggplant, or bronzy golds; a champagne wash for everyday. Navy or eggplant liner is softer than black.
What makeup is best for hazel eyes?
Golds and warm browns, with plum for contrast, and moss or khaki if you like green. Skip orange and peach, which can make hazel eyes look red.
What eyeshadow makes blue eyes stand out?
Warm shades from the opposite side of the colour wheel: copper, terracotta, peach, coral and champagne, with a brown, bronze or gray liner.
What color eyeliner is best for green eyes?
Bronze or wine, or charcoal, silver or even purple instead of black.