I have always believed that anyone can wear whatever color she wants as long as it suits her personality. However, it’s important when choosing eye colors that you work with the right shade and tone for your skin.
Dark Skin
With darker skin, there are several factors to consider when choosing eyeshadows.
- Different shadow colors will play strongly off dark skin, with many colors appearing ashy. Colors such as white may appear gray on some dark skin. Look for light colors that have a little warmth. For example, pale yellow will cut ashiness and actually appear white against darker skin.
- When highlighting the eyelids, use colors lighter than your skin tone. Contour colors will add depth to the skin only if they are darker than your skin tone.
- Soft colors with little pigment will not show up on the skin, which can be good to create a very, natural look. Look for rich, heavily pigmented warm colors, such as gold, copper, bronze, berry, and eggplant, to create beautiful looks with added flair. When choosing colors to create more dramatic looks, work with bright pigmented colors, such as bright blue and pink. Choose hues and shades of color as opposed to tints.
- Use rich black mascara and eyeliners. Avoid gray eyeliners.
Pale Skin
Pale skin acts as a blank canvas. All colors appear more vibrant on pale skin, and dark colors can appear harsh and muddy. Dark grays can look bruising if too much is applied.
- Look for eyeshadows that are sheer and provide washes of color.
- Try colors such as soft blue-gray, cool pink, taupe, and pale green.
- Contour the eyes using colors only a few shades darker than your base shadow color, as contouring on pale skin shows up dramatically. Look for highlight colors that are lighter or equal to skin tones, such as white and opal. Highlight colors in shimmer form will appear more visible than a matte eyeshadow for pale skin.
- When choosing bright eyeshadows, look for tints as opposed to shades and apply them only on the base of the lid for a more natural effect.
- Use softer eyeliner colors, such as brown or gray on pale skin. When using black, focus on the upper lid and avoid rimming the entire eye.
- For mascaras, try dark browns and soft blacks, which look more like dark gray for eyelashes.
