Blue eyes already have a bit of an unfair edge. We’re just here to exploit it.
The right eyeshadow can take them from casually blue to almost ridiculously blue—and we see absolutely no reason to be subtle about it.
What Is Eye Maxxing?
Eye maxxing is all about making your natural eye color stand out.
For blue eyes, the trick is warmth. Blue sits opposite orange on the color wheel, so shades with warm, orangey undertones create contrast that turns the blue way, way up.
And no, we're not suggesting you paint your eyelids traffic-cone orange. Copper, bronze, peach, apricot, rust, terracotta, and warm brown give you all that contrast without becoming a minor road hazard.
Copper, Bronze & Rust Tones
Copper on blue eyes is almost unfair. If your goal is maximum blue, this is where we'd start.
Bronze is a little softer and more golden.
Rust takes things deeper and moodier.
Ginger, sienna, and red-brown live in the same warm little universe. They’re all very much the vibe for blue eyes.
If blue eyes had an official palette, it would be the Summer Solstice Eyeshadow Palette. The shade Ruby is metallic ginger, Intrinsic is metallic red-brown, Balance is matte sienna, and Energy is metallic rust. It's essentially an entire sunset's worth of blue-eye-enhancing shades in one crystal-infused palette.
More of a one-and-done person? Our new Cream Eyeshadow in Bronzed melts rich, luminous bronze across the lids in one swipe—the kind of molten, sun-warmed sheen that makes blue eyes look almost electric.
Peach, Apricot & Terracotta Tones
Peach can take blue eyes from blue to practically glacial.
This is the softer, sun-soaked side of eye maxxing. Think hazy peach, sun-baked apricot, earthy terracotta—all that juicy warmth against cool blue.
The Summer Solstice Eyeshadow Palette. has this whole spectrum covered. Sol washes the lids in soft matte apricot, while Solar Eclipse catches the light with a juicy metallic peach. Wear them alone for a sunny wash of color, or melt them into copper and rust when you want a little more heat.
Gold & Warm Brown Tones
Blue eyes may be the only legitimate reason to own 14 slightly different shades of golden brown.
Think molten amber, honeyed gold, caramel, golden brown, and rich chocolate. These are the throw-it-on-with-anything shades of the bunch—warm, easy, and very hard to mess up.
The Summer Solstice Eyeshadow Palette has Amber, a metallic gold; Midsummer, a satin golden saddle brown; and Sistere, a matte chocolate. Citrine adds a wash of sandy shimmer when you want to keep things light and luminous.
For the one-swipe version, Cream Eyeshadow in Solar Citrine melts into the lids with a sheer honey-gold glow that catches the light every time you blink.
Not All Blue Eyes Are the Same
Some blue eyes are almost icy. Others pull grey, green, or have little flecks of gold that seem to show up whenever they feel like it.
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If your blue eyes lean... |
Try... |
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Icy or pale blue |
Peach, apricot, soft copper |
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Grey-blue |
Terracotta, rust, chocolate brown |
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Blue-green |
Copper, bronze, warm peach |
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Blue with golden flecks |
Amber, bronze, honey gold |
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Deep blue |
Rich copper, rust, golden brown |
Most blue eyes sit somewhere between a couple of these anyway. If yours can't pick a lane, neither do you. Borrow from both.
How to Eye Max Blue Eyes: Step by Step
Apricot softly smoked through the crease. Molten ginger across the lids. A flash of peach catching the light. Blue eyes now visible from several zip codes away.
Here's exactly how we'd create the look using the Summer Solstice Eyeshadow Palette.
EYES
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Sweep 'Sol' softly through the crease for a sun-washed apricot base.
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Press 'Ruby' across the lid for a rich wash of metallic ginger.
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Tap 'Solar Eclipse' onto the center of the lid for a flash of luminous peach.
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Blend 'Energy' into the outer third, melting that metallic rust into the warmer shades.
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Pop 'Citrine' in the inner corner for a hit of light-catching champagne shimmer.
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Smudge 'Midsummer' along the lower lash line for a soft sweep of golden brown.
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Finish with a few coats of The Big Bang Mascara for glossy, jet-black lashes with the length and volume turned way up.
What Eyeshadow Colors Should You Avoid If You Have Blue Eyes?
If your goal is making blue eyes look as blue as humanly possible, go easy on cooler shades.
Blue eyeshadow can look incredible, but because it's so close to your natural eye color, you lose some of the contrast that makes eye maxxing work. Cool greys and silvers can have a similar effect, creating more of a tonal look rather than dialing up the blue.
Does that mean you need to break up with your favorite blue eyeshadow? Absolutely not. Wear whatever looks good to you. But for maximum blue, just know that warmer shades are the move.
Your Blue Eye Questions, Answered
What are the best eyeshadow colors for blue eyes?
Copper, bronze, rust, terracotta, peach, apricot, gold, and warm brown all play especially well with blue eyes. If we had to pick just one? Copper. The warm undertones create contrast against blue, making your natural eye color stand out.
How can I make my blue eyes look bluer?
Start with the eyeshadow, then work the details. Place your warmest shades around the lid and lash line, add a little shimmer where the light naturally hits, and finish with plenty of black mascara. Together, they put even more focus on your natural blue.
What is the best eyeshadow palette for blue eyes?
We're biased, but Summer Solstice Eyeshadow Palette was practically made for the assignment. Apricot, warm peach, metallic ginger, rust, sienna, gold, and rich brown give you pretty much the entire blue-eye playbook in one palette.
Can you wear blue eyeshadow with blue eyes?
Of course. Blue-on-blue can give a gorgeous monochromatic moment. It just won't create as much blue-boosting contrast as a warm shade would.
Is copper or bronze better for blue eyes?
For pure eye maxxing, copper gets our vote. Its stronger orange undertones create more contrast, while bronze is a little softer, more golden, and ridiculously easy to wear. Own both and this problem mostly solves itself.
Does eye maxxing actually work?
Yep. Eye maxxing is basically color theory applied to makeup, and blue eyes give you a pretty perfect example. Warm shades create contrast against cool blue, which can make your natural eye color look more noticeable. The internet gave it a new name; makeup artists have been using the trick forever.
Out of the Blue
Prepare for an unreasonable amount of eye contact.
