Eye Maxxing for Hazel Eyes: The Best Eyeshadow Colors to Make Hazel Eyes Pop

Green eyes? Yes. Golden eyes? Also yes. A little amber, a bit of brown, maybe some olive thrown in for good measure? Hazel eyes saw the entire color menu and ordered everything.

You can make your eyes look greener on Monday and practically golden by Friday, without changing anything but your eyeshadow. Honestly, it's a little unfair. 

What Is Eye Maxxing?

Eye maxxing is basically color theory with an eyeshadow brush. The idea? Make the colors already hiding in your iris impossible to miss.

Hazel eyes have a few colors competing for attention, and eyeshadow lets you rig the results. Rosy purples can pull out green you barely noticed was there, while copper and bronze can make tiny amber tones look twice as obvious.

Best Eyeshadow Colors for Hazel Eyes

Hazel eyes have options. An almost unreasonable number of them, actually. Here's what to reach for when you want to see what those little flecks of color are capable of.

Purple, Plum & Berry: Bring Out the Green

Purple is masterful at making hazel eyes look like they might actually be green. Why? The red undertones in plum, berry, and violet sit opposite green on the color wheel, and that is the color-enhancing magic of eye-maxxing. 

Try a hazy wash of mauve for a softer hit of color, with deep aubergine smudged along the lashes for extra depth and drama. Or fully commit with an amethyst metallic crease or an electric violet duochrome in the outer corner. The only rule? The redder the purple, the greener your eyes give. 

Copper, Bronze & Rust: Turn Up the Warmth

If purple brings out the green, copper is coming for the gold. Think molten pennies, burnt orange, reddish bronze, and rich, cinnamon-toned rust. These shades pick up the honey and amber in hazel eyes, giving them that golden-hour glow even under the world's least flattering fluorescent lighting.

Go for a copper lid with bronze melted into the crease, or smudge a rusty terracotta around the outer corners for something warmer and grungier. A metallic bronze liner along the lower lashes adds a dose of gold-bringing glimmer. 

Gold, Champagne & Olive: Bring Forth the Flecks

Hazel eyes with a golden center can look almost honey-colored under the right light. A pop of champagne shimmer makes those flecks look lit from within, while rich, burnished gold brings out the amber tones hiding around the pupil. Press a pale gold into the inner corners for a little glint, or cover the whole lid in liquid-looking metallic gold. 

Try a satin olive swept across the lid with gold pressed into the center for a magical, shifting finish, or smudge dark moss green along the lashes for a more lived-in, earthy look. 

Hazel Eyes: Which Colors Do You Want to Bring Out?

You've got green, gold, amber, and olive to work with – might as well take advantage of them all. Here's your cheat sheet:

And yes, you can absolutely mix your color groups. A deep purple outer corner with gold across the lid can bring forward different tones at once. Hazel eyes aren't exactly known for picking a lane.

How to Eye Max Hazel Eyes: Step by Step

We're going for a smoky amethyst eye with flashes of lilac, peach, and honey gold. Very fairy-after-dark.

All you need is the Moonlight Crystal Palette, Solar Citrine Cream Eyeshadow, and The Comeback Mascara.

1. Start with Moon Child. Blend this orchid matte across the lid and softly through the crease, extending the color slightly beyond the outer corner.

2. Add Manifest. Press the metallic amethyst onto the outer half of the lid, blending it into Moon Child for a rich purple gradient.

3. Bring in Full Moon. Tap the lilac-peach duochrome across the center of the lid, blending the edges into the amethyst.

4. Add Solar Citrine. Press the honey-gold cream onto the inner third of the lid and blend it into Full Moon for that purple-to-gold shift.

5. Smudge Eclipse. Run the purple-black metallic along the outer lash line for smoky definition, then finish with The Comeback Mascara. 

What Eyeshadow Colors Should You Avoid If You Have Hazel Eyes?

Hazel eyes can pull off almost anything. But if we're being picky (and we are), a few colors aren't doing your eye color any favors.

Flat, medium browns: Brown eyeshadow on brown-toned eyes can become one uninterrupted stretch of brown. Try copper, reddish bronze, or a deeper chocolate instead to bring out the dimension. 

Icy silver and cool gray: These can make the honey and amber in warmer hazel eyes look washed out. 

Certain greens: An exact match for the green in your iris can get lost. Olive, moss, and deep forest green give you more contrast. 

That said, if you're in the mood for an icy silver eye, wear the icy silver eye. Color theory isn't the boss of you.

Your Hazel Eye Questions, Answered

What eyeshadow colors make hazel eyes pop?

Plum, violet, mauve, copper, bronze, and warm gold. Purple brings out the green, while copper and gold dial up the amber. Olive and forest green can also look incredible. 

How can I make my hazel eyes look greener?

Plum, aubergine, and berry are your best bets. Their reddish undertones make green stand out, even when it's barely visible. A swipe of plum along the lashes is an easy way to illuminate the green. 

How do I bring out the gold in hazel eyes?

Champagne, gold, bronze, and copper. Metallic finishes catch the light, making those golden tones harder to miss. A swipe of gold across the lid is a very good place to start.

What color eyeliner is best for hazel eyes?

Deep plum for greener-looking eyes, bronze or chocolate brown for warmer tones, and forest green for something earthy. Black still works, but hazel eyes have more interesting options.

Is purple or green eyeshadow better for hazel eyes?

Purple, if you're trying to bring out the green. Plum and violet create contrast, while olive and forest green give you a more tonal, earthy look. 

What is the best eyeshadow palette for hazel eyes?

Rose Quartz for soft lavenders and violet-grays, Moonlight for electric purples, and Summer Solstice for copper and gold. 

Mixed Signals 

Green today, golden tomorrow, a little bit of everything by the weekend. We contain multitudes. 

Eye max away ➔