28 Makeup Looks for Green Eyes to Make Them Pop

Willow Smith wears gold graphic makeup on her green eyes and chin

@willowsmith / Instagram

Makeup doesn't truly have any rules: Anyone can (and should) wear whatever they like. That being said, if you're looking for the best ways to accentuate your eyes, there are plenty of eye makeup guidelines that you can follow. Ask any makeup artist, and they'll tell you that, depending on the color of your irises, some shades will accentuate your eyes better than others. This, of course, rings as true for green eyes as it does for blue, brown, and hazel. If you're looking for ways to make your eyes pop, you've come to the right place: Read on for 28 stunning makeup looks for green eyes, inspired by our favorite celebrities.

Meet the Expert

  • Sandy Linter is a celebrity makeup artist who has worked with an extensive list of high-profile clients, including Elizabeth Hurley, Christie Brinkley, and Brooke Shields.

Top Makeup Tips for Green Eyes

If you don't know where to start when it comes to creating the ideal makeup look for your green eyes, celebrity makeup artist Sandy Linter is here to help. Ahead, she breaks it all down in a video, plus we broke down some of the key points below.

Steps to Creating a Look

  1. Start with Eyeshadow Base: Linter likes to apply the MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly ($25) all over the lid. "Use a brush to apply the base only directly on the eyelid," she says. "This is just to make sure that your eyeliner and your eyeshadow stay on smoothly all day."
  2. Line the Eye with Pencil: Using a black or brown eye pencil like Make Up For Ever's Artist Color Pencil ($22), Linter lines the eye, working out from the inner corner in small, controlled strokes. "When you get to the outer corner of your eye, take a pointed Q-tip and give it a fleck up," she says.
  3. Outline the Lid: Next, Linter takes the Make Up For Ever Artist Color Pencil in Total Taupe ($22) to outline the lid. "You start in your eye hollow and the outer corner of your eye," she tells us. "You make this V shape on its side, but you're thicker in the outer corner of the eye."
  4. Blend with Matching Shadow: "I always layer," Linter says. "I'll take a little complementary shadow, maybe light brown or another taupe color." With a medium-sized brush, she blends over the liner with the matching shadow: "What this does is create a larger lid." Blend inward toward the inner corner of the lid.
  5. Apply Light Shadow: "Wipe off your brush and go to a pale shade," Linter says. "Pop that onto the eyelid, so you get a little contrast." This gives the appearance of a wider, more open eye.
  6. Double Line the Eye: Linter then goes over the pencil with the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen ($62), mirroring the shape of the original liner. You can also use a gel formula if you prefer. She says that "it's really hard for me to do those pointed ends, so I fake it" with a Q-tip.
  7. Apply Individual Falsies: To make eyes appear larger, Linter applies the Kiss I-envy Flare Individual Lashes ($5), then curls her natural lashes together with the falsies. "When you pick up these little flares, go as far down to the root as you can so you're not going to destroy the lash," she advises. "And don't put too much glue on."
  8. Brighten with Concealer: Finally, Linter applies a liquid concealer (she uses the Armani Beauty High Precision Retouch, currently unavailable, but any similar formula will work) on the inner part of the eye. "This will help lighten up the inside area of the eye and make your eyes look further apart and wider-set."

Makeup Looks for Green Eyes to Try Now

01 of 28

Warm Neutral

Ayesha Curry wears warm-toned eyeshadow, dramatic lashes, berry-toned lipstick, and blush

@ayeshacurry / Instagram

Warm, matte neutrals with a subtle, glowy inner corner highlight are a great everyday look for green eyes. Ayesha Curry's perfectly blended shadow is the work of makeup artist Patrick Ta, and we especially love how her feathery lashes make her eyes appear even larger.

02 of 28

Strong Liner

Woman with locs updo and brown and black eye makeup look with sharp eyeliner

@jessthe_mess / Instagram

This bold, editorial cat eye by @nikki_makeup instantly draws attention to the eyes. Black goes with anything, and liquid liner should be a staple in your makeup collection if you want to create dramatic looks.

03 of 28

Shimmery Silver

Lady Gaga with shimmery silver eyeshadow, green eyes, red lipstick, and platinum old Hollywood waves

Getty Images

Lady Gaga is one of our ultimate sources of green eye makeup inspiration, and we love the statement silver eyeshadow look she went for here. By pairing the bold shadow with classic lashes and a red lip, the look feels simultaneously modern and classic—a balance the Haus Labs founder is a veritable expert at.

04 of 28

Pink and Brown

Woman with pink and brown eyeshadow, green eyes, blush, and pink lipstick

@artbyashleyrebecca / Instagram

Makeup artist Ashley Rebecca once told Byrdie, "Pink really brightens green eyes and can sometimes bring out hidden tones of gold." This eyeshadow's pink-and-brown tone is the perfect juxtaposition to the model's bright green eyes—especially since the shadow goes right up to the brow bone. If you want to play with color without resorting to bold brights, use a subdued taupe-brown variety of pink similar to the one here. 

05 of 28

Petal Pink

Katherine McNamara wears pastel pink eyeshadow, subtle pink lipstick, and blush

Getty Images

Bring out your green eyes with a true petal pink shadow like the one seen here on actress Katherine McNamara. Charlotte Tilbury's Eyes to Mesmerise cream shadow in Rose Gold ($35) is sure to pop, while the Glossier Lidstar in Cub ($18) has a similar effect but is slightly more sheer and natural. 

06 of 28

Soft Goth Glam

Logan Browning with dramatic black lower lash line eyeliner, neutral eyeshadow, green eyes, and asymmetrical updo hairstyle

@loganlaurice / Instagram

Soft goth is all the rage across beauty and fashion right now, and a heavier-than-usual dose of black liner works wonders in creating a contrasting makeup look for green eyes. We love how Logan Browning let the dramatic eye take center stage by keeping the rest of her makeup minimal.

07 of 28

Soft Blush

Woman with rose gold eyeshadow, warm-toned blush, glossy brown lipstick, and pink head covering

@edenfines / Instagram

Mega-watt lashes and a subtle blush-toned shadow combine for a natural vibe appropriate for both work and play. Ta created a "monochrome moment" by applying his brand's Velvet Blush in She's Seductive ($32) to the cheeks and layering his Lip Creme in She's Confident ($26) with a little bit of She's Unapologetic ($26) popped in the center.

08 of 28

Bold Pink

Rihanna wears hot pink eyeshadow and blush with berry-toned lipstick

Getty Images

Ta enhanced Rihanna's hazel and green with a bold pink shadow concentrated on the outer corner and blended into her high-fashion, totally '80s blush. Try using a shadow like Cater 2 U from Colourpop's It's All Good Shadow Palette ($35). 

09 of 28

Coppery Bronze

Emma Roberts wears copper-bronze eyeshadow, neutral blush, and subtle lipstick

@emmaroberts / Instagram

Coppery bronze shades are an easy pick for accentuating green eyes since they pick up flecks of gold in the irises and warm tones in the skin. Here, Emma Roberts's green eyes shine alongside a shimmery copper color, courtesy of makeup artist Nikki DeRoest. 

10 of 28

Pink Monochrome

Makeup Looks for Green Eyes Monochrome Olivia Munn

Getty Images

Here, Ta used pink eye makeup to highlight Olivia Munn's green eyes, and we love the monochromatic effect from her matching shadow, blush, and lipstick. Huda Beauty's The New Nude Eyeshadow Palette ($65) is a great option for achieving this look.

11 of 28

Silver and Gold

Emma Stone wears silver and gold eyeshadow, dewy blush, and pink lipstick

Getty Images

Emma Stone's makeup artist, Rachel Goodwin, complemented the star's jade green eyes using a unique silver-copper combo. Most of the coppery gold color is concentrated on her eyelids, while the silver sheen features most along the inner corners, almost as a highlight.

12 of 28

Graphic Gold

Willow Smith with graphic gold makeup look featuring eyeliner and chin lines and neutral lip gloss

@willowsmith / Instagram

Green eyes often have a hint of gold in them, so lean into that by going for a bold makeup look that uses graphic swipes of the metallic shade. Willow Smith went very editorial with this Mugler campaign look, but if you're looking for something a bit more understated, we think just the eyes work just as well.

13 of 28

Mod Lashes

Woman with silvery white eyeshadow, mod lashes, green eyes, and subtle pink blush and lipstick

@sydneyjharper / Instagram

This cool white shadow paired with @nikki_makeup's Sweed Lashes No Lash- Lash ($30) gives off a mod '60s appearance that manages to be thoroughly contemporary at the same time.

14 of 28

Shimmery Neutral

Katie Jane Hughes with neutral orange eyeshadow, green eyes, and pink blush and lipstick

@katiejanehughes / Instagram

Makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes is a master at combining color in a chic, editorial way (in fact, she's a pioneer of the pink eyeshadow and red lipstick combo that's so popular on Instagram). We're crushing on this copper eye look, which makes her eyes gleam. The soft brown wing that accentuates her eye shape is achievable with a pencil liner.

15 of 28

Bold Brow Highlight

Woman with brown eyeshadow, highlight by brow, neutral blush, and light pink lipstick

@beautyisboring / Instagram

Robin Black, the makeup artist and photographer behind always-chic Instagram account and website Beauty Is Boring, shows us how copper eyeshadow picks up green tones in the iris and draws them out for all to admire. A gold brow highlight adds extra pop.

16 of 28

Glossy Liquid Liner

Hailey Long with neutral eyeshadow, green eyes, winged eyeliner, dewy skin, and neutral pink lipstick

@hailey.long / Instagram

Sometimes, simple is key. A swoop of thick liquid liner and a glossy lid allow your green eyes to take center stage.

17 of 28

Fiery Single Shadow

Model with fiery pink eyeshadow, green eyes, warm-toned blush, and berry pink lipstick

@beautyisboring / Instagram

Black used the Kosas 10-Second Eye in Fahrenheit ($15) to create this fiery look. Simply sweep the shadow across your lid and pat with your finger, or gently run a fluffy brush through the crease to blend.

18 of 28

Modern Old Hollywood

Adele with black winged liner, lashes, green eyes, ombre lips, and matte skin

@adele / Instagram

Adele has a handle on wearing classic glam looks that never feel stale, and the inner corner liner and fluttery lashes here really make her green eyes pop. The brick red ombré lip is a modern twist on a classic that complements the look beautifully.

19 of 28

Purple Halo

Model with shimmery purple eyeshadow, green eyes, blush, and neutral lipstick

@meriem_sarolie / Instagram

Makeup artist Andreea Ali used Makeup by Mario shadows for this shimmery electric lavender halo eye makeup look. It just goes to prove what makeup artist Kristine Cruz from Antonio Prieto Salon told us: "Purple hues bring out the yellow in golden green eyes, and the same for bringing out the flecks of green in hazel eyes."

20 of 28

Classic Smoky Eye

Tyra Banks with smoky eyeshadow, green eyes, a cornrowed low ponytail hairstyle, and neutral makeup

@tyrabanks / Instagram

A classic smoky eye works on every eye color and complexion. Here, Tyra Banks's makeup artist Valente Frazie, accentuated her big green eyes with dark gray shadow and black liner.

21 of 28

No-Makeup Makeup

Shanina Shaik with minimal dewy makeup, subtle black eyeliner, and green eyes

@shaninamshaik / Instagram

A no-makeup makeup eye look lets vibrant green eyes stand out with no distractions. Wispy lashes, highlighted cheeks, and glossy lips create a stunning natural canvas.

22 of 28

Glossy Lilac

Close-up of Katie Jane Hughes's green eye with glossy lilac eyeshadow and thick mascara

@katiejanehughes / Instagram

We love this juxtaposition of lilac shadow with high-shine gloss, once again by Katie Jane Hughes. It accentuates her eyes in a unique, colorful way. 

23 of 28

Mauve Wing

Woman with mauve winged eyeshadow, green eyes, lashes, red lipstick, and locs hairstyle

@beautyisboring / Instagram

A soft mauve, like this one from Urban Decay's Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette ($59), is a great option to play up green eyes. We love how Black shaped the shadow into a sharp wing and paired it with a glossy red lip.

24 of 28

Major Purple

Model with warm-toned purple eyeshadow, green eyes, berry lipstick, and subtle blush

@beautyisboring / Instagram

This bold shadow also comes courtesy of Black. To achieve this warm-toned purple, she layered two shadows and created a soft, dramatic wing shape, carrying the color onto the lower lash line.

25 of 28

Champagne Shimmer

Woman with dewy skin, champagne shimmer eyeshadow, green eyes, and glossy lips

@artbyashleyrebecca / Instagram

Dewy skin complements any eye color, as does a sheer champagne shadow. Here, MUA Ashley Rebecca swept a shimmery shade across the lid, with a slightly deeper taupe contouring the crease.

26 of 28

Taupe Smoky Eye

Eva Marcille with taupe eyeshadow, lashes, glossy lips, and subtle neutral makeup

Getty Images

Here, Terrell Mullin gave Eva Marcille a soft, taupe-toned smoky eye that draws attention to her eye color. Dark shades can make the eye area appear smaller, but fluffy lashes can open things back up.

27 of 28

Vibrant '60s

Hayley Williams with dramatic Twiggy lashes, green and gold graphic eyeshadow, green eyes, subtle blush, and a glossy rose lip

@yelyahwilliams / Instagram

Hayley Williams has been rocking the most stunning vintage-inspired looks on tour with Paramore, with one of her go-to statements as of late being dramatic, Twiggy-inspired lashes that draw attention to her green eyes. For this particular moment, she also used green and gold shadow for a fitting complement, completing the look with rosy neutral lip gloss.

28 of 28

Icy Smoke

Jessica Chastain with gray and white shimmer eyeshadow, heavy eyeliner, lashes, green eyes, and subtle neutral lipstick

@jessicachastain / Instagram

As several looks here demonstrate, few choices rival shimmer in highlighting your eye color, and we love how this look on Jessica Chastain blends a vivid white shimmery shade with smoky gray to bring the drama. Keep the rest of the look relatively simple for the strongest effect.

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