Nothing against the rest of the makeup in our medicine cabinets, but few products solve as many problems as black mascara.
Tired after a late night or having a day where your eyes appear smaller instead of true to size? A few coats of black mascara will fix it. However, jet-black isn’t the only mascara shade out there. Yep, it’s true: there’s a kaleidoscope of colors out there that range from vibrant blue to chestnut, if you’re not feeling that adventurous.
Why give your black mascara a break? “Swapping a colored mascara for your regular black can make the overall look a bit lighter or whimsical. It can also compliment an eye color or shadow if paired properly,” says New York-based hair and makeup artist Abraham Sprinkle.
When wearing colored mascara, Sprinkle recommends sticking with neutral no-makeup makeup for the rest of your look. “The key is to keep the look light and free so that it looks like it was done with zero effort but still comes of interesting,” he says.
A foolproof way to choose a colored mascara is to apply the color wheel theory when selecting shades. “Colors opposite of one another on the color wheel when placed side-by-side compliment one another, explains Sprinkle.”A great reference is Christmas Red and Green.” That being said, think of the aforementioned as a guide and not a rule. “To use this [method] to pick color according to eye or skin is a guide not a rule,” he says. “So my suggestion is to experiment with boundaries.”
Still not sure what color to try? We asked Sprinkle to guide us through which shades are the right ones to test drive. Keep scrolling for the best colored mascara for your eye color.
This article was originally published on InStyle.
Late night? A few coats of a rich burgundy or plum-red mascara will not only enhance the warm of brown eyes, but make them appear bigger and brighter. Clinique’s volumizing mascara has an oversized brush that gives lashes a smooth, full finish.
If you have brown eyes, you’ve got a rainbow’s worth of mascara options. Sprinkle says that any color will flatter you. Try a purple shade like Make Up For Ever’s for a flash of color.
“This is really one of the few times (in my opinion) a cool tone looks amazing with cool, so deep blue and emeralds can look amazing on blue eyes,” says Sprinkle. So, what mascara should you try? We suggest the royal blue edition of Maybelline’s cult-favorite Great Lash Washable Mascara. After the shade was discontinued, it made its return to makeup shelves this spring thanks to popular demand.
Stick with a plum shade or a chocolate brown to bring out the warm earthy tones found in hazel eyes. Looking for a clump-free finish? This Yves Saint Laurent tube is your best bet.
A few swipes of rich brown mascara will clear blue eyes pop. The hourglass-shaped brush of this Burberry tube hugs every lash so for maximum volume and impact.
