I’m the first to admit that I’ve done everything possible to steer away from the colourful makeup trend. A neutral lover at heart, if anything challenges my deep love of beige and brown, I cast it to one side as ‘not for me’ – until now.
It all began when I was playing around with a burgundy mascara at my desk and loved the effect it had on my grey eyes. I started to question why I always default to black – even the runways and red carpets have been vibrant with coloured mascara lately. Rihanna, Cara Delevingne and Lupita Nyong’ o are just a few of the celebrities that have embraced the trend. Even Kylie Jenner said she uses brown mascara on her bottom lashes to soften her eye look.
Inspired, I’ve explored this trend further and got other members of Team Escentual involved, too! Here are the best coloured mascaras for every eye colour…
#1 Best Coloured Mascara For Blue Eyes: Burgundy
Job Role: Copywriting Intern
What colour mascara do you normally wear? Black
Would you have gone for this coloured mascara normally? No
How did it change the way your eyes look? It made my eyes look lighter and softer.
What did you like or dislike about the way a coloured mascara made your eyes look?
I find that my eye colour can look quite cold, so it was great to see a mascara that made my eyes appear warmer and softer as a result. It’s not harsh and doesn’t stand out too much. I would definitely use this on its own, or on the tips of my lashes with my everyday black mascara.
Chosen mascara: Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils in 5 Burgundy
Why it works: Anyone with blue eyes will benefit from adding a burgundy mascara to their makeup bag. The reddish undertone will make icy eyes pop, in turn making them look brighter while bringing out any hints of green.
Burgundy mascara is having a moment too – we’ve seen a massive influx of new releases, and now every brand has one. You can even decide what kind of ‘burgundy’ you want – red wine, maroon or plum are some of the options! Burgundy mascara works because it’s still on the neutral spectrum of colour – it’s subtle, but you’ll get a glimpse of purple every few blinks! The warm hue works perfectly with neutral makeup too, and it’s the happy (and more exciting!) medium between black and brown mascara.
#2 Best Coloured Mascara For Green Eyes: Purple
Job Role: Merchandiser
What colour mascara do you normally wear? Black
Would you have gone for this coloured mascara normally? No
How did it change the way your eyes look? It made my eyes look brighter and the colour of my eyes ‘pop’.
What did you like or dislike about the way a coloured mascara made your eyes look?
I loved that the purple colour made my eye colour (green) pop, and people noticed. That being said, I didn’t like that even though my eye colour looked brighter in bright areas, in a dark area/place it wasn’t so noticeable.
Chosen mascara: Urban Decay Double Team Special Effect Coloured Mascara in Vice
Why it works: This is where the colour-wheel theory of ‘opposites attract’ really comes into play. For the ultimate flash of colour against green eyes, a purple or violet-hued mascara is the ideal choice. Because purple sits opposite green on the colour wheel, the shade will frame the eyes, creating an almost spotlight effect. The result is all eyes on your eyes!
#3 Best Coloured Mascara For Brown Eyes: Blue
Job Role: Communications Editor
What colour mascara do you normally wear? Black, always black.
Would you have gone for this coloured mascara normally? No
How did it change the way your eyes look? It made my eyes look brighter and distracted from my under-eye bags!
What did you like or dislike about the way a coloured mascara made your eyes look?
Blue mascara scared me at first. It was a statement I wasn’t sure I wanted to make, but after testing it out, I’m converted. The vivid blue hue of BAD gal BANG! made my eyes look much more energised – just what I needed after a bought of late, busy nights! I can’t say it’ll be replacing my go-to black just yet, but my eyes are opened (forgive the pun) to the brightening benefits of blue!If you’re thinking of giving blue mascara a go, I’d recommend keeping the rest of your makeup pared back. A neutral eye and barely-there lip will work best so that the mascara can do all the talking.
Chosen mascara: Benefit BADgal BANG! Mascara in Brightening Blue
Why it works: It’s good news if you have brown eyes because you can get away with virtually any colour you want. That said, brown always looks great paired with a colour that offsets warm undertones like a cool-toned blue which will lift and brighten, as well as counteract any redness. The only rule to follow is to pair with a neutral lip, so your eyes take centre stage.
#4 Best Coloured Mascara For Hazel Eyes: Green
Job Role: Campaign Editor
What colour mascara do you normally wear? Black, but I always toy with the idea of colour.
Would you have gone for this coloured mascara normally? Brown is normally as far as I would go.
How did it change the way your eyes look? The green softened my overall look. It enhanced the green and amber flecks in my eyes, giving me the confidence to forgo my signature heavy eye-makeup look.
What did you like or dislike about the way a coloured mascara made your eyes look?
Black mascara is my go-to. I always see supermodels and trend reports with bright mascaras and admire from afar. I’m not sure why anything other than noir seemed so unachievable for me. But, and it’s a big but! I’ve gone from a 1 to a 4 on the conversion scale. When wearing Emerald Energy, I couldn’t believe how many people noticed my eye colour and not the mascara, and that’s my end goal. I found layering my usual GUERLAIN Maxi Lash Mascara and Emerald Energy was my comfort zone. Maybe black is too bold for me, after all. I advise anyone that’s apprehensive to give coloured mascaras a go – you’ll be pleasantly surprised!Top tip:Using a coloured mascara actually helps to fake a faux coloured eyeliner look – reducing your makeup steps, while switching up your look!
Chosen mascara: Shiseido Controlled Chaos MascaraInk in Emerald Energy
Why it works: Selecting eye makeup for hazel eyes can sometimes be a tricky task. This eye colour combines a beautiful combination of brown, golden and green hues that when combined with some coloured mascaras, can wash the colour out of the eyes completely. A green mascara will help to highlight the natural, earthiness of green in hazel eyes and also brings out the warm brown tones in hazel eyes.
#6 Best Coloured Mascara For Grey Eyes: Brown
Job Role: Communications & Campaigns Assistant
What colour mascara do you normally wear? A mixture of black and brown.
Would you have gone for this coloured mascara normally? Yes
How did it change the way your eyes look? It made my eyes look darker and softer.
What did you like or dislike about the way a coloured mascara made your eyes look?
I liked the fact that it softened my overall look, it will be perfect for days where I’m not wearing much makeup and I don’t want my eyes to look so harsh. I didn’t like it when I wanted a more dramatic look though.
Chosen mascara: Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara 4D in Brown
Why it works: Grey eyes are like the hazel eyes of the blue-eyed family. They usually have a combination of grey, blue and green tones to them, and sometimes a small amount of yellow around the pupil. Brown mascara can enhance the blue and green in grey eyes to give them more vibrancy.
Those with a fair complexion and who prefer a natural look will also love the safety of brown mascara. Not as harsh as black, brown will appear softer on blondes, light brunettes and redheads.
Over To You!
Drag the cursor to see how blue mascara tranforms Ceryn’s overall look
Coloured Mascara Tips & Tricks
Ready to dabble in coloured mascara now? Here are some handy tips:
- Know what shade suits your eye colour (using my handy guide above!).
- Try to keep your eye makeup fairly minimal, so that your mascara does all the talking (try a nude/light coloured eye shadow and a nude lip).
- If you’re scared to use the coloured mascara alone apply it on the tips of your lashes instead.
Tweet me at @escentual or tag us in your coloured mascara Instagram selfies with the hashtag #trendandtested, I’d love to see how you’re wearing it!
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