Colored Mascara To Try For Every Eye Shade

Colored mascara is back, baby. Say "so long" to the black and brown mascaras that play it safe. This daring trend has made a compelling comeback, and we are leaning into these juicy, punchy colors as part of our makeup routine. And when we're talking about colored mascara, we're not speaking about neutral browns for a natural look. We're talking hot pink, cobalt blue, teal, purple, and emerald green. Think neons and jewel tones, pastels, and highlighter colors. Even burgundy mascara is happening. It's all in the mix. Colorful mascara is an easy, low-commitment way to bring a pop of color into a look. It brings drama and attention to the eyes, and it's playful.

As a general rule when working with colorful mascara, it's best to keep the rest of the makeup natural and subdued. Keep lips natural and other makeup to a minimum so that your eyes do the talking. It also keeps the look modern and fresh. It's also crucial to conceal imperfections well, since some bright colors – think pinks and burgundies – can draw out red tones in other parts of the face. In the same light, greens can emphasize dark circles under the eyes. So concealers are our allies in this process. But with that foundation, play away! Here are the best bright tones for each eye color.

As tradition goes, brown eyes pop with blue mascara because the combination brightens the eye color. On top of that, blue mascara can also give the illusion of brightening the whites of the eyes, so the effect is dazzling. There are a few ways to style blue mascara. You can opt for nude, natural eye shadow colors in order to create depth in the lid, allowing the mascara to stand on its own. If you want a more defined look, use a jet-black liner to enlarge the eyes and follow with vivid blue mascara. Finally, if you want to go all out and tap into that '80s statement look, pair the blue mascara with a blue liner. Think Princess Diana and her staple blue pencil. Pat McGrath's Dark Star mascara in Ultraviolet Blue is a perfect option, as is ColorPop's BFF Mascara in Blue Ya Mind for a more affordable choice. 

But blue isn't the only lane for brown eyes. Since brown eyes have such a rich color base, they look incredible with juicy, vibrant colors. Think hot pink, neon greens, and even fiery oranges and yellows all look amazing with brown eyes and tap into a retro vibe. Play around with placement too. Consider applying colorful mascara only to the top or bottom lashes. In this jungle of colorful mascaras, brown-eyed wearers are welcome to break the rules.

Blue eyes traditionally pair well with purple. Since blue eyes are lighter, the appeal of a darker purple color is that the richer pigment still outlines the natural shape of the eyes, while adding playful color. A great choice for this look is eyeko's Lash Alert Mascara in purple, which enhances the whites of the eyes and emphasizes definition without needing to fall back on the old classics, like black and brown mascara. Consider outlining the eyes in black eyeliner and then applying the mascara to both the top and bottom lashes.

TikTok user @savkaypierce gave viewers a tutorial on the L'Oréal Voluminous Washable Mascara and suggested the Deep Burgundy shade as another dreamy way to incorporate the purple palette with blue eyes. She also recommended the Deep Violet shade by the same brand but warned fans that it doesn't have the same color payoff as the burgundy.

In the same family as purple, pink mascara is another bold choice for blue eyes. For bright mascaras, it's best to first apply a mascara primer, especially a white one to tone down the natural darkness of the lashes. This way, a bright or pastel mascara can pop without being muted out by the darker undertone of the natural lash.

Traditionally, brown mascara has paired well with green eyes, since the brown emphasizes the green color while still creating a bold definition around the eyes. However, in our world of colorful mascaras, we're going green on green. Green lashes bring out the uniqueness of this particular eye color. The L'Oreal Paris Makeup Voluminous Original Washable Mascara in Deep Green is a fantastic choice to keep the drama while still dipping into color.

The same goes for hazel eyes. Green and teal mascaras work beautifully with hazel eyes by bringing out the golden undertones in this particular eye color. Interestingly, hazel eyes also look incredible with golden mascara. Pudaier makes mascara in Golden at an affordable price. Christina's Natural Qualities also makes metallic mascaras, and Glorious Gold is a stunning shade. 

When it comes to gray eyes, there is a whole range of options. Consider cobalt blue mascara, or go for lighter, brighter shades. Pale violets, pastel mint tones, and even peachy mascara colors look amazing with the more neutral gray eye. L.A. Girl's Volumatic Mascara in Turquoise is an amazing and affordable choice. Pat McGrath also has a fantastic option in Aquamarine Dream.