How To Find the Best Colored Mascara Hue for You

Though we love embracing a no-makeup makeup look, some occasions call for a little something extra—and that’s when colored mascara steps in. Whether you’re aiming for a subtle pop of color or something more dramatic, colored mascara lets you get creative and showcases your eyes for a distinctive effect.

If you’re ready to experiment with colorful mascara, we suggest starting by picking a hue that complements your eye color. Here, we’ll share details on our favorite colored mascara and offer tips on choosing the best shade for your eye color. Find it all (and get ready to embrace a bold new look) below.

Why Do People Use Colored Mascara?

When you want your eyes to stand out but don’t have the time for complicated eye shadows or fancy liner techniques, colored mascara is an easy way to amp up your look. One swipe adds a subtle hint of color to your lashes, while two or three give a more dramatic effect. Let your colored lashes be the focal point of your look by lining your eyes with a hint of black or brown liner and embracing natural, glowy skin, or commit to a full-on color moment by pairing your colorful lashes with a bold lip. You can also try wearing colored mascara on just the bottom lashes and your handy black mascara on the top lashes for a more subtle effect that’s great for a makeup newbie. There are endless ways for colored mascara to add extra pizazz to your makeup routine—and the best part is the application is nearly foolproof.

The Best Colored Mascaras to Shop from L’Oréal Paris

Whether you’re looking for a bold blue mascara or prefer a subtle pop of color with burgundy or green, we’ve got you covered. Find details on our favorite colored mascaras below.

L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara

This drugstore mascara is a fan favorite for its lengthening and volumizing formula that makes lashes appear up to five times thicker than your natural lash density. In addition to classic black shades, it comes in a spectrum of captivating hues: Cobalt Blue, Deep Burgundy, Deep Green, and Deep Violet. Another key to its genius is the plush wand designed for precise application. It lets you get super close to your upper and lower lash lines to get the most out of your colorful eye makeup look and seamlessly transform your eyes with minimal effort.

If you’re not sure you’re ready to dive into the world of colored mascara, brown color mascara is a universal shade that’s a perfect way to start experimenting (try L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in the Black Brown shade). Regardless of your hue, you’ll love the nourishing formula that leaves lashes fluffy and soft to show off your colored mascara without clumps or flaking.

Editor’s tip: For a bolder colorful mascara look, consider priming your lashes with a white mascara primer, such as L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Primer. The conditioning formula instantly adds length and volume and helps enhance your mascara application. For best results, first apply the lash primer and then layer your desired mascara to one eye at a time before the primer dries.

L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Washable Mascara

If you want to play with color and love for your lashes to have lots of length, this is the mascara for you. The lengthening formula offers an instant lash lift effect, while the patented double hook brush deposits highly pigmented color. Choose between vibrant Stellar Blue or Galactic Purple shades, or opt for the soft Black Brown hue.

How to Pick the Right Mascara Hue for Your Eye Color

Ultimately, you should feel free to choose whichever colored mascara makes you feel your most confident and happy. But if you’re looking to find a hue that’ll make your eye color pop, keep reading—we’ll share the most flattering shades for every eye color below.

What Color of Mascara Is Best for Brown Eyes?

Shades of blue like L’Oréal Paris Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Cobalt Blue and L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Washable Mascara in Stellar Blue create a rich contrast with brown eyes by enhancing their warmth and depth and bringing out the stunning golden flecks usually present in brown eyes. Since the blue family is the opposite of brown on the color wheel, the contrast of blue mascara on brown eyes makes them pop and look more vibrant.

Purple mascara also pairs beautifully with brown eyes. Use L’Oréal Paris Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Deep Violet or L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Washable Mascara in Galactic Purple to define your upper and lower lashes. The soft eggplant shade adds a pop of color but with a slightly more subtle finish than electric blue.

What Color of Mascara Is Best for Blue Eyes?

While orange sits opposite blue on the color wheel, we can all agree that orange mascara probably doesn’t feel approachable for your everyday look. Enter: deep red mascara. This warm hue has subtle orange undertones and can help accentuate your baby blues vibrancy without overwhelming your eye look. Try L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Deep Burgundy to make your blue eyes stand out. If red mascara feels a little too out of your comfort zone, L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Black Brown is an excellent (and approachable) way to add warmth and intensity to blue eyes.

What Color of Mascara Is Best for Hazel Eyes?

Since hazel eyes are so multifaceted, it’s the perfect opportunity to try any mascara color and enjoy experimenting. But we’re particularly fans of green mascara, like the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Deep Green, as your new colorful go-to mascara. Since hazel eyes often have an array of green, brown, and gold flecks, this deep green shade of mascara will give them dimension and enhance their existing richness and warmth. One coat is just enough for a flash of unexpected color every time you blink. Add a few more coats for a nighttime look to emphasize the rich green shade on your lashes. Enhance the rest of the eye area with metallic shadow shades like gold or shimmery bronze for even more depth and added sparkle.

What Color of Mascara Is Best for Green Eyes?

Green eyes are fairly rare—and opting for a complementary mascara is the perfect way to show off their distinctive color. Make your green eyes pop with a red-toned mascara, like L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Deep Burgundy. The warm hue will accentuate the natural green tones in your eyes without taking attention away from them. To get the most pigment out of this deep, jewel-toned shade, delicately wriggle the wand horizontally at the base of your lashes while sweeping upwards.

What Color of Mascara Is Best for Gray Eyes?

Since gray eyes are one of the more neutral eye colors, you’ll find a bigger range of colored mascara will work for you. L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Deep Burgundy will make gray eyes pop, especially if they feature blueish undertones. You can also try a more vibrant shade like L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Original Washable Bold Eye Mascara in Cobalt Blue. Since this blue mascara is a bolder blue with a higher intensity of pigment, it can brighten gray eyes, enhancing their natural sparkle and making them look more striking. To make the bright pop of color on your eyes stand out even further, balance the rest of your makeup look with neutral shades so it doesn’t compete. If blue mascara on both the top and bottom lashes feels too bold for your light-colored eyes, try using blue on just the upper lashes and use a softer neutral shade (like L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Washable Mascara in Black Brown) on the bottom.

Next Up: 8 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Applying Mascara

Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris