How to Wear Rainbow Eye Makeup

The ends of rainbows may not be marked by pots of gold, but that doesn’t make rainbows any less beautiful to watch. If you’re on the lookout for makeup inspiration, you can stop searching. Those colorful curves you see in the sky can serve up endless ideas for eye makeup looks. That’s right: Pack away your basic blacks and browns—it’s time to get colorful with your eye shadow and eyeliner. Below, we’re sharing tutorials for three rainbow eye makeup looks.

Rainbow Eye Makeup Look #1: Rainbow Bright Eye Shadow

If you’re ready to take the plunge and attempt allover color, then this is the makeup idea could be for you.

Step 1: Prime lids. Kicking things off by applying a small amount of eye makeup primer will help shadow apply smoothly and wear evenly.

Step 2: Apply a yellow base. Using a dense eye shadow brush, pack chartreuse eye shadow onto your lids.

Step 3: Blend color into crease. With a blending brush, add the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Endless Sea into your crease. From there, work your way outwards towards your brow bone, adding colors as you go. Fade the teal into the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Paints Metallics Eye Shadow in Violet Luster, then the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Glistening Garnet, and finally the L’Oréal Paris Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Eternal Sunshine.

Step 4: Soften harsh lines. Take a clean blending brush and soften sharp edges and lines, giving a more gradated effect.

Step 5: Add eyeliner. Along your upper lash line, add a thin line of the L’Oréal Paris Infallible The Super Slim Eyeliner in Black to make lashes look thicker.

Step 6: Coat lashes. Mascara time! Brush on a coat of the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Washable Mascara.

Step 7: Apply false lashes. If rainbow eye makeup isn’t quite dramatic enough for you, a bold strip of false lashes should do the trick. Glue them on and you’re good to go.

Rainbow Eye Makeup Look #2: Colorful Cat Eye

A flick is already fierce, but what about a wing that’s covered in color?

Step 1: Prime lids. This may be a liner centric-look, but eye shadow primers can help eyeliner apply more easily, too.

Step 2: Apply white eyeliner. Using the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Eyeliner in White, create a white line against your lashes.

Step 3: Wing it out. Extend the line into a perfectly pointed wing.

Step 4: Go over with rainbow eye shadows. With a small angled brush add eye shadow overtop of the white eyeliner. Start with a red near your tear duct, working your way through the colors of the rainbow and ending with the L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Pocket Palette Eye Shadow in Violet Armour, filling in the flick.

Step 5: Tightline. Don’t draw attention away from your rainbow cat eye with overdone liner. Instead, try tightlining. Use the L’Oréal Paris Infallible Silkissime Eyeliner in Black to line along your upper waterline, giving an “invisible eyeliner” effect.

Step 6: Coat lashes. Sweep an ultra-glossy mascara, like the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Feline Noir Mascara, onto upper and lower lashes to finish off your look.

Rainbow Eye Makeup Look #3: Spectrum Lash Line

For those wary of wearing the rainbow, we feel you. Keep it constrained to the lower lash line for a touch of subtlety.

Step 1: Start with a neutral look. Using a nude eye shadow palette, apply a soft beige to lids and a mid-toned brown in the crease. Be sure to keep this part of the look extremely simple—i.e. not eye catching.

Step 2: Apply a white base. With a small brush, apply a white cream eye shadow to the lower lash line as a base for the colors. The white will help make pigments pop.

Step 3: Smudge shadows along lash line. Add eye shadows to your lower lash line with a pencil brush. Start near the inner corner and apply shadows in ROYGBIV order (a convenient way to remember the colors of the rainbow).

Step 4: Highlight inner corners. Place the L’Oréal Paris True Match™ Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator in Ice on the inner corners of your eyes for a shimmer-y glow.

Step 5: Coat lashes. Of course, your rainbow eye makeup look wouldn’t be complete without mascara. Grab the L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara and apply a coat or two to upper and lower lashes.

Want another taste of the rainbow? Check out our article, Hidden Rainbow Roots: How to Get This Season’s Hottest New Trend.