87 years of expert advice and inspiration, for every couple.
Cristina Montemayor is a freelance writer and makeup artist whose work has appeared on HelloGiggles, Slate, Elite Daily, and Bustle.
Photo by Rach Loves Troy
All eyes on the bride! As you make your way down the aisle, let your eyes do the talking. Your wedding eye makeup look can be minimalist and simple or bold and glamorous, depending on your personal style. While the only two words coming out of your mouth should be "I do," your eyes have the ability to convey countless emotions with just one look. But, what look should you choose?
When you’re looking at bridal beauty looks to inspire your own, the first thing you should consider is your eye color. Brides with blue eyes look best in neutral tones, like champagne and taupe, as well as coppers, corals, and bronze. Blue eyes stand out on their own, so you want to avoid overwhelming light eyes with dark eye shadow. Instead, enhance blue eyes with shimmery golds and cool-toned browns.
Looking for inspo? "When looking for bridal makeup inspiration, avoid using 'bridal' or 'blue' in the search, which can bring up outdated and overly made-up looks that aren’t fresh or modern," advises makeup artist Tanya Bures. "Stick with words like 'event makeup for light eyes,' 'red carpet makeup for light eyes,' or 'natural eyeshadow for light eyes.'"
Ahead, we’ll take a look at wedding eye makeup ideas for blue eyes, ranging from the traditional smokey eye to soft and romantic natural glam looks.
Photo by Niki Marie Photography; Event Planning by Kia Marie Events; Hair by HBJ Chicago; Makeup by Troye Antonio
Blue eyes are striking enough on their own. Take a cue from this Chicago bride and keep it simple on the eyes: A thin line of black eyeliner makes your lashes appear thicker and darker, helping blue eyes stand out even more. Natural, shimmery eyeshadow and wispy lashes complete the look.
Photo by Rêver Weddings; Event Planning by Courtney Drake of Drake Social; Hair & Makeup by Scoobie West & Company
Your partner may only have eyes for you, but on your wedding day, you may be wanting to play up yours a little more than usual. Black liquid liner accentuates blue eyes beautifully, while false lashes emphasize your natural eye shape. Bride Lauren paired the look with a soft smoke and gold shimmer to really make her baby blues pop for the Atlanta nuptials.
Photo by Biancca Wallace; Event Planning by Courtney Tibbets of After The Engagement; Hair by Courtney Nicole; Makeup by Dayna Lynne Makeup
"Sunset tones and rose gold shadows are still having their moment," says Bures. "For blue eyes, this is the perfect backdrop as orange is the complementary color to blue in the color wheel." We love this bride's warm, dusky vibe for her tropical Palm Springs wedding.
Photo by IVASH; Event Planning by Lisi Korn of Forever Events; Makeup by Vicky J. Rivera
"Darker hair color will always create a more vibrant blue in the eyes, and adding complementary warm tones on the eyes will amplify that contrast," notes Bures. We love this bride's allover wash of copper hues from the metallic eye to the matching lip. The look sets her vivid eyes ablaze for the Miami nuptials.
Photo by Corrina Walker Photography
Full brows and dark liner give a powerful presence to blue eyes. While winged eyeliner is always a classic, not all liner needs to extend up towards the brow. Stop extending just before you get to the outer corner of the eyes for a more natural, lifted look.
If bringing inspo photos to a makeup artist, try to find models with the same eye color, skin tone, and hair color to get the most accurate idea of what it will look like on you.
This bride’s blue eyes are absolutely piercing, thanks to the dark shadow laid down closest to her upper lash line. Skip the shadow on the lower lash line and leave the brows looking natural and full to keep all the attention on those bright baby blues. A pink lippy keeps the face looking fresh without competing with the eyes.
Forgo the eyeshadow altogether and let your blue eyes shine all on their own. A light coat of black mascara emphasizes the color, while bushy brows perfectly frame the face. We especially love the natural flush on the lips, giving a just-bitten vibe that matches the rest of the barely there makeup.
There’s just something about the way winged eyeliner and blue eyes go together. This elegant look is ideal for a retro-inspired wedding, as this timeless eyeliner trend harkens back to old Hollywood glamour while still remaining current. We love the powerful red lip to complete the bride's Bond-girl vibe.
Photo by Roberta Facchini Photography; Event Planning by Giusy DâAmbrosio; Hair by Mantas Tautvaisas; Makeup by Neringa Cukiniene
Warm orange tones are a natural fit for blue eyes. These complementary colors look especially stunning in makeup, like when blue eyes are paired with a wash of orangey-brown eyeshadow across the lids and a peachy blush. We can't think of a more appropriate way to highlight blue eyes for a golden-hour ceremony in Puglia.
A sweeping wash of a light-colored shadow is enough to make blue eyes pop. Finish with a tiny upward flick of liner at the outer corners to open up downturned eyes. Apply a few coats of mascara, and the look is complete.
Photo by Christine Brizendine of Dabble Me This; Event Planning by Bridget Rogers of Shannon Gail Weddings; Hair by Aneisha Wilks; Makeup by Danielle Rochon
If you're yearning for a pop of color in your wedding-day makeup look, might we suggest pink? This beaming bride makes a serious case for the bold wash of pastel and her bright blue eyes are loving the extra attention. The watercolor vibe is picture-perfect for a Monet-inspired wedding.
Photo by Inspired Muse Photography
The "opposites attract" rule is especially true when it comes to eye makeup colors. Hues like bronze, tan, and brown are some of the best eye shadow colors for blue eyes. The bronze eyeliner on the lower lash line makes this bride’s blue eyes look especially vibrant.
Photo by Jonnie and Garrett
Here is another example of how orange eyeshadow pairs perfectly with blue eyes. Warm up cool blue eyes with an orangey coral shade in the crease, followed by a thick swipe of black liner. Blue eyes have never looked brighter.
Photo by Lilly Red Creative
Varying shades of warm brown eyeshadow bring out the beauty of blue eyes. With the subtle smokey eye and bronzy, glowy complexion, this look has a boho California-inspired feel to it. We love how this bride's eyes effortlessly come alive without demanding too much attention from strong liner or dark shadows.
Photo by Meraki Wedding Photo & Film
Add some warmth to your look with a light dusting of a peach eyeshadow across the lids. To define the lash line, take a slanted eyebrow brush and dip it in a deep brown eyeshadow to create a soft and romantic winged liner. "We’ve been seeing rich brown eyeliner instead of black as a softer, more smoldering alternative," adds Bures.
A smokey eye look literally never goes out of style, but dark black shadow can overwhelm blue eyes. Classic cool tones, such as gray and silver, add depth without overdosing on drama. Use a silver or gray pencil in the lower waterline for allover definition.
For a minimalist eye makeup look, skip the shadow altogether and add a very thin line of eyeliner starting at the middle of your pupil. Load up on the mascara and leave the under eyes completely blank. This French-girl beauty look is super-trendy right now.
Photo by De Joy Photography
"Too much black around the entire eye is distracting and unnecessary," says Bures. "With blue eyes, the beauty is less is more." Let your light eyes shine brightly by paring down your eye look to just the essentials: a single nude-toned eyeshadow for subtle definition and a bit of mascara. This simple yet stunning eye look is a subtle upgrade from the traditional "no makeup" makeup look.
This super-wearable eye look proves that smokey eyes don’t have to be edgy and dramatic. They can also be soft and natural. The key to a perfect smokey eye is blending the eye shadow along the upper lash line with a pencil-shaped brush to get that smoke-like effect. Then, smudge the shadow along the lower lash line.
Photo by Gianni di Natale
Dramatic smokey eyes are a go-to eye look for a glamorous wedding. Crucial elements include midnight black eyeshadow and kohl pencil, liquid liner, and a pair of knockout false lashes. Take it up a notch by adding shimmer or glitter to the center of the lid. Baby blues will smolder underneath that haze of smoke.
A little bit of shimmer on the lids is just enough to make your blue eyes sparkle at the altar and on the dancefloor. Nude or champagne tones keep the look natural and ethereal, never too intense. "For lighter hair, I love keeping the eyeshadow neutral and lining the top lash line with black eyeshadow, creating a lush frame and a subtle lift to the outer corner," says Bures.
A brown liner with a metallic finish is a better, natural-looking alternative to the traditional black liner. This coppery brown liner with soft metallic shimmer really brings out the bride’s blue eyes. Paired with subtle gold shadow, this French bride's eyes are practically incandescent for her chateau wedding.
Bring the drama with an eye-catching winged smokey look. Work a black shadow into the outer crease of your eye and blend slightly up and outward in a winged shape. If your blending gets too out of control, don’t panic. Sweep a clean Q-tip or makeup remover wipe along the angle of your lower lash line to polish the shape.
If you love the look of a black smokey eye but don’t want something as opaque and dark, follow this bride’s lead and do the same look with brown eyeshadow. Use your eye shadow on a fluffy brush to blend the shade up and out towards the tail of your brow. Finish with black or brown liner in the waterline and underneath your lower lash line, smudging out the edges with a pencil brush.
A bridal beauty look begs for some shine and sparkle. Pop on a metallic gold eyeshadow, add an ultra-thin liner, some mascara, and you’ll be ready to dance the night away with your blue eyes shining brighter than the disco ball. We're picking up major mermaid vibes from this beach-bound bride.
Photo by Roey Yohai; Event Planning by JZ Events; Hair by Hair by Halli; Makeup by Sara Brownlee & Cambus Artistry
Platinum locks and light eyes make for quite the bright canvas. A romantic and refined warm smoke with brown-aubergine liner and lush lashes add sultry dimension without being too harsh for the bride's natural coloring. The classic look transitioned seamlessly from day to night at the coastal Southampton wedding.
Try individual lashes over a full lash strip for a more natural look tailored to your specific eye shape.
Photo by Heather Anderson Photography; Event Planning by Partners In Crafting; Hair by Cindy Lopez; Makeup by Brian Valentine
Bride Barbie is every bit the blushing bride with rose gold hues that bring her baby blues to life for her Southern California wedding. "With blue eyes, it’s easy to go one step too far and more difficult to take away," says Bures. "If doing your own makeup, I suggest going lightly, stepping back to review the overall look, and adding more only if you feel like you need a little more drama."
Warm, neutral shades are the most complementary for blue eyes. Chocolaty browns, deep bronze and gold shades, and dusky reds and pinks amplify blue eyes. Softer makeup looks are better for adding emphasis over more dramatic eye compositions, which can overtake lighter eye colors.
Rich browns with red undertones beautifully emphasize blue eyes. Gray eyeliner can also be complementary for cooler-toned looks. Black provides the most dramatic contrast but can sometimes appear too harsh with the light color.
Yellow undertones naturally brighten blue eyes. Opt for gold eyeshadows that both reflect light and enhance the color blue. For added depth, bronze shades can have the same effect with a smokier finish.
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