15 Unbeatable Makeup Ideas for Gray Eyes for 2021

Created: 07/26/2019
Updated: 01/28/2021 22:47:13 Share:
Gray eyes add mystery and mystery to a woman’s image, especially if you choose the right makeup shadows. The advantage of gray eyes is that you can use almost the entire color palette for makeup, which opens up great opportunities for experimenting with images. Professional makeup artists shared with expertology.ru journalists the intricacies of choosing and using cosmetics for eyes with gray irises. You will find their recommendations and advice in this article.

Shadows for gray eyes in accordance with the color type of appearance

There are two main color types of appearance – warm and cold. Therefore, makeup for a blonde and a brunette or brown-haired woman with gray eyes will be different. This means that you need to decide on your type of appearance before choosing shadows. To find out your color type, take a box of warm pink and cool pink powder, bring it to your face, and stand in front of the mirror. Evaluate how well these colors suit you and how they reflect on your appearance. If your complexion paired with cool or warm undertones makes you look sallow or unhealthy, this is not your option. If your appearance is positively transformed against the background of a cold/warm tone, then you have a cold/warm color type.

If you can’t decide on your type of appearance, then makeup artists give you a little hint. The warm color type usually includes women with peach, pink skin tones and red, red-brown, straw, golden, and honey hair. For such girls, if they have gray eyes, brown, yellow, golden, almond, warm tones of cosmetics are suitable. However, contrasting cold gradients - blue and blue in all forms, greenish, purple - will help to shade the skin and emphasize its beauty.

The cool color type usually includes women with fair skin, which may have a pinkish or bluish undertone. The natural hair color of these girls is cool blond, black, light brown, ashy or brown without a hint of red. Girls with gray eyes of this type should not use too bright or too pale tones. In the first case, the eyes will simply “get lost” against the background of cosmetics, and in the second case, the image will be faded and somehow painful. But discreet bed gradients such as yellow-brown, coffee, azure, peach or beige are ideal for gray eye makeup.

Don't forget that when you dye your hair or get a tan, your color type changes. In accordance with this, you need to use other shadows that are more suitable for your current image.

As it was before

The fact that gray eye color was common in the Russian Empire was recalled by the Roman ambassador Reitenfels back in the 17th century. He pointed out that Russians had light brown or red hair, and their eyes were most often blue or gray. These gray eyes, according to the Roman, were especially valued for their beauty, the menacing look of the owners and for “a certain fiery reddish shine” that the diplomat saw in the eyes of the local population.

Data published at the end of the 19th century in the Efron and Bockhaus encyclopedia make it clear that gray eyes were most common among Russians, but the percentage of blue eyes, if at all, was not much smaller. The majority of gray and blue eyes were among Little Russians and Great Russians. But among Belarusians, gray and blue eyes were found in almost 80%, that is, 40–45% of the population had gray eyes.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the doctor and scientist Ivan Pantyukhov conducted observations. He noted that among the soldiers with whom he had to work, 50% had gray eyes, another 20% had blue or blue eyes. But anthropologists consider Pantyukhov’s samples to be incorrect from a scientific point of view and classify his work as private observations.

In the fifties of the last century, Soviet anthropologists conducted a large-scale expedition to study the Russian people in their places of permanent residence. About 17,000 people were examined and studied. It turned out that gray eyes occur in approximately 21.7% of those examined. Moreover, in men they were found 2% more often. Another 21.7% of the population had blue or blue eyes.

The right choice of shadows will help highlight the features of the iris of gray eyes.

Gray eyes have an amazing feature - they can change their shade. Depending on the lighting, the woman’s mood, the color of clothing and accessories, the iris may appear not gray, but gray-blue, gray-green or gray-brown. And the right shadows can further enhance this chameleon effect. Therefore, make-up experts advise choosing cosmetics in this way:

In order to emphasize the gray-blue irises, pastel, sky tones, silver blue and all shades of blue are suitable. And also khaki, olive, ash pink.
In order to emphasize the gray-green irises, you can buy cosmetics in blue, deep gray, graphite, variations of dark burgundy, terracotta and copper shades, plum-violet, green tones.
To highlight gray-brown irises, use all shades of beige and brown. Ocher, olive, and dark green shadows go well with gray-brown eyes.

Contour and eyeliner

It is very important for gray eyes to highlight the eyes and eyelashes, since, in itself, the gray color of the eyes is not contrasting. Therefore, you should not look faded with daytime makeup.

For those with gray eyes, it is important not only to choose the right shadows, but also to find a good eyeliner for them. Black is considered a universal color, but its use requires some care. It should be remembered that too thick lines make the eyes appear sunken and visually make them smaller.

Those for whom black color does not suit their skin color type can use a brown contour; the same solution is suitable for women who prefer beige or brown shadows. When choosing a brown outline, be careful and find a shade that is closer to gray. Otherwise, you risk getting a brick or reddish color that will give your eyes a sickly appearance.

For makeup in silver-blue tones, only a dark blue contour is suitable.

If brown and black don't suit you for some reason, you can try a dark gray outline. It will go well with gray eyes, will not contrast with the color of the eyelashes, and, at the same time, will give the look the necessary sensuality and depth.

If there is a need to adjust your eye color, you can always take shadows in the appropriate shades. For example, to make your eyes look darker, you should use very light shades of eyeshadow, and to make your eyes appear blue or green, you just need to create makeup in the color you want to give them.

How to choose shadows for gray eyes depending on skin type

Recommendations from makeup artists on choosing decorative cosmetics for gray eyes and different skin types:

If a girl has oily skin prone to rashes, or, conversely, dry skin prone to redness, she needs to avoid all shades of red. Shades of light pink, red, pink-violet tones will help draw attention to problem areas of the skin. In this case, it is also not recommended to use all green options.
If a girl's skin has a natural yellowish tint, she should not use cosmetics in yellow, orange and purple colors.
If a girl’s natural skin tone is too pale or bluish, orange and blue shades will not suit her.
If a girl has naturally dark or tanned skin and gray eyes, shades of warm chocolate, beige, caramel and golden shades will help highlight the features of her appearance. But it is better not to use products related to pink or purple colors.

It is important to consider that the condition of the skin is constantly changing. For example, in winter the skin is paler than in summer, young girls are more likely to develop rashes than middle-aged women, etc. Therefore, you need to buy several shadows that suit gray eyes, from which you can choose, taking into account the current state of the skin on your face.

General tips for choosing cosmetics for gray eyes

Experts give the following advice on choosing decorative cosmetics for gray-eyed girls:

Shadows can be of different tones, but not the same color as the color of the iris, otherwise the eyes will become inconspicuous, and the appearance will be blurry and unattractive.
Be careful when using pink and purple shades. Experiment with this range and you will understand whether these tones suit you.
There is no need to combine blue and green gradients in one make-up at the same time.
In any case, a win-win option for gray eyes is all the options of silver and gray, graphite and smoky.
To make your makeup interesting and rich, combine 2-3 similar tones - from lighter to darker. The application technique can be different and depends on the appearance and goals, but the boundaries of the shades should always be carefully shaded.

These are basic recommendations from makeup artists that will be useful to all women with gray eyes, regardless of hair color, skin color and general color type.

Choosing a hair color that matches gray eyes

If you do not want to make a mistake with the choice of color, before dyeing you need to understand what features your appearance has. Meaning:

Nuances of eye shade. Not only the main color is important, but also the one that frames it, as well as all kinds of inclusions.
Skin color type. As already mentioned, when choosing a hair color that matches gray eyes, you must take into account your skin type. Blonde hair will only become paler against the background of dark hair, and may even look sickly. For dark or tanned skin, it is better to choose colors from a warm range. Girls with medium skin tones can let their hair turn golden, red, chestnut or wheat. Blonde requires caution with different color types.
Skin undertone.
An important characteristic that is most often difficult to determine. Undertones are shades that shine through the surface of the skin and affect its main color. You can recognize the undertone by the veins: a visible greenish tint indicates a warm undertone, blue veins indicate a cold undertone. In order not to be mistaken with your conclusions, it is better to focus on the inner surface of the hand, which practically does not tan and most accurately conveys the color of the veins. The undertone is not tied to any specific skin type: light or dark, combinations can be different. The undertone helps you choose the right color not only for hair dye, but also makeup, accessories, and clothing.

Choosing shadows for gray eyes depending on the finish

Finish is the type of final coverage or effect that occurs after applying eye shadow. The finish may vary:

Matte - the shadows have an intense opaque shade, but not glitter or shine. They don't reflect light. Matte shadows are applied to areas that need to be “hidden” from the attention of others. For example, they are used by women with such appearance features as drooping eyelids or large, slightly protruding eyes. But in general, matte products are universal; they are suitable for both daily and holiday makeup.
Satin is a semi-matte universal eyeshadow that can be used to achieve a light and soft iridescent effect on satin or silk fabrics.
Veluxe are usually decorative cosmetics with a creamy texture. They provide minimal shimmer, comparable to the shine of a velvet coating.
Velvet – matte shadows interspersed with a few small sparkles.
With the Frost effect - these are pearlescent shadows that create the effect of frost shining in the sun. These eye makeup products create a shimmering finish with a medium to high shine. Professional makeup artists often use such options as a highlighter. Pearlescent shadows can be used for daytime makeup if applied sparingly and tastefully. And also for formal and artistic makeup. But they are not recommended for use by women over the age of 45, since pearlescent products allow you to focus not only on the eyes, they draw attention to aesthetic defects of the skin (wrinkles, age spots, etc.).
With the Luster effect - the most brilliant and radiant shadows with large pearlescent particles in high concentration. Allows you to obtain the effect of ultra-fine metallic shine.

Usually girls buy several options for eye shadows with different types of finishes at the same time. Your makeup bag should contain at least one matte shadow and additionally one shadow with a shimmer effect.

How to choose eyeshadow depending on its texture

When choosing eye shadow, the texture of cosmetics is not the least important. The ease of application, the durability of the makeup, the brightness of the shade, and the finish depend on it.

Types of shadows by texture and release form:

Compact dry shadows similar to pressed face powder. Such products have a high concentration of pigment substances. They lie evenly on the skin of the eyelids, are perfectly shaded, and are easy to mix, achieving the desired shade or eliminating the boundaries of different tones. Such cosmetics can be applied with brushes (both dry and wet methods), applicators, even with your fingers. It is convenient to store, they take up minimal space in a cosmetic bag or purse and do not spread. On sale you can find palettes with different numbers of dry shadows - from 1 to 6 or more options. They can be used as the sole means of decorative cosmetics for eye makeup, or in combination with an eye shadow base, pencils, and cream products that allow you to achieve a more saturated shade.
Loose eye shadow in jars. Typically, such products have a high concentration of pigment, which allows you to get both a light and rich shade. This type of cosmetic product fits well on the eyelids, does not roll, does not crumble, and shades well. Loose shadows are applied mainly with brushes with natural bristles. The only minor drawback of such products is that they can spill out of the packaging, especially if they are carried in a cosmetic bag every day. And using them outside the home is not very convenient. Otherwise, loose shadows are an excellent option for both everyday and evening makeup.
Cream eyeshadows in tubes and jars are bright and eye-catching shades. Using a synthetic or mixed bristle brush, which has less absorbent properties, you can create a flawless, weightless finish. Or make a base for applying dry eye shadow, ensuring greater durability and color saturation of cosmetic products.
Liquid shadows with a more fluid texture than cream products. Convenient to use at home, applied with a brush, applicator, or fingertips. They mix and shade well, do not dry out, do not cause a tightness effect, do not roll down, do not crumble.

Which eye shadow texture is best? In principle, in this matter you can be guided by your own taste, but there are general recommendations from makeup artists regarding how to choose the texture of eye cosmetics depending on your skin type. If you have dry skin, liquid products, dry compacts, shadows in the form of a greasy pencil and baked ones are suitable for you. If you have oily skin, you can buy cream, dry, crumbly preparations.

Additional features of choosing decorative cosmetics for the eyes

When choosing shadows, you need to focus not only on eye color, but also on a number of other criteria. Experts shared with our readers the rules for choosing decorative cosmetics for eye makeup:

Brand. Make-up experts do not advise buying cosmetics from unknown manufacturers. Even if you read positive reviews on the forums about the products of such companies, it is better not to take risks and give preference to proven and reliable options.
Place of purchase. You should not buy eye shadow and other types of decorative cosmetics at the market or in non-specialized stores. This is explained by the fact that there is a risk of buying a fake or low-quality product. The conditions for storing cosmetics in such places are also questionable.
Price. Even if you buy cosmetics from famous brands, they do not have to be expensive. Now you can find eye shadow in any price category - from mass market to luxury and professional. For example, Oriflame cosmetics have proven themselves well. And this company produces both budget product lines and luxury series.
Component composition. Be sure to read the information on the label. The composition should not contain harmful synthetic components or allergens. It is desirable that the ingredients of the shadows be predominantly natural or gentle (oils, glycerin), which do not dry out the skin and fix the pigment on the eyelids.
Longevity of eye shadow. In principle, all modern eye makeup products have sufficient durability so that you don’t have to touch up your makeup during the day. But there are super-long-lasting eyeshadows that can be used in exceptional conditions. For example, if you apply makeup in the morning before work, and after a hard day, without going home, you plan to go on a date or party. In this case, you will need long-lasting eye shadow that will last longer than eight to nine hours.
Best before date. To avoid harming the delicate skin of the eyelids, make sure that eye shadows have an appropriate expiration date and shelf life after opening the package and first use. Expired cosmetics are not only harmful to the skin, they do not apply well, roll and crumble, and have an uneven shade.

How not to make a mistake with a purchase

If possible, test eye shadows before purchasing. To do this, apply a small amount of the product to the skin on the inside of your wrist. Shadows are suitable for you if:

You love the way the pigment looks on your skin and matches your skin tone.
You like the structure of the product; it is comfortable to “wear.”
From the first application I managed to get the shade indicated on the package; there is no need to apply a second layer.
The shadows lay evenly and without gaps.
If you choose cream products, they should be applied to an area of the skin that will not come into contact with clothing for 30-60 minutes. During this time, the shadows should not be smeared, the color should not lose saturation.

Features of choosing shadows and other cosmetics for evening makeup for gray eyes

Experts assure that for a festive or just evening make-up of gray eyes, you can choose shadows of brighter shades. But only on condition that the girl has an even skin tone without flaws. If there are still minor aesthetic defects, they can be disguised using primer, corrector, foundation and powder.

Rich sapphire or turquoise gradients, including sparkles and shimmer effects, are great for gray eyes. Arrows can also be drawn with colored eyeliner - green, blue - depending on the overall makeup style and image. In this case, the main emphasis is on the eyes, emphasizing their unique shade, shape and natural beauty. The rich colors of the shadows go well together and are complemented by nude or just neutral lipstick and a clearly drawn eyebrow line.

The evening makeup technique for gray eyes may not differ from the everyday makeup technique. The shades of the shadows simply change from pastel to more juicy and bright ones. An alternative option for gray-eyed girls is makeup in the Smoky eyes style. Gray eyes surrounded by a haze of shadows look mysterious and attractive.

Nude makeup for gray eyes. Techniques and types of makeup for gray-blue eyes with photos and videos

Charming, deep, bewitching and alluring - this is about the girl’s eyes. If you are lucky enough to be born with blue-gray eyes, you a priori become the owner of the most charming eyes, according to most.

Without a doubt, all girls are beautiful and beautiful, but it is gray-blue eyes that look truly magical and magically attract representatives of the opposite sex.

However, the depth of the eyes is not always enough to slay the man you like. But with the help of makeup, where colors and shades are correctly combined, you can really make a man fall in love just by looking at him.

Makeup tips for girls with blue-gray eyes

Girls and women spend a lot of time and money selecting clothes, accessories and cosmetics. Even the most picky girl will not be able to resist new cosmetic products sparkling in the light of the windows.

And it’s not surprising, because all girls by nature love to put on makeup and transform themselves in order to look impressive. However, even the most beautiful young lady can make several mistakes by choosing the wrong eye shadow or the wrong lipstick for her face type and eye color, which will completely ruin her look.

Therefore, we have put together a number of recommendations that will help you create truly beautiful makeup for blue-gray eyes.

Any girl with gray-blue eyes thinks that these shades of shadows and eyeliners suit her perfectly. In part, this is true. It all depends on the clothes and the image as a whole. If you like colored eyeliner in gray or blue, don’t rush to buy it. Better imagine how it will look with the outfits in your wardrobe, and will it suit your type? If you are daring, not afraid of experiments and love bright colors in clothes and cosmetics, feel free to buy this eyeliner. And for girls with delicate and neat facial features, who prefer the image of a sweet and innocent young lady, it is better to put this eyeliner in place and give preference to light blue shadows with glitter.
Avoid thick and black wings in daytime makeup. Of course, a neat and thin liner will not spoil your makeup if you do not overload your face with other cosmetics. However, it is better to avoid thick, clearly visible arrows. But at night, for a party or for any other event, you can safely draw such arrows.
Be careful when using pink eyeshadow. Choose shades based not only on the color of your eyes, but also on your skin color and level of darkness. Shades of pink in the Barbie style will make your eyes puffy and teary, and hardly anyone wants this effect. But you can safely use such shades on your cheeks. They will add blush and make your face even sweeter and charming.
Do not use shadows in your makeup that are identical to the color of your own eyes. Thus, the natural beautiful shade will be lost and fade against the background of absolutely the same shadows. Choose shades that are a shade darker or lighter.
In daytime make-up, it is better to avoid bright eyes and lips at the same time. If you want to focus on your eyes, use regular lip balm, soft pink gloss or nude lipstick. If you are in the mood for bright and juicy lipstick, paint your eyes minimalistically, using any nude or soft pink colors.

Smokey eyes for gray eyes

For this make-up technique, pearl or shimmer shadows of plum, lilac, graphite, burgundy, purple, and eggplant tones are suitable. The technique of applying cosmetics does not cause difficulties even for girls who do not have much experience in makeup:

Let's say we have chosen a shade of shadows that is several tones darker than the color of the iris - graphite, the color of wet asphalt, etc. After applying the primer, you need to use shadows, applying them to the lower half of the moving eyelid closer to the lash line. The width of the stripe that is painted on widens slightly closer to the outer corner of the eyes. The shadows are shaded to create a hazy effect.
The product of the selected shade is also applied to the lower eyelid, shading it, you need to connect the line of contact of the shadows on the lower and upper eyelids so that the shape of the eyes is surrounded by shadows without unpainted areas. The outer corners of the eyes should be painted more intensely than the inner corners.
Using black (dark gray, graphite, silver) eyeliner or a soft kajal pencil, you need to draw arrows along the border of eyelash growth on the upper eyelid and along the mucous line on the lower eyelid, connecting the arrows into a single continuous line. In the outer corner of the eye, a graceful arrow is drawn on the upper eyelid, extending 3-5 millimeters beyond the eyelid area.
If you shade the line drawn with eyeliner, you can achieve the maximum “smoky” effect. After that, mascara is applied to the eyelashes, matching the color of the shadows and eyeliner used. If smokey eyes are done as evening makeup, you can curl your eyelashes with special eyelash curlers to make your look even more expressive and seductive.

What shadows suit gray eyes and light brown hair. Features of cosmetics selection

Before doing beautiful makeup for blondes with blue-gray eyes, you need to determine the color type. Next, you need to select cosmetics based on the selected color scheme. At the same time, they make sure that the image is harmonious. Cool colors require shades of cool shades. Swatches will help you evaluate and try on this or that makeup, your new image. In order to most objectively evaluate the color palette of the chosen makeup, it is necessary to apply the shadows you like under good electric lighting. This way you can objectively evaluate the chosen shade.

The choice of shadows and foundation depends on your skin tone and hair color. For those with light brown hair, shades of brown or green tones are suitable. All shades of gray also suit them. If a woman has problem skin, then she should not choose neutral shadows.

Makeup for gray eyes

On a note. For skin with natural yellowness, all shades of golden, yellow, and sand colors from the shadow palette are not suitable.

Base color for light skin

Makeup for blondes with blue-gray eyes and delicate fair skin will look very natural with the right choice of foundation. A base for makeup is necessary to obtain a more lasting result.

Experts distinguish two main skin tones: red and yellow. Those with fair skin are advised to choose foundations in a light beige, gold, or soft walnut tone. It is better to choose a foundation in clear sunny weather in order to accurately evaluate the foundation in natural sunlight.

Experienced specialists advise scrubbing the skin immediately before choosing a foundation. The product should be tested not on the wrist, but on the cheek area. It is also recommended to select 2 shades of tinting agent: the main suitable shade and one shade lighter.

Interesting. A foundation with a light, soft peach tint will help shade fair skin; it will give the skin a healthier color.

Shades of shadows

What shadows are suitable for gray eyes and light hair? For those with light-colored hair, soft pastel shades of eyeshadow are suitable. The optimal daytime makeup for lovely blondes is a natural nude look. Decorative cosmetics here are almost imperceptible, the main emphasis is on natural eyebrows and appetizing pink lips; shadows of a shade slightly darker than the natural color of the skin are applied to the eyelids.

Shadow options

For everyday make-up, brown or nude colors are suitable; matte shadows for this case are chosen in calm tones, namely:

Delicate peach shades;

Makeup for gray eyes

Full range of steel colors;

Shadows with arrows

Decorative compositions for a beautiful smokey eye from a beige palette.

evening make-up

Arrows

Instead of eyeliner, owners of blue-gray eyes can use eye shadow in blue colors; the line should be drawn closer to the natural hair growth line from the outer corner of the eyes to the inner one.

Gray shadows

Near the outer corner of the eyes, the intensity of eyeliner application can be increased. Also suitable for everyday make-up is a silver-colored eyeliner that will perfectly highlight the unusual color of your eyes.

Pomade

When choosing lipstick, you should consider your natural skin tone.

For girls with blond hair, golden lipstick colors are suitable.

Fair girls need to give up heavy shades of fondant, opting for pink and beige tones.

Choosing eyeshadow for daily makeup for gray eyes

Experts recommend making everyday makeup for gray eyes as natural as possible. To do this, you can use nude shades. A dark gray or gray-green pencil (or eyeliner) will help to emphasize the expressiveness of your look and add zest to your appearance.

You can use the colors that you like and suit you, based on the sequence of makeup for a girl with gray-green eyes:

A primer is applied to the upper eyelids, that is, a base for cosmetics, which will make the makeup more durable.
A base or main nude tone is shaded throughout the entire upper eyelid - pale beige, milky, flesh.
To make the look more expressive and deep, you can apply a darker shade, such as sand, along the crease of the eyelid.
A third, even darker pigment, for example, chocolate, is applied to the outer corner of the eyelid, slightly affecting the crease. All gradient transitions are shaded in such a way as to hide the borders, but not to “smear” the shadows into a single spot of color.
Along the lash line on the upper eyelid and between the hairs, draw a line with a gray pencil. The lower eyelid can be lined with a pencil of an unobtrusive greenish tint.
Apply basic light shadows or highlighter under the eyebrow growth line and especially to the area under the tips of the arches.
The final touch to makeup for gray eyes is applying mascara to the upper and lower eyelashes. The color of the ink is black or graphite.

Makeup for brunettes with gray eyes

An everyday makeup option for girls with blue-gray eyes - for the office, school or a romantic date.

Apply foundation to skin using fingers, a brush or a damp sponge.

Hide bruises, veins and minor inflammations under the eyes with concealer. They can also emphasize the back of the nose and the mucous contour of the eyelids to “open” the eyes.

Blend a coral-colored blush from your cheekbones to your temples.

To make up your eyebrows, use eyebrow mascara - one that can not only comb, style and fix the hairs, but also fill in the “gaps” between them if your eyebrows lack thickness.

Apply neutral shadows to the eyelid, which, by the way, can also be used as a primer.

Emphasize the mucous and eyelash contours or draw an arrow using a gel pencil.

Apply one or more layers of curling mascara to your eyelashes.

Shade your lips with a nude pencil to make your makeup more long-lasting.