Eyeshadow exists in almost every colour. While an endless array of shades can encourage creativity – with so many to choose from, it’s tricky to know which eyeshadow hues work best for you.

Whatever look you’re going for, wearing eye makeup that suits your complexion is key to making your eyes pop and skin glow. From everyday shades to special occasion shimmers – keep reading to see the most flattering eyeshadows for your skin tone.

Best eyeshadow for dark skin

The bolder, the better is our motto when it comes to choosing an eyeshadow for dark skin. We love to see rich hues like vibrant blues and pinks that pop – especially when they shimmer. For a statement look, try our metallic Shadow Flip formulas; they create a high-impact, multi-chrome effect in seconds.

Our Tulum Editor Palette is the ultimate eyeshadow palette for dark skin. Filled with pigment-rich, buttery smooth mattes and sparkly metallics, its perfect for creating a whole host of looks, from desk-side chic to disco glam.

For day, try its burgundy and warm gold shades – they’re great neutral choices for your skin tone. After dark, the champagne and rose gold shimmers are a must. We love to see glitter eyeshadow looks on dark skin – especially when applied wet for a more intense finish – and these shades will flatter your complexion beautifully.

Best eyeshadow for olive skin

Thanks to their naturally tanned complexion, olive skin tones have the versatility to go bold and bright or stay safe with a neutral eyeshadow palette. It’s easy to enhance an olive skin tone, so enjoy switching it up and experimenting with new hues.

Play up your natural skin colour with golden browns or make your eyes pop with rich jewel shades like royal blue, emerald green, rich plum and burnt orange. Our five-star Eye Lustre shadow is perfect for creating long-lasting, shimmering eye looks.

The metallic, glittering liquid shadow can be swiped on for full coverage lustre, blended out for sheer sparkle or applied over any eyeshadow as a topper. Plus, it’s available in four dazzling shades: Cupid, a gorgeous rose gold; Ice, our sparkling diamond frost; Eclectic, a warm copper and our enchanting Ultraviolet purple.

Best eyeshadow for tan skin

Warm, illuminating shades and highly-pigmented metallic finishes complement tan skin. If your skin has warm undertones, consider applying rich blues to your eyelids as these will really stand out. For cool undertones, we recommend trying grey or lavender eyeshadows – not only will they make your skin glow, they’ll take you from day to night.

The best eyeshadow palette for all warm skin tones? Our St Tropez Editor Palette. With sought-after burnt peaches and fiery rust tones – reminiscent of the town’s golden sands and terracotta rooftops – it’s a must for creating sultry, smoky eye looks.

Our tip: press your chosen shadow directly onto your eyelid with your ring finger. Then, using a fluffy blending brush (like our Multi Brush), buff the edges out for a soft-focus finish to the eye. Add a couple of coats of Wonderwand Mascara and voila!

Best eyeshadow for pale skin

Taupe, rose gold and champagne hues always look amazing on pale skin tones – as do warm, earthy shades like gold and bronze. The best of both worlds meet in our Mykonos Editor Palette – the ultimate eyeshadow palette for cool skin tones. Whether you’re seeking a soft day look or serious glam, you’ll find all the shadows you need inside.

Muted shades of plum and green can also be worn in shimmery finishes as they still light up the eye area. If we had to pick the best eyeshadow for fair skin, it’d have to be our Eye Lustre metallic shadow. The sheer wash of sparkle looks stunning, brightens the eyes and softens the effect of having shadow covering your entire eyelid.

If you choose to wear a matte eyeshadow, think about dabbing a small dot of highlighter – like our Dewy Stix or Glow-To formulas – into the inner corners of your eyes. This little trick will give your eyelids more dimension as the highlighter’s reflective properties will make your whole eye area look lighter.

It doesn’t matter if you pick matte or metallic, all Ciaté London eyeshadows are perfect for shading, highlighting and lining the eyes – depending on the look you’re going for. Show us how you’re wearing your favourites: upload a photo to social media with the hashtag #Ciate for the chance to be featured on our Facebook and Instagram pages.