How To Wear Colored Shadow

Go bold, subtle or somewhere in between with colorful looks for your lids.

Light Pink

THE LOOK Blake Lively paired a soft, metallic pink shadow with an artfully applied stripe of winged liner.

WHY IT WORKS Ballerina pink shadow and vibrant peony lip gloss compliment the Gossip Girl star's blush colored dress.

SIMPLE TRICK "When you're wearing such soft shadow, you need a strong, waterproof liner that won't break up by the end of the night," says celebrity makeup artist, Gina Brooke. "Apply a gel liner, like Shu Uemura's Painting Liner in M Black ($24, sephora.com), in an outer sweeping direction, ending the wing at the edge of the brow."

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1 of 14 Blake Lively

Extreme Pink

THE LOOK Rihanna donned a dramatic fuchsia streak along her lower lashline.

WHY IT WORKS The magenta shadow works with the warm undertones in the star's skin and the subtle fading of the color along the lashline keep things from feeling too harsh.

SIMPLE TRICK "Try using a highly pigmented powder like MAKE UP FOR EVER's Neon Pink shadow ($19, sephora.com). Begin close to the lashline and create gradation of color by smudging the shadow with a Q-Tip--otherwise your eyes could look bruised," says Brooke.

2 of 14 Rihanna

Light Green

THE LOOK Natalie Portman paired a subtle line of green shadow along her top and bottom lashlines with a bold, fuchsia lipstick.

WHY IT WORKS Don't shy away from the combination of green and pink makeup--when used in the right balance (soft eyes/strong lips or vice versa) it can be a bold and sophisticated pairing.

SIMPLE TRICK "This one's all about the application. Apply Shu Uemura's Me Green 550 eye shadow ($20, shuuemura-usa.com) right along the lashline. Select a brush with firm bristles to create a delicate and precise wash," says Brooke.

3 of 14 Natalie Portman

Extreme Green

THE LOOK Alicia Keys looked dynamic with a burst of lime shadow, enhanced with precise black eye liner.

WHY IT WORKS The focus of Keys's look was entirely on the eye. Paired with neutral blush and sheer gloss, the songstress got maximum pigmentation with a cream, rather than powder, shadow.

SIMPLE TRICK "When using light colors like green on dark skin, I always recommend a cream shadow. Fard Lumière Aquarésistant in Golden Fern ($28.50, yslbeautyus.com) shows up beautifully," says Brooke.

4 of 14 Alicia Keys

Light Gold

THE LOOK Jennifer Lopez exuded luxe confidence with golden shadow and mega lashes.

WHY IT WORKS Her hair was sleek, her accessories were bold, so Lopez smartly kept her makeup subtle yet sexy.

SIMPLE TRICK "The pairing of brown and black lashes and a warm metallic shadow blends beautifully with her skin tone," says Brooke. "Add a strip of falsies to up the intensity."

5 of 14 Jennifer Lopez

Extreme Gold

THE LOOK Diane Kruger channeled old Hollywood by pairing a strong brow with a flash of yellow gold metallic shadow starting at the inner corner of her eyes.

WHY IT WORKS A bold rim of light-reflecting gold lifted and opened Kruger's eyes--plus, it works perfectly with their light blue color.

SIMPLE TRICK Brooke suggests a rich powder shadow like the Visionaire Duo in Suede by Hourglass ($38, barneys.com). "Smudge the color around your eyes with a finger and clean it up with a Q-Tip. To complete the look, apply a powder shadow to the brow with an angled nylon brush," she says.

6 of 14 Diane Kruger

Light Purple

THE LOOK Emily Blunt made a stunning appearance at the Golden Globes. The nominee paired a whisper of aubergine shadow and a hint of pink on her lips.

WHY IT WORKS Blunt's lavender hue was the ideal compliment to her light green eyes, auburn hair and fair skin.

SIMPLE TRICK "Instead of looking for the single perfect shade, try using three from the same color family: apply the lightest shadow to the inner corners of your eyes, the medium on your lids and the darkest along your lashline to give the other two depth. Yves Saint Laurent's Ombre 5 Lumières in Parisian Sky ($56, yslbeautyus.com) does the work of matching a pink, purple and brown for you," says Brooke.

7 of 14 Emily Blunt

Extreme Purple

THE LOOK Emma Stone has tawny skin, which means this plum shadow really popped.

WHY IT WORKS It's a study in contrasts: Stone chose a bold color and applied a soft coat of it all around her emerald eyes.

SIMPLE TRICK "She's a great example of how the right shadow will instantly enhance your eye color," says Brooke. "Chanel's Irreelle Duo in Orient-Express ($40, saksfifthavenue.com) includes a warm eggplant, which is red-based and intensifies blue-green and hazel eyes."

8 of 14 Emma Stone

Light Silver

THE LOOK Kate Hudson looked fresh with glowy skin and light-catching silver shadow on her lids.

WHY IT WORKS It's the perfect ice princess vibe: Blond hair, porcelain skin and sterling shadow.

SIMPLE TRICK "When using shimmering shadows, it's important to enhance your skin as well. Dab the highpoints of your face with Giorgio Armani's Fluid Sheer ($58, giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com). The combination of the two will give you an instant radiance and your skin will glow as though you've been sleeping for days," says Brooke.

9 of 14 Kate Hudson

Extreme Silver

THE LOOK Jennifer Hudson paired heavy silver shadow with sparkling lips.

WHY IT WORKS Mixed black and silver tend to take on a blueish hue--but that's a good thing since it keeps the look from feeling too stark.

SIMPLE TRICK "Rim the upper and lower lashline with Le Crayon Khôl in Black Ebony ($24.50, lancome-usa.com)," says Brooke. "If you have larger eyes like Hudson's, darken the inside of the waterline for extra intensity."

10 of 14 Jennifer Hudson

13 of 14 InStyle

How To Wear Colored Shadow

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