Red Eyeshadow Looks to Inspire Your Next Glam Session

The one color we bet you avoid when it comes to eye makeup is red. However, the fiery shade, usually associated with bloodshot eyes, is actually one of the most gorgeous shades you can wear year-round. "The look is a unique blend of elegant and edgy," Kelli J. Bartlett, director of makeup artistry at Glamsquad, tells POPSUGAR. "It's a perfect way to add an extra-festive or flirty flair to an otherwise chic and sophisticated, barely there beauty look." Though it may seem intimidating at first, don't let red eyeshadow scare you. "It's important to let [your] other features find balance by sticking to neutrals on the lips and adding a touch of the red you used on your eyes to your cheeks to coordinate the look without appearing too dramatic." Think monochromatic but more understated.

If you're not ready to do a full ruby eye, there are a few ways to ease yourself into it. To start, try incorporating red eyeliner on your top lash line. We like the Glossier No. 1 Pencil in Kiln ($16) or Nyx Professional Makeup Retractable Long-Lasting Mechanical Lip Liner ($5). However, if you're ready to wear a full red eyeshadow look, there are a couple of red eyeshadow palettes to choose from. We like the Juvia's Place Warrior II Eyeshadow Palette ($20) or the ColourPop Main Squeeze Shadow Palette ($14). Just be sure to only use your red eyeliner or eyeshadow on the upper or lower lash line and not on your inner tear duct. "It can cause the eye to look irritated and bloodshot," says Bartlett.

Bartlett has tips for applying the red eyeshadow depending on your desired end result. "Use a small, fluffy blending brush and swish back and forth in the eye socket," she says. "You can further test the trend by dabbing some of your favorite red lipstick (not the liquid matte kind, though) on your finger and swiping it back and forth on your eyelid. Use your finger to buff the color into the brow bone." However, be sure to check first that the red lipstick you use doesn't stain the skin. "Try swatching on the back of your hand first to test its stain potential."

If you want to go really bold, the key is to be sure to blend your red eyeshadow with warm earth tones. "Apply the red shadow on the lid and close to the lash line on the top and bottom and use a small, fluffy blending brush to bring a warm-brown color into the crease. The result is a subtle yet statement and chic red eye." Though anyone can rock red eyeshadow, she notes it is particularly flattering on those with green and blue eyes as "they are complementary on the color wheel."

Keep reading to see a variety of red eyeshadow looks you can re-create.