Makeup for Dark and Black Hair

Channel the striking beauty of black and dark hairstyles with my magical guide to makeup for dark hair.

Discover Essential Makeup for Dark Hair

Jourdan Dunn Makeup for Dark Hair

Jourdan wears NEW! Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick in Candy Chic

Lipstick for Dark Hair

Dark hair colours like jet black, onyx and deep brown have greater intensity than blonde, red and brunette hair which helps them to complement a wide range of punchy lipstick looks. Jewel tones like ruby red or garnet, and vivid pinks like magenta, fuchsia and berry-pink are particularly flattering alongside black hair. These shades may be intimidating for some, but the darker your hair, the easier it becomes to go bolder and brighter with your lipstick.

Red Lipstick for Dark Hair

  1. Dark-haired model wearing Carina's Love bright red Hot Lips lipstick

    CARINA’S LOVE – HOT LIPS

    Glossy black hair and a show-stopping red lip is a recipe for timeless glamour, darlings! Dark-haired beauties look fabulous in my Hot Lips lipstick, Carina’s Love! This vibrant, matte red is a high-definition, screen-siren red that delivers statement-making colour pigment. A bright red lipstick is the perfect way to contrast dreamy, dark waves, and Carina’s Love is destined for a starring role in your makeup collection!

    Shop Hot Lips lipstick in Carina’s Love

  2. Dark-haired model wearing Walk of No Shame berry-red matte lipstick

    WALK OF NO SHAME – MATTE REVOLUTION

    I’ve used my Walk of No Shame Matte Revolution lipstick to create red lipstick looks on countless dark-haired beauties around the world! Its unique mix of rose, red and berry tones is what makes Walk of No Shame so special. The confidence-boosting shade gives your pout a rush of flattering lip colour that’s slightly more subdued than a bright red or pink, creating the dreamiest, berry-blushed lipstick look that beautifully complements shiny, dark hair.

    Shop Walk of No Shame lipstick

  3. Dark-haired model wearing Night Crimson deep satin-finish red lipstick

    NIGHT CRIMSON – K.I.S.S.I.N.G

    If you’re looking for a red lipstick that can’t help but turn heads, my Night Crimson lipstick is born to be the main character. This irresistible crimson shade is inspired by my famous red gift boxes – it’s truly a gift for your lips, darlings. My nourishing K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula gives Night Crimson a lavish, satin finish, helping the deep and delectable plum-red hues to shine bright, all night. This striking shade pairs perfectly with dark, dramatic makeup looks and looks sensational alongside draping, dark hair.

    Shop Night Crimson K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick

Pink Lipstick for Dark Hair

  1. Dark-haired model wearing Kim KW nude-pink Hot Lips lipstick

    KIM KW – HOT LIPS

    Kim KW is a pale pink with cool undertones, showcasing a more flesh-toned take on pink that looks jaw-dropping on dark-haired beauties, everywhere. Its sweet, powder-pink shade expertly contrasts black hairstyles, creating a modern nude lipstick look for every mood and moment. The satin-finish shade glides onto the lips to create a barely there pout that looks soft and delicate alongside jet-black locks.

    Tilbury Tip: For deeper skin tones, pair Kim KW with a deeper lip liner like Pillow Talk Intense Lip Cheat to help blend the pink pigment with your natural lip colour.

    Shop Kim KW

  2. Dark-haired model wearing Amazing Amal berry-pink lipstick

    AMAZING AMAL – HOT LIPS 2

    Deep, sweet, and seductive – beautiful berry tones look gorgeous alongside dark hair. One of my favourite pink shades to beautify my dark-haired muses with is Hot Lips 2 in Amazing Amal; it’s a deep pink that’s almost cranberry! This magical matte shade looks sensational alongside dark hair, pushing pink lipstick to its deepest, dreamiest dimensions and mixing warm red and purple tones that pop against the natural shine of black hair.

    Shop Amazing Amal

  3. Dark-haired model wearing plum-pink lipstick

    SECRET SALMA – HOT LIPS

    Another one of my makeup secrets for dark hair is my Secret Salma Hot Lips lipstick! This modern-matte lipstick glides on a kiss of plum-pink that looks so flattering with dark hair. The mid-toned pink sets the mood for your makeup; it’s my lipstick secret for creating a plush, plum-toned pout that perfectly complements smouldering smokey eyes and blown-out locks.

    Shop Secret Salma

Eye Makeup for Dark Hair

Discover the best makeup colours to wear with dark hair. These expertly selected shades will make your eye colour pop and will help to accentuate the shine and depth of beautiful dark tresses.

Makeup for Dark Hair and Blue Eyes

  1. Queen of Glow sunset gold luxury eyeshadow palette

    QUEEN OF GLOW – LUXURY PALETTE

    Dark hair and big, blue eyes are such a striking combination, darlings, and you can use eye makeup to help them appear even more magical! To enhance the sparkle of your blue eyes, I suggest reaching for The Queen of Glow Luxury Palette to create a sunset-inspired horizon across your lids that gives your eye makeup a flattering, golden glow. The warm-toned gold and copper shades are reminiscent of a Mediterranean evening on the beach and will make your eyes glow like never before!

    Shop Queen of Glow Luxury Palette

  2. Rose Gold Eyes to Mesmerise cream eyeshadow with lid off

    ROSE GOLD – EYES TO MESMERISE

    Pink and blue are an iconic colour pairing, and my Rose Gold Eyes to Mesmerise is perfect for giving blue eyes a pretty pink glow! This easy cream eyeshadow is a flattering pop of metallic, rosy pink for dark-haired beauties that are looking to enhance the look of their blue eyes. With your finger, tap Rose Gold onto the lids and use the Eye Blender Brush to buff out the edges – just like that, your blue eyes will beam with radiant, rose-gold sparkle!

    Shop Rose Gold Eyes to Mesmerise

  3. Pillow Talk Eyeliner is a berry-brown pencil eyeliner inspired by Charlotte's iconic Pillow Talk shade

    PILLOW TALK EYELINER

    The temptation with dark hair is to reach for a super-black eyeliner like The Feline Flick in Panther to create an equally deep feline flick. I adore a jet-black eyeliner, darlings, but I recommend recreating this look with my Pillow Talk Eyeliner to achieve a softer take on a classic. My Pillow Talk Eyeliner is a berry-brown liner inspired by the universally flattering world of Pillow Talk; it glides across the lash line, leaving behind the dreamiest dash of eyeliner that provides definition and eye-enhancing colour while appearing more understated than a liquid liner.

    Shop Pillow Talk Eyeliner

    Discover more eyeshadow colours for blue eyes

    Discover more eyeliner colours for blue eyes

Makeup for Dark Hair and Brown Eyes

  1. The Vintage Vamp Luxury Palette burgundy eyeshadow palette

    THE VINTAGE VAMP – LUXURY PALETTE

    One of my 10 Iconic Looks is The Vintage Vamp – a vampy, burgundy beauty look. This dark and dramatic makeup look was inspired by magical muses with bewitching black locks that embody the va va voom of a true vamp. The Vintage Vamp Luxury Palette features reds, purples and golds that create captivating colour play that’s expertly anchored by deep brown eyes. These silky-smooth shades come to life when paired with dazzling dark hair, working together to create a tantalising makeup look that channels the beauty of vintage vixens of the past.

    Shop The Vintage Vamp Luxury Palette

  2. Eyes to Mesmerise cream eyeshadow pot in Star Gold, a warm golden amber shade

    STAR GOLD – EYES TO MESMERISE

    Become a starry-eyed siren with my Eyes to Mesmerise cream eyeshadow in Star Gold! Brown eyes are expertly complemented by oranges and golden browns, so this mesmeric gold shade with eye-catching copper sparkle is perfect for accentuating the richness and warmth that brown eyes possess. Star Gold is the secret to giving brown eyes a superstar glow – it smooths, enhances and illuminates the look of your lids and is a perfect partner to the star-powered sheen of glossy black hair.

    Shop Star Gold Eyes to Mesmerise

  3. The Classic powder eyeliner pencil in Shimmering Brown

    CLASSIC BLACK – THE CLASSIC

    Dark hair and brown eyes are the deepest colour combination of them all, so an eye-defining black eyeliner like The Classic in Classic Black is a perfect match. Having dark hair often comes with darker eyelashes, so adding subtle definition with a blendable black powder eyeliner is the perfect way to create natural-looking dimension along the lash line. I created The Classic to unlock the most elegant eyeliner looks; it glides along the skin without skipping, budging or bleeding and blends effortlessly to softly enhance the look of your lashes while matching your beautiful, black hair.

    Tilbury Tip: Pair The Classic with lashings and lashings of Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! mascara for the most magical eye-enhancing effect!

    Shop The Classic

    Discover more eyeshadow colours for brown eyes

    Discover more eyeliner colours for brown eyes

Makeup for Dark Hair and Green Eyes

  1. The Rebel Luxury Palette with four green and gold-toned eyeshadows

    THE REBEL – LUXURY PALETTE

    To complement your gorgeous, green eyes, discover the rebellious greens and golds in The Rebel Luxury Palette! This eyeshadow palette is perfect for green-eyed beauties that march to the beat of their own drum; it takes a departure from neutral browns and rose pinks, exploring offbeat olive, khaki and earth-toned gold shades that bring out the natural sparkle of green eyes. These gorgeous shades will coordinate perfectly with your glowing, green eyes, darlings!

    Shop The Rebel Luxury Palette

  2. Eyes to Mesmerise cream eyeshadow pot in berry-red shade Walk of No Shame

    WALK OF NO SHAME – EYES TO MESMERISE

    Once you’ve tried complementing your green eyes with green eyeshadow, try reaching for a red shade to create captivating contrast. Walk of No Shame is a beautiful blend of red and rose tones; it’s universally flattering, but the beautiful red tones look especially gorgeous when paired with green eyes. Red and green are perfect opposites on the colour wheel, so choosing a red eyeshadow like my Walk of No Shame Eyes To Mesmerise can give your green eyes the most magical glow, creating a glossy, berry-toned look that sets off their natural sparkle.

    Shop Walk of No Shame Eyes to Mesmerise

  3. A double-ended eyeliner with lids removed with one side a bright maroon and the other a rich violet.

    MESMERISING MAROON – EYE COLOUR MAGIC LINER DUO

    My Eye Colour Magic collection was created to give every eye colour its perfect eyeliner colour match to complement and contrast their natural hue; for green eyes, my Mesmerising Maroon Liner Duo provides eye-enhancing contrast that helps them appear even more emerald. Mesmerising Maroon features a deep, matte maroon and a dazzling garnet that work together to create twinkling eyeliner looks. These deep red tones mirror the allure of dark, glossy hair and help green eyes to look their most magical.

    Shop Mesmerising Maroon

    Discover more eyeshadow colours for green eyes

    Discover more eyeliner colours for green eyes

Makeup for Dark Hair and Hazel Eyes

  1. Luxury Palette in Pillow Talk Dreams with four dreamy, rosy-brown shades

    PILLOW TALK DREAMS - LUXURY PALETTE

    After the world fell in love with my globally loved nude-pink Pillow Talk shade, I created Pillow Talk Dreams as a deeper, rosier version of my globally loved Pillow Talk Luxury Palette. The warm, romantic shades in Pillow Talk Dreams look gorgeous on dark hair and hazel eyes; the rose and berry tones bring out the green, gold and brown aspects of the eyes, helping them to appear brighter and full of head-turning hazel sparkle.

    Tilbury Tip: My Pillow Talk collection is full of beauty secrets for the lips, cheeks and eyes; try pairing Pillow Talk Dreams Luxury Palette with Pillow Talk Medium or Pillow Talk Intense Lipstick to complete your Pillow Talk look.

    Shop Pillow Talk Dreams

  2. Champagne Eyes to Mesmerise light gold metallic cream eyeshadow pot

    CHAMPAGNE – EYES TO MESMERISE

    Hazel eyes often have a kaleidoscope of sparkling brown and glowing, green hues, and when paired with the right eyeshadow shades, they can take on a magical golden gaze. My Eyes to Mesmerise in Champagne is a perfect choice for enhancing the gold-toned glow of your hazel eyes; it’s a shimmering, cream eyeshadow that glazes the eyes with an effervescent metallic finish that accentuates the natural sparkle of hazel eyes. The light, pearlescent shade is perfect for highlighting the inner corners and the centre of the lid to make them pop against dark and black hair colours.

    Shop Champagne Eyes to Mesmerise

  3. A double-sided eyeliner with lids removed in bottle green and dark khaki.

    GREEN LIGHTS – EYE COLOUR MAGIC LINER DUO

    If you’re searching for the perfect pop of colour for hazel eyes that beautifully contrasts silky black hair, reach for a green eyeliner like my Eye Colour Magic Liner Duo in Green Lights. This double-ended eyeliner features a forest-green matte and a chartreuse metallic that help to define and enhance the look of hazel eyes, creating gorgeous, green eye makeup looks for every occasion. Green shades can help hazel eyes to appear greener and are easy to wear along the lash line for elegant emerald shine.

    Shop Green Lights

    Discover more eyeshadow colours for hazel eyes

    Discover more eyeliner colours for hazel eyes

Darlings, which of these makeup tips for dark hair are you going to try first? Whether your locks are the darkest brown or deepest black, these colours will look sensational on you!

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Author Details

Charlotte Tilbury

Founder, President, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty

With over 30 years experience, Charlotte Tilbury MBE is the world's number 1 makeup artist and British beauty entrepreneur. Charlotte established Charlotte Tilbury Beauty in 2013, which is now a record-breaking beauty brand that has won over 400 awards.

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