Updated March 5th, 2025–Just like makeup, contact lenses enhance your natural features. Many contact lenses suit what you are looking for when it comes to vibrance and comfort, depending on your goals.
If you have dark eyes, chances are you either have brown eyes or very dark brown eyes that are almost black. So, finding lenses that create noticeable yet natural-looking effects can be challenging since not all lenses provide the opacity needed to shine over darker irises.
This guide will cover which colored contact lenses work best for dark eyes, and why.
Types of Colored Contacts
The iris features lines and dots that create each person’s distinctive eye color. Colored contact lenses mimic the appearance of the iris, using various tints to achieve different looks. The center of the lens is always clear to ensure unobstructed vision through the pupil. Here are the main types of tints available in colored contacts:
Visibility tint
Best for: First-time contact users who need easy handling
Visibility tint is used in clear contact lenses, utilizing a very light blue or turquoise color. It is added to lenses so users can see them while handling the lenses, during insertion, removal, or if the lenses are accidentally dropped. This tint is faint enough that it doesn’t affect your eye color.
Suitable for Dark Eyes? No
Enhancement tint
Best for: People with lighter-colored eyes wanting a more vibrant look
Enhancement tints are darker than a visibility tint, and designed to enhance your eyes’ natural color, as the name suggests. These lenses are typically better suited for those with lighter-colored eyes to make their eye color more vibrant. This means if you have blue eyes, your eyes will look bluer.
Suitable for Dark Eyes? Partially
Blending tints
Best for: New users seeking mild, natural-looking change
Blending-type tints in colored contact lenses are tints that blend colors gradually with more opaque shades at the outer edges, and less opaque towards the middle of the lens. Manufacturers created this color-blending tint to help make a more natural-looking eye color.
The effect will be a deeper, darker shade of the color you see on the colored contact lenses and is excellent if you want to ease yourself into colored lenses. Gray is a stunning color, especially when featured as a tri-blended colored contact lens on darker eyes.
Suitable for Dark Eyes? Partially
Best brands:
Freshlook Colorblends
Air Optix Colors
Opaque tint
Best for: Dark-eyed users wanting a full transformation
Opaque tints are non-transparent tints that will entirely change your eye color. Theseopaque-tinted colored contact lenses usually come in an incredible array of colors, from natural to theatrical. Natural colors may include gray, blue, hazel, green, brown, honey, amethyst, and violet.
Unlike color-enhancing contacts, opaque-tinted lenses have dense and saturated tints that completely mask your natural eye color, no matter how dark it may be.
Suitable for Dark Eyes? Yes
Additional options:
- Opaque-tinted colored contact without limbal ring: It gives a more natural effect. Perfect if you want a look with pale light eyes.
- Opaque-tinted colored contacts with limbal rings: They make your eyes look larger and change your eye color. Especially popular in Asia, known as ‘circle lenses.’
- Theatrical lenses: They may have interesting special effects, such as cat pupil shapes, or bright colors like red and orange. Great for Halloween, Cosplay, and ComicCon.
Important Note: Always buy contact lenses with a prescription to protect your eye health, even for Halloween or theatrical lenses. Buying from unregulated sources can be dangerous for your eyesight.
Best Colors for Dark Eyes
Different colors produce varying effects on dark eyes. Here’s what you can expect from each:
- Gray Contacts on Dark Eyes: Adds an elegant, mysterious edge to dark eyes, often blending with natural shades for a striking but harmonious effect.
- Green Contacts on Dark Eyes: Brightens dark eyes, giving them a unique and vivid look that’s especially captivating on medium and deep skin tones.
- Blue Contacts on Dark Eyes: Create a bold contrast, typically providing a vibrant, eye-catching effect on dark eyes.
- Hazel/Brown Contacts on Dark Eyes: These colors enhance your natural eye color for a more subtle, everyday look that’s soft and warm.
Tip: Try to see how each color appears on dark eyes through sample photos or virtual try-on tools provided by some lens brands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do colored contacts work on dark eyes?
Yes, colored contacts with high opacity work well on dark eyes, providing visible color changes.
Can I wear colored contacts every day?
Yes, but ensure they are comfortable, breathable, and properly fitted. Opt for high-quality brands that offer hydration features.
How do I choose the right color for my skin tone and eye color?
Consider colors that complement your natural tones. Refer to our skin-tone guide above for specific suggestions.
Are colored contacts safe for daily wear?
Yes, when used according to instructions and with proper care. Always consult an eye care professional before starting regular wear.
Do you need a prescription for colored contacts?
Yes, you’ll need to present a prescription to purchase colored contact lenses.
Final Verdict: What’s the best colored contact lenses for dark eyes?
Shades like hazel, green, and gray typically look great on brown eyes, as they offer both natural and bold looks. Opaque contact lenses are best suited for people with dark eyes.
With dark eyes, you can’t go wrong with the most popular colored contact lenses in the market today as long as you know which type you would prefer when it comes to the degree of change and vibrancy of your eye color. You can also browse our selection of opaque theatrical lenses at Lens.com!
Summary Graphic: Can You Nap with Contacts On?
