23 fun eyeshadow looks to level-up your makeup routine in 2023

We're all for makeup uniform and go-to favourites that can be thrown on without a second thought, but fun eyeshadow looks can help mix things up and add some extra spice when you fancy doing things a little differently. You don't necessarily need an occasion either. It's a new year, and we're reclaiming joy, peace and fun, so is there a better time than now to show those glitter shadows and foxy-looking smoky liners a real good time? In fact, we've seen plenty celebs and TikTok babes casually wearing glitz and sparkle on a Tuesday afternoon like it's no big deal — if they like it, we love it.

If you're ready to up the ante, you're in good company and spring/summer is a time to let your eye makeup shine. “This season, anything goes,” says celebrity makeup artist Nikki Wolff. “It's a great moment to really experiment.”

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Don't fancy going full panto dame with the violet eyeshadow? No need. You could start with tiny departures from your usual routine – a cobalt-coloured eye pencil in place of black, or a pretty, sheeny shadow instead of the usual matte. Or you could try something a bit more adventurous, like high shine sparkle for daytime, smoky eyes in daring shades of olive, or stand-out accents like two-tone shimmer and megawatt metallics that you'd never normally wear casually. 

That's the beauty of this. By all means, go full head-to-toe glam with your corresponding outfit, but there's something about pairing it with basics, like a white T-shirt or oversized sweatshirt and jeans that makes it feel more modern and relaxed. 

Inspired? Here are the 23 best experimental eyeshadow looks to give a spin when you're bored of the same-old:

Coquette Girl Eyeshadow 

Coquette girl eyeshadow is all about soft berry hues, a delicate spider lashes for that cutesy feminine look. Add a twinkle of a lighter eyeshadow on the inner corner of the eye to round up the look and add more dimension.

Ghoulish Girl Core

This non traditional goth look has the girlies on TikTok on a tight hold, with an ultra sultry cleopatra winged liner and usually paired with bleached brows. Ghoulish girls are taking over.

Vampy Violet

This bold and dramatic violet look features a mix of matte and shimmer shades of lilac all the way to deep purple. The finish is eccentric, yet mysterious, fit for an out-out-outfit or a simple lbd. 

Dulce de leche eyes

Dulce de leche eyeshadow can be achieved by a burned orange that can be blended oit with a darker brown eyeshadow in the outer corners of the eyes. 

Lavender Wash

Lilac is quite clearly the colour about to take over in spring 2023, so why not go all out with an all-over wash of lavender that leaks through to the bottom lash line.

Silky pink

Makeup artist Violette has a knack for pulling off unusual looks in a way that feels insouciant and stylish. Case in point is this silky pink eye shade. A bit scary in theory, but glowy, ethereal and beautiful in practice.

Neon eyeliner

Green neon liner, green pastel liner, green shimmery liner, actually, let's go ahead and just say that any green liner is the moment, the truth. This one on actress and producer Marsai Martin sits just above a sharp opaque black liner to add extra dimension and elongate the look of the eyes.

60s Revised

This wearable 60s makeup look features a floating liner that sits directly of the eye crease. Lori Harvey has a subtle brown floating liner here, parallel to the black liner directly on her lash line.

Wednesday grunge

Wednesday Adams makeup is trending on TikTok so it's only natural that Jenna Ortega would have the girlies spinning with this smokey, grunge black eyeshadow look. 

Disco eyes

Shy and retiring, this is not. But despite making a big impact, makeup artist Alexa Hernandez recently styled a glitzy number which is surprisingly easy to recreate. Alexa used Lemonhead.LA's Spacepaste.

Scarlet and smoky

Red eyes sound sore, but in the hands of Hung Vanngo this smoky haze of red looks delicate and romantic.

Pastel shadow

Simple but effective, a wash of pastel blue, pink or lilac over lids is pretty and playful.

Unapologetic eyes

Take a bold tone that pops against your natural colouring, like this grass green for example, and keep the rest of your makeup skin tonal. Then pack on the eyeshadow and experiment with the shape you want. You can keep it rounded like here, or go for flicked out edges to create a cat eye shape. 

Negative space

Mix up your liner with negative space. "This is like a normal liner look, except there are no rules," says Nikki. "You can stray from your lash line in whatever direction you want to flatter your eye shape. If you're looking to create a dramatic and flattering cat eye, try extending your liner beyond the end of your inner eye towards your nose in a downward point. Then, loosely follow the shape of your eye right up into a flick that goes out and away from your lash line - continuing in the angle of your lower lid."

And, you can fill them in with whichever shadow you want. Nikki recommends your most shimmery shadow “like the NARS Powerchrome Eye Pigment, £23, a deep red or green pigment — Huda Beauty Love fest Obsessions, £27 have the perfect palettes for this — or a gold flick. If you're feeling particularly patient, you could even adorn your negative space liner with some crystals stuck on with a little lash glue.” 

Metals and mascara

Has megawatt metallic eyeshadow ever looked quite so casual? Worn breezily swept across lids with a smudge of eyeliner and a coat of mascara this looks positively laid back.

Two-tone shimmer

Surprising clashes of colour can work beautifully. Case in point: Katie Jane Hughes' mash up of green with copper. An inspired way to spice up your white tee.

Wet-look bronze

If you prefer to stick to the classics, this is timeless and fairly minimal but with one simple twist, the wet-look shadow gives a finish that feels fresh and modern.

Scattered sparkle

Keep skin simple, groom brows to perfection, then go to town on the shimmer. The scattered effect used by Pati Dubroff to create this delicate look for Margot Robbie is proof that glitter works just as well for grown-ups.

Midnight eyes

Another twist on a classic. The midnight blue eyeliner Valeria Ferreira has created for Naomi Scott is sultry, soft and delicately shimmery – a sophisticated alternative to black.

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Graphic liner

This trend is still going strong. You can easily take it down a notch by keeping the rest of your eye makeup simple. For something sultry, stick to black, and for something fun and playful, try a bolder colours and stand-out finishes like metallic and glitter.

Glitter halo eye

Glitter, but make it accessible. Dominic Skinner, MUA at MAC, created this look which focuses glitter just at the centre of the lid, similar to a halo eye effect (which is when you put a lighter eyeshadow shade in the centre to draw attention there, then darker shades at both corners of the eye). Go for a basic brown base and tap a touch of glitter, then you're done.

Going for cobalt

Blue always has its moment in the summer, thanks to something about it just feeling summer suitable. Nicole Coughlan rocked the bold tone on the red carpet, and Violette has a beautiful, slightly more muted blue liquid eyeshadow for her brand Violette_Fr. It's celebrity and MUA approved.

Brown liner

For the makeup minimalists, try brown eyeliner. It gives a softer look to the eye that enhances it in a more natural way. Because it's softer, it can actually open the eyes up more than a harsh black. Here makeup maestro Mario is demoing blusher, but look at the way he's done a classic flick in a soft brown shade.

For more from GLAMOUR's Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk

For more from GLAMOUR's Beauty Writer, Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona