The ancient Phoenicians took 60,000 sea snails to make one pound of royal purple dye. And you thought your makeup counter was pricey! What was true in Phoenicia thousands of years ago remains true today – no matter what your skin tone may be, purple can still look fabulous. The secret is in the combination of red and blue – the mixing of warm and cool into a color that works across the spectrum of complexions. According to Leatrice Eiseman, a color psychologist at the Pantone Color Institute, purple “combines the excitement of red with the calming properties of blue and communicates balance.” Balance is great of course you say, but, to be honest, you had me at “no matter what your skin tone may be.”

Makeup experts don’t just throw around terms like “universally flattering” in referring to an eye color. Ever. The notable exception to this rule is purple. Of course mistakes can be made in application, but the color itself can do wonders. And we’re talking about the whole spectrum of purples from lilac to eggplant. So if your eyes don’t have quite the pop you had hoped, perhaps a dash of purple can help. Here are five ways to incorporate purple into your look today.

1. If you have a medium skin tone with gold overtones, then look for an intense shade of purple closer to the blue side of the spectrum. Look for color names like amethyst or iris to complement the rest of your look while giving your eyes that little something extra.

2. For skin tones that tend to be more on the pinkish side of things, try applying a small amount of concealer on your lids before applying the purple shadow. This keeps the color as close to the original intent as possible. This trick also works great for dark undereye circles.

3. If you’re worried about blending the boldness of purple with the rest of your color palette, then a controlled use of shimmer is the best way to go. By brushing it over the transition area it helps to soften the starkness of the contrast.

4. Sporting purple eyes at the office is a bold statement, but it can be done – and done well. One great look is to apply a chocolate brown shadow from the lash line to the crease and then a dot of bright purple on the outside corner. It’s important to blend the colors together well. This way, the purple stays hidden until you blink. But when you do, there will be a subtle flash of color.

5. To make the purple work even harder for you on a night out, add a streak of dark pencil along your lash line. This helps give definition and intention. The darker your complexion, the darker the shade of black should be. In fact, if you are very fair skinned, you may be served better by putting your hoodie in the garage.

So give purple a shot. If it’s good enough for royalty, it’s good enough for the rest of us.

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