32 best makeup looks for black hair, inspired by our favourite celebrities

The best makeup looks for black hair include a wealth of options to suit those with light and dark eye colours and a range of skin tones. 

Dark hair is striking and lends itself to bold makeup looks - a deep purple lip or winged eyeliner with fluttery lashes will accentuate and elevate dark-haired women. We've looked at some of the most beautiful celebrities with dark hair for inspiration, from Angelina Jolie and Katy Perry to Rihanna and Nicole Scherzinger. 

With a little help from some leading makeup artists on the best beauty looks to try, we rounded up the best makeup looks for dark hair. 

32 best makeup looks for black hair

Bronze eyes and nude lips

Nicole Scherzinger expertly matches subtly metallic eyes with soft, full nude lips with a pink undertone for show-stopping evening makeup. The singer's striking dark features are accentuated by her seamless beauty look, which is finished with gently bronzed cheeks and groomed brows.

Dramatic lashes and nude lips

Katy Perry's striking blue eyes and dark hair combination look stunning with bold lashes and a bronze smokey eye. "Blue eyes - brown eyes - green eyes can actually all handle the same makeup, depending on skin tones and hair colour - but the one thing I love to see is how bronzy brown eyeshadow colours can make blue eyes really pop," NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Angie Parker told us.

Gold eyeshadow and defined eyes

Christina Ricci wears a gold eyeshadow to really accentuate her striking hazel eyes and dark hair. We love the subtle nude lip, too, and flawless base for a polished finish. 

Contoured cheeks and defined eyes

Those with dark hair and eyes can create a statement with their eye makeup by using darker pencils and eyeshadow to make the eyes stand out. "One thing that can look really pretty is to use a black push-liner along the lash line and some black eyeshadow pushed into the lash bed," celebrity makeup artist Wayne Goss told us. 

Bold red lips and fluttery lashes

Another strong look from Katy Perry is this bold red lip, finished perfectly with dark eye makeup and fluttery lashes. "People with darker hair can really lean into bold colours. Think of Angelica Houston. A bold red lip is so beautiful with the right outfit," NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Angie Parker told us.

Bold eye makeup

Dark hair and blue eyes can look particularly striking with bold eye makeup, as Katy Perry demonstrates with this statement beauty look. If going for a heavier look on the eyes and brows, keep the cheeks and lips simple and fresh to avoid the makeup being too overpowering. 

Smokey eyes and a bold red lip

Zoe Kravitz gives us a masterclass on how to wear a bold lip. The actor teams simple smokey brown eyes with a rich red lip colour for an 'old-money' aesthetic that's timeless and glamorous. 

Pink lips and bold lashes

For a '60s-inspired ultra-feminine makeup look, opt for an eyeliner flick and flurry lashes like Katie Perry for glamorous evening makeup. Soft pink lips finish the beauty look perfectly. 

Defined eyes and bold lips

Ditta Von Teese is a legendary fashion and beauty icon, known for her vamp-style looks and show-stopping vintage outfits. Here we see the star illuminate her features with sultry defined eyes and dark red lips. 

Pink glossy lips and defined eyes

Nicole Scherzinger impresses us yet again with a simple makeup look consisting of glossy and natural lips and defined eyes. This natural look would work for day or night. 

Subtle smokey eyes and a golden glow

Demi Moore's golden glow perfectly complements her dark hair and hazel/green eyes. Great makeup starts with great skin - as NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Angie Parker tells us. "I also feel that the absolute must for any makeup is a very good moisturiser," she explained. "My go-to base right now is Bonjout Balm, it’s a waterless balm with 68 live ingredients all sourced from the French Riveria and it's so healing for the skin."

Eyeliner flicks

Sometimes a fluttery lash and eyeliner flick is all you need to create a bold makeup look, as in the case of Ditta Von Teese who complements her jet-black hair with defined eyes and a classic red lip. 

Flushed cheeks and subtle eye makeup

Demi Moore has always been a classic beauty, with a rare combination of hazel/green eyes. Here we see the actor perfecting a simple smokey eye. Celebrity makeup artist Wayne Goss suggests, "Focussing on mascara and a touch of coal pencil on the top of the lash lines smudged is also a really pretty look."

Bold lashes and minimal makeup

Let your lashes do the talking with a bold and fluttery lash that will open up smaller eyes and add femininity to your makeup look. Demi Moore pairs statement eyes with a simple top knot and minimal makeup for a streamlined beauty look.  

Smokey eyes and highlighted cheeks

Smokey eyes and glowing skin are always a winning combination and will lift olive complexions, like in the case of Demi Moore. "I also love a slightly bronzy, brown smudgy eye. I never like to see the colour above the lid as it’s important to leave space between the brow and the shadow," NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Angie Parker told us.

Subtly metallic eyes

Nicole Scherzinger shows us again how dark-haired women should wear their makeup, this time with a slightly more subtle look that's dressed up with a wash of bronze across her lids. We love the fresh-faced finish. 

Bold lips and soft eyes

A bold lip can make the focal point for a makeup look for all skin tones - and we love Gabrielle Union's choice of a vibrant pink shade. "All in all darker skin and even olive skin can play up colour in more of a subtle way and it feels fun and yet not overwhelming," NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Angie Parker explains. 

Bronzed skin and nude lips

Those with dark hair and olive skin will look radiant in bronze and gold tones. Demi Moore's fresh complexion is enhanced by some gentle contouring around the cheeks and soft, nude lips for a sunkissed and natural look. 

Nude lips and peachy cheeks

"It’s fun to play with highlights for black and brown skin tones, my biggest hope is that women discover the right shades as highlights can read very silvery white on darker tones, so I like to use a creamy texture instead of powder and lean into more yellow/ golden tones so it feels again more a part of the skin," NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Angie Parker told us.

Gabrielle Union looked stunning in this natural makeup look with a wash of peach over the cheeks and natural lips. Simple eye makeup finishes the look. 

Nude lips and eyes

Beauty icon Rihanna has no shortage of flawless makeup looks to choose from, but this winning combination of nude lips with a brown undertone and caramel shades on the eyes is up there with one of the best. Finish with lashings of mascara for a glamorous yet subtle evening look. 

A bold plum lip

Those with dark hair and eyes can pull off pretty much any shade of red lipstick and a deep plum shade is a stunning choice - as actor Gabrielle Union shows us with this sultry makeup look. Defined eyes finish the bold beauty look.

Smokey eyes and plum lips

Rihanna is a master of the soft and smokey eye, this time using grey tones to create a subtle finish - the perfect addition to her bold makeup look, which also includes a deep plum shade on the lips and some gentle highlighting. 

Dramatic winged liner

Those with dark hair and dark eyes can play around with dramatic makeup looks to enhance their strong features. For an appearance on the red carpet, actor Vanessa Hudgens has opted for a statement flick and heavily-lined eyes that lean into a gothic style. 

A bold purple pout

Purple is a fun colour to experiment with for those with dark hair and eyes - whether that's with eye shadow or on the lips. Rihanna's bold purple pout looks striking and polished - a great option for those who want to make a statement with an evening makeup look. 

Soft caramel tones

Vanessa Hudgens shows us how lighter eye makeup can lift dark features. "Typically when the eye colour is very dark I say lean into lighter eye colours and highlights on the eye and cheek area with an opposing lip colour to balance out the face a little," NYC-based celebrity makeup artist Angie Parker told us. 

Winged eyeliner and a strong lip colour

Sometimes, less is more with a makeup look and Zoe Kravitz looks stunning with subtle peach lips, a natural base and soft, winged eyeliner that creates a summery and balanced makeup look. 

Coloured eyeliner and glossy lips

Hollywood actor Lucy Hale shows how we shouldn't discount a coloured liner or shadow to define our eyes, demonstrating how effective a shade like plum can be for illuminating hazel eyes. 

Dramatic eyes and bold lips

In her dark hair era, Angelina Jolie could pull off practically any makeup look and this bold combination of deep red lips and smokey brown eyes is no exception. Angelina keeps the base simple to let her features stand out. 

Luminous skin and subtle makeup

Rachel Weisz lets her natural beauty shine through with a flawless base and a deeper nude shade on her lips. The actor's thick, dark brows already frame her face, meaning little eye makeup is required to finish the elegant and understated look. A subtle smokey eye finishes the beauty look perfectly.

Defined eyes with white liner along the lower lash line

Another '60s-style trend that works well on those with dark hair and eyes is to combine a classic smokey or defied eye with a white liner along the lower lash line - as Vanessa Hudgens shows us here. The white liner helps to lift the makeup look and create the appearance of bigger eyes.

Pink lips and glowing skin

Rachel Weisz wore pretty pink makeup on the red carpet alongside her husband Daniel Craig, opting for glowing skin and glossy hair with a choppy fringe to finish the beautiful look. The Queen of statement brows, Rachel wears hers thick and groomed as a sleek finishing touch. 

Dramatic eye contouring and bold lips

Christina Ricci has been known to lean into gothic style ever since her Wednesday Adam days and this makeup is the perfect high-fashion beauty look for the red carpet with dramatic eyes in shades of grey and matte red lips.