For many individuals, choosing mascara used to be a relatively straightforward process. However, recent color and texture additions have made choosing mascara much more exciting. This is because this year’s hottest makeup trend is similar to the style of the 90s, but with a twist, that makes it great for 2009. Colored mascara is back and it is bigger and better than ever. Gone are the thick, gloppy bright blue, green and violet mascaras that looked and felt more like wearing a costume for your eyes. This new style of brown and black mascara looks more natural and seems to match the complexion of one’s skin much better than previous makeup solutions.

Whenever there is an embarrassment of riches, there are choices to be made. Once upon a time, picking the right color mascara for your skin tone was easy. If you were a dark-skinned brown-haired woman with dark, lush lashes, you were able to wear black mascara. Hardly fair, when girls like that barely need mascara at all, but that was the traditional wisdom. Anyone else, the beauty experts told us, risked looking "fake" and "harsh" wearing midnight black mascara. For the rest of us, they recommended wearing brown mascara for a more "natural" look.

Now, with many new choices of mascara available which include colors like Dark Cherry, Mahogany, Electric Blue and Purple Haze, natural is out the window. The trick to finding the best mascara for your complexion these days is to consider both your skin tone and your eye color, and pick mascara that complements both. Do not forget to take the time of day and social function into account as well. Some of these new colored mascaras are subtle enough to be worn to work while others should most definitely be reserved for stepping out at the club. Here are some tips on choosing the best mascara shades and types for your complexion.

Basic Black and Brown

If you have a medium to dark complexion and dark hair, choose pure black mascara. Depending on the brand you choose, you can also pick black mascara that is available in Noire, a pure sable black.

If you have a medium to dark complexion and light hair, try brown-black instead of pure black shades. The added touch of brown keeps the black from looking too harsh for your complexion.

If your complexion is medium to fair, choose brown or brown-black mascara. The lighter your complexion, the more you should avoid pure black mascara. If you are one of those folks with black or very dark brown hair and fair skin, though, you may be able to get by with thick, ebony black lashes. Keep it a bit lighter for daytime wear and go dramatic at night.

If your complexion is very fair and you have light hair, you might want to stick with one of the new transparent mascaras that add thickness and make your lashes fuller without adding color at all. A great choice is clear mascara, which adds thickness and gloss without coloring at all.

Dare to be Dramatic

Blue-eyed girls can play it a little safer with turquoise and indigo shades. Turquoise can brighten deep blue eyes and deepen paler eyes. Indigo and purple haze gives your blue eyes a dangerous depth.

You do not have to make your brown eyes blue, but those blue shades can really bring those brown eyes out of hiding. Choose burgundy colored mascara to deepen brown or amber eyes, and pick purple to give your brown eyes a tinge of unexpected green.

Green and hazel eyes can wear any shade and look spectacular, but burgundy and purple are surprisingly effective, especially if you are light-skinned and your hair tends toward auburn or red.

Soft and Subtle

If you are looking for something a bit more subtle but still want to add a bit of color to your lashes, several dual coat mascaras give you a base coat in black or brown and then let you add a slick of shimmery color that is barely visible. Each type of mascara may come with a base coat in brown or black, and a highlighting top coat that adds a shimmer of iridescence in silver, gold, copper, mahogany or blue. Which should you choose? Mahogany, copper and gold add warmth to a sallow complexion, while silver and blue can look great with a ruddy complexion.

The real trick to choosing the right mascara color for your complexion is experimentation. Remember that warm colors look best on sallow complexions and cool colors are best for ruddy complexions. There are many types of cosmetics to consider before you find the best choice for your complexion, but these are several tips to consider which can help make the process easier. Depending on your hair color and skin complexion, the style of makeup that you choose can really make a difference.