Kundan jewellery carries its own weight of colour and shine: uncut stones, deep enamel, pearls layered thick at the neck. Eye makeup underneath has one job, to complement that, not compete with it. Here are four directions we return to again and again, three ways each, which is where the twelve comes from.
1. Warm copper and bronze
The classic pairing for kundan in gold. Sweep a warm copper through the lid, deepen the outer corner with a bronzed brown, and finish with a soft gold highlight at the inner corner and brow bone. For a deeper version, add a thin line of dark brown along the lash line. For a lighter, daytime version, skip the outer corner depth and keep it a soft wash of copper alone.
2. Deep maroon and wine
When the kundan is set against red or maroon lehengas, a wine toned eye ties the whole look together instead of introducing a competing colour. Blend a deep maroon through the crease, keep the lid a lighter rose gold, and use a dark brown rather than black liner so the eye stays soft rather than harsh. For evening functions, add a touch of fine shimmer at the centre of the lid. For daytime, matte wine alone is enough.
3. Soft rose and champagne
For pastel or ivory outfits where kundan is meant to be the loudest thing in the frame, keep the eye deliberately quiet: a champagne wash across the lid, a soft rose in the crease, and a thin brown liner rather than black. This is the direction we recommend most often for daytime functions like haldi or a morning mehendi.
4. Classic smoked kohl
For brides who want drama that still respects heavy jewellery, a smoked kohl eye in warm browns and blacks, kept tight to the lash line rather than winged wide, lets kundan stay the focal point while the eyes read intense in photographs. Add gold pigment along the lower lash line for evening functions, or keep it soft, brown only kohl for an understated version.
Which one for your outfit
As a simple rule: gold and green kundan pairs best with warm copper, red and maroon pairs best with wine tones, ivory and pastel pairs best with soft rose, and if you are unsure, classic smoked kohl works across almost every jewellery tone in photographs.
The eyeshadow quad and waterproof kajal we build most of these looks from, shade matched to you.
View The Ashi Label edit →Want one of these looks recreated for your own function? Start with a consultation and tell us which direction caught your eye.
Frequently asked questions
Warm copper and bronze tones are the classic pairing, swept through the lid with a bronzed brown in the outer corner and a soft gold highlight at the brow bone.
Neither exactly, the goal is to complement it. The eye should support the kundan's colour and shine, not compete with it for attention.
Soft rose and champagne tones, kept deliberately quiet with a thin brown liner rather than black, work well when kundan is meant to be the loudest thing in the frame.
Yes, start with a consultation and tell us which direction caught your eye. Every look is adapted to your outfit, skin tone and the specific event.