Hazel vs green eyes

Hazel is usually noticed as a genuine mix of brown/gold and green in the same iris, often with a darker ring at the outer edge; green reads as a more uniform green tone throughout, sometimes with a subtle grey or gold undertone but without a strong separate brown component.

Typical distribution

Hazel commonly shows its brown/gold concentrated toward the centre and green toward the outer iris (or vice versa); green is typically more evenly distributed.

Undertone

Hazel carries a genuinely mixed warm-and-cool undertone; green is more consistently cool-to-neutral, sometimes with a subtle golden cast.

Central or outer ring

A visible central 'sunburst' of brown/gold surrounded by green is a common hazel pattern; green eyes don't typically show this strong two-tone ring effect.

Lighting effects

Both categories are visibly light-reactive, but hazel is generally the more dramatic of the two — it's the category most often described as 'changing colour' between photos or across a day.