Few words say 1980s Beauty (err, if that’s not an oxymoron) like ‘Bright Blue Eyeliner’.
Okay, maybe perm and orange blush and fuchsia metallic lipstick … you get my point. The 1980s treated beauty pretty badly. No wonder we emerged in the 1990s clinging to our nude makeup and hair straighteners, determined never to go back in beauty style.
But all things eventually make some kind of comeback – hey, the return of ringlets could be today’s answer to the perm.
And now could also be the time to rethink bright blue liner. That’s because the look was given a modern makeover on some catwalks.
The key to the successful update: blue liner was only used on the inner rim of eyes, which added a fresh and fun pop of colour to an otherwise minimally made up face.
At Creatures of the Wind (photographed above), makeup artist James Boehmer etched the waterline with an electric blue pencil, namely Nars Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner in Khao San Road.
And then, over at Giles, Lucia Pieroni freshened up a traditional grey smoky eye by underscoring it with a lower lashline coloured in M.A.C Chromagraphic Pencil in Hi-Def Cyan, as seen here on Cara Delevingne:
The result was something that in theory might sound questionable but, in reality, looks eye-poppingly amazing.
By limiting bright blue to the inner rim it’s contained, so the overall effect is actually quite subtle – and extremely wearable.
But the look not only makes a makeup statement – it’s a beautiful treatment for tired eyes, as it counters any bleariness in the eyes with its cool tones, covers up red rims, and brightens the general look of the iris, especially in the case of baby blues.
So, have I convinced you? Is bright blue liner a yay once again? Or should it stay nay, consigned to the beauty history bin?
Let us know in the comments below!
