Where anything beyond a neutral bronze eye has been deemed taboo in recent years, the ban has at last been lifted bright eyeshadow is now welcomed for the everyman, not just the fashion model.
For the uninitiated bright eyeshadow is, for lack of a better word, terrifying. Conjuring up visions of 80s discos past, a bright eye can easily fall onto the costume makeup side of the beauty spectrum. The first step in tackling the bright eye obstacle is physically trying new shades on your own skin- more often than not, an eyeshadow will look distinctly different on a face than it will in the pan.
Pinks and oranges are in vogue at the time of writing, but to prove just how easy it is to bring aerobic-inspired beauty into a contemporary setting I’ve chosen two of the boldest hues for this shoot- lime green and royal blue.
Your tool kit:
– The eyeshadow you have been far too frightened to wear. I was after a bright yellow, but settled on a lime green from the Nars Eyeshadow Duo in Rated R
– Your mascara of choice. Everyone has their favourite, but I’ve found myself reaching for Nars Audacious of late
– A nude lip colour, clear balm or gloss. For this look, I used Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick in Penelope Pink
– A tinted moisturiser or foundation with a “skin that still looks like skin” finish. I chose Ellis Faas Skin Veil Foundation for this shoot.
The key to making sure your bright eyeshadow is modern and wearable is keeping your base fresh. 80s complexions were matte and powdered, “pan cake” foundations were in vogue as were red cheeks and pink lips, so elevate your look into the 21st century by embracing glowing, fresh skin and satin-finish nude lips. Another trick to keep your eye makeup looking wearable is to be nonchalant in your application. Rather than a harsh cut crease or precisely placed colour, use a clean fluffy brush (a MAC 217 is my weapon of choice) to sweep light layers of colour over the lid, stopping short of the brow bone, until you reach your desired opacity. I wanted to include a second colour in this shoot, so I used a fine, damp brush to apply the royal blue shade from the aforementioned eyeshadow duo to the lower lash line. If you want to use two colours together but aren’t sure what works and what doesn’t, my advice is don’t be afraid to let brands and stores guide you. Larger palettes can be overwhelming, but colours are generally placed together as brands know they’ll work cohesively. An eyeshadow duo, as I’ve used here, is a fairly failsafe choice as the colours will have been selected to be worn together. Finish by coating both your upper and lower lashes in black mascara- trust me in saying that bright eye makeup looks CRAZY until you put mascara on.
Photographer: Melissa Cowan
Model: Helena at Vivien’s
Makeup: Gemma Watts
