What was once a relic of the ’80s is now a bonafide celebrity beauty favourite. Blue eyeshadow has made a recent comeback with everyone from Dua Lipa to Nicola Coughlan rocking the hue across their lids at recent events. When executed well, not only does blue eye makeup look fresh and cool but it allows you to experiment with your look.
Blue eye products come in a range of shades from baby blue to cobalt and you can also purchase blue eyeshadow in a number of different formulas and styles. There are cream products, blue liners and sparkly azure powder shadows, allowing you to choose what shade and style work for you.
To ensure your product adheres to your eyelids, we recommend going in with an eye primer beforehand. The Morphe Eyelid Primer ($15) in Translucent creates a solid base to layer on eyeshadow and ensures your shadow won’t budge for 12 hours. It also helps to prevent creasing from occurring and you really notice the difference when you start using a product like this.
Before going in with your blue shadow, consider what shape and look you’re wanting to achieve. If you’re after a winged style à la Rowi Singh (below), you’ll want to draw the outline first before filling in the rest of the shadow. A lighter sky blue shade lends itself to be washed all over the lid, while a blue liner looks great lined under your eye.
For all of your celebrity-approved inspiration, see some of our favourite blue eye makeup looks below.
Instagram @rowisingh
Rowi Singh
Content creator Rowi Singh has a way with eyeshadow unlike anyone else. This sparkly blue look is one of our favourites and we particularly love the winged shape of the shadow. Singh used the Lemonhead Spacecase Pro-Palette (US $248) to create this shimmery eye.
For something a little bit more affordable and accessible, the Revolution x Tammi Tropical Carnival Palette ($20) is a great option and features an intense sparkly blue.
Instagram @patrickwilson
Nicola Coughlan
Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan is a fan of the blue shadow look, rocking the shade three times in recent months. This look was created by makeup artist Patrick Wilson for Coughlan’s attendance at Wimbledon.
While this look was created with Glossier’s Skywash in the shade Pool, it’s hard to get your hands on this in Australia. So, we have a more local product to recreate this look. Say hello to Flavedo & Albedo’s Velvet Eyeshadow in Sky ($33).
Instagram @billiescheepersphotography
Instagram @nicolacoughlan
Instagram @diormakeup
Dior Couture Autumn-Winter 2021-2022
At the recent Dior Couture Autumn-Winter 2021-2022 show, models rocked a midnight blue coloured “under-liner” on their waterline to create a grungy effect.
To create the look, makeup artists used Dior’s Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eye Palette ($109) in the shade Denim.
Instagram @diormakeup
This is a great example of ways to incorporate blue into your makeup without feeling too far out of your comfort zone.
And, it also highlights how opting for a midnight blue as opposed to a black shade as eyeliner can create a look that is both dense and soft thanks to the depth of the deep blue shade.
Getty Images
Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett rocked a dark blue to the 2021 Oscars, which popped next to her bright red Alberta Ferretti gown. Surratt Beauty’s Artistique Eyeshadow ($33) in Minuit is the perfect hue to recreate this deep blue eye.
Getty Images
Marsai Martin
For those looking for a simple shadow product that doesn’t require blending, you can’t get any easier than Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eye Colour ($44) in the shade Turquoise. Simply glide over the lid to create Marsai Martin’s bright eyes.
Instagram @dualipa
Dua Lipa
To channel Dua Lipa’s sparkly shadow, try your hand with Sephora’s Colourful Special Effect Liquid Eyeshadow ($20) in the shade Magical Blue. This richly pigmented formula provides vibrant colour that doesn’t fade.
