Trend Alert | How to Wear Blue Eye Shadow
Many people consider blue eyeshadow one of the scariest makeup trends, as it can conjure up images of the ‘80s frosty shadow trend and the ‘70s disco-queen look.
Recently celebrities have ditched the thick frosty pastels of the ‘90s music video past and instead favored deep, more modern shades of royal blue and navy. Expect to see more runways and red carpets filled with fun, colorful and decorative makeup utilizing the blue eyeshadow.
But how do you wear blue eye makeup like a pro and which are the most wearable blue eyeshadow shades to try? Below we tackle the blue eye makeup trend giving you tips on choosing the best blue eyeshadow perfect for your skin tone and eye color, as well as a master-class on nailing the trend with confidence.
Blue Eye Makeup Tips | How to Wear Blue Eyeshadow
Keep on Blending!
To make blue eyeshadow look its best, use two different tones – a light and a dark color. Use a soft color for the entire eye to brow area and then a dark color in your crease.
To ensure your blue eyeshadow doesn’t look cheap and amateur, invest in a good brush and blend the shadow well.
Always use two different makeup brushes when applying blue shadows – a shading brush for the lid and a blending brush for the crease. Be sure you clean them often, as the blue pigment can often stain the bristles and make your next eye look appear muddy.
Take into Account the Texture
Younger-looking eyes are smoother, so they’ll be able to pull off the vibrant and shimmery colors. Mature eyes will be more suited to matte tones and more subdued cool-tone blues, as this will make the eyes look younger and not enhance any fine lines or wrinkles.
Apply the matte blue eyeshadow shades to the crease and up to the brow and then work the shimmer on the lid. Avoid using too much shimmer, as this will turn your eye makeup into an overly blended ‘80s look.
Make It Deliberately Messy
For a soft and modern blue eye makeup look, try using a dark blue close to the lash line, although not above the crease line, as this technique will make your eyes recede.
The key to making blue eye makeup look modern is to not make it too perfect – make sure it looks real and not costume-y.
Keep the Rest of the Face Simple
When wearing blue eyeshadow make sure that is your focal point, so tone down the false eyelashes and instead wear dark black mascara and cat liner.
Keep your skin dewy, avoid matte foundations and instead invest in youthful glowy ones.
Redheads should stick with peachy/ coral-toned lipstick colors, blondes should opt for shades of sheer pink, and brunettes should reach for neutral tones, light pinks, or mauve hues.
Avoid bold red lips or neon pinks with blue eyeshadow, as they will make the look tacky and too theatrical.
Tips for Choosing the Best Blue Eyeshadow for Your Skin Tone & Eye Color
Picking the best blue eyeshadow for your skin tone and eye color is the first step when it comes to nailing the trend without any makeup faux pas.
Here is what you should know when shopping for a blue eyeshadow:
• For fair skin tones, a wide range of shades, from navy blue to turquoise and sky blue, can work. If you have neutral or beige undertones, opt for bold jewel blue eyeshadow tones and if you have more rosy undertones head towards midnight and sky blues.
• For olive skin tones, a teal shade as opposed to pastel or sky blues is recommended, since the latter can wash out your skin tone. Royal blues or midnight blue eyeshadow colors will also enhance the warmth in your skin tone.
• Light-medium skin tones need to avoid pastel blues, as they really won’t flatter you. Instead, stick with steely or dark blue eyeshadow shades – they will bring out the golden tones in your skin.
• Medium skin tones are set off with turquoise and royal blue shades. Use turquoise in your waterline instead of blue for an alternative evening look.
• Deep skin tones look great with bright colors like cobalt or rich grey-toned blues. Swap out the blacks in your smoky eye for navy or midnight blues.
• Those with blue eyes should avoid picking a blue eyeshadow tone that’s exactly the shade of their eyes. Instead pick a color that’s a few shades darker than your eye color.
• Green-eyed beauties should skip true blue tones and instead opt for green-laden teal shadows.
• If you have brown eyes, feel free to experiment with all the shades of blue eyeshadow, since practically any color will flatter you.
• Those with hazel eyes are recommended choosing bolder, brighter shades of blue eyeshadow that will make your eye color pop.
17 Best Blue Eyeshadow Shades to Buy Now
Here are 17 of the best blue eyeshadows for those who want to try the blue look but don’t know where to start.
1. Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in Into the Blue
Into the Blue is a medium-dark liquid blue eyeshadow with purple iridescent shimmer and micro glitter particles. It smoothly shifts between a cool blue and a bright violet. This medium-coverage blue eyeshadow is long-wearing, has no fallout and stays put without creasing. For the best application, apply it over your eyeshadow with your fingertips or an eyeshadow brush as a last step of your eye makeup. It is available for purchase here.
2. RMS Beauty Cream Eye Polish in Inspire
Inspire is a metallic baby blue eyeshadow with a hint of silver. This line of eyeshadows is coconut oil-based and will leave your eyes with a beautiful sheen. The finish isn’t quite sparkly, shiny or glittery but instead has a unique subtle gleam. The dewiness will add a youthful gleam to the lids that won’t transfer and has no fallout.
This blue eye polish works best if you apply a minimal amount to the lid and then press it in with your finger. These cream eye polishes also work well as highlighters and on the lips as lip stains. You can pick up this muted blue color at Net-a-Porter.
3. Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Quiet Revolution
This quad offers a smoky set of shadow colors featuring a cool mauve, a deep blue teal, a bold blue and a cool-toned gray. These eyeshadows have a matte finish, with rich pigmentation and a smooth velvety texture. Chanel’s long-wearing blue eyeshadow quad is perfect for a simple blue eye makeup look or for an edgy cool toned smoky eye. You can find it online here.
4. Milk Makeup Blue Eyeshadow Pigment in Sesh
Sesh is a royal blue eyeshadow that comes in a squeezy tube. This bold color will look especially stunning on darker skin tones. Milk’s blue eyeshadow is very pigmented so using your fingers for application is recommended. Dab the shadow on to your lid with your finger, spread it around to the opacity suitable for your look and within seconds it will dry matte. Because this dries quickly it is important to work rapidly. Pick it here!
5. Bobbi Brown Blue Eyeshadow in Rich Navy
Rich Navy is exactly what it says it is, a deep rich navy blue eye color. The matte, velvety formula is long-lasting and easy to blend. Navy blue is a great entry color to the blue eyeshadow trend, as it can be used in the same way browns and blacks are, as a defining shade or as a liner. These single shadows come in a sleek, flip-top compact that can be used individually or popped into an empty palette. Pick up this color here!
6. YSL Couture Eyeshadow Palette in 6 Rive Gauche
YSL offers a wonderful mini palette composed of 5 rich glide-on blue eyeshadow colors. This quint offers a sheer pastel blue shade, an almost white light blue color, 2 different tones of cerulean blue, and a dark indigo. This palette is sheer yet buildable, meaning these shadows can be used as a sheer wash of color or can be built up into a smoky eye. All YSL couture palettes come in a gorgeous vintage-inspired gold plastic case with a mirror. This blue eyeshadow palette is available for purchase at Net-a-Porter.
7. Urban Decay Blue Eyeshadow in Evidence
Evidence is a vibrant navy blue color with a luminous sheen. Urban Decay’s eyeshadow formula is incredibly pigmented, finely milled and smooth to apply. This blue eyeshadow will look amazing teamed with Urban Decay’s Half Baked shade to create a blue-toned smoky eye.
Urban Decay’s eyeshadow formula is a unique innovation – the color holds tightly to the pigment and makes the shadow glide smoothly onto the lid. These shadows promise to have uniform pigment distribution and no fallout. You can get this blue eyeshadow at here.
8. MAC Blue Eyeshadow in Tilt
MAC’s Tilt is a muted denim blue with a luminous sheen. This blue eyeshadow color can be used in a smoky eye, smoked out under the lashes or used in the crease. This single shadow can go into a magnetized Z-palette or you can make your own MAC palette using this bold blue. Get it here.
9. Smith & Cult Book of Eyes Palette in Ice Tears
One of the best blue eyeshadow combinations, this is a collection of blues and silvery greys that comes in luxurious golden packaging. The highly refined formula is easy to create multi-dimensional looks with and looks amazing wet or dry. This all-shimmery palette is pigmented and will look amazing for the upcoming party season.
The palette consists of one sparkly royal blue shade, one gun metal tone, one icy silvery-white color with a little bit of sheen and one white-silver opalescent glittery shade that will work best as a top shade. The brand recommends using the silver on the lid, royal blue in the crease and lower lash line, the sheeny silver color for blending and then the opalescent white as a topper on your high points. Get it here!
10. Make Up For Ever Star Lit Powder in 19 Ultramarine
Make Up For Ever’s blue eyeshadow is an ultra-fine shimmering multi-use powder. These ultra-radiant powders can be used anywhere as a highlighter or a pop of shimmering color. Ultramarine is a vivid ocean blue with a metallic silver sheen.
These powders are easy to blend, can be applied wet or dry, and can be customized to suit the color intensity you need. The powder comes in a jar that has a funnel inside, which will minimize the mess and make sure you get the right amount of powder on your brush. Get it here!
11. Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 277 Defy
Dior’s Defy is a quint palette of shimmery and glitter foils. The palette consists of a light silver blue glitter foil, a deep steel blue shimmer, a soft icy blue shimmer, a periwinkle blue glitter foil and an intense black-blue hue. These pigmented blue eyeshadows are compacted into the palette using binders to create a creamy and blendable formula. These very sparkly shadows are perfect for a black and grey-toned smoky eye but make sure you use an eyeshadow primer to avoid fallout. You can get this palette at Nordstrom.
12. Anastasia Beverly Hills Blue Eyeshadow in Star Cobalt
Anastasia’s Star Cobalt is a cool blue color with a metallic touch. This single shadow is soft and wearable, one of the more subtle ABH shadows. This blue eyeshadow would also make a very nice liner shadow if used wet with a liner brush. The color is reminiscent of the night sky with its deep navy tones and silver shimmer. Pick it here!
13. Burberry Wet & Dry Silk Blue Eyeshadow in Stone Blue No.307
This blue eyeshadow is a cool blue with a satin finish. This almost denim toned eyeshadow is perfect for someone who doesn’t want a blue eye makeup that is too bold, metallic and in your face. Burberry’s formula is made from special pigments with a micronized silky base that makes it super easy to blend. Apply with a dampened brush for an intense look or blend into the crease dry for a smoky blue-toned grey effect. It is available for purchase at Net-a-Porter.
14. Tom Ford Extreme Blue Eyeshadow in TFX9
TFX6 is a cool blue with deep navy undertones and a pearly sparkle. This range of single metallic shadows has an incredibly bold color payoff and a smooth dense texture that is creamy without being too slippery. Each one of these single shadows from Tom Ford comes in a luxurious mirrored mini compact with reflective chrome packaging. You can pick up this elegant blue eyeshadow at Sephora.
15. Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Blue Eyeshadow in 01 Midnight
This range of eyeshadows delivers a unique gel-like formula that transforms into a light powder when applied to the lid. Midnight is a cool navy blue with multi-dimensional shimmer that gives it a cool glittery shift. This blue eyeshadow is a good alternative to black with the dark blue tones.
Avoid this range of shadows if you dislike shimmer, but they are perfect if you want the pigmentation without the glitter. This looks amazing worn alone on the eye and blended into the crease, for a one-stop glamorous eye look. Find it online at Nordstrom!
16. bareMinerals Blue Eyeshadow in Chameleon
Chameleon is a turquoise glitter eyeshadow with delicate touches of gold and green running through it. This color will look aqua on medium skin tones and a cooler-toned blue on lighter skin tones. This blue eyeshadow can be patted on top of another shadow to add a new dimension or used wet for an intensely glittery eye look. Make sure you use a primer to get the best out of this shadow. It is sold online at Nordstrom.
17. NARS Blue Eyeshadow in Tropic
Tropic is a velvety, silver-flecked teal blue, which is less glitzy when applied dry on bare lids. This shadow can come across more matte than it appears in the pan, but when applied wet can be a bold sea blue with a green shift. This is a good dual-purpose eyeshadow that can be a sheeny almost matte when applied dry and a bold glittery shadow when used wet. One of the most beautiful blue eyeshadows, this teal-laden color is available here.
Photos via @beautsoup, @thesaraengel, @lolaliner, @atlantip