The idea of wearing bright blue eye shadow can be a pretty harrowing one. Unlike the wrong lipstick shade, eye make-up is pretty difficult to wipe off; once you’ve committed that’s it, there’s no going back unless you want to start all over again.
So when I was sent the new Chanel eyeshadow in bright metallic blue (- or, more specifically, ‘Azulejo’- the blue Portuguese and Spanish ceramic painted tiles) , I was terrified and excited in equal measure. It looked incredible on my skin, but I had no idea how I was going to wear it, or where.
Thankfully Cara Delevingne’s latest shoot for American Vogue, alleviated my apprehension in one incredible shot. The model turned thespi, sported her signature bold brows, softened with a deep side parting and brushed out blow-dry.
The trick to achieving Cara’s cool take on the blue eye (created by the incredible Dick Page,) is by concentrating the colour towards the end of the eye and blending it into the inner corner, with a soft champagne-coloured shimmer (-peachy if you’re fair, gold if you’re medium and bronze if you are darker-skinned.) The great thing about Chanel’s Stylo Eyeshadow (£23, Boots), is that once you’ve applied it it doesn’t budge or lose its impact as the day wears on.
To complete the look get a pin thin brush and dab a little shadow under the lower lash line. Finally, to balance the bright up top, a baby pink lipstick is ideal. As always I’d recommend Tom Ford; the velvety Pink Dusk (£37, John Lewis) is particularly good.
And there you have it, bright blue shadow brought into the 21st century, without a perm in sight.
Lead photo: Patrick Demarchelier for US Vogue