beauty

Bright eyes - the makeup trend that has us frightened and intrigued

When Kenzo featured it in their Spring 2013 runway show, we thought it was just a fashion thing. When Lupita Nyong’o busted it out at the CFDA Awards, we figured it was an ‘Only on Lupita’ thing.

But Dior Addict’s new mascara advertisement has us convinced. Full-blown bright eyeliner is a Thing. From electric blue to peach to hot pink, we’ve noticed lids being lined with a rainbow of shades that were previously reserved for eye shadows and lipsticks alone.

Left: Dior Addict's latest campaign (supplied); Right: Lupita Nyong'o at the CFDA awards (Getty).

 

If you apply a brightly coloured eyeliner the same way you would a darker shade, it won't do anything to make your lashes look thicker, which is why our favourite version of the look is Dior's 'double liner' style - where you paint on dramatic black wing first, then draw an arch of colour over the top. We're still not game to try the look at home, but it's a great way of extending your lash-line and making your eyes look big and bold.

In terms of putting colour on your face, a bright eyeliner can certainly outlast a similarly eye-catching shade of lipstick, and if you pick your colour right, it can do an incredible job of bringing out the colour in your eyes.

We'd suggest going for maximum contrast here. Blue eyes look amazing with yellow and gold, while purple eyeliner can give intensity to green eyes. Peaches, pinks and purples look great with any pale eye colour, while a bright blue works wonderfully with brown and hazel eyes. If you've got dark brown eyes then congratulations, because every colour will look good on you.

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Left: Illamasqua liquid eyeliner; Middle: Napoleon Cake Eyeliner Sealer; Right: Maybelline Colour Show liners

 

If you're keen to try the look yourself, Illamasqua's Precision Ink in Wisdom is a great gold shade.  Maybelline's Colour Show liners pencils come in nine different super bright hues, including coral. To get a really thick, liquid-eyeliner look using a pencil we'd suggest blasting it with a hair dryer on hot before you apply.

Even though it might seem like a good option for rich colour, you should never apply a lipstick to your eyelids. There are some shades that are fine on the tough skin on your lips, but will irritate the more sensitive area around your eyes. But if you have an eyeshadow shade you love, and want to convert to a liner, you can mix it with Napoleon's Cake Eyeliner Sealer to make a thick, liquid-eyeliner style mixture.

For a super intense effect, try mixing two bright colours at once. Here's what happened when I applied M.A.C.'s Chromagraphic Pencils in Marine Ultra (top lid) and Primary Yellow (bottom lid).

Yes, my eyes are green. But they're not usually that green.

 

Would you try this trend at home? And if you have, what did you use and how did it go?