OUT OF THE BLUE

THE FW’22 TAKE on THIS POLARISING SHADE SHOWS US that THE REVIVAL of BLUE EYESHADOW IS MORE than JUST RETRO RESURGENCE — IT'S NOW COOL, CHIC, and CONTEMPORARY

- AMANDA LEO

MODERN HUES 

Low-waist jeans, glossy lips, baby braids — in case you haven’t noticed, the early 2000s are back. And with it comes the gloriously divisive blue eyeshadow trend, as seen on early aughts icons Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. But if you’re worried about thick, chalky colour, you can breathe a sigh of relief — modern beauty means more nuanced shades, so the 2022 hue has a cool, chic sensibility.

At Christian Siriano’s FW’22 show, shades of blue were the focus of the collection, with navy patent leather bodices, vibrant blue latex dresses and matte cornflower blue eyeshadow, made graphic with a crisp black eyeliner. Kim Shui’s flirtatious collection drew on inspiration from the movie Clueless — referenced by its flipped hairdos, high ponytails, and blue eyeshadow softly blended upward.

When it comes to wearing blue on the lids, the style and placement of the shadow should be your focus, rather than the shade chosen, says makeup artist Kat Zhang. “If we choose to wear colour, I don’t think you should be limited. Most shades of blue wear well on the Asian complexion,” she says. Think colour theory — the blue helps to correct sallowness and make the whites of the eyes brighter.