TEN BEAUTY: COOL FRONT

From sky-tinted lids to inky liners, eye makeup is entering its blue period.

In classical color theory, blue is often associated with trust and tranquility, but when worn on the eyes, it takes on a very different meaning. It can convey innocence, revelry, rebellion, or whimsy. Consider some of blue eyeshadow’s big-screen moments, from Isabella Rossellini in Blue Velvet and Christina Ricci in Buffalo ’66 to Anna Karina in Une Femme est Une Femme and Liza Minnelli in Cabaret. A swipe of azure across the lids (or a slender flick of liner, or a glossy coat of mascara) manages to be both nostalgic and resolutely modern—which is likely why we’re seeing a big blue revival on the runways. This season, the color showed up on models’ eyes at Schiaparelli and Ulla Johnson, Luar and Collina Strada, Gabriela Hearst and Anna Sui, where its full spectrum of possibilities, from palest powder to bright cobalt, was brought to life. And the latest makeup collection from Chanel takes its cues entirely from blue—specifically, the myriad shades of denim. “From fresh light-blue to vintage washed-out tones, denim is a material full of possibilities,” says makeup artist Valentina Li, a Chanel Cometes Collective member, explaining how the brand’s new Blue Denim collection brings those possibilities to your routine. Li suggests trying a faded wash of the Denim Dream quad’s sky blue across lids or a bold swipe of Bleu Twill liner (layer it over black for even more graphic dimension), or foregoing basic black lash color in favor of a few impactful coats of Noir Allure mascara in indigo. “It’s a playful surprise that’s still very wearable,” she says. No matter how you choose to go blue, the key, says Li, is to have fun with it, and not abide by any preconceived rules. “You shape your makeup the same way you style your favorite denim pieces,” says Li. “Blue is an attitude.”