So far in 2019, the biggest makeup trend in the hands of our favourite celebrities has been the colorful eye look [1]. With makeup artists like Hung Vanngo, Jo Baker, and Vincent Oquendo trying the aesthetic on the likes of Selena Gomez [2], Lucy Boynton, and more, I decided to see how it would work in real life.
For five days I tried out different vibrant eye looks and went about my typical routine of work, seeing friends, and hanging out with my boyfriend. Check out what transpired to decide if this colorful trend [3] is one you should try yourself.
Monday: Lavender Lids
I started out easy with a light lavender from the Kylie Cosmetics Valentine Palette [5] ($45) diffused all over my eyes. No one seemed to notice my new hue and the day was uneventful.
At first I thought I may have gone too tame, but when I looked in the mirror at the end of the day, I saw the shimmery fall out from the shadow all over my face and braced myself for what would be quite the week.
Tuesday: Swapping Black For Blue
Swapping my ordinary black liner and mascara for blue proved to be a hit. It was just different enough to warrant compliments, and the pop of silver drew attention to my eyes. I ran into my best friend during my morning commute and she loved the look, which was achieved using the Colourpop BFF Liquid Liner in Crzy [6] ($8). The liner was subtle enough that I was able to use mauve lipstick to complement my eyes without it being too much.
Wednesday: Purple All Over
Due to a cold, I worked from home on Wednesday and didn't put on makeup until 5 p.m. when I remembered that this experiment was happening. When my boyfriend arrived and I stepped into the light, he made a face and said, "Oh. Well, you should do whatever you want with your makeup." He also commented that it was "uh, very purple," but I for one was a fan of the saturated look.
I used a light purple Lancome Ombre Hypnôse Stylo Longwear Cream Eyeshadow Stick [7] ($25) to draw the colour on in a cat-eye shape and coloured in the lines.
Thursday: Orange You Glad I'm Doing This So You Don't Have To?
I got a lot of compliments on Thursday when I debuted my sunset-hued eyes. It helps that this shade has been on-trend throughout the last year and many of my friends and coworkers have gotten used to seeing people with orange shadow. It was also super easy to do! I applied an orange Colourpop Super Shock Shadow [8] ($5) all over my eyes with my fingers and then lightly dusted my crease with a matte medium brown. The five-minute eye look was a hit!
Day 5: Friday Eye Party
By Friday, I was ready to really commit and go bold. I picked out a simple white t-shirt (with a colorful pocket), kept the rest of my makeup simple, and went for it with Huda Beauty's Matte & Metal Melted Double Ended Eyeshadows in Minted [9] ($25). I grabbed the corner of a makeup wipe and a wet cotton swab to wipe along the edges for a precise line. Then, I carefully applied liquid liner and mascara over the vibrant mint hue. While my boyfriend said it was "definitely green," several coworkers and a strange neon-clad man on the subway seemed to like my daring look quite a lot.
Overall, I loved this experiment. It allowed me to be more creative with my makeup stash and I intend on trying every colour I can through the Spring and Summer months. Whether you want to swap a mascara colour or really commit with your entire eyelid, this is a trend I recommend.