LET YOUR EYES JOIN THE PARTY! ONE COLOUR CAN CHANGE YOUR MAKEUP
That blue pencil at the bottom of your makeup bag deserves another outing. Runway beauty is in a playful mood: here are three ways to try it in everyday life, using what you already own.
You open your makeup bag, reach for the usual brown pencil and spot another one underneath. The green one you bought on an unusually brave afternoon. Beautiful. Used twice. Then you thought: “Where would I actually wear it?” Perhaps to dinner today. Or to meet a friend. Colourful makeup can begin with something this small: a detail you love but have put off wearing for months, waiting for an occasion special enough.
Blue, green, purple, silver: choose the colour that stopped you at the shop window and give it a try. You do not have to cover the whole eyelid. A fine line near the lashes may be all the surprise you wanted.
A small space for a little courage
Start by choosing an effect. Do you want a line that shows when you look at someone? A reflection that appears when you turn your head? Or a wash of strong colour? Deciding that is more helpful than buying a huge palette. One pencil can be enough if you give yourself time to discover how you like it on your own face.
The rest of your makeup can remain familiar. Concealer where you want it, brushed eyebrows, whatever you enjoy on your lips. You do not need to erase everything else to make room for colour. The aim is to look in the mirror and recognise yourself, with a small surprise added.
First experiment: a coloured line
Choose a pencil formulated for the eye area. Rest your elbow on a surface, look straight into the mirror and draw short strokes along your upper lash line. Join them slowly. The line can stay thin: the colour will already make an impression.
If a wing turns into an argument with the mirror, stop at the outer corner. A short, soft line is a complete look. You can gently soften the edge with a clean brush, working before the product sets and following its instructions. Formulas behave differently: a particularly long-wearing pencil may leave less time for blending.
Blue can pick up the denim you already wear. Dark green is an option beside grey and chocolate brown; purple can be the detail that changes a simple dress. These are combinations to experiment with, rather than rules based on eye colour. Love green pencil and happen to have green eyes? Give it a try anyway.
Second experiment: a wash of shadow
Prefer brushes? Choose a coloured eyeshadow and begin with a small amount on the mobile lid. Build it gradually, checking the result with your eyes open too. Before taking it higher, notice where the colour remains visible. Creases vary, and the shape of your own eyelid should help guide your application.
For a first outing, you can keep the colour close to the lashes and soften its edge. For more intensity, add a second layer in the centre without automatically expanding the whole shape. A plain top already gives your eye makeup room; with a printed shirt, you could pick up one of its colours.
Try the look before getting dressed. You do not need professional skills, but rushing to an appointment while still correcting fallen shadow on your cheek is an inconvenience you can avoid. Give yourself a few unhurried minutes and keep a clean brush nearby.
Third experiment: a reflection that moves with you
If a solid colour feels too bold, try a luminous eyeshadow designed for the eye area. A small amount in the centre of the lid can add a point of light. Results vary with the formula, lighting and skin tone. Look at it by a window and then in the room's ordinary light: you should enjoy it without a ring light doing all the work.
Runway images may involve materials and applications handled by professionals. At home, choose cosmetics intended for use around the eyes. Craft glitter, general-purpose glue and improvised decorations do not belong in this experiment. Use a product on the waterline only if its instructions specifically allow it.
Before shopping, check what you have
Look at the condition of your products and their period-after-opening instructions. If you are unsure about an old pencil or a texture that has changed, leave it out of this experiment. Then choose one thing: a line, a wash of colour or a reflection. Take an unfiltered photograph so you can remember tomorrow what you liked.
Runway makeup offers possibilities. Your version can fit a much more ordinary day: a blue line while you wait for the tram, dark green above a comfortable jumper, a reflection that catches the light at dinner. That question, “Where would I wear it?”, can finally have a very simple answer: out, wherever you were already planning to go.
