BLUE EYE MAKEUP RULES
FASHION AND FILM
November 20, 2023 by Cat Quinn
A teenage hacker fighting corporate extortion. A flight attendant smuggling arms money. An aspiring actress with a deadly secret. Three iconic characters in film woven together by a single thread: a rebellious attitude and thick wash of blue eye shadow. Over the last century, the bold makeup look that has become the punctuation mark for breakout stars in cinema – often creating a false sense of innocence for powerful female characters who are woefully underestimated. “From seedy glamour to living-on-the-fringe ingénues, blue makeup is a symbol of defiant decadence and underground allure,” says Terry Barber, M·A·C Creative Director of Makeup Artistry.
Whether smudged on with a fingertip or delicately blended with a brush, pro Makeup Artists have long turned to M·A·C products to create these standout moments on set. The studio quality pigments show up as boldly in real life as they do on screen, and come in a range of colours to represent every emotion. “Our blue shadows walk the line perfectly between retro and contemporary,” says Barber. “Eye Shadow in Tilt is a perfect example. It feels like a coming-of-age blue.”
Constantly appearing on fashion mood boards, blue hues are reinvented in pop culture for every decade. Right now, that moment is borrowing from a mix of references. Ingénue Blue is defined by a bold wash of true-blue eye shadow over the lids inspired by famous film and TV makeup looks. Y2K makeup continues to reign, with Washed Denim eye shadow and Icy Lips modernizing the frosty blue makeup trend of the decade. Graphic Cobalt Liner is directly lifted from the runway collections where the vibrant hue ruled the spring and summer 2024 seasons.
Across the board, these blues have one thing in common. “There’s a punk attitude or wittiness to wearing blue makeup,” says Barber “It’s someone wearing it for themselves, not for the approval of others.”
Whether smudged on with a fingertip or delicately blended with a brush, pro Makeup Artists have long turned to M·A·C products to create these standout moments on set. The studio quality pigments show up as boldly in real life as they do on screen, and come in a range of colours to represent every emotion. “Our blue shadows walk the line perfectly between retro and contemporary,” says Barber. “Eye Shadow in Tilt is a perfect example. It feels like a coming-of-age blue.”
Constantly appearing on fashion mood boards, blue hues are reinvented in pop culture for every decade. Right now, that moment is borrowing from a mix of references. Ingénue Blue is defined by a bold wash of true-blue eye shadow over the lids inspired by famous film and TV makeup looks. Y2K makeup continues to reign, with Washed Denim eye shadow and Icy Lips modernizing the frosty blue makeup trend of the decade. Graphic Cobalt Liner is directly lifted from the runway collections where the vibrant hue ruled the spring and summer 2024 seasons.
Across the board, these blues have one thing in common. “There’s a punk attitude or wittiness to wearing blue makeup,” says Barber “It’s someone wearing it for themselves, not for the approval of others.”
Eye Shadow
$23.00
A highly pigmented powder that applies evenly and blends well.
These blue M·A·C makeup products create iconic on-screen looks.
Eye Shadow in Triennial Wave is a must-have for the Ingénue Blue trend.
Prep your brush with Fix+ for bold colour payoff.
HOW TO GET THE TREND
LOOK 1: Take cues from your favourite film and TV stars with this bold blue makeup look.
- Prep lids with Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base.
- Mist a 217S Blending Brush with Fix+, then generously dip into Eye Shadow in Triennial Wave for an intense wash of colour.
- Blend creases usng a 286S Dup Fibre Tapered Brush to soften edges.
- Curl lashes, then coat with a generous amount of M·A·CStack Mascara.
- Smooth Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Clear onto lips.
Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
$30.00
A shadow primer specially formulated to prolong the look of your eye makeup.
217 Synthetic Blending Brush
$30.00
A brush for the shading or blending of powdery or creamy products.
Prep + Prime Fix+
$33.00
A lightweight water mist that gently soothes and refreshes skin and finishes makeup.
Eye Shadow
$23.00
A highly pigmented powder that applies evenly and blends well.
286 Synthetic Duo Fibre Tapered Brush
$36.00
A duo-fibre brush for applying and blending soft washes of colour of any eye shadow or concealer.
M·A·CStack Mascara
$28.00
An endlessly buildable, clump-resistant mascara that stacks on infinite layers of volume and length.
Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick
$24.00
A plumping gloss stick that nourishes and conditions lips with translucent colour and non-sticky shine.
Graphic Cobalt Liner makes an eye-catching statement.
Siren eyes get a graphic upgrade with strategic spacing.
LOOK 2: Get graphic with a bold swipe of Cobalt Liner.
- Draw a small wing at the inner and outer corners of the eyes using M·A·C Colour Excess Gel Pencil Eye Liner in Perpetual Shock!, extending and sharpening the shape with a 209S Eye Liner Brush.
- Curl lashes, then coat with a generous amount of M·A·CStack Mascara.
- Smooth Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Clear onto lips.
M·A·C Colour Excess Gel Pencil Eye Liner
$24.00
An ultra-pigmented, waterproof gel pencil eye liner with 24+ hours of wear on lids and 12 hours of wear on waterlines.
M·A·CStack Mascara
$28.00
An endlessly buildable, clump-resistant mascara that stacks on infinite layers of volume and length.
Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick
$24.00
A plumping gloss stick that nourishes and conditions lips with translucent colour and non-sticky shine.
Embrace your Y2K alter ego with Icy Lips.
Finish the look with Washed Denim eyes and layers of black mascara.
LOOK 3: Replicate your favourite pair of denim jeans with this trend-setting blue eye shadow look.
- Prep lids with Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base.
- Sweep shade Mr. Ice Guy from the Snowbody’s Business Eye Shadow Palette x 12 onto lids and brow bones using a 252S Large Shader Brush. Didn’t get your hands on the palette? Use Eye Shadow in Tilt for a similar look.
- Curl lashes, then coat with a generous amount of M·A·CStack Mascara. Then, dip a 231S Small Shader Brush into the mascara brush and apply to lashes to create a spiked look.
Prep + Prime 24-Hour Extend Eye Base
$30.00
A shadow primer specially formulated to prolong the look of your eye makeup.
252 Synthetic Large Shader Brush
$34.00
A soft but firm, large paddle brush for shading with powder, cream or liquid products.
Eye Shadow
$23.00
A highly pigmented powder that applies evenly and blends well.
M·A·CStack Mascara
$28.00
An endlessly buildable, clump-resistant mascara that stacks on infinite layers of volume and length.
231 Synthetic Small Shader Brush
$24.00
A pro-quality brush that lets you apply and move around colours like an expert.
