While we’re still on ‘Light and Shade’ this month here at SPICE, makeup artists creating looks for Spring/Summer catwalks have reinvented the smoky eye, playing with the season’s new favourite shade: purple.
Yes, the runways were sopping with models wearing soft purple eye shadows, from pastel lilacs as spotted at Sally LaPointe, to the violet at Derek Lam and darker versions of the hue seen on lids at Matthew Williamson, Vera Wang plus Sophie Thallet.
All made for a romantic take on the ’70s trend sweeping fashion right now, and should be considered as a vital update on your classic black or brown smoky eye.
Not just seen on models though, the smoky purple trend has been caught on celebrities too, with multiple shades of lilac and plum making appearances on red carpets all season long.
Desperate to try the shade of the season yourself? See our step-by-step below and you’ll be smoking hot in the hue in no time.
Get the Look: Derek Lam’s Hazy Eyes
In order to achieve that subtle, yet beautiful Derek Lam look,
1. First, pick out your purple shadow, with Team SPICE faves being the gorgeous hues of Dior’s “Kingdom of Colours” (£55, here) and NARS’s eye shadow duo in “Melusinee” and “Jolie Poupee” ($35, here). You could even use a purple lipstick (a la Mr Lam’s makeup artist) such as MAC’s “Odyssey” (£15.50, here), which is best blended across eyes with a brush.
2. Complete your complexion (foundation and concealer – blusher, if you want), but keep skin fresh and bare (see the how-to on that, here) to allow the eyes to standout. If you suffer from dark circles, be wary that purple eyeshadow can bring out dark cirles, so you might want to brighten up the under eye area first using a concealer, plus enhance the cheekbones with a highlighter.
3. Next, wash your colour over the eyelids, up to the crease of the eye. Wing the shadow upwards and outwards in a cateye-style shape that will lift the face and give a feminie, vixen-like vibe. Keep it ‘un-done’-looking though by using a light wash of the colour as seen at Derek Lam, but note it’s best if your brushes are big and soft – the look is not about precise lines.
4. Skip eyeliner altogether for a fresh daywear look as seen on Derek Lam’s runway.
5. Finish off your smoky purple look with mascara, concentrating the mascara wand at the root of your lashes to open up and define your eyes. We’d suggest black but you could experiment with a dark purple mascara for added drama. We recommend MIRENESSE’s Secret Weapon Original “Purple Rain” mascara ($39.95 here).
Et voila – your on-trend with a set of lovely, violet lids! Show off your new look. Tag us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SPICETVAFRICA and tell us everything! Also, you can leave your comments in the box below and we will certainly give you our feedback.
Image source: Pinterest.com, Buzzfeed.com, Mirenesse.com, Courtenaysbeautybox.com
