Color Queue: Go on a Blue Streak! - Stylehive

I already know what you're thinking... blue eyeshadow is so seventies, right? Cheap, not chic? Well read on, because blue is here to stay and there is most definitely a blue eyeshadow, eyeliner or mascara for you!

This season, blue eye makeup was a staple on the runways, practically becoming the new black for many makeup artists, who often used deep indigo eyeliner in lieu of harsher blacks. The result? A softer, more mysterious appeal... which puts your eyes front and center without making them appear overdone. Models at Zac Posen, Tommy Hilfiger and Narisco Rodriguez all sported variations of this look and made it work magnificently with nude, matte red and rosebud pink lips. It's rumored that wearing a blue eyeliner also makes tired and red eyes look brighter, whiter and more awake. Trust me... it's true! Kate Hudson and Katie Holmes were recently spotted wearing this trend on their lower lash-lines.

Our goal is classy, not trashy... and this is where rich, navy shadows fit in perfectly with your beauty routine. This look is perfectly captured by both Chanel and Givenchy, who based their Spring/Summer cosmetic collections on the blue hue. Givenchy introduced the Denim Fétiche Collection, which featured a perfect denim eyeshadow paired with bright accents, and Chanel intoduced the Aurora Collection, which featured the Bleu Célestes Eye Quad and Blue Jean Eyeliner. Très chic! Navy almost becomes a neutral shade, and can be applied as a light wash or color or more deeply intense and sultry. The models at Rag & Bone wore a gorgeous shade of matte indigo blue, softly applied, with slightly rosy cheeks and nude lips. Regardless of their eye color- blue, green, brown or hazel- this application was wearable by all and gave them a fresh, sparkling appearance.

Eye color can be an issue when wearing blue eyeshadow. The blues typically work best for ladies with brown or hazel eyes... but if you have blue eyes, don't fret. The rule of thumb according to Bobbi Brown (and you know she knows the rules!) is... don't match your eyeshadow to your eyes. Now, rules are made to be broken, or at least interpreted. So if you really want to wear blue eye makeup and you have blue eyes, you should choose blues that are not the same intensity as your eyes. In other words, go lighter or go darker... or even brighter! The key is to maintain some contrast so that your eyes don't disappear.

Speaking of contrast, if you're all about the drama, then there's plenty of blue eye makeup that will shake up even your status quo. Go light, go bright or anywhere in between... just make a statement! Savvy application will make sure that you don't look like an extra from an eighties sitcom. Ultra-dramatic blue eyeshadow made a kitsch appearance in the eighties, and this is definitely not the look you're going for. Today's high-impact blue makeup is clean, modern and multi-dimensional. Models on the Proenza Schouler runway wore intense metallic peacock blue eyeshadow that had a definite rocker-chick punk vibe, while vivid cobalt blue mascara paired with soft berry lips and braided hair stole the show at THREEASFOUR. Things got a little chilly on the runway at Doo.Ri, where models wore a carefully placed application of icy metallic periwinkle with smoky mauve, black eyeliner and luminescent skin. Angelic cool. Of course, the award for the most theatrical blue eye makeup goes to the runways at John Galliano, where geometric arcs of color and false lashes created a harlequin-like effect.

Blue eye makeup truly is like the perfect pair of jeans, which can be worn by everyone... as Nicolas Degennes, the creator of Givenchy's striking Denim Fétiche collection was so duly inspired. Degennes stated, "Denim can be streetwise, chic, basic, sophisticated, masculine, sexy and more. This symbol of rebellion gets you moving €“ to its own beat." Like denim for the eyes, the many moods of blue eyeshadow can be all of those things. Truly transformative!