Yes, You Can Wear Bold Eye Color — Here’s How

For those of us who are color shy, bright eye makeup is like the bad boy of the beauty world -- equal parts thrilling and intimidating, great for the occasional night out, but ultimately not what you’ll settle down with for everyday life. Those taupes and grays just seem so much, well, safer. Sigh.

We get it, but there’s a new formula that may make you reconsider the eye candy: the liquid eyeshadow, namely L’Oréal Infallible Paints Liquid Eyeshadows. The dual-colored shadow looks more like lip gloss than eyeshadow, complete with a sponge-tipped applicator. The beauty of it? Its slick formula delivers a smooth, layer of bright color that’s customizable. Swipe it on and blend out for a soft wash of color, or build up to a more intense, color-saturated lid. Each one comes with two shades—one bright and one lighter hue. Blend the two, use the lighter shade as a highlighter in the inner corner of your eyes, or wear one shade at a time. You’ve got serious options.  

So, how to do you apply it? You can use the applicator or your fingertips, but for a pro-like application, makeup artist Jessika Bekteshi says to dab liquid shadows on the back of your hand and blend it onto lids using a makeup brush. “You’ll get a more even distribution across lids,” says Bekteshi. Blend it through the crease. Just work quickly. Once it sets, the shadow stays put until you wash it off. Then add some definition by layering with L’Oréal Infallible Paints Liquid Eyeliner in a bold blue or green, or stark white or black. (Or wear the liner separate from the eyeshadow for two different takes on the bright eye look.) Try a graphic, precise line. Or, for a softer look: “Draw a tight line across the lash line, and then use a flat smudge brush to blend,” says Bekteshi. Finish by curling lashes and applying a couple coats of black mascara.

Note: When going bright on your lids, create balance on the rest of your face with a pink or peach blush and a pinky nude lip, says Bekteshi. If you're feeling bold, amp it up to a bordeaux lip shade, she adds.

Your Guide to Choosing the Right Shade

How do you make bright color even more wearable? You pick one that works with both your skin tone and eye color. Here, your no-fail cheat sheet.

The Best Bright Eyeshadow Colors for Fair Skin Tones

The Best Bright Eyeshadow Colors for Medium Skin Tones

The Best Bright Eyeshadow Colors for Dark Skin Tones