Blue Eye Shadow

As the Fourth of July approaches, you might want to think twice before doing a beauty palette consisting solely of red, white, and blue shades. But what you might want to consider is capturing the essence of the holiday with sparkly blue eye makeup. At Salvatore Ferragamo's recent resort show, Freida Pinto looked stunning wearing a shimmery blue shadow. It's a combination that will take you from a poolside party to a night on the town. And besides, blue brightens the eyes in an instant, especially when formulated with light-reflecting particles. Shop the widget below to add a bit of sparkler action to your makeup bag.

After years of loving neutral eye makeup, I think I may be ready to move on to something more daring. Enter the Estée Lauder Blue Dahlia palette ($42). The first color collection from creative makeup director Tom Pecheux is full of rich turquoise, navy, and blue shades — all of which are bolder than what I usually wear.

I've already taken baby steps by wearing blue along the lash line, and this peacock-colored look was fun. So this time, I'm going to go for more drama. To see how it worked, keep reading.

In an attempt to break out of the neutrals rut, I'm wearing blue eye shadow in a bevy of ways — all in an attempt to do so without being called Smurfette. Day one was a relatively tame flash of blue along the lash line. Today, however, I'm turning it up to 11, with a much more intense look. To check it out, keep reading.

Blue eye shadow often conjures memories of junior high or the '80s — or even worse, junior high during the '80s. These days, though, blue can be fashionable and fun, says Tom Pecheux, Creative Makeup Director of Estee Lauder. Blue Dahlia, his first Pure Color collection for the venerable brand, is filled with bright, rich blues and soft pinks. "Blue is not something we see all the time in fashion, but I find it very playful," he says of the collection. "It's a very optimistic color as well, and it's better to be happy than to be sad."

But can this neutrals-loving girl learn to stop worrying and love the blue? To find out, I'm going to use shades from the Blue Dahlia palette ($42) over the next week. Today, we start out with baby steps. To see what I did, keep reading.

Blue eyeliner can go two ways. In the worst-case scenario, you resemble Dee Snider from Twisted Sister. (No offense, Mr. Snider.) Wear blue eyeliner well, though, and you'll have a more daring and unexpected look.

Yesterday I tried out Cover Girl LiquiLine Blast ($8) in Blue Boom, a metallic royal blue dreamed up by makeup guru Pat McGrath. I applied it close to the lash line, then gently smudged it upward to create the illusion of a smoky eye. Many compliments were had. So the idea that blue eyeliner has to look totally '80s? We're not gonna take it anymore.

Just about every makeup collection around right now includes some sort of blue, whether it's a soft, silvery tone or a big bold turquoise. At the Museum of Modern Art, Ciara proved that the former shade, a shimmery pop of icy blue that often gets a bum rap due to its '80s roots, is actually quite stunning.

Ciara placed this light-reflecting shade in the inner corners of her eyes, complementing it with a contrasting matte brown shadow, bronzed cheeks, and glossy lips. Pale blues can be worn on all skin tones and eye colors, it's just about what you pair them with that makes a difference. For tips on how you can make this look your own, just keep reading.

Ever wonder how you can wear blue eye shadow without looking totally '80s? It's easy. Go for a blue in a steely-gray version like Mariska Hargitay's to give your look an interesting feel. Or simply mix two gray-toned shadows, such as a silver and a deep charcoal, to create lots of depth à la Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Richie. Pair it with pink cheeks and lips for a flattering, complementary finish.

Who ever said that glittery makeup is only reserved for the middle-school crowd? At last night's New York premiere of Amelia, it definitely wasn't Hilary Swank. Wearing an unexpected silvery-blue shadow on both her upper and lower lash lines to coordinate with her steely blue-green gown, Hilary proves that sparkling, shimmery finishes don't have to look cheesy. In fact, the cool-based shade complements her brown eyes nicely. While the general rule of thumb is to pair a bold eye with a subdued lip, I'm all for breaking rules, but when glitter is involved, less is better. To find out some of my tips for wearing glittery liner when you read more.