Single colour eyeshadows. Remember those? The times when your makeup bag consisted of perhaps three or four of them, each for a different occasion, seems a distant memory. For the last few years, it’s been all about the palettes, all thanks to Urban Decay’s original Naked palette (RIP), making the humble single feel very retro.
It wasn’t until we saw Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan’s stunning neon pink eye look for the Golden Globes that we realised the ‘one colour’ trend is back in full force, and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
How to get Nicola Coughlan’s Golden Globes neon pink eye colour
Nicola’s makeup artist Neil Young gave us the low down on the products he used.
Nicola’s makeup artist Neil Young gave us the low down on the products he used. “To create Nicola’s eye look I started with Kryolan Aqua Colour paint in UV Pink (£8.90) as a base all over the lid from lash line to the crease of the eye, blending away any hard edges towards the brow bone. This is to give the eyeshadow more kick and intensity, however, an eye shadow primer or concealer would work in the same way.
I then followed with a neon eyeshadow to add more intensity. I love MAC Neon Pink Pigment (£17.50) as it builds opacity quickly but any bright pink shadow will create the same effect. To keep the look modern, I kept the colour to the upper lid only and followed with several coats of mascara to redefine the lash line and clean up the white of the eye.”
Creating a more neutral single eyeshadow look
The single eyeshadow trend doesn’t have to just be pops of colour, we love the look of a mid-tone neutral popped all over the lid and smoked out underneath the eye for that lived in, ‘eye-bag’ look that is also very in right now. Try shades like Wedge from MAC(£16) for a cool tone or Tulum from NARS (£17) for that ‘baby-poop’ mustard colour that’s been so popular for years now. Or go smoky with Mulch from MAC(£16), a deeper neutral bronze with shimmer that’ll look beautifully dimensional in certain lighting.
You can make a single eyeshadow look appear as though you’ve put far more effort into it than you really have, making it the ultimate 5-minute makeup hack, and it’s super flattering!
Neil says “Taking any colour from the upper lash line to the crease of your eye and blending away the edge is universally flattering for all eye shapes, as it expands the space around the eye. To find your natural crease, look down into a mirror and gently raise your eyebrows. Your natural eye crease will appear, indicating where the colour should stop. Using a soft blending brush, buff away any hard edges.”
“Singular bold colours are a modern way to wear eye makeup. They are flattering for all eye shapes and have a fast and simple brightening effect when used in contrast to the eye colour. I love pinks, oranges for blue eyes, purples and lilacs for greens eyes, and blues and greens for brown/hazel eyes.”
One colour eyeshadow looks we’re loving….
We love this one-colour pastel look for spring seen on @sophfloyd, with that very 60s rounded, unblended shape. Get the look using Mac single eyeshadow in ‘Girlie’.
If you’re looking for an effortless, ‘lived in’ look and have slightly more round eyes, then take the fabulous @jamiegenevieve for inspiration. Wear Jamie’s own brand Vieve, or for a single eyeshadow, try Anastasia Beverly Hills single eyeshadow in ‘Caramel’.
Bring your shadow towards the bridge of your nose for an edgy look, that contours at the same time. Wear with just mascara for a day look and amp up for the evening with false lashes. We think @jordanlipscombee has nailed this trend.