Invisible Eyeliner, Blue Eye Shadow (Yes, It’s Back), and Other Pro Tricks for Playing Up Your Eyes
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Colorful, defined, and alive are three words celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm says describe the shift we're seeing in eye makeup for summer 2026. "People are having fun with makeup again," says Holm. "There was a long stretch where it was all about looking 'natural'—which is beautiful, don’t get me wrong—but I’m happy to see something expressive, joyful, and glam taking up space again."
After a year of brown tones taking center stage, we’re ready to lean into bolder color for summer. And no shade—from runways to red carpets to bathroom cabinets—captures the season quite like blue. "Blue is the new brown," says top makeup artist Fara Homidi, whose debut eye palettes included one with a much-obsessed-over brightly-colored true blue. "I think we have all been aching for cool tones and something fun and wild, after the age of this clean girl, minimalistic makeup movement."
Whether you want to create sexy date-night smokiness, wide-awake brightness, or softly romantic allure, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. "Makeup—especially eye shadow—shouldn't feel overly technical or restrictive," says Holm. "It’s really about experimenting and seeing what feels good on you."
Below, two pro makeup artists on the easiest, most effective eye makeup tricks for full-stop flattering eyes.
Brighten and Lift with Eyeliner
Nude or White Liner to Brighten
Late night? Early morning? Just pure run-of-the-mill exhaustion? To conceal tiredness and brighten dull eyes, turn to eyeliner. "I love applying a nude or white eyeliner on the waterline, it's a subtle, almost invisible trick that instantly opens up the eyes," says Holm.
Winged Liquid Liner to Lift
Whether it’s a micro-flick or sharp cat-eye, eyeliner is also the key to subtly lift and open up eyes. "Winged liner is my signature, and I believe it works on any eye shape," she says. "The key is using the outer corner of your brow to guide your angle, so you’re working with your natural eye shape, not against it." By drawing everything angled upwards at the outer edge of the eye, it creates an illusion of lift.
Pop of Color to Look More Awake
Leaning into a subtle pop of color by applying shadow along your lash line (like eyeliner) or in the inner corners of your eyes is so pretty for daytime. "A pop of blue or lavender at the inner corner can make your eyes look brighter and more awake than almost anything else in your kit," says Holm. Use a brush for precise placement and buff out from there.
Prime Lids with Concealer
According to Holm, priming your lids is a huge indicator of how your finished eye makeup look will turn out. "I start every look by first cleansing the eye area with a dedicated wipe or cleanser to help remove any makeup residue, so you know you’re starting with a clean canvas," she says. "From there, prime lids with an eye shadow primer—or use a thin layer of concealer."
It creates a base that smooths, reduces oiliness, and helps eye shadow adhere better to the skin to prevent creasing, fading, smudging, patchiness—you name in it.
Use Color Theory to Make Your Eyes Pop
If you don't want to spend time trial-ing and error-ing—or feel hesitant about bolder hues like blue—color theory can help guide your eye shadow choices. "I like to go back to the color wheel and look for shades that are opposite your eye color," says Holm. There's a bit of science to it: complementary colors create visual contrast which, in turn, makes both colors appear brighter and more dynamic to our brains.
According to Holm, to enhance your natural eye color and make it pop, those with blue eyes should look for warm coppers, bronzes, and burnt oranges, those with green eyes should try warm rust shades, terracottas, and plums, while those with brown or hazel eyes should opt for purples, bronzes, and deep blues.
Blue Eyes: Warm Copper-Pink
Blue Eyes: Peach
Green Eyes: Warm Rust
Green Eyes: Plum
Brown Eyes: Burgundy
Brown Eyes: Purple Bronze
A Beauty Editor Trick for Applying Eye hadow
There are a lot of pros to powder eye shadows, including their versatility—you can apply it in a fine, crisp little line or create a full wash of color—and longevity. Because they absorb oil, they help to buffer against creasing and offer longer wear without color transfer.
That said, they can be trickier to work with—somehow it always ends up all over my face so I often avoid it. But getting ready for a Kacey Musgraves concert (which merits an eye shadow look no doubt) I used the most incredible makeup trick: Put eye masks on before you do any makeup. While they’re on, do your eye makeup—they work as a brilliant catchall for anything—dust, glitter, etc.—that falls. (Another pro tip for tackling this particular issue: "Start with less than you think and build in thin layers to avoid powder dust getting on the rest of your face," says Holm.)
Once your eye makeup is exactly how you want it, peel the eye masks off and dab on concealer for refreshed, plumped, pristinely crisp eyes.
Make a Bold Statement with Blue Shadow
If you had told me years ago that blue eye shadow would be cool and chic again, I wouldn't have believed you. Worn the right way, it becomes a conversation starter at dinner parties and the kind of detail that earns compliments from strangers on the street. "Blues and greys are trending right now because for the longest time beauty brands were only offering warm tone shades," explains Homidi.
The best part of this new blue shadow resurgence is that it works for everyone. "Anyone can wear blue eye shadow," says Homidi. "Don’t be fooled by traditional guidelines which say you can’t wear blue if you have XYZ—blue is universal…just think about all of the iconic women in film (Christina Ricci in Buffalo '66, Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, Samantha Robinson in The Love Witch, Liza Minnelli in Cabaret, and more) who wore blue eye shadow!"
There are many ways to incorporate blue in your eye look. To start, think about whether you want a bold, strategic pop of blue or an all over wash of color. Holm recommends going light and building from there. "When I’m working with a bold or unfamiliar shade, I like to start by keeping the color closer to the lid rather than immediately blowing it out into the crease or up toward the brow," she says. "It gives you a chance to get comfortable with the intensity, see how it complements your eye shape, and build from there if you want more impact."
A tip from Homidi: "If you really want the color to be fun with a bold, punchy statement, I would suggest adding mascara lightly and maybe skipping a liner so the shadow is the most prominent thing in your look."
Cream shadows (like Homidi's formula) are also beginner-friendly. "You can apply with a brush or with your fingers and build the color gradually without worrying about fallout, smudging, or smearing," Holm says. "Because of the texture, you can easily blend it out to soften the brightness at any point and you don't have to worry about patchiness," she says.