Purple Is The Eyeshadow Colour Of The Summer

With summer comes a universal want of less – fewer commitments, minimal clothing, and barely-there make-up. The attraction of the paring is down to simplification, the better to allow revellers to soak up the season’s welcome vacations and balmy heat. That said, not all make-up need be eschewed as the temperatures climb; when properly applied, summer eyeshadow helps to communicate the season’s ease rather than stifle it. This year’s preferred neutral? A subtle pop of purple – the better to embody summer’s sweet and flirtatious feel.

“It’s funny, because when you are thinking years in advance, you’re always asking yourself, ‘What colours are going to perform really well?’” says make-up artist Violette. “But for me, I am always focused on what inspires me – what colour will make me vibrate. Two years ago, I had already been dreaming of this lilac colour.” The pale purple is featured in Violette’s recent Floral Denim collection, launched in collaboration with Guerlain, offering a whimsical romance to summer’s roster of must-try shades. The singular shade is also a primary part of her new palette of Yeux Paint Liquid Eyeshadow in Nuage de Lilas, which launched this week and is a study in the stylable power of purple.

The seemingly unexpected colour choice is in keeping with the still-strong Y2K revival, pretty and playful without sacrificing sophistication – particularly when properly applied. “I love anything in the mauve family, and taupes are a forever favourite,” echoes make-up artist Emily Cheng, who recommends opting for a more translucent wash of colour over the lids, a note relevant to bolder hues like purple.

To ensure that any shade of shadow stays in place, even in the season’s signature heat, both artists suggest a pressing of pre-colour primer. “My best advice is to apply an eye base, concealer, and powder for it to last a little longer; definitely, the eye base will help,” says Violette. Honour summer’s ease by using your fingertips for application and cream shadows that can be blended out to achieve desired opacity (or lack thereof). And for shadows that won’t stray, a waterproof formula is a foolproof choice. (Both Violette and Cheng suggest the former’s Yeux Paint for a pop of colour that won’t budge, regardless of external conditions.)

As with sheer shades, though, Cheng actually enjoys the fallout that comes with higher temperatures. “I don’t mind a softly creased look on the upper eyelids,” she says, adding that she’s actually utilised balm to achieve a similar effect for the red carpet. “It comes off effortless, lived-in, and dewy.”