Bright Mascaras, Decoded

Think a flutter with coloured mascara is a no-no? Think again...

We’re not ones for rules over here on the beauty desk. Want your hair red/blue/grey or all three? We’re behind you. Prefer a nail that positively heaves with adornment? Sure. Love to wear a pink lipstick with bright violet eyeliner? We say run with it. And enjoy.

Coloured mascara, however, is a tricky beast that we feel requires a rule or two – whatever craziness you’ve got going on in terms of make-up, mascara is usually the thing that plays the respectable game: it is black or, at a push, a deep brown. Its job is solely to frame and enhance. Mascara is not thrilling; it is a workhorse.

You may well then be justifiably perplexed by the wave of coloured mascaras now on the market and how best to use them. We were equally puzzled as to how to pull this one off and spent a good deal of time deciding how to channel chic, not batty, when batting a bright blue set of lashes. So we tested away and came up with some ground rules in case you fancy a flutter with colour yourself…

1) Whatever you do, don’t match your bright mascara to the very same hue of eyeshadow. This is a mistake of epic proportions and will turn your lids into a riot of colour without any definition.

2) A black ‘tightline’ (where you take an eyeliner and line your upper waterline) is your best friend and imperceptibly does the job of defining while your exciting mascara does its thing and, you know, looks exciting.

3) For a light version of the trend, just whack a little colour on the ends of lashes after you’ve applied your usual coat of black. Simple.

#MarieClaireLoves:

- Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils Waterproof Mascara in 03 and 04, £25

- Benefit They’re Real! Beyond Blue and Beyond Brown Mascara, £19.50

- Clinique Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in Portly Plum and Two Ton Teal, £17.50

- Dior Diorshow Mascara in 168 and 258, £25