5 GLAMOUR staffers tried the blue makeup trend for summer

The summer shade to watch 💙

Blue makeup was flagged as the beauty trend to watch at the beginning of the year. Pinterest revealed that "Gen Z and Millennials will find new ways to incorporate this '60s staple into their modern beauty routines,” in its Pinterest Predicts 2024 report, and noted that searches for “blue eyeshadow aesthetic” went up by 65% this year. Meanwhile “fun blue nails” saw a whopping 260% growth and “aqua makeup look” went up 100%.

In practice, we've seen a wave of blue wash over the lids of our favourite celebs and influencers. At the Met Gala, Rachel Zegler and Naomi Campbell opted to wear the colour around their eyes and on TikTok “blue eyeliner” has over 38 million hits.

With the weather warming up, it's a better time than ever to tap up aqua and sky blue hues, so team GLAMOUR tried it on for size. Here's what we thought…

The products:

Elle, GLAMOUR's Senior Beauty Editor

Product: Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in Bleu Abysse

I'm normally a classic girl when it comes to my eye makeup and I'm wedded to my black liquid eyeliner, but I actually love that the blue makeup trend is taking off. It still feels wearable and do-able, but it offers a fun-twist to everyday makeup. I tried Chanel's Summer Collection blue eyeliner in Bleu Abysse, starting with my go-to black for definition, then sketched the blue over the top. It offered a really good amount of pigment and slid on easily – although a couple of layers gave me the colour pay off I wanted. Overall, it's a cute look that I'll be keeping in my summer beauty locker for days I want to add a pop of colour.

Rating: 8/10

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Robyn, GLAMOUR's Social Media Manager

Product: Maybelline Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara in Blue Mist

Blue mascara should be in everyone's makeup kit this summer. That’s not a beauty tip I thought I’d be giving but the blue Sky High mascara had converted me into a pop-of-colour devotee. Whether it's for a weekend festival, a house party or just a sunny picnic, having blue lashes gives you that cool-girl feeling that’ll have you living your best life.

First and foremost, the formula of this mascara is great. It gave me super long lashes that were slightly clumpy which is a look I love. I did have to get my acrylics involved to fan out a few particularly thick sections but overall, I loved the look this mascara gave.

As for the colour, the payoff is good but you do need a fair few coats to get the colour to be really vivid. After a good lathering, it leaves you with a lovely pop of blue around the eyes that's super wearable and not at all childish. I have seriously dark brown eyes that are borderline black and the blue hue brought out so much of the warmth in my eyes which I loved. The colour complimented my skin so well and it felt like a fun addition to my makeup.

Rating: 8/10

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Fiona, GLAMOUR's Associate Beauty Director

Product: Essie Jelly Gloss Nail Color in Sky Jelly

I'm normally a nude polish girl so a pastel blue really took me out of my comfort zone. That said, I received so many compliments on my new mani I became quite obsessed with the shade. The polish can feel a bit watery with just one coat so I'd definitely recommend at least two to achieve that high-sheen, jelly-like finish. But this isn't a problem as the application is so easy and long lasting. The brush covers nearly your whole nail, meaning one swipe is often enough and the colour remained chip free for seven days, which is good going considering I skipped base and topcoat. Pastels nails are tipped to be huge this summer and Essie's Salt Water Happy is a wearable shade that is just as suitable for the office as it is for a beach holiday.

Rating: 9/10

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Chrissie, GLAMOUR's Creative Producer

Product: Victoria Beckham Eye Wear Longwear Shadow Stick in Cornflower

I loved this eyeshadow, the pigment is rich and intense making it easy to create a bold, playful or even dramatic look. It glides along the waterline seamlessly for a perfect graphic eyeliner look.

Not only is application a breeze but lasting power is impressive. It stayed put throughout the day without fading or smudging which never happens with my under eyes. Overall happy with the product, it delivered.

Rating: 10/10

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Sophie, GLAMOUR's Senior Commerce Editor

Product: Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in Icy Blue

In 2023, we saw the washed denim blue eyeshadow trend take us from spring through to the end of summer – and this summer, blue hues remain a staple in the makeup bags of every "it" girl. TBH, I wasn't convinced it'd work for me – and granted, the icy blue Dior Addict Lip Maximiser is a very subtle nod to the trend – but I'm totally converted. The packaging is chic, characteristically, and the pale blue shade gives a cool-toned, holographic finish to the lips which I couldn't get enough of. The Lip Maximizer is also enriched with cherry oil and hyaluronic acid, which plump and hydrate the lips during wear. I'm packing it in my holiday makeup bag, for sure.

Rating: 9/10

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For more from GLAMOUR's Senior Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk

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