MARC JACOBS
Summer is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with colors that remind us of our summer fun? Bright neons are here, and we can’t help but welcome them with open arms. We have pinks as bright as summer strawberries, oranges reminiscent of the summer sun at sunset on the beach, yellows as dazzling as the sun’s rays at the peak of noon, blues as bright as the clear sky and greens as intense as the grass against that very same summer sky.
Whether it’s a lemon-lime ice-y pop or a piece of ripe, juicy watermelon, neons remind us that summer is about the brightest colors in the book. Summer is the best time of year to wear neons, and the neon eyeshadow trend is just what the doctor ordered.
Every decade has its neon days, and the neon days of the 20-teens have come current. I’m sure we will see it again in about ten years, but we’re going to enjoy it while it lasts, for sure. Be fun and daring this year, and get your vogue on with neon eyeshadow.
Neon Eyeshadow Looks
Neons can be hard to work with if you haven’t tried the trend before, so here are some of the best neon looks on Instagram this summer. Make the neon shades work for you, and you absolutely will not regret it.
Hunter Schafer is a breakout star of HBO’s “Euphoria.” Not only did she don some of the greatest abstract “Euphoria” makeup looks throughout the series’s first season, but as a model she’s often seen wearing the hottest neon eyeshadows. Schafer’s various neon eyeshadow looks are excellent examples of how you can take part in the trend on an everyday basis.
Sophie Moreau is a young professional based out of Atlanta and isn’t a makeup artist, but she has a way of making me want to try out neon eyeshadows with this gorgeously blended look. She paints her lids with a perfect mixture of neon yellows, oranges and reds, creating a fire-toned neon masterpiece. I am obsessed with this artistic makeup look and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
Model and actress Barbie Ferriera is certainly one to dabble in a vibrant trend. Barbie has worn neon greens, pinks, and orange eyeshadow. Seen here however, she opted for a thick neon blue eyeliner for a subtle yet still on-trend look.
Zandalee is a talented makeup artist, who has skill in applying the neon trend to her fantastic eyeshadow looks. This one uses a softly blended blue as the base above her crease, with a neon yellow spread across her eyelids. The vibrant, neon green accenting the inner corners of her eyes is a dope addition that really makes the look pop. Our lovely MUA wore this look for her birthday, and I can vouch that the look draws just the right amount of attention.
Ellie Adis is a British Youtuber and makeup guru who loves pink hair and brightly colored eyeshadows, so her neon looks are exactly what the season calls for. She has a habit of mainly using a single neon color in her brighter looks, and I’m not mad about it honestly. Paired with her bright pink hair, the plain neons really come to life. Never change, Ellie.
Mia Young uses her neon shadows to paint her jawline and forehead before bringing the focus back to her matching, neon-decorated eyelids. She blends neon yellow, orange and pink across the length of her lids, bringing them to a point that mimics the appearance of a cat eye. The colors are accented with a drawn on crease of neon blue and purple. This neon eyeshadow look is exciting to me because it draws the eye all around her face.
“Euphoria” actress Alexa Demie is a frequent wearer of standout eye makeup looks. She’s often seen wearing sharp wing eyeliner and soft hued eyeshadows. This time, however, Alexa delivered a soft neon violet eyeshadow look.
While Crisbel Dominguez’s take on the neon trend isn’t solely based in eyeshadow, I have to include this look because of the creativity. She uses a darker set of eyeshadows in shades of dark plum and black and paints her lower eyes with tear-shaped blobs of neon eyeshadows. Using neon eyeshadows, Dominguez creates a rainbow and mimics the design on her lips. I love this bold look, precisely because of the neon colors. She really takes the trend to the next level.
Ontario-based makeup artist, Karoline Pran embraces the neon trend with the yellow eyeshadow she uses on her model. The neon yellow beautifully brings out her warm coffee-toned skin and enhances her green eyes. The crease is blended out very delicately, so the neon just fades into the skin below her eyebrows.
We have Kylie Cosmetics to thank for this iridescent take on the neon eyeshadow trend. Kylie added a green neon eyeshadow to her red halo eyeshadow for a look that’s full of dimension yet not over-the-top.
Shanika Morette is a licensed MUA, whose gorgeous skin makes me so happy (I mean seriously, it’s flawless). She has been dabbling in the neon eyeshadow trend a lot lately, and she brings a lot of heat to her neon looks.
Morette uses her neon eyeshadows primarily on her lower lashline for this look, but it couldn’t be better. The blending of bright blue with neon yellow and green and the precision of application is impeccable. She creates a sort of bird-like appearance to her eyes, but in the best possible way. If I had to compare the look to something, I’d called it a neon green flamingo eye.
I am obsessed with Morette’s work, and the vibrant tones are incredible on her. If anyone could excel at a trend, the grand prize would have to go to Morette for her neon eyeshadows.
Californian makeup artist Evelyn has a gorgeous neon eyeshadow look to share with us. While the creases of her eyelids are surrounded with deep violet, the intense neon green and yellow blended over the base of her lids is what we are really here for. I think the purple brings attention to the neon shades beautifully, although they really do hold their own.
Evelyn is extremely talented and has been using mostly neons in her recent posts overall.
Best Neon Eyeshadow Palettes to Try
Since neon eyeshadow is popular, we have to have the right products for achieving the fabulous look. Here are some of the most poppin’ neon eyeshadow palettes available right now.
PHOTO: COURTESY SEPHORA
Huda NEON Obsessions
$29 at time of publication
Huda Beauty released their brand new NEON Obsessions mini palettes at the end of May, and at $29 you really can’t go wrong with it The mini palettes are a collection of eccentric and vibrant hues of pinks, greens and oranges. Huda Beauty is a company notorious for the pigment and blend-ability of their eyeshadows, and I am certain these little beauties are no different. Tutorials for creating neon-based looks using the palettes have been popping up all over the web.
Get the Huda NEON Obsessions here, at Sephora.
PHOTO: COURTESY SEPHORA
Kat Von D I Am Divine Palette
$23 at time of publication.
Kat Von D took inspiration from the gorgeous and talented late drag queen, Divine for this fabulous palette. The I Am Divine palette is a beautiful blend of bright blues, a vibrant green shade, and some rather smokey grays. It stays true to Divine’s bold message, and I felt it would be an important palette to include because of the very neon nature of the blue and green shades. They are absolutely gorgeous and can be used for some incredible neon looks, no questions asked.
Get it here, at Sephora.
PHOTO: COURTESY ULTA
Lorac Neon Lights PRO
$29 at time of publication.
Although LORAC’s Neon Lights PRO palette is only accessible online, I still feel it should be mentioned when we talk about neon colors. Its vivacious hues and dazzling brightness create an allure that even the most demure makeup pros have to love. The palette boasts saturated pigments and long-lasting color, and with the $29 price tag, it is hard to beat.
Get it here, at Ulta.com.
PHOTO: COURTESY SEPHORA
Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Riviera Palette
$45 at time of publication
Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Riviera palette is a perfect choice when creating your favorite summer neon eyeshadow looks. The bright pinks and purples will bring life to your eyeshadow collection, and you really can’t go wrong. The 4.7-star ratings on Sephora’s website are gold and to makeup and eyeshadow-lovers, the palette is brilliant and vivid. The colors blend smoothly and stay perfectly pigmented.
Get it here, at Sephora.
PHOTO: COURTESY ULTA
Morphe’s 35M Boss Mood Artistry Palette
$24 at time of publication
Morphe’s 35M Boss Mood Artistry palette is a gorgeous range that encompasses both neon shades and darker shades. The colors are daring in the best of ways, and are a must-have for anyone looking to try out neon eyeshadow tones for the first time. The palette is most definitely a boss mood and stays true to its name.
Get it here, at Ulta Beauty.