Baby Blue Eyeshadow Is the Throwback Makeup Trend We've Been Waiting For

Ever since Barbie debuted in 1959 with baby blue eyeshadow on her lids, the sky-like hue's popularity seems to rise and fall every decade — and the 2020s are no exception.

Season two of Euphoria is partly to thank for its renaissance. Maddie, Jules, Cassie, Kat, and Lexie all adorned their lids with plumes, painterly strokes, and plenty of bold flicks of baby blue. Then, of course, fans of the show began flooding Instagram and TikTok with their best takes on the show's baby blue eye makeup moments.

TV aside, the makeup trend also made several major appearances during the most February 2022's Fashion Month. Makeup artist Fara Homidi alone incorporated powdery shades of blue into several of the looks she created. At Maryam Nassir Zadeh in New York, baby blue took the runway in the form of sheer, oil paint-like lids. It was lower lash mascara at Supriya Lele in London and Bowie-esque streaks at Rokh in Paris.

Why Has Baby Blue Eyeshadow Come Back In Style?

Needless to say, the retro hue truly hasn't had this much of a modern moment since Y2K. However, with beauty and fashion trends returning from that era, it's really no surprise. It's just about as sought-after as chunky highlights, thin brows, and dramatic blush these days, makeup artist Amrita Mehta tells InStyle.

"Neutrals had their moment," she says. "The pandemic has us really embracing color and the joy it brings."

However, makeup artist Yuui Vision claims it actually is a neutral eyeshadow shade, because of how gorgeous it looks on everyone. Yup, baby blue is universally flattering — and foolproof. You don't have to do any guesswork trying to find the perfect pastel blue shade for your skin tone. "I think it looks good on everyone because it brings out the brightness of the white part of the eye," Vision explains.

What's the Best Way to Apply Baby Blue Eyeshadow?

When it comes down to application, the best way to ensure your baby blue shadow appears on your lids as best as it possibly can without patchiness is by layering on an eyeshadow primer first. Alternately, you can blend a cream or liquid shadow formula onto your lids first. Then, sweep a matching powder on top, Mehta suggests. Her favorite duo is the Haus Labs Glam Attack Liquid Shimmer Powder in Blue Jean Dream with the NYX Prismatic Eyeshadow in Blue Jeans for a stunning metallic look. This extra step will also keep the baby blue pigments as vivid as possible, which keeps it from falling flat or making you look washed out, says makeup artist Charlie Riddle.

Mehta usually takes this layering route when doing an ethereal wash of baby blue all across each lid. Most recently, Riddle did so, too, for Kim Shui's SS22 show. He created a gradient of baby blue that intensified into cobalt on the outer corners of the models' eyes for "a lifted, diffused shape," Riddle says. "The girls looked cool yet sweet."

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For that show in particular, the Stila Double Dip Eyeshadows in Blue Jean helped make the dreamy look a reality. The matte and shimmery cream shadows "blend out soft if you want them diffused, but they're also really pigmented, so you can layer them as well," Riddle says.

Depending on your makeup skills, you can cover your lids with just the matte formula, too, and top it with black flicks to recreate the Barbie-inspired look on the runway at Christian Siriano during NYFW last month.