The white eye makeup trend of the ‘00s is back

Have you noticed that makeup and hair trends this year have been more experimental, whimsical and creative than ever before? 

Maybe it’s the freedom we’ve acquired post-lockdown that’s allowed us to buck convention and adopt a laissez-faire attitude when it comes to beauty. Heck, if you haven’t bleached your eyebrows or shaved them off completely, you’re in the minority. Call us Marie Kondo, because we think it’s the perfect time to find a bit more joy in the process of getting ready and try some mood-enhancing makeup.

Paint your lids with green eyeshadow if you so choose, but we think it’s time you dabbled in the ‘00s revival, with the white eye makeup trend. It’s already adorned the eyelids of just about every modern iteration of the ‘it girl’ this year (even Harry Styles’ genderless makeup line features a shimmering white pigment). And now, it’s your turn to try it…

How to wear white eye makeup

Whether you’re a pro at blending eyeshadow, prefer an eyeliner or you’re a mascara-only kind of person, the white makeup trend can work for you.

Doja Cat shaved her eyebrows, so she painted on a set of thin patent white brows, and lacquered her lashes in white mascara to match her bleached buzz cut.

Dua Lipa’s makeup artist Shelby Smith and model Gabriette both opted for ‘00s-inspired bone white eyeshadow blended up to the brow bone. Rosalia’s take? Stopping her eyeshadow just short of her socket for a subtle pop of highlight on the lids. 

Models Gigi Hadid and Paloma Elsesser love to play with eyeliner to amplify an otherwise understated makeup look. Elsesser’s free-handed fluffy strokes of white pigment and eye framing dots add an artful touch to her bare skin. Hadid however, has executed an electric alabaster dash of eyeliner that matches her platinum blonde hair perfectly.

Adwoa Aboah’s slightly more avant-garde approach is all thanks to makeup artist Jenny Coombs, who created a white swan-inspired eye look on the model that’s both glamorous and adventurous in equal measure. 

Where to buy white eye makeup

Now that you’ve been adequately inspired, you’re probably after a few white eye makeup staples to add to your kit. From liquid liner to eyeshadow, we’ve taken the liberty of rounding up some white eye makeup you can play with at home…

We recommend:

DIOR Show On Stage Liner in ‘Matte White’ ($56 at MYER); MECCA MAX Eye Max Eyeliner Pencil in ‘Wide Eye White’ ($14 at Mecca); and M.A.C Pro Longwear Paint Pot Eyeshadow in ‘Sink To A Whisper’ ($39 at MYER). 

ZARA Quartz Veil Liquid Eyeshadow in ‘Iridescent Dawn’ ($23.95 at ZARA); DIOR Diorshow Maximizer 3D Mascara Primer-Serum ($62 at Sephora); and Covergirl Amplify Primer Mascara By Lashblast in ‘Neutral White’ ($1.99 at Chemist Warehouse).

Is the white eye makeup look not wearable enough for you? Try a dash of white eyeliner instead.

Main image credit: @shelbysmithmakeup