I’ve always been scared of blue. I have blue eyes so it should be a good match, but I’m a child of the 90s, when blue fell out of favour.

Having been THE liner, shadow and mascara shade of choice the decade before, by 1997 it was very much in the ‘parent palette’ as us youngsters sought a simpler, minimalist vibe. I couldn’t shake the associations with Princess Diana, Barbie and my Mum’s friends, who might pair a royal blue liner with a frosted pink lip, or Bourjois’ sky-blue shadow with big earrings and a perm. My generation was all about muted colours, natural eyes - Revlon Heather Shimmer Lipstick, MAC’s bestselling Spice, Bobbi Brown neutrals – blue just didn’t fit.

For me, it’s a tricky colour because it always feels either too young or too old. Too young when it’s baby blue shadow daubed on like a child’s experiment with a Girl’s World palette, and too old when it recalls the blue rinse brigade and their lifelong commitment to a look that began in 1961. Blue does well in drag, befits a cartoon super villain and Jessica Rabbit, but it’s not for me.

Which is annoying because it suits all skin tones, sitting comfortably on cool skin, and really popping on warm. But, still… naff, right?

Perhaps not anymore.

The AW18 shows have me rethinking my ban on blue, thanks to some persuasive riffs on texture and positioning that feel modern. And in a season where we saw a vivid palette of fuchsia, scarlet, yellow and lime green on eyes, blue is the gateway to these poster paint shades, but without the possible mis-diagnosis of pink eye or liver disease. Within this spectrum of colour, blue’s practically a neutral. So why not enjoy a slice of the big blue yourself? Here’s how…

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