Coloured mascara has long had a bad reputation, mostly because there’s no doubting that it’s not the easiest of things to pull off.

Sure, Madonna might have worn it with ease in the Eighties, and although things have come along way since then, blue mascara is still heavily associated with her iconic look - but not always in the best way.

That’s all about to change, though, as rainbow lashes are making a modern comeback. Earlier this month we spoke exclusively to Patrick Ta, Shiesido’s Global Colour Artist, and got the low down on exactly how to make it wearable. 

Ta, whose celebrity clients include Ariana Grande, Chrissy Teigen and the Hadid sisters, shared his key tips for working coloured mascara - and, unsurprisingly, the 2019 way to wear it doesn’t depend on your eye shade.

Here’s what we learnt…

If you’re anything like us, neutral make-up that goes with any outfit is the always the easiest win – mostly because it requires next to no thought. Ta thinks the opposite though and instead encourages people to experiment with monochromatic looks.

“If you’re wearing an outfit with say, a hint of blue or green, or whatever colour you’re trying to make stand out, add that same colour to your lashes. So if you have a boring blue outfit and you want to make it fun, it’s really easy to that shade to your lashes.”

It sounds scary, but one of Ta’s main tips was around going all out with your chosen mascara colour and pairing it with an opposing shade of lipstick.

“If you wear lipstick regularly, try colour blocking,” he says. “Colours that look good with the emerald mascara are maroon, or red and I love blue lashes with a bold, orange lip.”

Definitely not one if you consider yourself a make-up wallflower, but pretty incredible all the same. 

You can layer coloured mascaras over a traditional black for a nod to any particular shade and to dial down the pigment slightly, or you could just apply it to either the top or bottom lashes for a more subtle look.

But – and this is a big but –if you’re going to go all out, apply it directly onto bare lashes from root to tip and just own it. “Wear it with a purpose. When you wear colour it’s about minimalizing everything else, keep your skin and everything else super fresh and just be that cool girl. Channel her,” he says. “Coloured lashes are perfect for that girl, because if she has messy hair or is a little bit undone, she can put it on and then she’s ready for the day but is still a little bit extra.”

Consider us told.

Main image: Getty