House of blues

When Anderson Cooper remarked on Oprah, "Whenever I have an interview, my mother always tells me, ‘Wear blue – it’s the color of confidence,’" the audience laughed. No doubt they were amused by Cooper’s implication that while everyone else’s mother would give tips on professionalism and whatnot, the scion of American aristocracy gets a fashion tip. But with a mother like Gloria Vanderbilt, famed not only for her denim line but for a fairytale lifestyle that involved million-dollar trust funds and dalliances with rich and famous playboys on sun-drenched yachts, what else can you expect?

But it’s Cooper’s reference to the color blue that’s most relevant to this story. Garnering a bad rep for its role in tacky ’80s makeup, blue eye makeup has taken its time getting back in the game. When Aerin Lauder told Oprah it’s okay to wear blue again, Oprah couldn’t help but note, "After years of telling people not to wear it, now it’s okay?" Cue laughter from the audience. (That Oprah, she’s a regular barrel of laughs.)

But blue’s made a major comeback over the past year, with the primary color boom that had bold-faced names like Lindsay Lohan dressing in bright cerulean hues. For fall, navy – along with purple and blue blends – has been hitting runways. The latest men’s spring collections have taken lighter notes of blue and tinted it over key pieces. Martin Margiela’s shot of azure on a slim-fitting leather jacket, Alexander McQueen’s checked blue suit, and Paul Smith’s loose cardi in a saturated teal over a slate sweater were just a few of the bluesy pieces making their mark on menswear. Not to be left out, the couture shows which recently debuted were abloom with color, most noticeably in Christian Lacroix, who paired exquisite shift dresses with tights in a bright cobalt, and Chanel, where Karl Lagerfeld’s medieval-inspired set of short suits and swingy dresses were offset by thigh-high boots and fingerless gloves in denim.

Shu Uemura’s joined the navy with a fierce liquid shimmer eyeliner in aqua. The Japanese makeup brand’s take on the sapphire trend is a bright blue liner with a shimmer finish. A hint of gold adds depth. Part of the limited-edition Amber and Nature collection, the label’s summer offering, the blue liner is part of a trio of eyeliners – the others are brown and green.

Inspired by Amaterasu, the Shinto goddess of the sun, Shu Uemura’s makeup mavens combined warm summery shades with hints of coral and gold for a cool tropical look. The summer palette 2006, which includes three shades of shimmery gold pressed eye shadow, takes its cue from the same big blue trend and has a pressed eye shadow in a pearly ocean blue with a hint of purple.

The line’s standout product could be the best accessory these post-summer months. The blue eyeliner is bright and bold, which makes for a dramatic eye. Apply the liquid liner with the brush-tip applicator on the lid and the eyes get instant definition. With its smooth pearly texture, the liner dries with a smooth, almost latex-like finish – which means no smudging.

Neither garish nor tacky, this season’s blue makeup is startlingly modern. Lightly applied, it’s a great way to accent a low-key day look. With a bolder application, it takes on a sultry chanteuse quality – and that’s a good thing.

I road-tested the liner one night and received a dozen and a half compliments. Half, because when my mother saw it, she said, "Hmmm… blue. Well, it makes your eyes look bigger." Perhaps the reincarnation of her former eye shadow shade spooked her. Blue was big for her in the ’80s. Everyone else, though, was effusive in their compliments. And though my novice hand was shaky when I applied the luxe blue liner, the finished product looked pretty professional.

"Blue liner brings out the brown color in Asian or Filipina eyes," said Shu Uemura’s Xeng Zulueta. "It’s a fun alternative to the usual black."

One friend couldn’t help herself from – rather rudely – remarking, "I never thought blue would look good on you." Well, it does and I’m not alone. It flatters all skin tones. Pale or dark, the aqua liner’s shimmery finish makes for a great contrast. "It’s so unexpected," observed another friend.

Well, blue is back, kids. Get used to it.

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The limited-edition shimmer eyeliner in blue, along with other Shu Uemura products, is available at Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La.