Purple eyeshadow isn’t the most casual color in the world; it doesn’t blend in like a subtle wash of champagne shimmer or a neutral base, and it isn’t an expected smoky eye shade like gray, black, or taupe, either. But that’s what makes it so unique! It stands out and always feels fresh and exciting, so it’s no surprise that Rihanna was drawn to it for her latest red-carpet look.
The Fenty Beauty founder took purple to its fullest potential for a Fenty x Puma event on December 18, wearing the hue not just on her lids but all the way up to her brow bone — and in true Rihanna fashion, she did it like it was NBD.
Makeup artist Priscilla Ono matched the shadow to Rihanna’s furry purple jacket. She brushed an iridescent light purple over her eyelids and upwards to brush her brows, with a deeper purple concentrated at the outer corners. (We’re sure the purple in question is from the Fenty Beauty Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette in Cool Neutrals, which features a strikingly similar amethyst shade.)
Getty Images
Ono added a touch of frosty pale purple to Rihanna’s inner corners, then defined the star’s eyes with black liner on her upper and lower lashlines. Plenty of mascara and a spiky lash, followed by a peachy gloss, and Rihanna was ready for the red carpet.
To complement the purple color story, hairstylist Yusef Williams pulled the star’s honey-blonde hair back into a swingy ponytail with a portion left out and curled into a sweet ringlet near her face. The final look was a bit ’80s in the best way and has me reconsidering my eye makeup application technique. If anyone can make me apply shadow up to my brows, it’s Rihanna.
