Getting ready for a big event or just looking to add some zing to your eye make-up routine? Here’s one fool-proof tip to ensure your make-up and peepers look instantly fabulous - a coloured waterline. Throughout the sub-continent women generally tend to stick to kohl and black pencil when it comes to their eyes. And why not? Black is defining and flattering but when you’ve got the entire spectrum at your fingertips why not inject some colour into a monochrome routine? You can make even the simplest eye make-up pop by colouring your waterline in a vibrant shade, which by the way, is also the current global make-up trend. Here’s some easy inspiration to help you get going.

Step one: Colouring the waterline

Complete your eye make-up as per usual, leaving the inner eye rim untouched. We recommend keeping your eyes mostly neutral using shades of warm brown or taupe with lashings of mascara to make them appear bigger. Next choose a shade that matches your eye make-up or adds an interesting contrast. You can use complimentary shades to enhance your eye colour, for example opting for emerald green to make brown eyes pop or for the more daring, choosing a metallic maroon to make a statement.

For a neutral, non dramatic look we pair day eyes in shades of taupe, brown and smoked-out black liner with a shimmery cerulean for the waterline - a classic combination. You can use anything from crayons to soft smudge pencils and crème eye shadows to colour your waterline, as well as choose from a plethora of colours but shades of blue and beige or white have eye opening properties and can make tired eyes look fresh. As with normal kohl or pencil, rim your inner waterline. No need to worry if the colour spills out a little, you can smudge it with a brush later or clean it up with a pointed Q-tip. Repeat for the other eye.

Other colours that tend to complement the sub-continental skin-tone include copper, aubergine and bright, vibrant greens. These shades work well with warm eyes and dusky skin, giving more depth to your peepers and can be worn alone, with multiple eyeshadow combinations and even with coloured mascara by the more adventurous of the lot. We love to pair Benefit’s They’re Mascara in blue with Bourjois’s coloured pencils in Blue Remix for the upper lash line and Golden Grey Sessions, a light metallic blue, for a fun day-time look.

Step two: Shading the lashline and topping it off

To add greater depth to a coloured waterline, take a darker shade such as sable or black and gently smudge it across your lower lash line (careful not to let the darker shade bleed into your waterline). This is where you can truly have fun - you can smudge a darker shade of cerulean on your lash line for a reverse ombre effect or pair different colours for your water and lash line such as green and pink, purple and gold/bronze or any other number of combinations.  Add lashings of mascara and voila! Gorgeous eyes just like that. Incorporate this into your beauty routine for a refreshing take on classic make-up combinations.