Colourfully washed-out eye lids were one of the hottest spring beauty looks this season—seen across the runways in soft berry at Burberry Prorsum to minty green at Giorgio Armani. Here are 5 reasons to try a bright wash of eye shadow this spring.

1. You can’t go wrong with colour.
Think about it: “There’s no such thing as a disgusting colour,” says David Goveia, Toronto-based celeb makeup artist. He suggests approaching colour selection the same way you would when shopping for a new blouse in a poppy spring hue—“Chances are, you’ll like the same colour in an eye shadow.”

2. Go for a soft wash of colour.
If you’re wary of wearing colour on your eyes, ease into this spring beauty look awith a softer shade, like lavender or mint green, lightly dusted across the lids. “Barely a hint of colour—it’s one step past natural,” explains Goveia. “And balance it with a bright mouth.”

3. To play up your regular black eyeliner.
Let Chanel’s Spring 2014 painterly eye shadow inspire your own artistic approach to wearing colour—mainly pairing lavender and turquoise hues with a black liner. Trace your liquid black liner along the lash line starting from the centre of the top lid. “Don’t take it all the way,” warns Goveia. “This makes the eye appear wider.”

4. As a quick way to introduce colour on the face.
The beauty of the modern colourful eye shadow looks seen at Badgley Mischka and Prada this spring is that it looks like makeup was applied in a hurry. Goveia confirms that applying colour actually is as easy as it looks: “Use a big, soft brush to apply a thin wash of colour on the eyelid,” he says. Apply to the whole lid, up to the brow. Finish up with an even coat of mascara and a summery lip shade and you’re good to go.

5. For your day-to-night spring beauty look.
Taking your lightly coloured lid into a bolder spring beauty night look can be a smooth and easy transition—if you carry out the prep work. Apply an eye shadow primer to the lid (try Smashbox Cosmetics 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer) before adding a wash of colour over top in the morning. For night, “Add a touch of shimmer in the same colour family,” says Goveia. Take a punchy hue like emerald green or sapphire blue and using your fingertip to apply to the lid, swipe back and forth over the ball of the eye. Brush a light coating of pressed powder over top to keep everything in its place. Along with a black liner, “This is the best makeup,” advocates Goveia. “It lifts the eye, and keeps you looking young—there’s nothing better.”

READ MORE:
The best bright eye shadows for spring
Spring 2014 beauty trend: Bold eyeliner
Get the look: Spring 2014’s hottest lip colours