How To Get Princess Diana's Iconic Blue Eyeliner Look

Liquid, pencil and gel liners that are as royal as the Princess of Wales herself.
Princess Diana at a 1988 dinner party in France wearing what came to be her signature blue eyeliner, applied along her waterline.
Tim Graham via Getty Images
Princess Diana at a 1988 dinner party in France wearing what came to be her signature blue eyeliner, applied along her waterline.

Throughout her relatively brief time as a member of the royal family, Princess Diana created a legacy that existed beyond her public role. Her humanitarian efforts and compassionate demeanor helped to ban landmines in Angola and shrink the public stigma of HIV/AIDS. And while these social changes are certainly no small feats, it would be an untrue telling of possibly the world’s favorite princess if her elegant style wasn’t mentioned, at least just once.

The steady stream of photos snapped of Lady Di revealed her self-expression of said elegant style in the form of blue eyeliner, worn along her upper and lower waterlines, giving the princess’ blue eyes a noticeable pop.

In an interview with Yahoo! Life back in 2017, Diana’s former makeup artist Mary Greenwell intimated that electric blue eyeliner might not have been subtle enough for the likes of British royalty. She helped Diana transition into more neutral shades.

“I think beiges and browns are just so much prettier. Simple as that,” Greenwell said. “Diana felt no need to be showy, so she kept her makeup subtle and appropriate for the occasion.”

But the blue eyeliner trend refuses to be replaced by “beiges and browns.” Dua Lipa, Sophie Turner and Priyanka Chopra have all recently embraced the eye-enhancing qualities of a majestically blue liner.

Give a nod to Princess Diana and her signature look and grab an eyeliner from the list below. Shop metallics and mattes in shades of navy, cobalt and cerulean hues perfect for accentuating your eyes.

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A double-ended eyeliner with two different finishes
This two-for-one eyeliner from Charlotte Tilbury gives you the option of a deep navy matte shade and a radiant blue that can be used individually or layered on top of one another for added dimension. Natural waxes and emollient oils help this liner glide onto the delicate eye area like butter.

Get it from Sephora for $30.
A self-sharpening eyeliner to make a perfect point
Always have a perfectly sharpened eyeliner to achieve detailed applications and versatile eye looks with this midnight blue eyeliner pencil from Covergirl. Softening carnauba wax and castor seed oil make this formula blendable and might even make lashes look more lush.

Get it from Amazon for $4.86.
An all-day gel liner made cleanly and sustainably
Get a gel texture and the bold pay-off on a liquid eyeliner with this navy pencil from Almay. Formulated without any parabens, phthalates or mineral oils this long-wearing option can be safely worn around the sensitive eye area, including the waterline.

Get it from Amazon for $4.25.
A blue-green liner perfect for brown and green eyes
In the shade Gypsy Blue, this cream pencil eyeliner from NYX easily twists up to offer intense pigmentation that can all last all day, even though humidity or weepy eyes. It's also made completely cruelty-free so you can feel good about applying this blue-green liner to your peepers.

Get it from Amazon for $5.50.
A retractable matte eyeliner with a built-in sharpener
Whether you're going for a smoky eye, a sharp wing or just in the waterline like Princess Diana, the Sephora collection waterproof eyeliner is a set and stay formula so the creamy textured liner dries down to stay. A smudge tool on one end helps you to get the perfect smoky eye and a built-in sharpener can help you with more precise applications.

Get it from Sephora for $13.
A waterproof pencil in a universally flattering shade of blue
The rich shade of cobalt blue in L'Oréal's Infallible pro-liner not only looks nearly identical to Diana's preferred shade, it can help make any eye color pop. This waterproof formula claims to offer a 24-hour wear and slides on easily for a tug-free application.

Get it from Ulta for $8.99.
An aqua-colored eyeliner with a precision tip
Lime Crime's Venus pigmented eyeliner captures a unique aqua color that closely resembles Diana's banquet look when she made an official trip to Munich in 1987. Get solid lines with one stroke and a flake-free wear that won't smudge or bunch.

Get it from Lime Crime for $18.
A pretty periwinkle pencil with a creamy texture
Periwinkle might not be the first color you imagine when you think of eyeliner, but the Princess of Wales often did. This baby blue shade from Gucci can give an opening effect to the eye when applied in the waterline or inner and outer corners. Carnauba wax and soft polymers help make this eyeliner blendable and smooth while silicon resins keep it waterproof and long wearing.

Get it from Sephora for $36.
A shimmery glide-on pencil with long wearing results
This glimmering metallic take on a traditional blue eyeliner from Urban Decay contains tiny reflective particles to catch the light and is made with 50% moisturizing ingredients to keep from drying out the delicate eye area and provide a smooth application.

Get it from Amazon for $22.
A skip-proof liquid eyeliner the color of midnight
If black is your old faithful when it comes to eyeliner, trying out a color like Stila's midnight blue waterproof liquid liner can be a good way to test the waters of blue eyeliner. The marker-like tip and quick dry-down formula can help you line above and under your eye without experiencing feathering or patchiness.

Get it from Sephora for $22.
A navy run-proof pencil safe sensitive eyes
If your eyes instantly well up with tears each time you try to apply eyeliner, Makeup Forever's Aqua Resist liner in navy might be something to try. The formula was tested by opthalmialgists, making this waterproof matte liner ideal for sensitive eyes and applying in the upper and lower waterlines.

Get it from Sephora for $22.
A pigmented gel liner that goes on in one stroke
This ultra marine gel eyeliner from Morphe is smooth and opaque, and since it comes in a pot, you can customize your application from itty bitty lines to an entire lid the color of the sea. It might seem intimidating at first, but the one-stroke promise from Morphe means you shouldn't have to go over a line again and again in order to get a solid and bold result.

Get it from Morphe for $9.
A high-impact liquid eyeliner
Princess Di often opted for a cornflower shade, like this liquid eyeliner from Dior. Thanks to the hybrid applicator, which combines the security of a felt tip and softness of a brush, you can apply product in more difficult to reach areas like the inner corners and underneath the lash line.

Get it from Sephora for $31.

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